Celebrations to mark 60 years since second suborbital spaceflight

As private spaceflight companies stand poised to launch their first crewed suborbital flights, celebrations are marking 60 years since the second U.S. astronaut made the short hop into space.

Coinciding with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic following in his footsteps, museums in Indiana and Kansas have scheduled events for the 60th anniversary of Virgil "Gus" Grissom's Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) mission. On July 21, 1961, Grissom lifted off on an arching trajectory that reached 118 miles (190 km) above Earth before splashing down.

Grissom's 15-minute and 37-second flight aboard the Mercury capsule "Liberty Bell 7" was just the second time a NASA astronaut had flown into space (following Alan Shepard two months earlier).

Related: Photos from Gus Grissom's Liberty Bell 7 spaceflight

"We are proud the Liberty Bell 7 is in our collection and eager to celebrate its place in history," said Mimi Meredith, senior vice president of communication and chief development officer at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas. "There is much to be learned from LB7 and those who had the skills and tenacity to be early space explorers."

Grissom's successful mission ended with the hatch to his Mercury spacecraft malfunctioning and blowing early, letting ocean water flood into the capsule and almost costing him his life. Grissom survived, but the Liberty Bell 7 sank to the bottom of the Atlantic, where it remained for 38 years until a Cosmosphere-led expedition raised it off the seafloor.

Cosmosphere president and CEO Jim Remar will dive into the risks revealed by the Liberty Bell 7 mission, along with insights into the Mercury program goals and objectives, during a free presentation at the museum on July 15. His talk, "The Peril and Promise of Space Exploration," marks the in-person return of "Coffee at the Cosmo," a quarterly speaker series that includes hot drinks and pastries.

The hour-long event will be streamed live on the Cosmosphere's Facebook page beginning at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT).

Remar will also discuss Liberty Bell 7 on the same day as the 60th anniversary of its flight (July 21) as part of "Mercury to Artemis: Celebrating the Past and Future of Space Travel," a free presentation for museum visitors that will include a virtual appearance by a NASA representative. The Cosmosphere's conservators restored the spacecraft after its four decades underwater.

The 12:30 p.m. (CDT) talk is part of a day-long celebration, which will also offer a free artifact scavenger hunt and limited edition Liberty Bell 7 60th anniversary t-shirts and patches for purchase.

In addition to the Cosmosphere's activities, Grissom's flight will be remembered in his hometown of Mitchell, Indiana. Spring Mill State Park, which includes the astronaut's memorial, has scheduled a "Gus Grissom Weekend" for Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18.

"Celebrate our hometown hero, astronaut Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom with us," the park announced on its website.

Dedicated in 1971, the memorial displays the Gemini 3 capsule flown by Grissom in 1963, as well as items from his personal and professional life. For the weekend celebration, "hidden artifacts" rarely seen by the public will be added to the exhibit.

Other activities scheduled for the two-day event include a talk by Ray Boomhower, author of the 2004 book, "Gus Grissom: The Lost Astronaut"; a chance to sample space food; stargazing; and model rocket launches.

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