Astronaut Survival Equipment Spaceflight mission planners had to consider the possibility of a returning astronaut landing outside the planned recovery area. In preparation for this contingency, astronauts carried survival and signal equipment on their missions. During the Mercury program most of the survival equipment used was standard military issue. The Apollo survival kit differed considerably. Most of its items were designed and built specifically for use by astronauts. Freedom 7 Survival Equipment These items were carried aboard Freedom 7 on May 5, 1961. Saltwater desalting kit Self-inflating raft Match container/Matches Parchute line Pocket knife Dial soap Rescue strobe light First aid pouch Police whistle Sea dye marker Radio beacon Shark repellant Battery, radio beacon   Mercury Spacecraft "Friendship 7"

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