Little Joe 2

The Little Joe 2 was a test of the Mercury space capsule, carrying the rhesus monkey Sam (Macaca mulatta) close to the edge of space. He was sent to test the space equipment and the adverse effects of space on humans.

Sam, the rhesus monkey flown aboard Little Joe 2

For the Apollo program launch vehicle, see Little Joe II.

Little Joe 2

Little Joe 2 launch
Mission type	Abort test
Operator	NASA
Mission duration	11 minutes, 6 seconds
Distance travelled	312 kilometres (194 mi)
Apogee	85 kilometres (53 mi)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Mercury boilerplate
Manufacturer	McDonnell Aircraft
Launch mass	1,007 kilograms (2,220 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	December 4, 1959, 16:20 (1959-12-04UTC16:20Z) UTC
Rocket	Little Joe
Launch site	Wallops LA-1
End of mission
Landing date	December 4, 1959, 16:31 (1959-12-04UTC16:32Z) UTC
Project Mercury Abort Tests

The flight was launched December 4, 1959, at 11:15 a.m. ET from Wallops Island, Virginia, United States. Little Joe 2 flew to an altitude of 55 miles (88 km). It was recovered, with the monkey intact, in the Atlantic Ocean by USS Borie. Sam was one of a series of monkeys in space. Sam, from the School of Aviation Medicine in San Antonio, Texas, received his name as an acronym of the facility. Sam experienced up to 12Gs and three minutes of weightlessnes.[1] The flight time was 11 minutes, 6 seconds, with a payload of 1,007 kg.

The boilerplate Mercury spacecraft used in the Little Joe 2 mission is currently displayed at Airpower Park and Museum, Hampton, Virginia.[2]

See also

• Little Joe (rocket)
• Splashdown

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

1. Berger, Eric (1 December 2019). "That time a monkey flew to the edge of space and then smashed into a destroyer". Ars Technica. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
2. "Mercury Little Joe 2 spacecraft display page on A Field Guide to American Spacecraft website".