An overview of United States manned space flight from Mercury to the ShuttleTechnical considerations in the design, development and operation of United States manned spacecraft from Project Mercury to the Space Shuttle are reviewed. The design and mission philosophies, launch vehicle and spacecraft characteristics, mode of operation, flight results and influence on later programs are discussed for Project Mercury, and Gemini Apollo and Skylab programs, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and the Space Shuttle program. The Space Shuttle is shown to represent a major departure from the trend established in previous programs, requiring major advancements in the fields of flight control, thermal protection, and liquid-propellant rocket technology.
Document ID
19810062877
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Faget, M. A. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)