[PROJECT MERCURY]. MERCURY-REDSTONE 3 UMBILICAL CABLE SEGMENT, WITH VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH OF ALAN SHEPARD AND BILL TAUB

FROM THE ESTATE OF NASA SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BILL TAUB
MERCURY REDSTONE (MR-3) UMBILICAL CABLE
A SEGMENT FROM THE UMBILICAL CABLE CONNECTED TO THE FREEDOM 7, THE FIRST UNITED STATES HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT

Rubber casing around a gathering of insulated copper wires, 2 1/4 inches in diameter by 5 1/2 inches tall, old tape to rubber casing reading "MR-3 (SHEPARD) | MAY 5, 1961 — UMBILICAL CORD"; yellowing to tape. With a vintage color photograph of Bill Taub and astronaut Alan Shepard, 3 by 5 inches, with "Kodachrome Print Made by Kodak" watermark on verso.

The umbilical cable from which this segment was connected to the Freedom 7 during launch procedures and provided all electrical power to the spacecraft up to the T-30 second liftoff countdown, at which point it was ejected. The present segment was given to Bill Taub by the Mercury 7 team.

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