Historical Documentation

Before the astronauts could thunder into space they had to learn about the rockets and capsules they flew. Before the next mission could proceed, reports and summaries were needed on what happened before. Locked for years in the national archives or in the hands of a few collectors, the Meadville Space Center presents scanned PDFs of original manuals, and reports for Project Mercury, and Gemini.

Project Mercury

Mercury Familiarization Manual SEDR 104 (5/20/1962)

Manual describing the systems of the Mercury Capsule For MA-7 (Carpenter) and MA-8 (Schirra)

Contributed by Adam Bootle

Mercury Familiarization Manual SEDR 104 (12/20/1962)

Manual describing the systems of the Mercury Capsule For MA-9 (Cooper)

Contributed by Adam Bootle

Mercury Maintenance Manual (1959)

This manual contains procedures and diagrams for installing and servicing various Mercury systems

Contributed by Adam Bootle

Mercury Tracking Sites

This manual contains descriptions and diagrams of the various Mercury Tracking Sites from around the world.

Contributed by Adam Bootle

Mercury Redstone 3 (Shephard)

Mercury Flight Operations SEDR 109-7

Contains the procedures and diagrams for Capsule 7 used on the flight of MR-3 Freedom 7

Contributed by unknown

MR-3 Press Release

NASA press release package for the flight of MR-3 Freedom 7

Contributed by unknown

MR-3 Post Launch Report

Post Launch report for the flight of MR-3 Freedom 7

Contributed by unknown

Mercury Redstone 4 (Grissom)

MR-4 Post Launch Report

Post Launch report for the flight of MR-4 Liberty Bell 7. There is a star chart diagram as sketched by Grissom. This is useful for sim programmers to check the accuracy of the field of view through the cockpit window and the trajectory of the Redstone Rocket.

Contributed by unknown

Mercury Atlas 6 (Glenn)

MA-6 Flight Plan

MA-6 Flight Plan (Compact)

Flight Plan for the flight of Friendship 7

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Flight Report

Short Summary of the flight of Friendship 7

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Flight Report

Short Summary of the flight of Friendship 7

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Memos

Various short memos relating to the preparation and launch of MA-6 Friendship 7

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Mission

A nicely done informational summary of the flight of Friendship 7. Includes lots of pictures.

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Network Reports

MA-6 post flight reports from various stations of the Mercury Tracking Network

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 News Releases

Several short pre-launch news releases.

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Post Launch Report

Post launch report for the flight of Friendship 7

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Press Releases

Various press releases for the flight of Friendship 7

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Reports

Collected Technical reports summarizing the flight of Friendship 7

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Senate Report

Formal report to the United State Senate from NASA

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Technical Report

Formal technical report summarizing the flight of Friendship 7. Contains the physics data to needed to simulate the Mercury Capsule. Note data is in imperial measurements not metric.

Contributed by unknown

MA-6 Atlas Test Objectives

Report on the testing of the Atlas used for MA-6. Contains a complete computer simulator dump of an Mercury Atlas trajectory to orbit. This is very useful for verifying a launch simulation. Note data is in imperial measurements not metric.

Contributed by unknown

Mercury Atlas 7 (Carpenter)

MA-7 Flight Plan

Flight Plan for the flight of Aurora 7

Contributed by unknown

Mercury Atlas 8 (Schirra)

MA-8 Flight Plan

Flight Plan for the flight of Sigma 7

Contributed by unknown

Mercury Atlas 9 (Cooper)

MA-9 Flight Plan

Flight Plan for the flight of Faith 7

Contributed by unknown

Project Gemini

Gemini Manual Vol 1 SEDR-300

Gemini Manual Vol 1 Section 2

Gemini Familiarization manual for long-range and modified spacecrafts (GT-3, GT-4, GT-7)

Contributed by Adam Bootle

Gemini Manual Vol 2 SEDR-300

Gemini Manual Vol 2 Section 2

Gemini Familiarization manual for rendezvous and docking spacecrafts (GT-5, GT-6, GT-8, GT-9, GT-10, GT-11, GT-12) Contains information on the ADTA used on GT-9 as well as the Agena Control Panel.

Contributed by Adam Bootle

Gemini Computer Manual

Summary of commands for use with the Gemini Guidance Computer. Also include information on the Titan 2 guidance program.

Contributed by Dr Lance Erickson

Gemini Agena Target Vessel Command Summary

Summary of commands for use with the GATV.

Contributed by John Bisney

Wish List

Mercury SEDR 104, SEDR-104-19.

There are two more SEDR-104 handbooks. SEDR 104 describes the operation of the capsule for MR-3, MA-6, MA-7, and MA-8. SEDR 104-19 describes the operation of the capsule for MA-9.

Gemini Operation Handbook.

The Gemini Computer Manual is a subsection of the Gemini Operation Handbook for GT-10 (Young-Collins). The Familiarization manual tell me how the Gemini s/c was built the Operation Handbook will tell me how to operate it. I believe there is one for each mission, any of them would be appreciated.

GATV (Gemini Agena Target Vehicle)

Need a technical summary of the GATV. Currently there is a lack of hard information on physic data, electrical/hydralics systems and thruster data (roll, pitch, & yaw).

Mercury Control

Need a good technical description of Mercury Control and each station.

Gemini Control

Need a good technical description of houston's mission control room as configured for Gemini and each station. Also the old Mercury Control was used for Gemini 3 and a description of its modifications would be good. Last the dual flight of Gemini 7/6 used a combination of the MOCR and the older Mercury tracking network, any description of this would be appreciated.