This Atlas rocket was in restoration at Thomarios in Copley, Ohio and arrived yesterday (April 22)!
This will represent the launch vehicle for USAF Maj Gordon Cooper's Mercury-Atlas 9 mission on May 15-16, 1963. His was on the final and longest Mercury mission, lasting more than 34 hours. In his spacecraft Faith 7, Cooper orbited the Earth 22 times. He experienced six times the force of gravity during launch and orbited the Earth at more than 17,000 mph.
The Missile Gallery at the museum will be closed on Monday (April 29) for the Atlas installation. The museum expects the gallery to open again on Tuesday at 9 a.m.
GACspaceguy Member
Posts: 3056 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
posted 04-23-2024 01:04 PM
Now that would be cool to see going down the highway! I wonder how they stabilized the display vehicle as it was pressure stabilized as a flying vehicle.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 52302 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-23-2024 01:21 PM
More details to come, but this video shows that a support structure has been installed inside the vehicle.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 52302 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-23-2024 04:34 PM
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force video
The Atlas has moved into the Missile Gallery here at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force! Plans call for the rocket to be raised into final position on Monday April 29.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 52302 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-29-2024 04:58 PM
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force video
The Atlas was raised into final position this morning!
The Missile Gallery will be closed Tuesday April 30th for the Mercury Launch Escape System installation.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 52302 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
Sixty-one years after it stood ready to send NASA's last one-man mission into Earth orbit, the Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA-9) rocket is standing again.
A replica of astronaut Gordon Cooper's 1963 ride into space is now part of the vertical displays in the missile gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. The exhibit is comprised of a recently-restored authentic Atlas missile and a mockup Mercury capsule with its launch escape tower.
posted 04-23-2024 12:00 PM
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