Project Mercury (1959–1963) was the first human spaceflight program of the United States. It ran from 1959 through 1963 with the goal of putting a human in orbit around the Earth. The Mercury-Atlas 6 flight on 20 February 1962, piloted by John Glenn, was the first Mercury flight to achieve this goal. U.S. Marines who were astronauts in the Mercury program:
- Lieutenant Colonel John H. Glenn, first American to make an orbital flight. (Glenn also flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery)
Read more about this topic: List Of United States Marine Corps Astronauts
Famous quotes containing the words project and/or mercury:
“The common erotic project of destroying women makes it possible for men to unite into a brotherhood; this project is the only firm and trustworthy groundwork for cooperation among males and all male bonding is based on it.”
—Andrea Dworkin (b. 1946)
“The mercury sank in the mouth of the dying day.
What instruments we have agree
The day of his death was a dark cold day.”
—W.H. (Wystan Hugh)