# Mercury-Redstone 4

> crewed spacecraft

**Wikidata**: [Q498406](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q498406)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury-Redstone_4)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mercury-redstone-4

## Summary
Mercury-Redstone 4 was a crewed spacecraft that launched astronaut Gus Grissom on a suborbital spaceflight on July 21, 1961. It was the third successful flight in NASA's Mercury program and the first to carry a human into space twice.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: July 21, 1961
- **Crew Member**: Gus Grissom (Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom)
- **Mission Duration**: 937 seconds
- **Apoapsis**: 190.31 kilometers
- **Launch Vehicle**: Mercury-Redstone Launch Vehicle
- **Spacecraft Name**: Liberty Bell 7
- **Manufacturer**: McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
- **Operator**: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- **Recovery Vessel**: USS Randolph
- **Landing Location**: Atlantic Ocean (splashdown)
- **Part of**: Project Mercury
- **Followed by**: Mercury-Atlas 6 (first American orbital spaceflight)

## FAQs
### Q: Who was the astronaut on Mercury-Redstone 4?
A: The sole astronaut on Mercury-Redstone 4 was Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, who also flew on Mercury-Redstone 3.

### Q: What was the name of the spacecraft?
A: The spacecraft was named Liberty Bell 7, after the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.

### Q: How long was the flight?
A: The flight lasted 937 seconds, reaching an altitude of 190.31 kilometers.

### Q: Where did the spacecraft land?
A: Liberty Bell 7 splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean and was recovered by the USS Randolph.

### Q: What was the significance of Mercury-Redstone 4?
A: It was the first flight to carry a human into space twice, demonstrating NASA's ability to reuse spacecraft and crew for suborbital missions.

## Why It Matters
Mercury-Redstone 4 was a pivotal mission in NASA's Mercury program, marking the first time an astronaut flew in space twice. Gus Grissom's successful flight aboard Liberty Bell 7 proved the feasibility of human suborbital space travel and set the stage for future orbital missions. The mission also showcased NASA's ability to recover and reuse spacecraft, a critical lesson for the agency's broader space exploration goals. As the third successful Mercury flight, it reinforced public confidence in the U.S. space program and paved the way for the first American orbital mission, Mercury-Atlas 6.

## Notable For
- **First Human Spaceflight Reuse**: Gus Grissom flew in space twice, aboard Mercury-Redstone 3 and Mercury-Redstone 4.
- **Liberty Bell 7**: The spacecraft was named after the iconic Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.
- **Suborbital Altitude**: Reached an apoapsis of 190.31 kilometers, a significant milestone for human spaceflight.
- **Splashdown Recovery**: Successfully splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean and was recovered by the USS Randolph.
- **Project Mercury Milestone**: Contributed to NASA's broader goal of advancing human spaceflight capabilities.

## Body
### Mission Overview
Mercury-Redstone 4, also known as Liberty Bell 7, was a suborbital spaceflight conducted by NASA as part of Project Mercury. The mission launched on July 21, 1961, carrying astronaut Gus Grissom. It was the third successful flight in the Mercury program and the first to reuse a spacecraft and crew for a second suborbital mission.

### Spacecraft Details
Liberty Bell 7 was a Mercury capsule manufactured by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation. It had a takeoff mass of 1,286 kilograms. The spacecraft was named after the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, symbolizing freedom and the spirit of exploration.

### Flight Profile
The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 5 using a Mercury-Redstone Launch Vehicle. Grissom reached an altitude of 190.31 kilometers and experienced approximately 6.7 minutes of weightlessness before re-entering the atmosphere. The flight lasted 937 seconds, with the spacecraft splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean and being recovered by the USS Randolph.

### Significance
Mercury-Redstone 4 was significant for several reasons:
- It demonstrated NASA's ability to reuse spacecraft and crew for suborbital missions.
- Grissom's flight proved the feasibility of human space travel, reinforcing public confidence in the U.S. space program.
- The mission laid the groundwork for the first American orbital mission, Mercury-Atlas 6, which launched later in the same year.

### Legacy
The mission contributed to the broader goals of Project Mercury, which aimed to advance human spaceflight capabilities. Mercury-Redstone 4's success was a critical step toward achieving orbital human spaceflight, ultimately leading to the Apollo program and the moon landings.

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SpaceMission",
  "name": "Mercury-Redstone 4",
  "description": "A crewed suborbital spaceflight carrying astronaut Gus Grissom on July 21, 1961, as part of NASA's Mercury program.",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170112", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury-Redstone_4"],
  "additionalType": "CrewedSpaceflight",
  "launchDate": "1961-07-21",
  "crew": "Gus Grissom",
  "operator": "National Aeronautics and Space Administration",
  "vehicle": "Liberty Bell 7",
  "launchVehicle": "Mercury-Redstone Launch Vehicle",
  "missionDuration": "PT15M37S",
  "apoapsis": "190.31 km",
  "landingLocation": "Atlantic Ocean"
}

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. BabelNet