February 1962

February 1: NASA announced that the MA-6 manned orbital flight would be scheduled no earlier than February 13. Repair of leak in Mercury-Atlas fuel tank would be completed by then.

Ten members of NASA’S Office of Advanced Research and Technology, headed by Thomas E.Dixon, Deputy Associate Administrator, visited MSFC to inspect Saturn rocket test facilities.

February 2: NASA announced that it was negotiating with Bendix Corp. and Radio Corp. of America on a contract to operate five manned spaceflight tracking stations at Bermuda, Grand Canary Island, Kano (Nigeria), Zanzibar, and Guaymas (Mexico), as well as test and demonstration facility at NASA Wallops Station, Va. Project Mercury network would also be used for Project Gemini.

Rep. James G. Fulton, senior Republican on the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, said in an interview: “There’s no doubt our overall space program is slipping despite the high words and fine praise coming from the White House.”

The BBC reported from Cairo, Egypt, that Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin has said that the United States “eventually” would orbit a man around the earth.

February 3: Interviewed at home, Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., said that scheduled MA-6 launch on February 13 “can only hope for success.” Surveying the crowd of newsmen on his lawn, Colonel Glenn remarked that “it looks like Hangar-S was not such a bad place after all.”

February 5: NASA submitted to the Congress a draft NASA authorization for FY 1963 bill. It would provide legislative authority to support the NASA budget for FY 1963, and authorize NASA to spend $2,968,278,000 for research, development, and operations and $818,998,000 for construction of facilities.

Results of Aviation Week poll of the members of the House of Representatives to secure “grass-roots” opinions on the U S. space program were published. Representatives were asked to indicate how their constituents felt about key space aspects. The majority indicated that the U.S. space program is “proceeding at the right pace”; of the minority who disagreed with this, twice as many favored “speeding up the program.” Landing a man on the moon was considered “something the U.S. must do primarily to keep up with the Russians.” The majority also felt that NASA rather than the military should run the space program (“emphatic support for NASA on this question by a ratio of almost 5 to 1”). Rep. Emilio Daddario noted that the space program is linked in the public mind to the cold war contest with Russia: “I am concerned by this because the space program does not therefore stand on its own and there is the resulting danger that it will not receive the continuous support it will need over the years.”

February 6:According to Tass, Academician Blagonravov reported that Soviet radar observations of Venus last year defined the astronomical unit as 149,599,500 kilometers, plus or minus 2,000 km.

It was announced at Cape Canaveral that the MA-6 launch attempt had been changed from February 13 to February 14, and that a Tiros launch at AMR had been postponed due to technical difficulties.

February 7: In a special message to the Congress, President Kennedy proposed the creation of a “Communications Satellite Corporation” to be financed through the sale of stock to communications cornpanibs and the general public. This privately-owned corporation would have the responsibility to develop, own, and operate communications relay stations in space. The President declared that the creation of a satellite communication system would be “a measure of immense long-range importance.”

February 8: NASA’s Tiros IV launched by a 3-stage Thor-Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral into a near-circular orbit with an apogee of 525 miles and perigee of 471. Tiros IV featured the same basic types of equipment as in previous Tiros satellites, including cameras for cloud-cover photography and infrared sensors to measure temperatures at various levels in the atmosphere. Principal innovation was a camera with new type of wide-angle lens cover- ing an area 450 miles on a side, which was expected to provide minimum distortion. NASA press conference reported that quality of Tiros IV pictures was good.

The Navy, in conjunction with Weather Bureau and Canada, launched a major ice reconnaissance effort in the Gulf of St. Lawrence as part of a project to develop procedures and techniques for inter- preting satellite readouts of ice formation. Deputy NASA Administrator Dr. Hugh L. Dryden accepted invitation to become an Honorary Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society, an honor only accorded to eight persons who have rendered major services to astronautics over a number of years.

Edmund F. Buryan was named consultant to NASA to develop plans, policies, and programs for applying technological advances to practical benefit of the U.S. economy and industry.

February 9: Weather Bureau reported that Tiros IV had taken “striking pictures, of excellent quality, of cloud cover, and of snow and ice distribution” during its first 24 hours in orbit.

NASA announced that General Electric had been selected for a major supporting role in the manned lunar Apollo project, to pintegration analysis of the total space vehicle (including booster-spacecraft interface), assuring reyiability of the entire space vehicle, and developing and operating a checkout system.

First successful captive firing of Centaur engines on a single-tank propulsion test vehicle, at Edwards Rocket Site, Calif.

February 11: Project Oscar Association chairman, M. C. Towns, reported that signal reports on OSCAR I, placed in orbit in December 1961, had been received from radio amateurs throughout the world. No confirmation was received that OSCAR’S Morse signal was heard behind the Iron Curtain. Towns announced that the 250,000 hams would have another Oscar, tentatively set for launch sometime in late spring.

It was reported in Tass that a Soviet expert on rocket propulsion, not mentioned by name, had said: “The creation of powerful rockets has been full of pitfalls. Our investigations and experiments have not always been successful-far from it. There have been difficulties. . .”

February 12: In a NASA-sponsored lecture on “Geomagnetism” for Voice of America broadcast, Dr. James P. Heppner of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center said:”Each new space experiment adds to the list of unanswered questions about our electromagnetic environment.” He pointed to the changes in the scientific concepts of the boundary of the earth’s atmosphere and of relation- ships between the earth’s ma netic field and solar radiation that have resulted from data already acquired by satellites and probes.

Soviet officials indicated that newsmen may be allowed to cover the next Soviet space shot.

February 13: USAF Atlas-E model ICBM completed its test-flight program with a 7,000-mile flight down the Atlantic Missile Range. The Atlas-E, already operational at Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; Warren AFB,Wyo.; Fairchild AFB, Wash.; and Forbes AFB, Kan., showed an overall test record of nine successes, seven partial successes, and two failures.

It was reported from Moscow that Soviet authorities were considering an offer to purchase licenses on U.S. patents, with royalties for their use. An agreement for the visit of a Soviet trade delegation later in the year for negotiation of such an arrangement was announced by the National Patent Development 8orporation in New York.

February 14:MA-6 launch postponed because of bad weather in recovery areas. At regular press conference, President Kennedy was asked about the eighth postponement of “Col. Glenn’s flight.” He replied as follows: “Well, it is unfortunate. I know it strains Colonel Glenn. It has delayed our program. It puts burdens on all those who must take these decisions as to whether the mission should go or not.

I think it’s been very unfortunate. But, I have taken the position that their-the judgment of those on the spot should be final in regard to this mission and I’ll continue to take that judgment.

I think they would be reluctant to have it cancelled for another three or four months because it would slow our whole space program down at a time when we’re making a concentrated effort in space.

But I’m quite aware of the strain it caused everyone and it’s been a source of regret to everyone and-but I think we ought to stick with the present group who are making the judgment and they are hopeful still of having this flight take place in the next few days. And I’m going to follow their judgment in the matter even though we’ve had bad luck.”

February 14: 25-ft. space environmental simulator used for the first time at,Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in beginning of 3-week test of Mariner spacecraft designed for a Venus probe.

Twenty specialists of Weather Bureau’s Research Flight Facility, who make prolonged and repeated flights into hazardous weather for data for use in atmospheric research, were awarded the Department of Commerce Gold Medal.

February 15: Dr. Bernard Lubarsky of NASA’s Lewis Research Center named one of Ten Outstanding Young Men in the Federal Government for 1961 to receive Arthur S. Flemming Awards.

February 16: Following an early morning weather briefing, Mercury Operations Director Walter C. Williams advised that weather conditions again precluded a launch attempt of the MA-6 mission. February 20 was announced as the earliest possible launch date. Notified of the decision at 12:50 AM, Astronaut Glenn said: “I guess it was to be expected. We all knew the weather was marginal.”

Dr. Robert C. Seamans, NASA Associate Administrator, outlined NASA views of solid-propellant Nova-class motors in a letter to John H. Rubel, Deputy Director, Defense Research and Engineering:

“NASA has a strong interest in the technology of solid-propellant rockets and hopes to make use of them in NASA vehicles when the appropriate feasibility is demonstrated. . .” NASA interest was expressed for motors with thrust levels of “about 2.5 million and 5 million lbs. and burning times of approximately 115 seconds. The higher thrust level produced by motors about 240 inches in diameter by about 100 feet long is especially attractive from a long-range, payload growth viewpoint. In addition, the greater thrust and impulse per motor results in designs with fewer motors per stage, and thus with greater potential for reliability. . . .”

February 17: 100-inch diameter, 53-foot long, solid-fuel rocket static-fired for 98 seconds and developed 600,000 pounds of thrust by Aerojet-General, the largest solid rocket fired to date.

February 18: NASA announced Project Fire, a high-speed re-entry heat research program to obtain data on materials, heating rates, and radio signal attenuation on spacecraft re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of about 24,500 mph. Information from the program would provide technology for manned and unmanned re-entry from lunar missions. Under management of Langley Research Center, Project Fire would use Atlas D boosters and the re-entry velocity package would be powered by Antares solid rockets.

NASA speakers addressed the annual convention of the American Association of School Administrators. Mr. Webb said: “Space science and space exploration have become an integral and vital part of a great industrial and technological revolution which is now taking place in our own country and throughout the world. . . [the] rapid rate of change as much as the change itself is one of the dominant facts of our time.” Dr. Cox outlined NASA’s program of educational services to meet the needs of education in and for the Space Age.

February 19: NASA-AEC designated the Jackass Flats area of the AEC Test Site as the Nuclear Rocket Development Station. Placed under management of the joint NASA-AEC Space Nuclear Propulsion Office (SNPO), the new station has been used since 1959 for ground tests of Kiwi reactors.

In Voice of America broadcast, Alan H. Shapley of the National Bureau of Standards’ Central Radio Propagation Laboratory, reviewed the “new dimension to research in ionospheric science” added by space vehicles. He pointed out that “scientific expeditions landing on the surface of Mars or Venus, whether manned or unmanned, will have to communicate by radio with terrestrial headquarters. We must know which frequencies will get through the planetary ionosphere, and which can be used with the radio-mirror effect to talk from one part of the planet to another. So far we have had only [the earth’s] ionosphere to study, but this is like the doctor with only a single case. To understand a disease he needs many cases.”

The Air Force Space Plan, a ten-year blueprint for military space technology, was given to a House committee by Lt. Gen. James Ferguson. The Space Plan foresaw a military need for rendezvous, docking, and crew transfer. The USAF expected to depend on a manned rendezvous vehicle, using the two-man Gemini, built by NASA, as an initial vehicle. The Space Plan was sent to the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board for review.

February 20: Mercury spacecraft (Capsule 13), Friendship 7, was launched into orbit by Atlas booster (109D), Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, Jr., (USMC), as astronaut. After three orbits (apogee:162.5 mi.; perigee: 98.9 mi.), Friendship 7 re-entered and parachuted into Atlantic some 166 miles east of Grand Turk Island in the Bahamas. Picked up by the the destroyer Noa, Glenn remained inside capsule until on deck. Beyond being the first U.S. manned orbital space flight, the MA-6 flight of Friendship 7 provided aerospace medical data during 285 minutes of weightlessness, including consumption of solid and liquid food and dis- orientation exercises. Astronaut Glenn was forced to “fly by wire” (i.e., pilot the spacecraft) during 2nd and 3rd orbits due to troubles with the automatic pilot. Glenn was pronounced “hale and hearty” after his 81,000-mile flight of 4 hrs. 56 min.

President Kennedy made a statement to the press on the lawn of the White House, expressing the “great happiness and thanksgiving of all of us that Col. Glenn has completed his trip. . ..

I also want to say a word for all those who participated with Col. Glenn in Canaveral. They have faced many disappointments and delays-the burdens upon them were great but they kept their heads and made a judgment and I think their judgment has been vindicated.

‘We have a long way to go in this space race. We started late. But this is the new ocean, and I believe the United States must sail on it and be in a position second to none.

Some months ago I said that I hoped every American would serve his country. Today Col. Glenn served his, and we all express our thanks to him.”

It was estimated that over 60 million Americans witnessed the launch of Friendship 7 on live TV. Voice of America carried live overseas radio coverage. The U.S. Senate recessed at 2:30 PM EST just before the landing of Mercury spacecraft. The U S. Post Office placed Project Mercury postage stamp on sale minutes after Astronaut Glenn stepped on the deck of Noa.

February 21:In a formal response to congratulatory note from Premier Khrushchev on the flight of Friendship 7, President Kennedy said: “. . . I welcome your statement that our countries should cooperate in the exploration of space. . . . We believe also in strong support of the United Nations in this field and are cooperating directly with many other countries individually.

“I am instructing the appropriate officers of this Government to prepare new and concrete proposals for immediate projects of common action, and I hope at a very early date our representatives may meet to discuss our ideas and yours in a spirit of practical cooperation.”

NASA announced plans to attempt to launch 440-lb. Orbiting Solar Observatory (Oso) containing 12 experiments, within a week.

Thomas F. Dixon, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator, in a speech on the Apollo Program at San Jose, California, outlined NASA’s progression of flight programs leading to goal of a manned lunar mission before 1970, relating the X-15, Ranger, Surveyor, Mercury, Gemini, and rocket propulsion developments to the Apollo program.

The USAF announced that an unnamed satellite had been launched by a Thor-Agena B booster from Vandenberg AFB.

February 22: Before the 3rd West Coast Reliability Symposium, Dr. Landis S. Gephart, NASA’S Director of Reliability and Quality Assurance Office, said that the U.S. has “reliability requirements greater than our record of achievements to date will satisfy.” He pointed out that when Saturn-class vehicIes will cost an estimated $20 to $30 million a launch, neither NASA or the nation can tolerate a “batting average of 500.” Dr. Gephart then discussed three publications NASA was issuing in connection with contracts to ensure tighter quality control for NASA hardware.

February 23: In a ceremony at Cape Canaveral, President Kennedy thanked the Project Mercury team for the successful flight of Friendshp 7:

“. . . it’s my great pleasure to speak on behalf of all our fellow Americans in expressing pride and satisfaction to those intimately involved in this effort. All of us remember a few dates in this century and those of us who were very young remember Col. Lindbergh’s flight, Pearl Harbor, and the end of the war, and remember the flight of Alan Shepard, Major Grissom and we remember the flight of Col. Glenn. . .”

President Kennedy then awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal to Robert R. Gilruth and read the citation, (‘for his distinguished leadership of the team of scientists and engineers that carried Project Mercury, the U.S. initial manned space flight program, from its inception to the successful accomplishment of man’s flight in orbit about the earth . . .”

Lt. Col. John H. Glenn also was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal by the President,the citation to which said:“ ... Glenn made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of human knowledge of space technology and a demonstration of man’s capabilities in space flight. His performance was marked by his great professional skill, his skill as a test pilot, his unflinching courage....”

In his remarks, Astronaut Glenn thanked fellow astronauts and the entire Mercury organization: “we all acted literally and figuratively as a team. . . . It goes across the board. . . sort of a crosscut of Americana, of industry, and military and civil service. . . . It was headed up by NASA, of course, but thousands and thousands of people have contributed as certainly much or more than I have to the project. . .”

12 European nations agreed on draft convention for the creation of a European Space Research Organization. Once signed by member nations (Britain, France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzer and: Austria, and Spain), the organization would cooperate with the U.S.’s NASA and the International Committee on Space Research of which the Soviet Union is a member.

Senator Henry M. Jackson in a radio interview said there was evidence that “lives were lost” in the Russian manned space flight program. He urged the Kennedy Administration to challenge the U.S.S.R. to “lay bare” its trials and errors in achieving manned space fight.

Drew Pearson repeated rumors previously published in his column that 5 Soviet cosmonauts may have been killed in manned space flight attempts.

February 24:Department of Defense Directive (No. 5030.18) issued which specified responsibilities and procedures for the support of NASA “in order to employ effectively the Nation’s total resources for the achievement of common civil and military space objectives.” It assigned responsibilities within DOD to cover existing DOD-NASA Agreements on program content, funding, scheduling, and assignment of respective responsibilities.

February 25, Soviet scientists claimed to have discovered the third radiation belt around the earth and published such findings two years before the findings of Explorer XII were made public by NASA on January 19, 1962. Academician Blagonravov, Vice President of the International Committee on Space Research, said in an Izvestia interview that the existence of a dense belt with energies of 200 to 20,000 electron volts at a distance of 25,000 to 50,000 miles was recorded by Soviet space launchings in 1958. Such findings, he said, were published by Dr. K. Gringauz and associates in the February and April issues of the Soviet Academy of Sciences Proceedings in 1960, and in later publications. Commenting on the view that the three radiation belts really formed a single large pulsating band that might be called a ‘magnetosphere,” Blagonravov agreed that the bound- aries might be arbitrary but that the charged particles in each belt had distinctive characteristics and that it would be “inexpedient” to reject the theory of three belts.

February 26: John Glenn Day in Washington, D.C. An estimated 250,000 persons lined the rain-drenched parade route from the White House to Capitol Hill. In 20-minute address to the joint session of the Congress, Astronaut Glenn paid tribute to the Project Mercury team and pointed to the unbounded future of space exploration:

“I feel that we are on the brink of an area of expansion of knowledge about ourselves and our surroundings that is beyond description or comprehension at this time. Our efforts today and what we’ve done so far are but small building blocks on a very high pyramid to come. ..

“We’re just probing the surface of the greatest advancement in man’s knowledge of his surroundings that has ever been made. . . There are benefits to science across the board. Any major effort such as this results in research by so many different specialties that it’s hard to even envision the benefits that will accrue in many fields.

“Knowledge begets knowledge. The more I see, the more impressed I am not with how much we know but with how tremendous the areas are that are yet unexplored. ..”

February 27: House Committee on Science and Astronautics began hearings on $3.7-billion NASA authorization request. Administrator Webb, Robert R. Gilruth (Director MSC), and Astronauts Glenn, Gris- som, and Shepard appeared as witnesses. NASA’s programs were covered in detail in testimony: (1) total programs ahead may cost over $35 billion; (2) new astronaut trainin program to include scientists will be announced shortly; (3) future manned spacecraft will be capable of landing on land or water; (4) NASA is opposed to using astronauts as goodwill ambassadors,as they are needed on the current program; (5) 92% of NASA’s budget will be spent through industry and universities.

Astronaut Glenn pointed out that the Nation “must be prepared” for failures in future manned space flights. “We don’t envision every flight,” he said, “coming back as successfully as the three we have had so far. . . I hope we will always have the confidence in the program that we now have despite the fact there will be times when we are not riding a crest of happiness and enthusiasm as we now are.”

NASA witnesses appeared before the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences hearings on communication satellites system. Deputy NASA Administrator Dryden stated that the U.S. would have operational satellite communications within five years.

USAF DISCOVERER 38 launched into orbit with military payload.

Second Saturn flight vehicle (SA-2) arrived at Cape Canaveral aboard the barge Promise.

February 28: Mercury astronauts Shepard, Grissom, and Glenn appeared before both the House Science and Astronautics Committee and the Senate Aeronautics and Space Committee, answering a variety of questions on future manned space flight. Dr. Robert Seamans, NASA Associate Administrator, summarized specific NASA program, manpower, and money requirements before the House Committee.