May 15, 1963 8:04am
Crew: Gordon Cooper
Orbits: 22
Duration: 1 day 10 hours 19 minutes 49 seconds
Development of the Gemini spacecraft was well underway, and one of that program’s key goals was long-duration space flights. But the ultimate goal of the Mercury program had originally been an 18-orbit mission lasting 27 hours. Despite some calls to end Mercury after Schirra’s flight, NASA pushed ahead with plans for MA-9.
The longer flight plan meant some significant changes to the spacecraft to account for the need for more fuel, batteries, oxygen, and water. To counteract the increasing weight, McDonnell was directed to remove the 76-pound periscope, and other equipment deemed no longer necessary.
There was little news that came out of NASA that didn’t escape some level of criticism. The cost of the missions angered some members of Congress. Even Gordon Cooper’s decision to name his spacecraft Faith 7 raised some eyebrows. How would it look, a source told the Washington Post, if the something went wrong, and the news reports read “The United States today lost Faith.”
After Wally Schirra’s mission the previous October, NASA announced that it would cancel Mercury-Atlas 11 and Mercury-Atlas 12, both which had been scheduled for late in 1963. Gus Grissom had been in line for MA-11 and Wally Schirra would have flown MA-12. And even before Faith 7 left the ground, NASA had decided that if the mission went well, Mercury-Atlas 10 with Alan Shepard aboard, would be canceled as well.
The launch was scheduled for May 14th, but there was a long delay when the tractor used to move the gantry away from the stack wouldn’t work, and a replacement had to be found. Ultimately, problems with the radar system on Bermuda forced a postponement. “I was just getting to the fun part,” Cooper said as he got back out of the spacecraft.
The next morning, Faith 7 began its journey. Everything went well. Cooper took photographs and conducted experiments. For the first time, a video camera beamed back television images from inside the Mercury capsule.
Trouble arose near the end of the mission. During the 19th orbit, a faulty indicator warned the spacecraft was reentering the atmosphere. On the next orbit, the spacecraft’s attitude sensor failed. And on the 21st orbit, a short-circuit cut the power to the automatic stabilization and control system. “Things are beginning to stack up a little,” he reported after noting a rise in the level of carbon dioxide in both the capsule and his suit. The short-circuit was later determined to have been caused by urine leaking from the collection bag.
Cooper was forced to make a manual re-entry, and he guided Faith 7 down to a safe landing in the Pacific, just four miles from the USS Kearsarge. Cooper had spent 34 hours in space, orbiting the Earth 22 times. It was far from the record set by the Soviets the previous summer, but it was a record for the Americans. And it was the last time an American astronaut would fly alone in space.
The Mercury program was over. It was time to move on to bigger things. But there another shock would rock the program first.
“November was a beautiful time to be in Florida,” wrote McDonnell contractor Robert Bay. “On November 22nd, I had just finished lunch and walked over to the hangar next door to talk to a friend. He had a radio in his office, and the news had just been announced that Kennedy had been killed. We could not believe what we were hearing. It was a personal affront. He was part of our program. His challenge of going to the Moon took on a new meaning to me, and I’m sure to the entire launch crew.”
it was to honor him , and his teammates, like my father, the Col. as I called him, Weather Officer for Bumper 8, that I attempted to cover their human history, 40 years, 1000's of Cape launch pics...anyone who experienced that (we refused to believe he was dead as well) was so moved...it's there 350 launches on B & W film, 96-2011; 300+ launches on digital, 2011-present.