In the event of a landing outside the primary landing area, Mercury astronauts carried a variety of survival equipment aboard their spacecraft. These included food, water, knives, rope, matches, medical supplies, a radio transceiver, a compass, a rescue beacon, a radar reflector, a life vest, and a life raft similar to this one. This sea shark chaser was part of the survival kit in Freedom 7, the first Mercury mission, in which Alan Shepard became the first American in space. If the astronaut releases the powder into the sea, it repels sharks. This object was not flown, and was inserted into the spacecraft afterward to complete the kit.
NASA transferred Freedom 7 to the Smithsonian in 1962. This object was found inside the spacecraft in 1977.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
EQUIPMENT-Survival
Dimensions
3-D (Overall): 14 × 11.4 × 7cm (5 1/2 × 4 1/2 × 2 3/4 in.)
Materials
Plastic
Synthetic Fabric
Organic Fabric
Aluminum
Inventory Number
A19771209000
Credit Line
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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