Atlas LV-3B | Big Joe 1

Partial Failure

Atlas LV-3B | Big Joe 1

Suborbital flight with the objective of testing the Mercury spacecraft ablative heat shield. The Atlas booster section failed to jettison, leading to a lower apogee. It was nonetheless sufficient to satisfy the Mercury spacecraft team.

Mission type: Test Flight · Orbit: Suborbital

Rocket: Atlas LV-3B · Provider: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Launch pad

Space Launch Complex 14, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA · View on map (opens in new tab)