Little Joe 5A was an unmanned Launch Escape System

Launch escape system

A Launch Escape System is a top-mounted rocket connected to the crew module of a crewed spacecraft and used to quickly separate the crew module from the rest of the rocket in case of emergency. Since the escape rockets are above the crew module, an LES typically uses separate nozzles which are...

 test of the Mercury spacecraft, conducted as part of the U.S. Mercury program

Project Mercury

In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...

. The mission used production Mercury spacecraft # 14 atop a Little Joe

Little Joe

Little Joe was an unmanned United States solid-fueled booster rocket used for eight launches from 1959–1960 from Wallops Island, Virginia to test the launch escape system and heat shield for Project Mercury capsules, as well as the name given to the test program using the booster...

 booster rocket. The mission was launched March 18, 1961, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Little Joe 5A flew to an apogee of 7.7 miles (12 km) and a range of 18 miles (29 km). The mission lasted 5 minutes 25 seconds. Maximum speed was 1783 miles per hour (797.1 m/s) and acceleration was 8 G (78 m/s²). Although Mercury spacecraft # 14 was recovered, the mission was considered a partial success because the capsule escape rocket fired without the capsule, as in the previous Little Joe 5

Little Joe 5

Little Joe 5 was an unmanned Launch Escape System test of the Mercury spacecraft, conducted as part of the U.S. Mercury program. The mission used a production Mercury spacecraft #3. The mission was launched November 8, 1960, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Little Joe 5 flew to an apogee of 10.1...

 mission. The failure led to the subsequent Little Joe 5B

Little Joe 5B

Little Joe 5B was an unmanned Launch Escape System test of the Mercury spacecraft, conducted as part of the U.S. Mercury program. The mission used production Mercury spacecraft # 14A. The mission was launched April 28, 1961, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Little Joe 5B flew to an apogee of 2.8...

 mission.

Mercury spacecraft # 14 used in the Little Joe 5A mission, is currently displayed at the Virginia Air and Space Center

Virginia Air and Space Center

The Virginia Air and Space Center is a museum and educational facility in Hampton, Virginia that also serves as the visitors center for NASA's Langley Research Center...

, Hampton, Virginia.