[Mercury Redstone 4] The second American in space: Gus Grissom and his...

[Mercury Redstone 4] The second American in space: Gus Grissom and his ill-fated Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft. Fred Santomassino, 25 May 1961. Printed 1961. Vintage gelatin silver print on fiber-based paper. 20.3×25.4 cm (8×10 in), with RCA photographic laboratory Quality Control stamp and NASA caption numbered “LOD 61–5085” on the verso (NASA Cape Canaveral, Florida).

Virgil “Gus” Grissom is photographed during a test of the Liberty 7 capsule at Hangar S at Cape Canaveral. Grissom experienced a successful flight on Liberty 7 but the capsule sank after splashdown, almost killing the astronaut. Fred Santomassino was a contracted NASA / RCA photographer at Cape Canaveral.

Mercury-Redstone 4 was the second U.S. manned suborbital spaceflight. It was the next step in the progressive research, development and training program leading to the study of man’s capabilities in a space environment during manned orbital flight. The main objective was to corroborate the man-in-space concept. The main configuration differences between the MR-3 spacecraft was the addition of a large viewing window and an explosively actuated side hatch. The addition of the large viewing window was a result of a change requested by Mercury astronauts. This window allowed the astronauts to have a greater viewing area than the original side port windows. (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mercury/missions/libertybell7.html)

Flight successful but the Liberty 7 spacecraft was lost during the post landing recovery period as a result of premature actuation of the explosively actuated side egress hatch. The capsule sank in 15,000 feet of water shortly after splashdown. The astronaut egressed from the spacecraft immediately after hatch actuation and was retrieved after being in the water for about 3 to 4 minutes. (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mercury/missions/libertybell7.html)

Condition Report:Excellent condition.

Category:Photos ▸ Vintage photographs