50 Years ago…

Continuing in the Marine theme…


50 years ago today (at least on the West side of the Dateline it’s today), Major John Glenn, USMC circled the world aboard Friendship 7 as the third launch in the Mercury Program…

Launch:
February 20, 1962. 9:47:39 am EST. Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 14. Powered flight lasted 5 minutes 1 second and was completed normally.
The mercury countdown began on 1/27/62 and was performed in two parts. Precount checks out the primary spacecraft systems, followed by a 17.5 hour hold for pyrotechnic checks, electrical connections and peroxide system servicing. Then the countdown began. The launch countdown proceeded to the T-13 minute mark and then was canceled due to adverse weather conditions. After cancellation, the mission team decided to replace the carbon dioxide absorber unit and the peroxide system had to be drained and flushed to prevent corrosion. Launch vehicle systems were then revalidated and a leak was discovered in the inner bulkhead of the fuel tank that required 4-6 days to repair. The launch was rescheduled to 2/13/62 and then to 2/14/62 to all the bulkhead work to complete. The precount picked up again on 2/13/62, 2/15/62 and 2/16/62 but was canceled each time due to adverse weather. The launch was then rescheduled for 2/20/62. 

During the launch countdown on 2/20/62, all systems were energized and final overall checks were made. the count started at T-390 minutes by installing and connecting the escape-rocket igniter. The service structure was then cleared and the spacecraft was powered to verify no inadvertent pyrotechnic ignition. The personnel then returned to the service structure to prepare for static firing of the reaction control system at T-250 minutes. The spacecraft was then prepared for boarding at T-120 minutes. The hatch was put into place at T-90 minutes. During installation a bolt was broken, and the hatch had to be removed to replace the bolt causing a 40 minute hold. From T-90 to T-55 final mechanical work and spacecraft checks were made and the service was evacuated and moved away from the launch vehicle. At T-45 minutes, a 15 minute hold was required to add fuel to the launch vehicle and at T-22 minutes and additional 25 minutes was required for filling the liquid-oxygen tanks as a result of a minor malfunction in the ground support equipment used to pump liquid oxygen into the launch vehicle. At approximately T-35 minutes, filling of the liquid-oxygen tanks began and final spacecraft and launch vehicle systems checks were
started.

At T-10 minutes the spacecraft went on internal power. At T-6min 30 seconds, a 2 minute hold was required to make a quick check of the network computer at Bermuda. The launch vehicle went on internal power at T-3 minutes. At T-35 seconds the spacecraft umbilical was ejected and at T-0 the main engines started. Liftoff occurred at T+4 seconds at  9:47:39am EST. 

Landing:  

February 20, 1962. 14:43:02 am EST. 800 miles southeast of Bermuda.
Recovered by the destroyer USS Noa. Lookouts on the destroyer sighted the main parachute at an altitude of 5,000 ft from a range of 5nm. The Noa had the spacecraft aboard 21 minutes after landing and astronaut John Glenn remained in the spacecraft during pickup. Original plans had called for egress through the top hatch but Glenn was becoming uncomfortably warm and it was decided to exit by the easier egress path. 

Orbit:

Altitude: 162.2 x 100 statute miles
Inclination: 32.54
Orbits: 3
Period: 88min 29sec
Duration: 0 Days, 4 hours, 55 min, 23 seconds
Distance: 75,679 statute miles
Velocity: 17,544 mph
Max Q: 982 psf
Max G: 7.7

Courtesy of KSC and NASA

50 years ago today we were successful, and landed 
men on the Moon 7 short years later…

We need to bring THAT drive and team effort back 
to the USA!

Comments

50 Years ago… — 11 Comments

  1. It’s hard to even explain the excitment of those early days. It completely reoriented our entire school system. I watch every single launch from Shepard on and couldn’t wait for college, to learn all that was happening on the TV. It breaks my heart we have lost so much. I just knew, with all my heart that I woul work on the moon, yet we have so easily cast those national dreams aside. Heavy sigh . . . . .

  2. I remember the moon landing and Apollo 11. Our teachers in school had actually rolled in television sets (cable was scarce back in those days) to the classrooms, and school actually stopped.

    I’ll never forget the excitement and awe I felt watching Armstrong slowly descend the ladder, and then utter his immortal words.

    When some nutjob tries to tell me it was “fake,” I offer to punch him in the nose and then show him his own blood and ask him if it’s fake.

    They never get it. They just don’t get it.

    When the 9/11 truthers try to “explain,” I get downright pissed and tell them I’m armed, I’m PTSD, and I lost two friends that day and they’d best shut their goddamn mouths and get out of my sight.

    Something about demeaning men and women who gave their all for the advancement and glory of this nation that upsets me.

    I remember going to a matinee showing of The Right Stuff not long after I got out of the Air Force.

    Once again, the awe of what these incredibly brave men did and sacrificed was too much for words.

    It still is.

    –AOA

  3. Hog- We got OLD… sigh

    Eia- Yep, I was a ‘kid’ growing up in those days…

    WSF- Concur, and I truly doubt it…

    Guffaw- You’re welcome

    AOA- I watched it in a bar in Rome, and the ENTIRE world was transfixed… And concur with the rest of your statement too!

  4. Continuing the USMC and history theme of your last couple of posts, Feb. 19, is the 67th anniversary of the Marines storming the beach at Iwo Jima.

    Oorah!

  5. Kennedy challenged us to put a man on the moon in ten years and we did it, working from scratch.
    We could not do that again today, because the American people appear to have lost the will needed to strive for such goals and because Obama has destroyed NASA and the space program. Our manned space program has gone the way of the P-51 Mustang and SR-71 Blackbird. Once we made such things by the thousands, but today we’d be hard-pressed to turn out even one because we’ve let the tooling and experience disappear.

    And yes, this new WV sucks on ice.

  6. Tim- Good point, and ‘almost’ another day that lived in Infamy…

    Murph- Sadly I have to agree… and yeah, it IS a PITA!

  7. We as Americans have lost our way, we no longer believe that we are exceptional. NASA main job according to Obungler is to be an outreach to the muslims. We have had several generations of people half assed educated, brainwashed with the political correctness. No wonder we stumble. And I cry for my country when the last of the true Americans pass from this planet.