Artifacts, 1960-2003.

Scope and content:

The artifacts are provided for display purposes once the capsule is opened. Includes invitation to the 40th Anniversary of Gordon Cooper's flight- autographed by Astronaut Gordon Cooper. A CD created by Bill Dana also known as Astronaut Jose Jimenez. He considered to be the eighth Mercury astronaut. The original Mercury 7 enjoyed his comedy routines and developed a friendship with him. A large Project Mercury decal from General Dynamics Corporation placed on the actual Mercury Atlas Launch vehicles to designate these vehicles as man-rated. 2 inch section of launch umbilical cable from John Glenn's Mercury launch. After the launch of Glenn the final cable to separate from the Atlas was removed from LC 14 and cut into 2 inch sections. These sections were given as souvenirs to members of the launch team. Collection also includes a metal strip, a piece of the Atlas 109D which was used in John Glenn’s Mercury flight. Found in Africa by a native several months after the flight, it was returned to the United States and identified by stencil marks made by inspectors during manufacture. The ragged edge is where the heat of reentry melted the steel of which the propellant tanks were made. Artifacts are listed in chronological order from earliest to the latest date.

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