Suborbital test flight of the Mercury spacecraft, conducted as part of the U.S. Mercury program. The objective was to test a production Mercury capsule and the launch escape system during an ascent abort at maximum dynamic pressure. Sixteen seconds after liftoff, the escape rocket and the tower jettison rocket both fired prematurely. Furthermore, the booster, capsule, and escape tower failed to separate as intended. The entire stack was destroyed on impact with the Atlantic Ocean.
Mercury No.3 is the Mercury capsule used for the Little Joe 5 flight.
Little Joe was a solid-fueled booster rocket used by NASA for eight launches from 1959-1960 from Wallops Island, Virginia to test the launch escape system and heat shield for Project Mercury capsules.
When is the Little Joe | LJ-5 launch?
What rocket is being used for LJ-5?
Where is the Little Joe | LJ-5 launching from?
What orbit is LJ-5 going to?
Who is launching LJ-5?
Can I watch the Little Joe | LJ-5 launch live?
Mission Profile
LJ-5 was a Little Joe mission operated by National Aeronautics and Space Administration that lifted off from Launch Area 1, Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA on November 8, 1960. The flight carried its payload on a test flight mission to Suborbital. It was flown as part of the Mercury program. The launch ended in failure.