May 28 1962
From The Space Library
In speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Congressman George P. Miller, Chairman of the Committee on Science and Astronautics, paid tribute to Astronaut Scott Carpenter, stating in part: "Science is the beneficiary of his operation. . . . Commander Carpenter's success is a compliment to the program; it is a tribute to American ingenuity and American ability to solve the mysteries of outer space. .
"To Scott Carpenter, to Alan Shepard, to Gus Grissom, and to John Glenn, this House and the American people owe a great debt of gratitude. From a scientific standpoint, I am happy to announce to you today the great success of this orbital flight." Senator Howard W. Cannon of the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences spoke on the floor on the short supply of scientists available to NASA and to its private industry contractors. He proposed a closer relationship between NASA and the universities: "We need to develop and develop from the beginning, space-oriented physicists, space engineers, space chemists, and space biologists." He cited NASA’s cooperative program with universities established without the benefit of legislation, and said that he proposed to introduce legislation to amend the NASA Act for the purpose of: "(1) to increase the number of undergraduates who will make space science and space engineering- their primary field of work; (2) to provide NASA with clear directive and the necessary funds to establish an integrated and intimate program of research, fellowships, grants and curriculum specialization with universities . . .; and (3) to establish one or more university-operated space laboratories which will stimulate basic research and train professionals. . . ."
Metal fragments resembling top of gasoline drum, thought to have fallen from the MA-7 Atlas booster, were discovered near Barkly East, South Africa.
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos V (apogee: 1,000 miles; perigee: 126 miles; inclination: 49°; period: 103 minutes), and said that it was an instrumented payload. Weights of the payloads of the Cosmos series initiated on March 16 have not been announced, presumably to veil the reported new launch rockets being used.
In an impromptu speech at opening of an Italian industrial exhibition in Moscow, Soviet Premier Khrushchev acknowledged that the U.S. had achieved "notable successes" in space and saluted the courage of Mercury astronauts Glenn and Carpenter. Commenting on M. Scott Carpenter's MA-7 flight in AURORA 7, Khrushchev declared: "I congratulate him especially because he gave proof of great courage in a situation in which he could have been burned in his ship or drowned in the sea. All the scientists could do from the earth was to advise him to drink water and to land. But he had the presence of mind and the courage to continue his flight."
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