Little Joe 1B

{{Short description|1960 launch escape system test in the U.S. Mercury program}} {{Infobox spaceflight | name = Little Joe 1B | image = Launch of Little Joe 1B, January 21, 1960.jpg | image_caption = Little Joe 1B launches from Wallops Flight Facility on January 21, 1960. | insignia = Mercury insignia.png

| mission_type = Abort test | operator = NASA | mission_duration = 8 minutes, 35 seconds<ref name="nasa.gov" /> | distance_travelled = {{convert|12|mi|km|disp=flip}}<ref name="nasa.gov" /> | suborbital_apogee = {{convert|9|mi|km|disp=flip}}<ref name="nasa.gov" />

| spacecraft_type = Mercury boilerplate | manufacturer = McDonnell Aircraft | launch_mass = {{convert|1007|kg|lb}}<ref name="nasa.gov" /> | landing_mass =

| launch_date = {{start-date|January 21, 1960, 14:23|timezone=yes}} UTC | launch_rocket = Little Joe | launch_site = Wallops LA-1

| landing_date = {{end-date|January 21, 1960, 14:31|timezone=yes}} UTC | landing_site =

| previous_mission = Little Joe 2 | next_mission = Beach Abort | programme = Project Mercury<br/><small>Abort Tests</small> }}

The '''Little Joe 1B''' was a launch escape system test of the Mercury spacecraft, conducted as part of the U.S. Mercury program. The mission also carried a female rhesus monkey (''Macaca mulatta'') named Miss Sam in the Mercury spacecraft. The mission was launched January 21, 1960, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The Little Joe 1B flew to an apogee of 9.3 statute miles (15.0 km) and a range of 11.7 miles (18.9 km) out to sea. Miss Sam survived the 8 minute 35 second flight in good condition. The spacecraft was recovered by a Marine helicopter and returned to Wallops Island within about 45 minutes. Miss Sam was one of many monkeys used in space travel research.

==Gallery== {{Gallery |width=300 |File:Miss Sam p61.jpg|Miss Sam, the Rhesus Monkey |File:Monkey Miss Sam prepared for Little Joe 1B flight (2).jpg|Miss Sam, with fiberglass couch, being placed in a container for the Little Joe 1B flight }}

==See also== * Little Joe * Sam (monkey), NASA Project Mercury rhesus monkey * Monkeys and apes in space * List of individual monkeys

==References== {{Include-NASA}} <references>

<ref name="nasa.gov"> {{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mercury/missions/LJ-1B.html|title=LJ-1B (6)|publisher=NASA|author=Warnock, Lynda|date=November 21, 2006|accessdate=January 16, 2010}} </ref>

</references>

==External links== * [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/mercury/lj-1b/lj-1b.html NASA Project Mercury Mission LJ-1B] at ''Kennedy Space Science and Technology'' website * [https://web.archive.org/web/20101126225646/http://www.astronautix.com/sites/walndla1.htm Wallops Flight Facility] at ''Encyclopedia Astronautica''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Little Joe 1b}} Category:Project Mercury Category:1960 in Virginia Category:January 1960 in the United States