Little Joe 5B

Mission Insignia
Mission Statistics
Mission Name:	Little Joe 5B
Call Sign:	LJ-5B
Number of Crew Members:	0
Launch:	April 28, 1961 Wallops Island
Landing:	April 28, 1961
Duration:	5 min 25 s
Number of Orbits:	suborbital
Apogee:	2.8 mi 4.5 km
Distance Traveled:	9 mi 14.5 km
Maximum velocity:	1,780 mph 2,865 km/h
Peak acceleration:	10 g
Mass:	1,141 kg
LJ-5B

Little Joe 5B prepared for launch, Wallops Is., VA. (NASA)

Little Joe 5B was an unmanned Launch Escape System test of the Mercury spacecraft, conducted as part of the U.S. Mercury program. The mission used production Mercury spacecraft # 14A. The mission was launched April 28, 1961, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Little Joe 5B flew to an apogee of 2.8 miles (4.5 km) and a range of 9 miles (14 km). The mission lasted 5 minutes 25 seconds. Maximum speed was 1,780 mph (2865 km/h) and acceleration was 10 g (98 m/s²). The mission was a success and Mercury spacecraft # 14A was recovered. Mass 1,141 kg.

Mercury spacecraft # 14A used in the Little Joe 5B mission , is currently displayed at the Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton, VA . Mercury spacecraft #14A display page on A Field Guide to American Spacecraft website. (http://aesp.nasa.okstate.edu/fieldguide/pages/mercury/mc-14.html)