Mercury-Atlas 4

Mercury - Atlas 4 was an unmanned test flight as part of the Mercury program. The launch took place on 13 September 1961 by Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. With a complete orbit around the Earth, it was the first successful orbital flight under this program, as all previous flights were either ballistically or had to be canceled.

The flight served mainly the test necessary for orbital flights ground stations. Also, was in the Mercury capsule, a simulator system that would simulate a human. This included the testing of environmental control and life support systems to test two cassette recorder to communicate with the ground stations, the three cameras and instruments who recorded the noise, vibration and radiation level. After an Earth orbit, the capsule splashed down 176 miles east of Bermuda. She was rescued after an hour and 22 minutes from the American destroyer USS Decatur ( DD -936 ). This was removed from the capsule at the time of splashdown 34 miles.

For the mission, the Mercury capsule was # 8 (which was already used for the aborted mission MA -3 ) and the Atlas # 88- D used.