Why did the Liberty Bell 7 sink to the ocean floor? The second Project Mercury mission, helmed by astronaut Gus Grissom, has intrigued many for decades. Was it a mechanical glitch or human error?
On July 21, 1961, astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom embarked on a courageous journey to space, building upon Alan Shepard’s pioneering efforts. The mission ran smoothly until splashdown when an unexpected event plunged the historic Mercury capsule into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The innovative explosive hatch, designed for quick evacuation, mysteriously blew open, flooding the capsule and stranding Grissom in a perilous predicament. What was the cause?
