Case, Rocket Motor, Solid Fuel, Mercury Escape System

This is the motor case for the Mercury space capsule escape rocket. An assembly of three canted nozzles was attached to the case. The escape rocket was mounted at the top of a 14 foot launch escape tower above the Mercury spacecraft and was to serve as a means of instant escape in the event of an aborted launch. The rocket, with tower attached, could lift the entire capsule forward and to the side, out of harm's way, at a speed of about 350 mph (560 kph). The capsule and tower coasted until they slowed down. Ten seconds after the ignition of the rocket, the attached tower would be jettisoned. Parachutes would then land the capsule as in a normal recovery.

The motor developed about 52,000 pounds of thrust for 1.4 seconds. The escape rocket was produced by the Grand Central Rocket Company. To insure utmost reliability, the NASA conducted abort tests, using the solid fuel Little Joe vehicle. The original idea of the escape motor for Mercury was conceived in July 1958, by Maxime A. Faget, with development and testing undertaken from 1959-1961. The launch escape rocket was never used in any of the Mercury flights (1961-1963). The motor case shown here was manufactured by the Thiokol Chemical Co., which competed, but was not awarded the NASA contract.

NASA transferred this artifact to the Museum in 1967.