Redstone MRLV — mission imagery
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Mercury-Redstone 3

Redstone MRLVNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationLaunch Complex 5
Friday, May 5, 1961 · 02:34 PM UTC

This mission is complete.

Mission Brief

Mercury-Redstone 3, or Freedom 7, was the first United States human spaceflight, on May 5, 1961, piloted by astronaut Alan Shepard. It was the first manned flight of Project Mercury, the objective of which was to put an astronaut into orbit around the Earth and return him safely. Shepard's mission was a 15-minute suborbital flight with the primary objective of demonstrating his ability to withstand the high g-forces of launch and atmospheric re-entry.

PayloadMercury-Redstone 3
OrbitSuborbital
CustomerMercury
StagesUnknown
PadLaunch Complex 5, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Mission Timeline

14 / 14100%

Ground vector

Launch site

Site locked

Launch Complex 5

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Global range
SITE LOCK
Latitude
28.439°N
Longitude
80.573°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

02:34 PM UTC - 02:34 PM UTC

Vehicle

Redstone MRLV

Profile →
HeightN/A
LEO PayloadN/A
Launches147
Successes122

Provider

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Profile →

USA • Founded 1958

Schedule History

No meaningful launch-time or status changes recorded.