mercury
Unearthing NASA's Earliest Time-Lapse Flyover Videos
Flying, spinning, falling. Repeat. Going to space in the early days seems even less like some graceful parting ways with gravity and atmosphere than in launch/orbit footage we see now. It looks more like riding an old rickety roller coaster, but the...
What Does It Even Mean that Mercury is in Retrograde?
If you need a sort of flimsy excuse for not replying to text messages, emails, or why your rent is late, for the next week the solar system is your scapegoat.
NASA Didn't Learn To Fly in Space Until It Was Seven Years Old
NASA learned how to fly in space 47 years ago. At least, that’s when it first started figuring it out. The Mercury program that launched the first American astronauts really just took them along for a ride. But the second program was different.
How John Glenn Lucked Out of This World
America loves heroes. We give them parades, put their faces on stamps, and relive their accomplishments at every possible opportunity. February 20 marked the 50th anniversary of John Glenn’s orbital flight.
Space Triumph! An Archival Newsreel Celebrating America's First Man in Orbit
50 years ago last Sunday, John Glenn became the first NASA astronaut in orbit, as part of the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. He did three rotations and spent about five hours in flight and landed safely (with some issues, yes). The TV newseel above appeared...
Moon Diapers and Pee Condoms: the Evolution of Deep Space Evacuation
You'd be a lying crazy person if you said it hasn't crossed your mind, and in the 1960s it was one of the most common questions posed to NASA’s astronauts: how do you go to the bathroom in space?
NASA Needs To Relearn How To Roll The Dice
NASA used to take risks. It used to occasionally throw caution to the wind and just go for broke on some pretty dangerous missions. In short, and to be slightly crude, NASA used to have balls.