Early Manned U.S. Space Program

Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo

A few years ago I began taking an interest in the early NASA programs of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. In the time since then I've collected quite a bit of information about these three programs. Here is some of the stuff that I've found.

Mercury Program

Mission Astronaut Capsule Nickname Date Launched Orbits

Mercury 3 Alan Shepard Freedom 7 May 5, 1961 Sub-orbital

Mercury 4 Gus Grissom Liberty Bell 7 July 21, 1961 Sub-orbital

Mercury 6 John Glenn Friendship 7 February 20, 1962 3

Mercury 7 Scott Carpenter Aurora 7 May 24, 1962 3

Mercury 8 Wally Schirra Sigma 7 October 3, 1962 6

Mercury 9 Gordon Cooper Faith 7 May 15, 1963 22

Mission	Astronaut	Capsule Nickname	Date Launched	Orbits
Mercury 3	Alan Shepard	Freedom 7	May 5, 1961	Sub-orbital
Mercury 4	Gus Grissom	Liberty Bell 7	July 21, 1961	Sub-orbital
Mercury 6	John Glenn	Friendship 7	February 20, 1962	3
Mercury 7	Scott Carpenter	Aurora 7	May 24, 1962	3
Mercury 8	Wally Schirra	Sigma 7	October 3, 1962	6
Mercury 9	Gordon Cooper	Faith 7	May 15, 1963	22

Gemini Program

Mission Commander Pilot Date Launched Orbits

Gemini 3 Gus Grissom John Young March 23, 1965 3

Gemini 4 Jim McDivitt Ed White June 3, 1965 62

Gemini 5 Gordon Cooper Pete Conrad August 21, 1965 120

Gemini 6 Wally Schirra Tom Stafford December 15, 1965 16

Gemini 7 Frank Borman Jim Lovell December 4, 1965 206

Gemini 8 Neil Armstrong Dave Scott March 16, 1966 7

Gemini 9 Tom Stafford Gene Cernan June 3, 1966 44

Gemini 10 John Young Micheal Collins July 18, 1966 43

Gemini 11 Pete Conrad Dick Gordon September 12 ,1966 44

Gemini 12 Jim Lovell Buzz Aldrin November 11, 1966 59

Mission	Commander	Pilot	Date Launched	Orbits
Gemini 3	Gus Grissom	John Young	March 23, 1965	3
Gemini 4	Jim McDivitt	Ed White	June 3, 1965	62
Gemini 5	Gordon Cooper	Pete Conrad	August 21, 1965	120
Gemini 6	Wally Schirra	Tom Stafford	December 15, 1965	16
Gemini 7	Frank Borman	Jim Lovell	December 4, 1965	206
Gemini 8	Neil Armstrong	Dave Scott	March 16, 1966	7
Gemini 9	Tom Stafford	Gene Cernan	June 3, 1966	44
Gemini 10	John Young	Micheal Collins	July 18, 1966	43
Gemini 11	Pete Conrad	Dick Gordon	September 12 ,1966	44
Gemini 12	Jim Lovell	Buzz Aldrin	November 11, 1966	59

Apollo Program

Mission Commander Command Module Pilot Lunar Module Pilot Command Module Lunar Module Date Launched Landing Site Splashdown Date

Apollo 1 Gus Grissom Ed White Roger Chaffee Apollo 1 no lem did not fly

Apollo 7 Wally Schirra Don Eisele Walt Cunningham Apollo 7 no lem October 11, 1968 October 22, 1968

Apollo 8 Frank Borman Jim Lovell Bill Anders Apollo 8 no lem December 21, 1968 December 27, 1968

Apollo 9 Jim McDivitt Dave Scott Rusty Schweickart Gumdrop Spider March 8, 1969 March 13, 1969

Apollo 10 Tom Stafford John Young Gene Cernan Charlie Brown Snoppy May 18, 1969 May 26, 1969

Apollo 11 Neil Armstrong Micheal Collins Buzz Aldrin Columbia Eagle July 16, 1969 Sea of Tranquility July 24, 1969

Apollo 12 Pete Conrad Dick Gordon Al Bean Yankee Clipper Intrepid November 19, 1969 Ocean of Storms November 24, 1969

Apollo 13 Jim Lovell Jack Swigert Fred Haise Odyssey Aquarius April 11, 1970 April 17, 1970

Apollo 14 Alan Shepard Stu Roosa Ed Mitchell Kitty Hawk Antares January 31, 1971 Fra Mauro February 6, 1971

Apollo 15 Dave Scott Al Worden Jim Irwin Endeavor Falcon July 26, 1971 Hadley Rille August 7, 1971

Apollo 16 John Young Ken Mattingly Charlie Duke Casper Orion April 16, 1972 Descartes April 27, 1972

Apollo 17 Gene Cernan Ron Evans Jack Schmidt America Challenger December 7, 1972 Taurus-Littrow December 18, 1972

Mission	Commander	Command Module Pilot	Lunar Module Pilot	Command Module	Lunar Module	Date Launched	Landing Site	Splashdown Date
Apollo 1	Gus Grissom	Ed White	Roger Chaffee	Apollo 1	no lem	did not fly
Apollo 7	Wally Schirra	Don Eisele	Walt Cunningham	Apollo 7	no lem	October 11, 1968		October 22, 1968
Apollo 8	Frank Borman	Jim Lovell	Bill Anders	Apollo 8	no lem	December 21, 1968		December 27, 1968
Apollo 9	Jim McDivitt	Dave Scott	Rusty Schweickart	Gumdrop	Spider	March 8, 1969		March 13, 1969
Apollo 10	Tom Stafford	John Young	Gene Cernan	Charlie Brown	Snoppy	May 18, 1969		May 26, 1969
Apollo 11	Neil Armstrong	Micheal Collins	Buzz Aldrin	Columbia	Eagle	July 16, 1969	Sea of Tranquility	July 24, 1969
Apollo 12	Pete Conrad	Dick Gordon	Al Bean	Yankee Clipper	Intrepid	November 19, 1969	Ocean of Storms	November 24, 1969
Apollo 13	Jim Lovell	Jack Swigert	Fred Haise	Odyssey	Aquarius	April 11, 1970		April 17, 1970
Apollo 14	Alan Shepard	Stu Roosa	Ed Mitchell	Kitty Hawk	Antares	January 31, 1971	Fra Mauro	February 6, 1971
Apollo 15	Dave Scott	Al Worden	Jim Irwin	Endeavor	Falcon	July 26, 1971	Hadley Rille	August 7, 1971
Apollo 16	John Young	Ken Mattingly	Charlie Duke	Casper	Orion	April 16, 1972	Descartes	April 27, 1972
Apollo 17	Gene Cernan	Ron Evans	Jack Schmidt	America	Challenger	December 7, 1972	Taurus-Littrow	December 18, 1972

For more information visit NASA's Space History Page.
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