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Lent by Langley Research Center
The Mercury capsule, which was to carry the first American into space,
was extensively tested before its historic flight. For reasons of
time, weight, and complexity, a ballistic capsule was chosen for
recovery in preference to a more complicated lifting body or winged
recovery vehicle. The Mercury capsule was spin tested for self-recovery
and the deployment of its chutes since it would be entering the Earth's
atmosphere blunt end first, and would have to survive both its fiery
entry and its ocean landing.
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