Manned US Missions

The following tables document the history of manned US space flights. Each table is arranged in the order of the actual launch date. Click for a printable version.

Note: The links under mission and spacecraft/vehicle are links to official NASA pages at Kennedy Space Center.

NASA was formed in October 1958. When they began looking for the first astronauts, NASA was very particular who would be selected. Candidates must be under 5' 11", have a college education in engineering or science, married with a family.

MERCURY

The spacecraft name was chosen by the astronauts and the 7 refers to the number of pilots originally chosen for this program. Pure Oxygen was the atmosphere used in the capsule.
Mission Spacecraft Launch Duration Purpose
MR-3 Freedom 7 5-May-1961 0:15:22 Alan Shepard, 119 miles from earth, Redstone booster (MR)
MR-4 Liberty Bell 7 21-Jul-1961 0:15:37 Virgil Grissom was to repeat Alan's mission, he survived an 11-G re-entry and capsule sinking at end of flight.
MA-6 Friendship 7 20-Feb-1962 4:55:23 John Glen, First manned flight in space, 3 orbit flight, Atlas booster (MA)
MA-7 Aurora 7 24-May-1962 4:56:23 Scott Carpenter did 3 orbits, used up fuel to get better views, 250 mi overshoot landing, he was grounded.
MA-8 Sigma 7 3-Oct-1962 9:13:11 Wally Schirra (only astronaut to fly in Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo), Six orbit flight
MA-9 Faith 7 15-May-1963 1d 10:20 Gordon Cooper, 21 orbit flight, first day in space

GEMINI

The Gemini missions were all 2 man crews, all used Tital II booster, and the goal was to learn techniques needed for a flight to the moon. They also had ejection seats for emergencies and docked with unmanned Agena target vehicles.
Mission Launch Duration Purpose
Gemini 3 23-Mar-1965 4:53 Three orbit demo of Gemini, Hand held computer to changed orbit in flight, 3 orbits
Gemini 4 3-Jun-1965 4d 01:56 First American (Ed White) to walk in space (EVA) 20 min, 62 orbits
Gemini 5 21-Aug-1965 7d 22:55 Prove no ill effects for time to reach the moon, First use of fuel cells for power production, 120 orbits
Gemini 6 15-Dec-1965 1d 01:51 Supposed to dock with Agena, Rendezvous within 6.5 feet of Gemini 7, 16 orbits
Gemini 7 4-Dec-1965 13d 18:36 Longest duration flight until 1970, 206 orbits
Gemini 8 16-Mar-1966 10:41 First docking of 2 space vehicles (with Agena), 7 orbits, 27 minutes - spin after docking so terminated
Gemini 9 3-Jun-1966 3d 00:21 Troubled docking with Agena, 44 orbits, 2:07 EVA
Gemini 10 18-Jul-1966 2d 22:47 Docked with Agena, propelled into higher orbit, Docked with Gemini 8's Agena, 43 orbits, 0:49 EVA
Gemini 11 12-Sep-1966 2d 23:17 Docked with Agena, attached 90ft tether for 2 orbits, 44 orbits
Gemini 12 11-Nov-1966 3d 22:35 Dock w/Agena, computers used to steer vehicle for auto landing, 3 EVAs

APOLLO

Apollo spacecraft consisted of a Command Module (3 crew) (top, contained crew, emergency rocket), Service Module (next to CM, supplies propulsion, Hydrogen, Oxygen, water, released on re-entry) and Lunar Module (2 crew). Three crew members in each flight and Saturn Launch Vehicles and pure oxygen atmosphere.
Mission Launch Duration Purpose
Apollo 1 21-Feb-1967 Fire in command module during a preflight test on 27-Jan-1967 (3 killed)
Apollo 7 11-Oct-1968 10d 20:09 First Manned Flight of Apollo CSM, Saturn IB booster, no LM, but practice menauvers
Apollo 8 21-Dec-1968 6d 03:01 First Manned Flight to the moon (Saturn V booster). Orbited the moon 10 times
Apollo 9 3-March-1969 10d 01:01 First flight of Lunar Module (Spider), 37 min. Space Walk followed by LM separation - 112 mi.
Apollo 10 18-May-1969 8d 00:03 Lunar Module (Snoopy) within 9 miles of Moon, 31 orbits of moon
Apollo 11 16-Jul-1969 8d 03:19 Landing on moon in Lunar Module (Eagle), Surface EVAs for 2:32, Neil Armstrong, "Buzz" Aldrin, 21:36 on moon, 48.5lb soil
Apollo12 14-Nov-1969 10d 04:36 EVA of almost 8 hours deployed Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package, 48.5lb rock
Apollo13 11-Apr-1970 5d 22:55 Aborded after liquid oxygen tank exploded. Lunar Module (Aquarius) was lifeboat until re-entry.
Apollo14 31-Jan-1971 9d 00:02 Land in rugged lunar highlands (planned for Apollo13). Used Mobile Equipment Trolley to carry equipment, 1.25mi away, 33:31 on surface, 96lb samples
Apollo 15 26-Jul-1971 12d 07:12 Landed LM (Falcon), 66:55 on surface, Lunar roving Vehicle (Moon Buggy), 3 EVAs: 19:08, 170lb samples
Apollo 16 16-Apr-1972 11d 01:51 Landed LM (Orion), 71:02 on moon, 3 EVAs, 170lb samples
Apollo 17 7-Dec-1972 12d 13:52 First night launch. Three 7h EVAs. Last walk on moon, Gene Cernan - last of 12 person on moon, search for volcanic activities, 243lb samples
Apollo ? 15-Jul-1975 ?? Docked with Soyuz 19 on 18-Jul, 1 crew member remained in each ship, Apollo carried docking module, confusing, but exchanged hand shakes, joint experiments, crew almost asphyxiated on reentry, 24-Jul Landing

SKYLAB

Converted upper stage of Saturn V booster. Unmanned Skylab 1 was launched 14-May-1973. No motor propulsion like the Russion Salyuts.
Mission Launch Duration Purpose
Skylab 2 25-May-1973 28d 00:50 First US manned orbiting space station mission, 3 space walks, 433 orbits, Saturn IB booster
Skylab 3 28-Jul-1973 59d 11:09 Deployed new solar shield & replaced gyroscopes, 3 space walks, 919 orbits
Skylab 4 16-Nov-1973 84d 01:16 Replenished coolant supplies, repaired antenna, 4 space walks - longest duration walk (7:01), 1298 orbits

SPACE SHUTTLE

Mission Vehicle Launch Duration Purpose
STS-1 Columbia 12-Apr-1981 2d 06:21 First landing of American manned spacecraft on land and solid rocket boosters
STS-2 Columbia 12-Nov-1981 2d 06:14 First re-use of a spacecraft, cut short after 1 of 3 fuel cells failed
STS-3 Columbia 22-Mar-1982 8d 00:05
STS-4 Columbia 27-Jun-1982 7d 01:10
STS-5 Columbia 11-Nov-1982 5d 02:14
STS-6 Challenger 4-Apr-1983 5d 00:24
STS-7 Challenger 18-Jun-1983 6d 02:24
STS-8 Challenger 30-Aug-1983 6d 01:09
STS-9 Challenger 28-Nov-1983 10d 07:47
41-B Challenger 3-Feb-1984 8d 23:16
41-C Challenger 6-Apr-1984 6d 23:40
41-D Discovery 30-Aug-1984 6d 00:57
41-G Challenger 5-Oct-1984 8d 05:24
51-A Discovery 8-Nov-1984 7d 23:45
51-C Discovery 24-Jan-1985 3d 01:33
51-D Discovery 12-Apr-1985 6d 23:55
51-B Challenger/
Spacelab 3		 29-Apr-1985 7d 00:09
51-G Discovery 17-Jun-1985 7d 01:40
51-F Challenger/
Spacelab 2		 29-Jul-1985 7d 22:46
51-I Discovery 27-Aug-1985 7d 02:18
51-J Atlantis 3-Oct-1985 4d 01:45
61-A Challenger/
Spacelab D		 30-Oct-1985 7d 00:44
61-B Atlantis 26-Nov-1985 6d 21:05
61-C Columbia 12-Jan-1986 5d 23:04
51-L Challenger 28-Jan-1986 00:01:13
STS-26 Discovery 29-Sep-1988 4d 01:00
STS-27 Atlantis 2-Dec-1988 4d 09:06
STS-29 Discovery 13-Mar-1989 4d 23:39
STS-30 Atlantis 4-May-1989 4d 00:57 Deploy Magellan spacecraft (to Venus), investigate large scale lightning
STS-28 Columbia 8-Aug-1989 5d 01:00
STS-34 Atlantis 18-Oct-1989 4d 23:39
STS-33 Discovery 22-Nov-1989 5d 00:07
STS-32 Columbia 9-Jan-1990 10d 21:01
STS-36 Atlantis 28-Feb-1990 4d 10:18
STS-31 Discovery 24-Apr-1990 5d 01:16
STS-41 Discovery 6-Oct-1990 4d 02:10
STS-38 Atlantis 15-Nov-1990 4d 21:55
STS-35 Columbia 2-Dec-1990 8d 23:05
STS-37 Atlantis 5-Apr-1991 5d 23:33
STS-39 Discovery 28-Apr-1991 8d 07:22
STS-40 Columbia 5-Jun-1991 9d 02:14
STS-43 Atlantis 2-Aug-1991 8d 21:21
STS-48 Discovery 12-Sep-1991 5d 08:28
STS-44 Atlantis 24-Nov-1991 6d 22:51
STS-42 Discovery 22-Jan-1992 8d 01:15
STS-45 Atlantis 24-Mar-1992 8d 22:09
STS-49 Endeavour 7-May-1992 8d 21:18
STS-50 Columbia 25-Jun-1992 13d 09:30
STS-46 Atlantis 31-Jul-1992 7d 23:15
STS-47 Endeavour 12-Sep-1992 7d 22:30
STS-52 Columbia 22-Oct-1992 9d 20:56
STS-53 Discovery 2-Dec-1992 7d 07:20
STS-54 Endeavour 13-Jan-1993 5d 23:38
STS-56 Discovery 8-Apr-1993 9d 06:08
STS-55 Columbia 26-Apr-1993 9d 23:40
STS-57 Endeavour 21-Jun-1993 9d 23:45
STS-51 Discovery 23-Sep-1993 9d 20:11
STS-58 Columbia 18-Oct-1993 14d 00:!3
STS-61 Endeavour 2-Dec-1993 10d 19:59
STS-60 Discovery 3-Feb-1994 8d 07:09
STS-62 Columbia 4-Mar-1994 13d 23:17
STS-59 Endeavour 9-Apr-1994 11d 05:50
STS-65 Columbia 8-Jul-1994 14d 17:55
STS-64 Discovery 9-Sep-1994 10d 22:50
STS-68 Endeavour 30-Sep-1994 11d 05:46
STS-66 Atlantis 3-Nov-1994 10d 22:34
STS-63 Discovery 3-Feb-1995 8d 06:28
STS-67 Endeavour 2-Mar-1995 16d 15:09
STS-71 Atlantis 27-Jun-1995 9d 19:22
STS-70 Discovery 13-Jul-1995 8d 22:20
STS-69 Endeavour 7-Sep-1995 10d 20:29
STS-73 Columbia 20-Oct-1995 15d 21:53
STS-74 Atlantis 12-Nov-1995 8d 04:32
STS-72 Endeavour 11-Jan-1996 8d 22:02
STS-75 Columbia 22-Feb-1996 15d 17:41
STS-76 Atlantis 22-Mar-1996 9d 05:17
STS-77 Endeavour 19-May-1996 10d 00:40
STS-78 Columbia 20-Jun-1996 16d 21:49
STS-79 Atlantis 16-Sep-1996 10d 03:19
STS-80 Columbia 19-Nov-1996 17d 15:53
STS-81 Atlantis 12-Jan-1997 10d 04:57
STS-82 Discovery 11-Feb-1997 9d 23:38
STS-83 Columbia 4-Apr-1997 3d 23:14
STS-84 Atlantis 15-May-1997 9d 05:21
STS-94 Columbia 1-Jul-1997 15d 16:46
STS-85 Discovery 2-Aug-1997 11d 20:28
STS-86 Atlantis 25-Sep-1997 10d 19:22
Future Missions:
STS-87 Columbia 19-Nov-1997
STS-89 Endeavour 19-Jan-1998
STS-90 Columbia 2-Apr-1998
STS-91 Discovery 29-May-1998
STS-88 Endeavour 9-Jul-1998
STS-93 Columbia 27-Aug-1998
STS-95 Discovery 8-Oct-1998
STS-96 Endeavour 3-Dec-1998
STS-92 Atlantis 14-Jan-1999
STS-97 Discovery 18-Mar-1999
STS-98 Endeavour 13-May-1999
STS-99 Atlantis 10-Jun-1999
STS-100 Discovery 5-Aug-1999
STS-101 Endeavour 16-Sep-1999

References:

© 1996 Chris Cain[email protected]

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