Space: An Epilogue to Ineptitude

With a pinpoint, mid-Pacific landing by Major Leroy Gordon Cooper, a roar of triumph and a burst of national pride, the Mercury phase of the U.S.'s man-in-space program ended last May. Last week it seemed apparent that, save for sheer luck and pluck, Project Mercury might just as readily have ended in disaster. In a 444-page epilogue to Mercury, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration told a hair-raising tale of failures, ineptitude and just plain carelessness among the private contractors who built and equipped the space capsules.

The contractors, NASA reported, delivered...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!