1957 June 11 - 19:37 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas A 4A FAILURE: Failure in the booster fuel system. Research and development test Agency: USAF. Apogee: 3.00 km (1.80 mi). First test flight of prototype WS-107A Atlas was detonated by command signal at 10,000 feet following a failure in the booster fuel system. The 23-second flight was considered a partial success.

1957 September 25 - 19:57 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas A 6A FAILURE: Failure in the booster fuel system. Research and development test Agency: USAF. Apogee: 4.00 km (2.40 mi). Atlas was again destroyed by command signal at three minutes into flight following a failure in the booster fuel system. The 50-second active flight was considered a partial success.

1957 December 17 - 17:39 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas A 12A Research and development test Agency: USAF. Apogee: 120 km (70 mi). First successful test firing of USAF Atlas ICBM, the missile landing in the target area after a flight of 600 miles.

1958 February 7 - 19:37 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas A 13A FAILURE: Failure. Research and development launch Agency: USAF. Apogee: 120 km (70 mi).

1958 April 5 - 17:01 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas A 15A FAILURE: Failure. Research and development test Agency: USAF. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). USAF Atlas A ICBM was successfully flown from Cape Canaveral, Fla., to the impact area some 600 miles away.

1958 September 14 - 05:24 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas B 8B Research and development / AFSWC-2 test Agency: USAF. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi).

1958 November 29 - 02:27 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas B 12B Research and development / AFSWC-3 test Agency: USAF. Apogee: 900 km (550 mi). Less than 18 months after the first flight, a USAF Atlas made its first successful full-range operational test flight in a 6,325 statute-mile flight, landed close to its target.

1959 January 16 - 04:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas B 13B FAILURE: Failure. Research and development launch Agency: USAF. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).

1959 May 19 - 04:30 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 7D FAILURE: Failure. Research and development launch Agency: USAF. Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi).

1959 September 9 - 08:19 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 10D FAILURE: Failure. Mercury BJ-1 Agency: USAF. Apogee: 153 km (95 mi). NASA boilerplate model of Mercury capsule successfully launched on an Atlas (Big Joe) missile from AMR and recovered in South Atlantic after surviving reentry heat of more than 10,000°F.

1959 November 26 - 07:26 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas Able 20D / Able-5 FAILURE: Payload shroud failed after 45 sec, broke away prematurely. Pioneer (P 3) Mass: 168 kg (370 lb). Spacecraft: Pioneer P 3. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 1,000 km (600 mi). An intended lunar probe launched from the Atlantic Missile Range by an Atlas-Able booster disintegrated about 45 seconds later when the protective sheath covering the payload detached prematurely. The probe was sponsored by NASA, developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and launched by the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division.

1960 February 26 - 17:25 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas Agena A 29D / Agena A 1008 FAILURE: Second stage failed to separate. Midas 1 Mass: 2,025 kg (4,464 lb). Spacecraft: Midas. Agency: U.S. Air Force. Missile Defense Alarm System.

1960 May 24 - 17:36 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas Agena A 45D / Agena A 1007 Midas 2 Mass: 2,300 kg (5,000 lb). Spacecraft: Midas. Agency: U.S. Air Force. Perigee: 473 km (293 mi). Apogee: 494 km (306 mi). Inclination: 33.00 deg. Period: 94.30 min. Missile Defense Alarm System. Test launch with W-17 sensor.

1960 June 22 - 14:49 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 62D FAILURE: Electrical Failure. Research and development test Agency: USAF. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi). 50th Atlas to be flown at AMR, successful

1960 July 29 - 13:13 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 50D FAILURE: Structural failure of Atlas. Mercury MA-1 Agency: USAF. Apogee: 13 km (8 mi). Mercury-Atlas 1 (MA-1) was launched from the Atlantic Missile Range in a test of spacecraft structural integrity under maximum heating conditions. After 58.5 seconds of flight, MA-1 exploded and the spacecraft was destroyed upon impact off-shore. None of the primary capsule test objectives were met. The mission objectives were to check the integrity of the spacecraft structure and afterbody shingles for a reentry associated with a critical abort and to evaluate the open-loop performance of the Atlas abort-sensing instrumentation system. The spacecraft contained no escape system and no test subject. Standard posigrade rockets were used to separate the spacecraft from the Atlas, but the retrorockets were dummies. The flight was terminated because of a launch vehicle and adapter structural failure. The spacecraft was destroyed upon impact with the water because the recovery system was not designed to actuate under the imposed flight conditions. Later most of the spacecraft, the booster engines, and the liquid oxygen vent valve were recovered from the ocean floor. Since none of the primary flight objectives was achieved, Mercury-Atlas 2 (MA-2) was planned to fulfill the mission.

1960 September 19 - 18:31 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 79D Research and development test Agency: USAF. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi). Atlas ICBM fired 9030 statute miles, from Cape Canaveral to the Indian Ocean off the Cape of Good Hope in 50 minutes, the second record distance flight.

1960 October 22 - 05:13 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 55D Research and development launch Agency: USAF. Apogee: 1,800 km (1,100 mi).

1961 February 21 - 14:12 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 67D Mercury MA-2 Agency: USAF. Apogee: 182 km (113 mi). Mercury-Atlas 2 (MA-2) was launched from Cape Canaveral in a test to check maximum heating and its effects during the worst reentry design conditions. The flight closely matched the desired trajectory and attained a maximum altitude of 114.04 statute miles and a range of 1,431.6 statute miles. Inspection of the spacecraft aboard the recovery ship some 55 minutes after launch (actual flight time was 17.56 minutes) indicated that test objectives were met, since the structure and heat protection elements appeared to be in excellent condition. The flight control team obtained satisfactory data; and the complete launch computing and display system, operating for the first time in a flight, performed satisfactorily.

1961 April 25 - 16:15 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 100D FAILURE: Destroyed by range safety. Mercury MA-3 Spacecraft: Mercury. Agency: NASA. Mercury-Atlas 3 (MA-3) was launched from Cape Canaveral in an attempt to orbit the spacecraft with a 'mechanical astronaut' aboard. After lift-off, the launch vehicle failed to roll to a 70 degree heading and to pitch over into the proper trajectory. The abort-sensing system activated the escape rockets prior to the launch vehicle's destruction by the range safety officer after approximately 40 seconds of flight that had attained an altitude of 16,400 feet. The spacecraft then coasted up to 24,000 feet, deployed its parachutes, and landed in the Atlantic Ocean 2,000 yards north of the launch pad. The spacecraft was recovered and was found to have incurred only superficial damage; it was then shipped to McDonnell for refitting.

1961 September 13 - 14:04 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 88D Mercury MA-4 Mass: 1,200 kg (2,600 lb). Spacecraft: Mercury. Agency: NASA. Perigee: 156 km (96 mi). Apogee: 248 km (154 mi). Inclination: 32.80 deg. Period: 88.40 min. Mercury-Atlas 4 (MA-4) was launched from Cape Canaveral with special vibration and noise instrumentation and a mechanical crewman simulator aboard in addition to the normal spacecraft equipment. This was the first Mercury spacecraft to attain an earth orbit. The orbital apogee was 123 nautical miles and the perigee was 86 nautical miles. After one orbit, the spacecraft's orbital timing device triggered the retrograde rockets, and the spacecraft splashed in the Atlantic Ocean 161 miles east of Bermuda. Recovery was made by the USS Decatur. During the flight, only three slight deviations were noted - a small leak in the oxygen system; loss of voice contact over Australia; and the failure of an inverter in the environmental control system. Overall, the flight was highly successful: the Atlas booster performed well and demonstrated that it was ready for the manned flight, the spacecraft systems operated well, and the Mercury global tracking network and telemetry operated in an excellent manner and was ready to support manned orbital flight.

1961 November 29 - 15:07 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 93D Mercury MA-5 Mass: 1,300 kg (2,800 lb). Spacecraft: Mercury. Agency: NASA. Perigee: 158 km (98 mi). Apogee: 237 km (147 mi). Inclination: 32.60 deg. Period: 88.30 min. Mercury-Atlas 5 (MA-5), the second and final orbital qualification of the spacecraft prior to manned flight was launched from Cape Canaveral with Enos, a 37.5 pound chimpanzee, aboard. Scheduled for three orbits, the spacecraft was returned to earth after two orbits due to the failure of a roll reaction jet and to the overheating of an inverter in the electrical system. Both of these difficulties could have been corrected had an astronaut been aboard. The spacecraft was recovered 255 miles southeast of Bermuda by the USS Stormes. During the flight, the chimpanzee performed psychomotor duties and upon recovery was found to be in excellent physical condition. The flight was termed highly successful and the Mercury spacecraft well qualified to support manned orbital flight.

1962 February 20 - 14:47 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 109D Mercury MA-6 Mass: 1,355 kg (2,987 lb). Spacecraft: Mercury. Agency: NASA. Perigee: 159 km (98 mi). Apogee: 265 km (164 mi). Inclination: 32.50 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Crew: Glenn. Flight: Mercury MA-6. First US manned orbital mission. John Glenn finally puts America in orbit. False landing bag deploy light led to reentry being started with retropack left in place on heat shield. It turned out that indicator light was false and a spectacular reentry ensued, with glowing chunks of the retropack whizzing by the window. After four hours and 43 minutes the spacecraft reentered the atmosphere and landed at 2:43 pm EST in the planned recovery area NE of the Island of Puerto Rico. All flight objectives were achieved. Glenn was reported to be in excellent condition. Beause of failure of one of the automatic systems, the astronaut took over manual control of the spacecraft during part of the flight. With this flight, the basic objectives of Project Mercury had been achieved.

1962 May 24 - 12:45 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 107D Mercury MA-7 Mass: 1,349 kg (2,974 lb). Spacecraft: Mercury. Agency: NASA. Perigee: 154 km (95 mi). Apogee: 260 km (160 mi). Inclination: 32.50 deg. Period: 88.50 min. Crew: Carpenter. Flight: Mercury MA-7. Scott Carpenter in Aurora 7 is enthralled by his environment but uses too much orientation fuel. Yaw error and late retrofire caused the landing impact point to be over 300 km beyond the intended area and beyond radio range of the recovery forces. Landing occurred 4 hours and 56 minutes after liftoff. Astronaut Carpenter was later picked up safely by a helicopter after a long wait in the ocean and fears for his safety. NASA was not impressed and Carpenter left the agency soon thereafter to become an aquanaut.

1962 October 3 - 12:15 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 113D Mercury MA-8 Mass: 1,374 kg (3,029 lb). Spacecraft: Mercury. Agency: NASA. Perigee: 153 km (95 mi). Apogee: 285 km (177 mi). Inclination: 32.50 deg. Period: 88.80 min. Crew: Schirra. Flight: Mercury MA-8. The Sigma 7 spacecraft with Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr., as pilot was launched into orbit by a Mercury-Atlas vehicle from Atlantic Missile Range. In the most successful American manned space flight to date, Schirra traveled nearly six orbits, returning to earth at a predetermined point in the Pacific Ocean 9 hours, 13 minutes after liftoff. Within 40 minutes after landing, he and his spacecraft were safely aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Kearsarge. Schirra attempted and achieved a nearly perfect mission by sticking rigorously to mission plan.

1963 May 15 - 13:04 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas D 130D Mercury MA-9 Mass: 1,376 kg (3,033 lb). Spacecraft: Mercury. Agency: NASA MSC. Perigee: 163 km (101 mi). Apogee: 265 km (164 mi). Inclination: 32.50 deg. Period: 88.70 min. Crew: Cooper. Flight: Mercury MA-9. Final Mercury mission, Faith 7, was piloted by Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper, Jr.

1965 October 25 - 15:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. SLV-3 Agena D 5301 / Agena D 5002 FAILURE: Exploded 6 minutes after takeoff. Failure. Gemini 6 Agena Target Mass: 3,261 kg (7,189 lb). Spacecraft: Gemini Agena Target Vehicle. Agency: NASA. Flight: Gemini 6, Gemini 7. The Agena target vehicle failed to reach orbit. Gemini 6, awaiting launch, was cancelled. In the ashes of this setback, the idea of launching Gemini 6 to rendezvous with Gemini 7 was born.

1966 March 16 - 15:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. SLV-3 Agena D 5302 / Agena D 5003 Gemini 8 Agena Target Mass: 3,175 kg (6,999 lb). Spacecraft: Gemini Agena Target Vehicle. Agency: NASA MSC. Perigee: 285 km (177 mi). Apogee: 299 km (185 mi). Inclination: 28.90 deg. Period: 90.40 min. Flight: Gemini 8. Target vehicle for Gemini 8.

1966 May 17 - 15:15 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. SLV-3 Agena D 5303 / Agena D 5004 FAILURE: Control system failure. Gemini 9 Agena Target Mass: 3,248 kg (7,160 lb). Spacecraft: Gemini Agena Target Vehicle. Agency: NASA. Flight: Gemini 9.

1966 June 1 - 15:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas SLV-3 5304 Gemini 9 ATDA Mass: 794 kg (1,750 lb). Spacecraft: Atlas Target Docking Adapter. Agency: NASA MSC. Perigee: 292 km (181 mi). Apogee: 296 km (183 mi). Inclination: 28.80 deg. Period: 90.40 min. Flight: Gemini 9. The ATDA achieved a near-circular orbit (apogee 161.5, perigee 158.5 nautical miles). One hour and 40 minutes later, the scheduled launch of Gemini IX-A was postponed by a ground equipment failure which prevented the transfer of updating information from Cape Kennedy mission control center to the spacecraft computer. The mission was recycled for launch on June 3, following a prepared 48-hour recycle plan. Anomalous telemetry indicated some sort of problem with the target, but it was not until Gemini IX rendezvoused with it in orbit that it was seen that fairing separation had failed.

1966 July 18 - 20:39 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. SLV-3 Agena D 5305 / Agena D 5005 Gemini 10 Agena Target Mass: 3,175 kg (6,999 lb). Spacecraft: Gemini Agena Target Vehicle. Agency: NASA MSC. Perigee: 290 km (180 mi). Apogee: 296 km (183 mi). Inclination: 28.90 deg. Period: 90.40 min. Flight: Gemini 10. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

1966 September 12 - 13:05 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. SLV-3 Agena D 5306 / Agena D 5006 Gemini 11 Agena Target Mass: 3,175 kg (6,999 lb). Spacecraft: Gemini Agena Target Vehicle. Agency: NASA MSC. Perigee: 298 km (185 mi). Apogee: 298 km (185 mi). Inclination: 28.80 deg. Period: 90.40 min. Flight: Gemini 11. Docking target for Gemini 11.