The Might-Have-Been Mercury - the Grumman G-214
Tony Chong: The Might-Have-Been Mercury - the Grumman G-214
The Might-Have-Been Mercury -
The Grumman G-214
By Tony Chong
Grumman’s bid for the Manned Space Capsule competition, also known as Project Mercury, was not a total surprise despite the company’s lack of participation in previous space vehicle studies and proposals. Indeed, every major aircraft company not already participating in the X-20 Dynasoar program eagerly sought a piece of the new civilian space pie. What was surprising was the fact that they nearly won.
But while Grumman’s entry into the competition was new, their bid was not a spur-of-the-moment effort, but a calculated and evolutionary step in the company’s long-range plans.
The initial stepping stones were their work on advanced avionics and on the Rigel and Eagle missile programs. After Sputnik, Grumman formed the Long Island Space Team with rivals Republic and Fairchild. While nothing much emerged from this team, it did let NASA know Grumman was interested in becoming a serious contender on future space programs.