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This is a replacement "heat sink" heatshield for the Mercury-Redstone 2 capsule. The original was lost after recovery of the capsule from the ocean and this heatshield did not fly in space. The MR-2 capsule carried Ham, a chimpanzee, on a suborbital flight in January 1961. Heat sink heatshields absorbed the tremendous heat generated during the capsule's reentry and were used only during some early Mercury test flights before they were replaced by ablative heat shields.

McDonnell Aircraft made the heatshield and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration transferred it to the museum in 1968.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type SPACECRAFT-Crewed-Parts & Structural Components Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft
 Dimensions Overall: 185.42cm (6ft 1in.)
 Materials Beryllium, Preservative Coating, Paint, Steel
 Inventory Number A19680267001 Credit Line Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.