March 1959

From The Space Library

H. Kurt Strass and Leo T. Chauvin of STG proposed a heatshield test of a fullscale Mercury spacecraft at lunar reentry speeds. This test, in which the capsule would penetrate the earth's radiation belt, was called Project Boomerang. An advanced version of the Titan missile was to be the launch vehicle. The project was postponed and ultimately dropped because of cost.

Interview with Strass, Manned Spacecraft Center, November 30, 1966; Memorandum, Strass to Chief, Flight Systems Division, "Second Meeting of the New Projects Panel," August 26, 1959.