The Definitive Archive of NASA History

Explore detailed flight logs, payload specifications, astronaut biographies, and cosmic discoveries from 1958 to the present day. Fully indexed and cross-linked for deep aerospace research.

Chronological Timeline

Navigate through the primary eras of NASA exploration history

View All Programs
1958
Project Mercury
1961
Project Gemini
1968
Apollo Program
1973
Skylab
1981
Space Shuttle
1998
ISS Expedition
2017
Artemis Program
Ongoing
Robotic Explorers
Project Mercury (1958–1963)

Project Mercury

Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States, running from 1958 through 1963. Its primary goal was to put a human into Earth orbit, observe their capability to function in space, and recover them safely.

Explore Era Detail 6 Crewed Missions