A Field Guide to American Spacecraft

Welcome to A Field Guide to American Spacecraft! It is a result of the love I have for America's space program, its vehicles, and the brave astronauts who crewed them. As I travel around the country, I have had an opportunity to visit many museums and science centers where I have seen many of these historic artifacts (the vehicles, not the astronauts!). It made me wonder where they all were. Since NASA transfers all used hardware to the Smithsonian, I called Amanda Young, Collections Manager of the Space Division. She was kind enough to send a list of the location of all vehicles on their inventory. But many vehicles, like Mercury Redstone 2 that carried the chimp Ham, or Apollo 4, the first Apollo capsule to ride a Saturn V to space, where not on that list. Where were they? Researching through the Educator's Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center provided missions, model numbers, and much more information that has enabled me to provide the most complete guide on the WWW. I hate that word most. I strive to make the Field Guide THE complete guide! There are still a few unknowns that some of you may be able to provide locations for. There are also many boilerplates, or test vehicles, that were sent out to parks, schools and museums that the Smithsonian does not keep track of. If you see something, please pass it on to me! This is my first attempt at creating a Website. I hope you enjoy it. If you are a space connoisseur like me, stop in often. Before vacationing, check and see if a capsule is where you are headed. Read the FAQ page. Pass in tips comments, and suggestions. But above all, enjoy the rich history and pride that these relics provide!

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