THE MISSION
PROJECT MERCURY
STATISTICS
Period
Goal
Rockets
1958-1963
Manned Orbital Flight
Atlas D, Redstone, Little Joe
DESCRIPTION
Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program in the USA, during the Space Race between Russia and America.
The progam was aimed toward puting a human into Earth orbit and safely getting the person back to the ground again, before the Russians did.
The program was really successful in getting everyone in interested in astronomy, and in preparing for manned missions to the moon.
PROJECT GEMINI
STATISTICS
Period
Goal
Rockets
1961-1966
Long Duration Spaceflight
Titan II GLV
DESCRIPTION
Project Gemini was aimed toward developing long distance spaceflight, this was to support the aim of getting man on the moon.
The program achieved a long-duration spaceflight of 14 days as well as perfecting techniques such as rendezvous, docking, targeted re-entry and landing.
The project also achieved the first American spacewalk.
APOLLO MISSION
STATISTICS
Period
Goal
Rockets
1969-1972
Land Man on the Moon
Saturn I, Saturn IB, Saturn V
DESCRIPTION
On July 20th 1969, the Apollo mission achieved its main goal of successfully landing man on the moon, and therefore winning the space race. Up until 1972 the program landed a total of 12 men on the moon.
The program laid the foundations for future manned spaceflight.
INTERNATION SPACE STATION
STATISTICS
Period
Goal
Rockets
1998-Ongoing
International Research
Baikonur
DESCRIPTION
The international Space Station is an orbiting habitable satallite and research facility that is made up of Amercia, Russia, Canada and Europe.
The space station allows astronauts and scientists to conduct research experiments in order to continue the aim of exploration and educational outreach.
Both Russia and Amercia have agreed to cooperate in the creation of a new space station to Replace ISS by 2024.