Oct 14 1957

From The Space Library

USAF and NACA reviewed preliminary studies dating from 1954 on a boost-glide research vehicle to follow the X-15; all studies were combined into a single plan which was accepted by the Air Force and later designated as Dyna-Soar.

American Rocket Society presented to President Eisenhower a program for onter space development which proposed establishment of an Astronautical Research and Development Agency similar to NACA and AEC with responsibility for all space projects except those directly related to the military defense.

The Rocket and Satellite Research Panel, established in 1946 as the V-2 Upper Atmosphere Research Panel and renamed the Upper Atmosphere Rocket Research Panel in 1948, together with the American Rocket Society proposed a national space flight program and a unified National Space Establishment. The mission of such an Establishment would be nonmilitary in nature, specifically excluding space weapons development and military operations in space. By 1959, this Establishment should have achieved an unmanned instrumented hard lunar landing and, by 1960, an unmanned instrumented lunar satellite and soft lunar landing. Manned circumnavigation of the moon with return to earth should have been accomplished by 1965 with a manned lunar landing mission taking place by 1968. Beginning in 1970, a permanent lunar base should be possible.

U.S. Congress, Senate, Special Committee on Space and Astronautics, Compilation of Materials on Space and Astronautics No. 1, 85th Congress, 2nd Session (1958), pp.17-19.