In Pictures: Exploring Mars with Curiosity
In Pictures: Meteors
In Pictures: Space photos of the day: Dancing with the Stars
In Pictures: Space photos of the day: Black Holes
In Pictures: Space Photos of the Day: Asteroids
In Pictures: Space photos of the day: Visions of the future
In Pictures: Space photos of the day: Massive Storms
In Pictures: Space photos of the day: Gas giants
In Pictures: Space photos of the day: Heavenly Rings
In Pictures: Space photos of the day: Female Astronauts
In Pictures: Space photos of the day: The Moon
In Pictures: Space photos of the day: A Blue Planet
The Mercury-Atlas rocket, Friendship 7, would be the first American manned orbital space flight. The rocket is launched from Pad 14 in this photo from Feb. 20, 1962.
Astronaut John Glenn gives ready sign during Mercury-Atlas 6 pre-launch training activities.
Astronaut M. Scott Carpenter, prime pilot for the Mercury-Atlas 7 flight, is seen in Hanger S crew quarters during a suiting exercise. He is assisted in suiting by technician Al Rochford.
Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper, Jr., one of the original seven astronauts for the Mercury Project selected by NASA on April 27, 1959, is pictured. The MA-9 mission, boosted by the Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle, was the last flight of the Mercury Project. The Faith 7 spacecraft orbited the Earth 22 times in 1-1/2 days.
Mercury-Redstone 1 lifts off from Cape Canaveral on July 29, 1960.
Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., pilot of the Mercury Atlas 6 space mission, poses in his pressure suit and helmet for press photographers at Cape Canaveral during MA-6 pre-flight activities.
Earth observations of a shoreline taken from the Mercury-Atlas 4 are pictured in this 1961 photo.
Astronaut John Glenn enters the Mercury spacecraft, Friendship 7, prior to the launch of MA-6 on February 20, 1961. Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. The MA-6 mission was the first manned orbital flight boosted by the Mercury-Atlas vehicle, a modified Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic missile. It lasted for five hours and orbited the Earth three times.
The Mercury spacecraft #6 heat shield clearly shows the effects of re-entry heat as it is hoisted aboard the recovery ship downrange after the Mercury-Atlas 2 flight.
An aerial view of the U.S.S. Kearsarge, recovery ship for the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission is seen in 1962.
This orbital sunset was photographed by Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. aboard the Friendship 7 during his Mercury-Atlas 6 flight.
Mercury astronaut L. Gordon Cooper Jr. is wearing a spacesuit during Mercury-Atlas 9 prelaunch activities.
Astronaut Walter M. Schirra Jr., pilot of the Mercury-Atlas 8 Earth orbital space flight, is assisted by back-up pilot L. Gordon Cooper into his Sigma 7 spacecraft for the begining of the MA-8 mission.
A NASA Project Mercury spacecraft was launched on April 25, 1961 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in a test designed to qualify the spacecraft and all systems, which must function during orbit and reentry. The Mercury-Atlas vehicle was destroyed by the Range Safety officer about 40 seconds after liftoff. The spacecraft was recovered and appeared to be in good condition.
View of the recovery of Mercury-Atlas 4 spacecraft which was launched from Cape Canaveral on Sept. 13, 1961.
Technicians were performing pre-launch testing of the Mercury-Atlas 9 on Launch Pad 14 at Cape Canaveral when this photo was taken on May 14, 1963. A day later on May 15, Gordon Cooper successfully piloted this his 'Faith 7' spacecraft for more than 34 hours and 22 orbits. 
In Pictures: Derby Day devotees, Kenyan style
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/16
In Pictures: Dazzle like Beckham
In Pictures: Weather extremes 2013
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/15
In Pictures: Duchess Kate's royal baby bump
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 05/14
In Pictures: Keffiyeh is rebel chic
A new OAS report looks at alternatives to prohibiting the drug trade, including legal market regulation, reform of the UN drug convention, and smarter policing.
In the global fight against drug trafficking, it’s high time countries experiment with “nontraditional” approaches.
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