2346/6011

[Mercury Redstone 4] The second American in space Gus Grissom and the Liberty 7 capsule mated to the top of the Redstone rocket. NASA, July 1961. Printed 1961. Two vintage gelatin silver prints on fiber-based paper [NASA images 61-MR4–57 (S) and S-61–2856]. Each 20.3×25.4 cm (8×10 in), the first with NASA caption numbered “61-MR4–57 (S)“ on the verso, the second numbered ”S-61–2856" in black in top margin, with NASA caption on the verso (NASA HeadQuarters, Washington, D.C.). (2).

Mercury-Redstone 4 was the fourth mission in the Mercury-Redstone series of flight tests and the second U.S. manned suborbital spaceflight. It was the next step in the progressive research, development and training program leading to the study of man’s capabilities in a space environment during manned orbital flight. The main objective was to corroborate the man-in-space concept. (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mercury/missions/libertybell7.html).

First photograph: Project Mercury Astronaut Virgil I. Grissom, prime pilot for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's second manned space flight, lies in a contour couch in Hangar “S” at Cape Canaveral, Fla., during suit pressurization checkout. The flight, Mercury-Redstone 4, was postponed because of weather conditions in the launch area.

Second photograph: [NASA caption] Here the “cherry picker' which has a 108-foot ”reach" is seen in position by the Mercury spacecraft, ready to remove the pilot in case of trouble late in the countdown.

Condition

Very minor creases to left corners of first print, very minor crease to top left corner of second print, otherwise glossy prints in excellent condition.

Auction

Space, 15 November 2023