Project Mercury: America's First Steps Into Space

About this episode

This episode discusses Project Mercury, America's first manned space program, and its significance in the Space Race against the Soviet Union.

In the late 1950s, the United States found itself trailing in the Space Race as the Soviet Union achieved one milestone after another. In response, NASA launched Project Mercury, an ambitious effort to put an American into space using little more than experimental rockets, cramped capsules, and sheer determination. Explosions, near disasters, and political pressure surrounded every mission, yet the program would lay the foundation for landing humans on the Moon. Learn more about the Mercury Program and America's first manned space flights on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsors Newspapers.com Honor the past by uncovering its stories at Newspapers.com Promo Code EVERYTHINGEVERWHERE Samsara Don’t wait for the next accident to take action. Head to Samsara.com/EVERYTHING ButcherBox Get your choice between chicken breast or top sirloin for a year OR ground beef for life, PLUS $20 off when you go to ButcherBox.com/everything Quince Go to quince.com/daily for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Mint Mobile Save 50% on Unlimited premium wireless plans starting at $15/month at MintMobile.com/EED Audible Listen to Project Hail Mary Audible.com/hailmary Fast…

People in this episode

Host: Gary Arndt

Topics covered

• Project Mercury
• Space Race
• NASA
• Manned space flights
• History of space exploration
• American space program

Keywords

• Project Mercury
• NASA
• Space Race
• manned space flights
• history
• space exploration
• Soviet Union

Sponsors

Newspapers.com, Samsara, ButcherBox, Quince, Mint Mobile, Audible, Fast Growing Trees

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NASA, Soviet Union

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