Oct 7 1958

From The Space Library

NASA formally organized Project Mercury to: (1) place a manned space capsule in orbital flight around the earth ; (2) investigate man's reactions to and capabilities in this environment; end (3) recover capsule and pilot safely. A NASA Space Task Group organized at Langley Research Center drew up specifications for the Mercury capsule, based on studies by the National Advisory Commlttee for Aeronautics during the preceding 12 months, and on discussions with the Air Force which had been conducting related studies.