Flown miniature aluminum hammer carried on the Mercury-Atlas 9 by Gordon Cooper, measuring 2˝ long and weighing a mere 3 grams, intended to be used to break any malfunctioning status lights aboard the Faith 7 spacecraft. In fine condition. Accompanied by a handwritten and signed provenance note from Gordon Cooper, in full: "This hammer was installed on the #1 Relay Switch of MA9 to break out any malfunctioning status lites. Flown on MA9—15–16 May 63."
Ex. Regency-Superior, April 2007.
Given the diminutive mass of the tiny hammer, it was presumably carried on the mission as a gag—shattering indicator lights while on orbit had the potential to generate fragments which could get dispersed anywhere in the weightless cabin and cause malfunction. Interestingly, the 'hammer' is referenced in the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission transcript, as Cooper attempts to get correct readouts for fuel quantity. Cooper reports: 'FQI (fuel quantity indicator), I'm indicating 101 (percent) on auto and 102 (percent) on manual.' A range station communicator asks: 'How's your H20 separator lights working?' Cooper replies: 'Fine. They're just beating their little hearts out every ten minutes.' The Launch Complex 14 blockhouse communicator pipes in: 'Faith Seven, this is Stony. Maybe, maybe the FQI is stuck. Why don't you try the hammer?' Cooper says: 'Ha, ha! I'll save that for later. I'm thinking of using the hammer on the dome temp, however. On the dome temp light.' An interesting piece of history from the final flight of Project Mercury.
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