Apr 19 1962
From The Space Library
X-15 made its 50th successful flight from Edwards AFB, Calif., with NASA’s Joseph A. Walker as pilot. The X-15 No. 1, testing an emergency flight control system, reached a speed of 3,920 mph (mach 5.84) and an altitude of 150,000 ft.
NASA announced that FRIENDSHIP 7, the Mercury capsule in which Astronaut John Glenn orbited the earth three times, would be lent to USIA for a world tour, with some 20 stops on the itinerary and touching all continents. In mid-August the capsule would be displayed at the Century 21 Exhibition in Seattle, Washington, before being presented to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., for permanent exhibition.
USAF Skybolt missile launched from B-52 bomber over the Atlantic Missile Range in first live flight test; considered successful though second stage failed to ignite.
House Commerce Committee reported out a commercial communications satellite bill similar to the Senate measure, including a provision "encouraging" communications companies to build and operate their own ground stations.
State Department received a visa application from Cosmonaut Gherman S. Titov, who would be a part of the Soviet delegation to the COSPAR International Space Science Symposium to be held in Washington April 30-May 9. U.S. officials indicated that the request would be approved.
University of Maryland announced that in September it would begin a program leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees in astronomy. NASA has granted the university $192,000, partly for equipment and expenses and partly for 3-year stipends to 10 graduate students recently chosen from among 60 candidates.
A high-level Presidential study group set up in July 1961 to study the role of nonprofit organizations in relation to Government reported that the U.S. must continue to rely heavily on such organizations and private industry for directing and carrying out Federal research. It further recommended that the Government Strengthen its own research organizations and its research management capabilities.
In opinion poll taken in Ohio Congressional District (23) by Congressman William E. Minshall on whether the U.S. should enter into a cooperative space program with Russia, 47% replied affirmative, 39.6% replied negative, and 13.3% made "no opinion" replies.
Congressman Olin Teague submitted H. Con. Resolution 461, to express the sense of Congress that the U.S. should not participate in any program for the exploration of space with foreign nations or international bodies which would involve the disclosure of any technical information, unless the Soviet Union by "positive action" participates in an inspection system for armaments and informs the world about hitherto-secret information about its space program. Similar resolutions were introduced by Congressmen Young, Kilgore, Purcell, Roberts of Texas, Riehlman, Roudebush, Casey, and Morris.
Italian Space Research Commission announced Italy would attempt to orbit its first satellite in 1963. The 200-lb. scientific satellite would be launched from a platform floating in the Indian Ocean and would measure air density variations caused by solar radiation.
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