MA-3 (16)

Mercury Atlas 3

Pad LC-14 ()

Atlas (3)

Crew:

Unmanned, Robot operations

Milestones:

Payload:

Spacecraft No. 8, Launch Vehicle S/N 100-D

Mission Objective:

Quick test of Spacecraft/Atlas orbit

Launch:

April 25, 1961. 11:15 am EST. Cape Canaveral Florida. Vehicle destroyed

40 seconds after liftoff.

Orbit:

Altitude: 4.5 statute miles

Orbits: 0

Duration: 0 Days, 0 hours, 7 min, 19 seconds

Distance: 0 statute miles

Velocity: 1,177 mph

Max Q: 880 psf

Max G: 11

Landing:

The Mercury spacecraft was recovered off shore.

Mission Highlights:

Mission listed as a failure. Forty seconds after the Atlas left the pad, the vehicle was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer. The mercury spacecraft seperated and was recovered.

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