July 29, 1960 1:13 pm
Mercury-Atlas 1
|
Atlas LV-3B
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
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Last Updated:
2026-07-13 23:55:04
Mercury-Atlas 1 (MA-1) was the first attempt to launch a Mercury capsule and occurred on July 29, 1960 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft was unmanned and carried no launch escape system. The Atlas rocket suffered a structural failure 58 seconds after launch at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet (9.1 km) and 11,000 feet (3.4 km) down range.
Launch Overview
Window Open
13:13 UTC
Window Close
13:13 UTC
Lift Off
Jul 29, 1960 · 13:13 UTC
Launch Facility
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Launch Pad
Space Launch Complex 14
Target Orbit
Suborbital
Payload Overview
Customer
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Payload
Mercury-Atlas 1
Rocket
Atlas LV-3B
Destination
Suborbital
Recovery Overview
Landing Location
See Mission Notes
Landing Type
RTLS / Droneship
Mercury-Atlas 1 (MA-1) was the first attempt to launch a Mercury capsule and occurred on July 29, 1960 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft was unmanned and carried no launch escape system. The Atlas rocket suffered a structural failure 58 seconds after launch at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet (9.1 km) and 11,000 feet (3.4 km) down range.
Height
LEO Payload
Total Launches
Status
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Space Launch Complex 14
Launch Overview
Window Open
13:13 UTC
Window Close
13:13 UTC
Lift Off
Jul 29, 1960 · 13:13 UTC
Launch Facility
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Launch Pad
Space Launch Complex 14
Target Orbit
Suborbital
Payload Overview
Customer
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Payload
Mercury-Atlas 1
Rocket
Atlas LV-3B
Destination
Suborbital
Recovery Overview
Landing Location
See Mission Notes
Landing Type
RTLS / Droneship
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