The Mercury Program

The Mercury program was how the United States first sent people into space. It ran from 1958 to 1963. The tiny Mercury capsule could hold only one astronaut. The program's goals were to put a human in orbit, keep them safe, and bring them home. All six crewed missions were successful.

The Mercury Seven

NASA chose seven military test pilots to be the first American astronauts. They were called the Mercury Seven. Alan Shepard became the first American in space on May 5, 1961. His flight lasted only 15 minutes. John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth on February 20, 1962. He circled Earth three times.

The Tiny Capsule

The Mercury capsule was very small. It was only about 6 feet wide. Astronauts could barely move inside. They sat in a custom-made seat for the entire flight. The capsule had a heat shield on the bottom to protect it during reentry. It splashed down in the ocean, where Navy ships picked up the astronaut.

Fun Facts

• The Mercury capsule was so small that astronauts joked they did not climb in, they put it on.
• Alan Shepard's first space flight lasted only 15 minutes and 28 seconds.
• John Glenn was 77 years old when he went back to space in 1998, making him the oldest person in space at that time.

Did You Know?

The Mercury astronauts got to name their own capsules. Alan Shepard called his Freedom 7, and John Glenn called his Friendship 7.