Object Details
- Manufacturer
- Van Brode Milling Company Inc.
- Summary
- This seawater desalter kit is an example of the survival equipment used during Project Mercury, the first U.S. human spaceflight program. Between 1961 and 1963, six Mercury astronauts were launched in one-man capsules, two on suborbital trajectories and four into orbit. At the conclusion of their missions, their capsules parachuted into the ocean and they and their spacecraft were recoverd by U.S. Navy ships and helicopters. Astronauts also had to be prepared to make emergency landings all around the world, so they were equipped with survival aids in case it took recovery forces a long time to reach them. With this desalter kit, it was possible to convert seawater into drinkable water.
- This item was probably not flown on a mission. In 1973 NASA transferred ownership to the Smithsonian.
- Credit Line
- Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Inventory Number
- A19770586000
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- EQUIPMENT-Survival
- Materials
- Iron Alloy
- Aluminum
- Synthetic Fabric
- Adhesive Tape
- AdhesivePaint
- Ink
- Dimensions
- 3-D (Overall): 10.2 × 12.7 × 4.8cm (4 in. × 5 in. × 1 7/8 in.)
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Air and Space Museum Collection
- National Air and Space Museum
- Record ID
- nasm_A19770586000
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9b31ae77e-5cba-4aea-9e44-32789fae954f
