Six Mercury spacecraft were flown with astronauts aboard. The first two
flights were suborbital and were boosted by Redstone launch vehicles. The
last four were orbital flights and were boosted by Atlas rockets. The longest
flight was 34 hours, 20 minutes.
The Mercury Spacecraft
- Crew: one astronaut
- Maximum Diameter: 2.0 meters ( 6 feet 6 inches)
- Length at launch: 2.8 meters (9feet 2 inches)
- Weight at launch: 1660 kilograms (3650 pounds)
- Weight as exhibited: 1100 kilograms (2422 pounds)
- Interior atmosphere: Pure oxygen at 264 millimeters of mercury (5.1 pounds
per square inch)
- Reaction Control System: 16 rockets producing from 0.45 kilograms (1 pound)
to 10.9 kilograms (24 pounds) thrust, depending on location
- Propellant for reaction control system: 90% hydrogen peroxide
Prime contractor: McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
  Freedom
7 Launch Vehicle
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