Atlas LV-3B — mission imagery
Back to launches
Failure

Mercury-Atlas 1

Atlas LV-3BNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationSpace Launch Complex 14
Friday, July 29, 1960 · 01:13 PM UTC

This mission is complete.

Mission Brief

Mercury-Atlas 1 (MA-1) was the first attempt to launch a Mercury capsule and occurred on July 29, 1960 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft was unmanned and carried no launch escape system. The Atlas rocket suffered a structural failure 58 seconds after launch at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet (9.1 km) and 11,000 feet (3.4 km) down range.

PayloadMercury-Atlas 1
OrbitSuborbital
CustomerMercury
Stages2
PadSpace Launch Complex 14, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Mission Timeline

14 / 14100%

Ground vector

Launch site

Site locked

Space Launch Complex 14

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Global range
SITE LOCK
Latitude
28.491°N
Longitude
80.547°W

Range Weather

Launch commit criteria

Clear
Watch
TrackingNo active constraints
Weather Rules

Tracking no weather issues at this time.

Primary concern
No weather issues
Rule count
0
Temperature
Not reported
Surface wind
Not reported
Window

01:13 PM UTC - 01:13 PM UTC

Vehicle

Atlas LV-3B

Profile →
Height59.7 m
LEO Payload18,850 kg
Launches147
Successes122

Provider

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Profile →

USA • Founded 1958

Schedule History

No meaningful launch-time or status changes recorded.