The Student Will:

 

1. Gain an understanding of why the USA moved forward with the project despite indifference and a minimum of public and government support.

 

2. Learn why the USSR was able to outpace the USA in the early years of the "Space Race"

 

3. Recognize the effort to place the space program under one responsible agency.

 

4. Discover how leadership played such a major factor in one of the most significant projects in the history of the United States.

 

5. Learn about missile and rocket design and recognize the contributions of the pioneers who were ahead of their time.

 

6. Understand the obstacles that confronted the Project Mercury Team and their consistent efforts to overcome early failures.

 

7. Realize that the success of Project Mercury moved the USA into a leadership role and enabled America to place a man on the moon by July of 1969.