Project Mercury: The First Americans in Space

Project Mercury was NASA's first human spaceflight program, running from 1958 to 1963. It aimed to put a human in orbit, study the effects of space on the human body, and safely return astronauts to Earth. The program faced early challenges with unmanned missions but eventually succeeded with six manned missions, including Alan Shepard's and John Glenn's historic flights. The program's achievements laid the groundwork for future space exploration, demonstrating the ability to conduct extended missions and train astronauts effectively.

What were the three main objectives of Project Mercury?

• To put a human in orbit, to study human response to space, and to return safely

• To build a space station, to explore the sun, and to return safely

• To land on the moon, to orbit Mars, and to return safely

• To send a probe to Jupiter, to orbit Venus, and to return safely

What was the purpose of the Little Joe 1 launch?

• To send a human to space

• To test the escape system

• To test the heat shields

• To orbit the Earth

Who was the first American to reach space during Project Mercury?

• Alan Shepard

• Virgil Grissom

• John Glenn

• Scott Carpenter

What was the significance of Mercury-Atlas 6?

• It was the first mission to Mars

• It was the first mission to the moon

• It was the first American orbital flight

• It was the first manned mission

What did NASA learn from the final missions of Project Mercury?

• That space travel was too dangerous

• That extended space missions were feasible

• That astronauts' health was severely affected

• That long-duration spaceflight was not possible