Did Static Electricity — Not Gus Grissom — Blow the Hatch of the Liberty Bell 7 Spacecraft?

60 years ago today, Liberty Bell 7 prematurely blew its hatch after splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean. For decades, a myth persisted (largely due to Tom Wolff's "The Right Stuff") that astronaut Gus Grissom panicked and blew the hatch early. Now, new evidence shows static electricity is to blame.

Spacecraft Flies Through Zombie Tail Of A Dead Comet

Lucky Encounter: Solar Orbiter Spacecraft Flies Through the Tail of a Disintegrated Comet