The Little Joe 1B was a
launch escape system
A launch escape system (LES) or launch abort system (LAS) is a crew-safety system connected to a space capsule that can be used to quickly separate the capsule from its launch vehicle in case of an emergency requiring the abort of the launch, suc ...
test of the Mercury spacecraft, conducted as part of the U.S.
Mercury program
Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States, running from 1958 through 1963. An early highlight of the Space Race, its goal was to put a man into Earth orbit and return him safely, ideally before the Soviet Un ...
. The mission also carried a female
rhesus monkey (''Macaca mulatta'') named Miss Sam in the Mercury spacecraft. The mission was launched January 21, 1960, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Little Joe 1B flew to an
apogee
An apsis (; ) is the farthest or nearest point in the orbit of a planetary body about its primary body. For example, the apsides of the Earth are called the aphelion and perihelion.
General description
There are two apsides in any ell ...
of 9.3 statute miles (15.0 km) and a range of 11.7 miles (18.9 km) out to sea. Miss Sam survived the 8 minute 35 second flight in good condition. The spacecraft was recovered by a Marine helicopter and returned to Wallops Island within about 45 minutes. Miss Sam was one of many
monkeys used in space travel research.
Gallery
See also
*
Little Joe
*
Sam (monkey)
The Little Joe 2 was a test of the Mercury space capsule, carrying the rhesus monkey Sam (''Macaca mulatta'') close to the edge of space. He was sent to test the space equipment and the adverse effects of space on humans.
The flight was laun ...
, NASA Project Mercury rhesus monkey
*
Monkeys and apes in space
Before humans went into space in the 1960s, several other animals were launched into space, including numerous other primates, so that scientists could investigate the biological effects of spaceflight. The United States launched flights contain ...
*
List of individual monkeys
This annotated list of individual monkeys includes monkeys who are in some way famous or notable. The list does not include List of notable apes, notable apes, or List of fictional primates, fictional primates.
Monkey actors
* Binx - (white-head ...
References
External links
NASA Project Mercury Mission LJ-1Bat ''Kennedy Space Science and Technology'' website
at ''
Encyclopedia Astronautica
The ''Encyclopedia Astronautica'' is a reference web site on space travel. A comprehensive catalog of vehicles, technology, astronauts, and flights, it includes information from most countries that have had an active rocket research program, f ...
''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Little Joe 1b
Project Mercury
1960 in the United States