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Inspired by a Boilermaker

Virgil “Gus” Grissom was one of the founding seven astronauts that were selected for the famous Project Mercury program, the United States’ first attempt at manned space flight. He completed his first suborbital flight in 1961 on the Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft, becoming the second American in Space. He also was the command pilot for the Gemini 3 spacecraft in 1965. Sadly in January 1967, Grissom died when a flash fire consumed the Apollo 1 spacecraft. The 2018 project was named after him as a token of our appreciation for his drive and passion for space.

Courtesy Purdue Archives

Quick Facts

Diameter
5.15 in
Length
122 in
Launch Weight
~30 lbs
Predicted Apogee
5280 ft
Actual Apogee
N/A
Motor
AeroTech Rocketry L1520 Blue Thunder
Payload
Real-Time Camera Detection System