This plastic icon was placed on a large wall map of the Earth and used in the Mission Control room at Cape Canaveral, during the Mercury and early Gemini eras. The map, with this icon, was featured on many news reports from that era and is well-remembered by the public. Wires attached to the icon and linked to telemetry data allowed it to be moved across the map, to show where the spacecraft was at any time. It is in the shape of a Mercury capsule, although it was used for the first few Gemini flights as well.
Midway through the Gemini program, Mission Control moved to Houston, Texas, and the control room at Cape Canaveral was dismantled. This icon was one of the few historic pieces salvaged from that center.
Display Status
This object is on display in Destination Moon at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
SPACECRAFT-Crewed-Guidance & Control
Dimensions
3-D (including wires): 15 × 18.5 × 2cm (5 7/8 × 7 5/16 × 13/16 in.)
Materials
Plastic material, probably plexiglas.
Inventory Number
A20020366000
Credit Line
Gift of Steven R. Cox.
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.