Mercury Spacecraft Launch Escape Rocket Motor

Mercury Spacecraft Launch Escape Rocket Motor
This is an original Mercury Spacecraft Launch Escape Rocket Motor. This is the vintage motor case for the Mercury Space Capsule Escape Solid Fuel Rocket. It was used in testing during the Little Joe Test Program. The case shows damage from the impact from the ejection test and still retains the original Rocket nozzles. The top cover has been remanufactured and is not original but displays very well. The escape rocket was mounted at the top of the 14 foot Launch Escape Tower above the Mercury Spacecraft. It served 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, 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. Development and testing was undertaken from 1959-1961. The launch escape rocket was never used in any of the Mercury flights (1961-1963). This is a very rare and desirable display item that has been on display at the Lakeland Air Museum for the past 18 years. It measures about 11' 6" tall on the included display stand and has been restored by the Lakeland Air Museum in 2003. Any trace of rocket fuel was removed at that time.