Mercury-Scout 1
| Mission type | Tracking test |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| Mission duration | Failed to orbit |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 67.5 kilograms (149 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | November 1, 1961, 15:32 UTC |
| Rocket | Blue Scout II D-8 |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-18B |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Epoch | Planned |
Mercury-Scout 1, or MS-1, was a United States spacecraft intended to test tracking stations for Project Mercury flights. It grew out of a May 5, 1961 NASA proposal to use Scout rockets to launch small satellites to evaluate the worldwide Mercury Tracking Network in preparation for crewed orbital missions. The launch of Mercury-Scout 1 on November 1, 1961, was unsuccessful, and the satellite failed to reach orbit.