 Sam, the rhesus monkey flown aboard Little Joe 2 | |
| 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 | WallopsLA-1 |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | December 4, 1959, 16:31 (1959-12-04UTC16:32Z) UTC |
 Project Mercury Abort Tests | |
TheLittle Joe 2 was a test of theMercury space capsule, carrying therhesus 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.
The flight was launched December 4, 1959, at 11:15 a.m. ET fromWallops Island,Virginia, United States. Little Joe 2 flew to an altitude of 55 miles (88 km). It was recovered with the monkey intact and alive in the Atlantic Ocean by theUSSBorie. Sam was one of a series ofmonkeys 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 weightlessness.[1] The flight time was 11 minutes, 6 seconds, with a payload of 1,007 kg.
Theboilerplate Mercury spacecraft used in the Little Joe 2 mission is currently displayed atAirpower Park and Museum, Hampton, Virginia.[2]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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