Mercury Spacecraft 8/8A MA-3 and MA-4
Mercury Spacecraft 8 first launched on MA-3 on April 25, 1961. When the Atlas failed to follow its guidance program, range safety destroyed the booster and the escape system carried the capsule to a safe recovery. NASA refitted it as Spacecraft 8A; on MA-4 on September 13 it completed the first successful uncrewed orbital Mercury mission and was recovered again.
Identity
- Aliases
- Mercury spacecraft No. 8Mercury spacecraft No. 8AMA-3 spacecraftMA-4 spacecraftMercury-Atlas 3 capsuleMercury-Atlas 4 capsule
- Name
- Mercury Spacecraft 8/8A MA-3 and MA-4
- Slug
- mercury-spacecraft-8-8a-ma-3-and-ma-4
- Status
- retired
Details
- Description
- Mercury Spacecraft 8 first launched on MA-3 on April 25, 1961. When the Atlas failed to follow its guidance program, range safety destroyed the booster and the escape system carried the capsule to a safe recovery. NASA refitted it as Spacecraft 8A; on MA-4 on September 13 it completed the first successful uncrewed orbital Mercury mission and was recovered again.
- Manufacturer Id
- jd7dn1pccd488zm13zggn4eqch89nyx0
- Operator Id
- vh76vnx3yy1vy23j7zc3wk80wx7nhx5f
- Vehicle Family Id
- nd7gmrxwwxaqvbj2734ka2dgpd8aesfr
Links
- Official Url
- https://www.nasa.gov/history/SP-4001/app4.htm
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- 7/14/2026, 7:00:50 PM
- Updated Time
- 7/14/2026, 7:00:50 PM
Other
- First Flight Date
- 1961-04-25
- Last Flight Date
- 1961-09-13
- Serial Number
- 8 / 8A
- Vehicle Code
- Spacecraft No. 8/8A