August 1961
From The Space Library
Virgil I. Grissom is debriefed about his flight aboard Mercury Redstone 4.
Mercury Redstone 4 Pilot debriefing
NASA site selection team headed by John F. Parsons, Associate Director of Ames Research Center, toured possible sites for a manned spacecraft center.
New wind tunnel became operational at Ames Research Center, capable of research on reentry problems at speeds of mach 7.5, 10, and 15.
With successful launch of Explorer XII on August 15, NASA Delta launch vehicles had successfully launched five satellites out of six attempts, the only failure being the first attempt. Delta's high reliability record began with [Echo I]] on August 12, 1960, and includes Tiros II and III, and Explorers X and XII. Built by prime contractor Douglas Aircraft, the NASA Delta launch vehicle consists of a Thor first stage (Rocketdyne MB-3 liquid engine), Aerojet-General second stage (AJ-10-118, an improved Vanguard second stage), and an ABL third stage (X-248 spin-stabilized version of Vanguard third stage).
New 210-foot diameter radiotelescope began operations at Parkes, New South Wales, operated by a group of scientists headed by Dr. E. G. Bowen, radar pioneer.
NASA-DOD Large Launch Vehicle Planning Group in session since August 1 to study the policy, management structures, and requirements of launch vehicles beyond the size of Saturn. Meeting in NASA headquarters, the group was headed by Dr. Nicholas E. Golovin, technical assistant to the Associate Administrator of NASA.
Announced that RCA scientists determined the distance between Earth and Venus to an accuracy of 200 miles using 84-foot tracking antenna.
- August
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