December 11, 2022
In 1958 on this date, eleven different aerospace engineering firms submitted proposals for the development of Mercury manned spacecraft. These were AVCO, Chance-Vought, Convair, Douglas, Grumman, Lockheed, Martin, McDonnell, North American, Northrop, and Republic. In addition, Winzen Research Laboratories submitted an incomplete proposal.
McDonnell Douglas, based in St. Louis, was chosen for both the Mercury and Gemini contracts. The Mercury and Gemini capsules are currently on display at the McDonnell Planetarium. Image credit: McDonnell Planetarium/SLSC