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MISSION ARCHIVES
MA-3 (16)

Logo for Mercury Program Mission: Mercury-Atlas 3
Launch Pad: LC-14
Vehicle: Atlas (3)
Crew: Unmanned, Robot operations





Milestones:
Not applicable

Payload:
Spacecraft number 8, Launch Vehicle number 100-D

Mission Objective:
Quick test of spacecraft/Atlas orbit.

Orbit:
Altitude: 4.5 statute miles
Orbits: 0
Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 7 minutes, 19 seconds
Distance: 1,177 statute miles
Max Q: 880 psf
Max G: 11

Launch:
April 25, 1961, 11:15 a.m. EST, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The vehicle was destroyed 40 seconds after liftoff.

Landing:
Not Applicable

Mission Highlights:
The mission was listed as a failure. Forty seconds after the Atlas left the pad, the vehicle was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer. The Mercury spacecraft separated and was recovered.



  RELATED LINKS 
 
+ Project Mercury Home

+ Project Mercury Goals

+ Project Mercury Objectives

+ Project Mercury Overview

+ Project Mercury Spacecraft

+ Project Mercury Manned Flights

+ Project Mercury Unmanned Flights

+ Johnson Mercury Image Directory



 
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