Mercury-Redstone 3

Mission insignia
Freedom 7 insignia
Mission statistics
Mission name:	Mercury MR-3
Call sign:	Freedom 7
Number of crew members:	1
Launch:	May 5, 1961 14:34:13 UTC Cape Canaveral Complex 5
Landing:	May 5, 1961 14:49:41 UTC 27.23° N 75.88° W
Duration:	15 min 22 s
Number of orbits:	Suborbital
Apogee:	116.46 mi 187.42 km
Distance traveled:	302.77 mi 487.26 km
Maximum velocity:	5,143 mph 8 277 km/h
Peak acceleration:	11 g (108 m/s²)
Mass: Launch Apogee Reentry Landing	1 832.64 kg 1 295.07 kg 1 169.81 kg 1 050.53 kg
Crew picture
Mercury 3 crew portrait (Shepard)
Alan Shepard

Mercury-Redstone 3 was a U.S. Mercury program manned space mission launched on May 5, 1961 using a Redstone rocket, from Launch Complex 5 (LC-5) at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Mercury capsule was named Freedom 7 and it performed a suborbital flight, piloted by astronaut Alan Shepard—the first American in space. The flight lasted less than 16 minutes and attained an altitude of just over 187 km.

Unlike the earlier Soviet Vostok 1 flight, Shepard did not orbit the earth but simply went up and down which requires a less powerful rocket and simpler guidance. He did however became the first astronaut to return to Earth with his ship, while the Russian cosmonaut parachuted away from his during landing. Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev criticized Freedom 7 as a mere 'flea hop' compared to the recent flight of Vostok 1 and its passenger Yuri Gagarin.

Crew

• Alan Shepard (1)

*Number in parentheses indicates number of spaceflights by each individual prior to and including this mission.

Backup crew

• John Glenn

Mission parameters

• Mass: 1,295 kg (apogee)
• Maximum Altitude: 187.42 km
• Range: 487.26 km
• Launch Vehicle: Redstone rocket

Mission highlights

The Freedom 7 spacecraft had been delivered to Cape Canaveral on December 9, 1960. Freedom 7 was capsule # 7, and it had been given special attention at the factory since it was selected for the first manned suborbital flight in October, 1960. It had originally been expected to be ready for launch almost immediately. However, 21 weeks of unplanned preparation would be needed before it could be launched on its mission. Reaction control system rework was responsible for postponement of the launch until at least March 6, 1961. Damaged and corroded peroxide lines that needed replacement forced a further delay of eight days. The simulated mission test needed to be rerun and structural and equipment defects corrected. The MR-3 mission was finally ready to be launched on May 2, 1961.

Three astronauts had been chosen as finalists to fly the MR-3 mission in January, 1961, and on February 22, 1961 their names were announced to the public. The three were Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom and John Glenn. The public was not told who would actually fly the mission until after a May 2, 1961 launch attempt was cancelled due to weather. It was then revealed that Shepard had been suited up and waiting for 3 hours in Hangar "S" at Cape Canaveral for the launch. The May 2 launch was cancelled 2 hours and 20 minutes before launch, due to weather conditions.

In the early morning of May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard donned his pressure suit with the assistance of technician Joe W. Schmitt. A transfer van carried him to the launch pad, and he ascended the gantry at 10:15 UTC. At 10:21 UTC he entered Freedom 7, and the gantry crew helped attach the harness and hose connections. He would spend the next four hours in the capsule waiting for the launch.

At 9:34 AM EST (14:34 UTC), there were 45 million Americans watching and listening live to their televisions, when at about two seconds after liftoff Alan Shepard reported, "Ahh, Roger; lift-off and the clock is started . . Yes, sir, reading you loud and clear. This is Freedom 7. The fuel is go; 1.2 g [12 m/s²]; cabin at 14 psi [97 kPa]; oxygen is go . . Freedom 7 is still go!" He was riding on Redstone MRLV-7 and in Mercury spacecraft # 7. In all subsequent Mercury flights, the number 7 was appended to the astronaut-chosen spacecraft/mission name and call sign, in honor of the fact that there were 7 original Mercury astronauts.

At T+16 seconds (where T is the time of launch) the Pitch Program started and the Redstone began a 2 deg/s pitch over, from 90 to 45 degrees. At about T+40 seconds, the Pitch Program was complete. Max-Q was reached at 1 minute 24 seconds into the flight when Freedom 7 experienced a maximum dynamic pressure of 580 lb_f/ft² (2.8 kPa). During ascent the cabin pressure sealed off at 5.5 lb_f/in² (38 kPa) of pure oxygen. At 2 minutes into the flight, Shepard experienced 6 g (59 m/s²) of acceleration.
The Redstone's engine shut down on schedule at 2 minutes 21.8 seconds. Outside the spacecraft, its shingle temperature reached 220 °F (104 °C). Inside, the cabin was 91 °F (33 °C) The temperature inside Shepard's pressure suit was 75 °F (24 °C). Escape Tower separation, occurred 2 minutes and 22.2 seconds after launch. This is 1 second earlier than nominal, and there was some indication from the recovered escape tower that the jettison rockets had been fired manually. Shepard said he did not remember pulling the manual "JETT TOWER" override ring.

Three Posigrade Rockets with 370 lb_f (1.6 kN) thrust each, fired for 1 second and separated the spacecraft from the Redstone booster at a rate of 15 ft/s (4.6 m/s) at 2 minutes 32.3 seconds after launch. At 3 minutes the automatic attitude control system (AACS) rotated the spacecraft 180 degrees, to a heatshield-forward position. The spacecraft remained in this position for the remainder of the flight. The spacecraft had almost reached apogee in its ballistic flight.

Shepard took manual control of the spacecraft attitude, one axis at a time, from the automatic attitude control system. The first thing he did was position the spacecraft to its retrofire attitude of 34 degrees pitch (nose of spacecraft pitched down 34 degrees). He then tested manual control of yaw and roll. When he took control of all three axes, he found that the spacecraft response was about the same as that of the Mercury simulator.

He then made observations outside the spacecraft, using the two porthole windows and the periscope. He saw the outlines of the west coast of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. Lake Okeechobee, in central Florida, was also visible, but he could not see any city. Andros Island and the Bahamas were also observed in the periscope.

The retrorockets were fired at about T+5 minutes and 15 seconds into the flight, shortly after the spacecraft reached an apogee of 116.5 miles (187 km). The three 1000 lb_f (4.4 kN) thrust retrograde rockets ripple-fired to provide a 510 ft/s (155 m/s) delta-V in the opposite direction of travel. Each retrorocket fires for a total of 10 seconds. They are fired 5 seconds apart so they overlap in burning (Retro #1 fired at 5:14.1; Retro #2 fired at 5:18.8 and Retro #3 fired at 5:23.6 MET). The retrorocket firing could be easily heard, but the noise was not as loud as the sound of the jet trainers he had flown. The periscope was retracted at T+5 minutes and 45 seconds and the retropack was jettisoned at about T+6 minutes and 13.6 seconds. After retrofire the nose of the spacecraft was pitched up to a 14 degree from Earth-vertical attitude for reentry. This happened at about T+6 minutes and 20 seconds.

During the descent, Shepard tried to look out the awkwardly placed porthole windows to observe the stars. He could see nothing, not even the horizon. At about T+7 minutes and 48.2 seconds, the 0.05 g (0.5 m/s²) light came on, an indication that the acceleration buildup was about to start. The Automatic Stabilization & Control System (ASCS) detected the beginning of reentry and initiated a 10 deg/s roll. This maneuver makes the spacecraft more stable during reentry. During reentry a peak of 11.6 g (114 m/s²) was reached.

At 21,000 ft (6.4 km) about T+9 minutes and 38.1 seconds after launch, the drogue parachute came out, at 15,000 ft (4.6 km) a snorkel valve opened to equalize cabin pressure with the outside air. At 10,000 ft (3 km), about T+10 minutes and 14.8 seconds into the flight, the antenna canister at the top of the spacecraft jettisoned as planned, pulling out the main parachute. About 5 seconds later, the beryllium heatshield dropped down four feet (1.2 m), extending the landing bag under the spacecraft. Freedom 7 was descending under the parachute at 35 ft/s (11 m/s).

Splashdown occurred at T+15 minutes and 22.0 seconds. Water impact was comparable to landing a jet aircraft on an aircraft carrier. Freedom 7 tilted over on the right side, about 60 degrees from an upright position. Shepard checked the spacecraft interior for leaks, but found none. Slowly, Freedom 7 came to an upright position, taking about a minute to do so.

A recovery helicopter that had been watching Freedom 7 for five minutes of its descent now came overhead and hooked a cable to the top of the spacecraft. The helicopter crew was in radio communications with Shepard. The astronaut indicated he would release the spacecraft hatch when it had cleared the water. The helicopter pulled the spacecraft a couple of feet (about 1 m) higher in the water and Shepard released the hatch. A sling was lowered to the astronaut and he was lifted into the helicopter. Both Shepard and the Freedom 7 were then flown to the deck of the nearby recovery carrier, the USS Lake Champlain. They were onboard the carrier 11 minutes after landing in the water. The astronaut and spacecraft came through the flight in fine shape.

The flight lasted 15 minutes 28 seconds, and the spacecraft traveled 302 miles (486 km) from its launch point, ascending to 116.5 miles (187 km). Freedom 7 landed at these coordinates: . It reached a speed of 5,180 mph (8,754 km/h). During the launch phase, Shepard experienced 6.3 g (62 m/s²) and during reentry 11.6 g (114 m/s²).

Following the flight the capsule was examined by engineers and found to be in excellent shape; so much so that they decided it could have been safely used again in another launch. The Freedom 7 is now on display in the lobby of the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center, at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD. It was placed there after Shepard's death in 1998.

Flight events

T+ Time	Event	Description
T+00:00:00	Liftoff	Mercury-Redstone lifts off, onboard clock starts.
T+00:00:16	Pitch Program	Redstone pitches over 2 deg/s from 90 deg to 45 deg.
T+00:00:40	End Pitch Program	Redstone reaches 45 deg pitch.
T+00:01:24	Max Q	Maximum dynamic pressure ~575 lbf/ft² (28 kPa).
T+00:02:20	BECO	Redstone engine shutdown - Booster Engine Cutoff. Velocity 5,200 mph (2.3 km/s)
T+00:02:22	Tower Jettison	Escape Tower Jettison, no longer needed.
T+00:02:24	Capsule Separation	Posigrade rockets fire for 1 s giving 15 ft/s (4.6 m/s) separation.
T+00:02:35	Turnaround Maneuver	Capsule (ASCS) system rotates capsule 180 degrees, to heat shield forward attitude. Nose is pitched down 34 degrees to retro fire position.
T+00:05:00	Apogee	Apogee of about 115 miles (185 km) reached at 150 miles (240 km) downrange from launch site.
T+00:05:15	Retrofire	Three retro rockets fire for 10 seconds each. They are started at 5 second intervals, firing overlaps. Delta v of 550 ft/s (168 m/s) is taken off forward velocity.
T+00:05:45	Retract Periscope	Periscope is automatically retracted in preparation for reentry.
T+00:06:15	Retro Pack Jettison	One minute after retrofire retro pack is jettisoned, leaving heat shield clear.
T+00:06:20	Retro Attitude Maneuver	(ASCS) orients capsule in 34 degrees nose down pitch, 0 degrees roll, 0 degrees yaw.
T+00:07:15	0.05 g (0.5 m/s²) Maneuver	(ASCS) detects beginning of reentry and rolls capsule at 10 deg/s to stabilize capsule during reentry.
T+00:09:38	Drogue Parachute Deploy	Drogue parachute deployed at 22,000 ft (6.7 km) slowing descent to 365 ft/s (111 m/s) and stabilizing capsule.
T+00:09:45	Snorkel Deploy	Fresh air snorkel deploys at 20,000 ft (6 km). (ECS) switches to emergency oxygen rate to cool cabin.
T+00:10:15	Main Parachute Deploy	Main parachute deploys at 10,000 ft (3 km). Descent rate slows to 30 ft/s (9 m/s)
T+00:10:20	Landing Bag Deploy	Landing bag deploys, dropping heat shield down 4 ft (1.2 m).
T+00:10:20	Fuel Dump	Remaining hydrogen peroxide fuel automatically dumped.
T+00:15:30	Splashdown	Capsule lands in water about 300 mi (500 km) downrange from launch site.
T+00:15:30	Rescue Aids Deploy	Rescue aid package deployed. The package includes green dye marker, recovery radio beacon and whip antenna.

References

• This New Ocean: A History of Project Mercury - NASA SP-4201
• Project Mercury - Results of the First U.S. Manned Suborbital Space Flight - NASA - 1961
• NASA NSSDC Master Catalog
• Postlaunch Report for Mercury-Redstone No. 3 (NASA)
• NASA 40th anniversary of the Merury 7 — Alan B. Shepard, Jr.

•  • [ e] Missions of Project Mercury

Mercury-Jupiter • Little Joe 1 • Big Joe 1 • Little Joe 6 • Little Joe 1A • Little Joe 2 • Little Joe 1B • Beach Abort • Mercury-Atlas 1 • Little Joe 5 • Mercury-Redstone 1 • Mercury-Redstone 1A • Mercury-Redstone 2 • Mercury-Atlas 2 • Little Joe 5A • Mercury-Redstone BD • Mercury-Atlas 3 • Little Joe 5B • Mercury-Redstone 3 • Mercury-Redstone 4 • Mercury-Atlas 4 • Mercury-Scout 1 • Mercury-Atlas 5 • Mercury-Atlas 6 • Mercury-Atlas 7 • Mercury-Atlas 8 • Mercury-Atlas 9 • Mercury-Atlas 10