 |
| A MR-4 cover from "Swanson", postmarked at Patrick Air Force Base on the launch day, July 21, 1961, signed by Virgil I. Grissom and Hermann Oberth. |
Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) was the second human spaceflight by the United States, piloted by astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom on July 21, 1961. The mission lasted 15 minutes and 30 seconds, reached an altitude of 190.4 km, and traveled 486.2 km downrange before landing in the Atlantic Ocean.
 |
| Photo: The launch of MR-4 on July 19, 1961, was delayed again due to adverse weather conditions. |
 |
| Photo: (left) Virgil "Gus" Grissom, the pilot of the second US manned spaceflight mission (MR-4) on July 21, 1961. (center) John Glenn, the backup pilot for MR-4. (right) Alan Shepard, the first American in space, who flew his Mercury spacecraft during the MR-3 mission. |
 |
| A MR-4 cover from "SpaceCraft", postmarked at Patrick Air Force Base on the launch day, July 21, 1961. Only 50 of these covers were produced. |
 |
| Photo: As he stepped out of the van that brought him to the launch pad, Capt. Virgil I. Grissom walked toward the rocket. |
 |
| Photo: Gus Grissom stands beside his Mercury spacecraft, "Liberty Bell." |
 |
| Photo: The MR-4 spaceflight, piloted by Gus Grissom on July 21, 1961. |
Throughout Grissom's flight, he calmly communicated with listeners at Cape Canaveral, aboard the recovery ship, and at Grand Bahama Island. He noted that "the fascinating view" kept him so captivated that he missed performing a few tasks. The mission proceeded smoothly until splashdown, when the emergency hatch cover unexpectedly blew open. This sudden incident put Grissom at risk of drowning, but he was safely rescued by a U.S. Navy helicopter and flown to the carrier Randolph. The spacecraft, however, sank into the Atlantic and remained unrecovered until 1999.
 |
| A MR-4 recovery ship cover features a USS Randolph postmark dated July 21, 1961, signed by astronaut Virgil I. Grissom. - RRAuction |
 |
 |
| Photo: Gus Grissom floats in the water awaiting rescue, while a recovery helicopter attempts to tow the sinking Mercury spacecraft. |
 |
| Photo: Gus Grissom aboard the USS Randolph aircraft carrier. |
 |
| A MR-4 recovery ship cover features a USS Randolph postmark dated July 21, 1961, signed by Captain Harry Edward Cook, Jr. |
 |
| Photo: Gus Grissom aboard USS Randolph, July 21, 1961. |
 |
| A MR-4 recovery ship cover features a USS Randolph postmark from July 21, 1961, along with a printed Navy Department cachet. It also bears a New York USS Randolph registered mail cancellation in red, dated the same day, marking the recovery of astronaut Virgil I. Grissom's mission. |
 |
| Photo: A marine helicopter hovered over the Atlantic on Friday, attempting to recover the Mercury space capsule that had carried Gus Grissom 303 miles out to sea. After splashdown, the capsule's escape hatch unexpectedly blew off, allowing water to flood inside. Grissom managed to exit as the capsule began to sink. The helicopter attempted to lift the waterlogged spacecraft, but the added weight was too much. The cable was cut, and the capsule sank in nearly three miles of water, taking with it valuable flight films and records. |
 |
| This cover features an autopen signature of "Gus Grissom" and includes a postmark variation with "RANDOLPH (CVS-15)" at the bottom. Additionally, the "BARNHART" postmark is applied on the first day of issue of the President John Fitzgerald Kennedy stamp. |
 |
| Photo: The recovery helicopter dipped into the water in an effort to retrieve the sinking Mercury spacecraft. However, the attempt to recover the flooded capsule failed as its weight exceeded the helicopter's lifting capacity. |
(Reference from
Mercury-Redstone 4)
