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Launch Failure
Liftoff Time (GMT)
13:13:00
Friday July 29, 1960
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Excessive aerodynamic bending of the Mercury adapter interface results in Atlas structural failure T+58 seconds. First attempted launch of a Mercury capsule.
Mercury-Atlas 1 (MA-1) was the first attempt to launch a Mercury capsule and occurred on July 29, 1960 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft was unmanned and carried no launch escape system. The Atlas rocket suffered a structural failure 58 seconds after launch at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet (9.1 km) and 11,000 feet (3.4 km) down range. All telemetry signals suddenly ceased as the vehicle was passing through Max Q. Because the day was rainy and overcast, the booster was out of sight from 26 seconds after launch, and it was impossible to see what happened.
Suborbital
1 Payload
2nd
Mission
1st
Mission of 1960