NASA's Project Mercury: The Race for Space

NASA initiated Project Mercury to compete with Russian space achievements. The project involved selecting and training seven military pilots as astronauts. The Mercury capsule was developed to be controlled from the ground, with astronauts having limited control. Safety systems were innovated due to rocket unreliability. After several unmanned launches, Alan Shepard's suborbital flight was followed by John Glenn's successful orbital flight, completing Project Mercury.

What was the primary goal of NASA's Project Mercury?

• To develop a new type of rocket

• To be the first nation to put a man into orbit

• To explore the moon

• To create a space station

What was a key characteristic of the astronauts selected for Project Mercury?

• They were all engineers

• They were all civilians

• They were all scientists

• They were all military pilots

How was the Mercury capsule primarily controlled?

• By remote control from a satellite

• By mission control on the ground

• By an onboard computer

• By the astronauts inside

What safety feature was developed to protect the Mercury capsule during launch?

• A reinforced hull

• A heat shield

• An escape tower

• A parachute system

Who was the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth?

• Buzz Aldrin

• Alan Shepard

• Neil Armstrong

• John Glenn