Mercury-Scout 1
| Mission Insignia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Mission Statistics | |
| Mission Name: | Mercury MS-1 |
| Call Sign: | MS-1 |
| Number of Crew Members: |
0 |
| Launch: | November 1, 1961 15:32 UTC Cape Canaveral Complex 18B |
| Landing: | November 1, 1961 UTC |
| Duration: | 44 seconds |
| Number of Orbits: |
0 |
| Apogee: | 0 km |
| Perigee: | 0 km |
| Period: | 0 m |
| Inclination: | 0 deg |
| Distance Traveled: |
0 km |
| Peak G Forces: | 7.6 g |
| Mass: | 67.5 kg |
| Mercury-Scout | |
 | |
| Mercury Scout 1 | |
NASA issued a proposal document on May 5, 1961 to use of Scout rockets to launch small satellites that would evaluate the worldwide Mercury Tracking Network in preparation for manned orbital missions.
The concept was approved on May 24. On June 13 the NASA Space Task Group issued requirements for a modified Scout rocket and small communications satellite, that became known as Mercury-Scout.
The Mercury-Scout rocket would launch the small communications satellite into orbit. The small satellite would simulate a Mercury spacecraft, allowing testing and training of the Mercury Tracking Network.
NASA decided to modify a USAF Blue Scout II, # D-8, for the first Mercury-Scout mission. The U. S. Air Force was already launching Blue Scout rockets from Cape Canaveral and launched this one as well.
Mercury-Scout 1 was launched on November 1, 1961, from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 18B. Twenty-eight seconds after being liftoff, the Mercury-Scout 1 first stage failed. The rocket was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer after 44 seconds of flight.
NASA Mercury program managers cancelled any further Mercury-Scout missions. They were no longer needed. By the time Mercury-Scout 1 was launched, the MA-4 and MA-5 missions had already orbited Mercury spacecraft and checked out the Mercury Tracking Network.
Scout Rocket Length: 21.65 m, 11 inches; Scout Rocket Diameter: 102 cm, Finspan: 2.84 m
LEO Payload: 30 kg. to: 300 km Orbit. at: 28.0 degrees. Apogee: 2,500 km.
Mercury Scout Parameters - (Blue Scout II)
| Parameter | 1st Stage | 2nd Stage | 3rd Stage | 4th Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Mass | 10,705 kg | 4,424 kg | 1,225 kg | 238 kg |
| Empty Mass | 1,900 kg | 695 kg | 294 kg | 30 kg |
| Thrust | 48,022 kgf - 470 kN | 26,402 kgf - 259 kN | 6,169 kgf - 60.5 kN | 1,270 kgf - 12.4 kN |
| Isp | 214 sec | 262 sec | 256 sec | 256 sec |
| Burn time | 40 sec | 37 sec | 39 sec | 38 sec |
| Length | 9.12 m | 6.04 m | 3.38 m | 1.83 m |
| Diameter | 1.01 m | 0.79 m | 0.78 m | 0.46 m |
| Engine: | Aerojet General Algol 1 | Thiokol XM33 (TX-354-3) Castor 2 | Allegany Ballistics Lab X-254 Antares 1A | Allegany Ballistics Lab X-248 Altair 1 |
| Propellant | Solid Fuel | Solid Fuel | Solid Fuel | Solid fuel |
| Previous Mission: Mercury-Scout_1 |
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