Apr 25 1961

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Mercury-Atlas (MA-3) launched unmanned Mercury spacecraft in orbital test from Atlantic Missile Range, which was destroyed at 16,000 feet by range safety officer, while Mercury capsule was boosted by escape tower rockets above Atlas and subsequently recovered intact.

President Kennedy signed legislation making the Vice President Chairman of the National Aeronautics and Space Council.

Official Soviet report described preliminary weightlessness training of the Soviet cosmonauts as follows: "It was established that all selected cosmonauts possess a good ability to endure weightlessness up to 40 seconds, the cosmonaut can eat food liquid, semiliquid, and solid; can perform delicate coordinated acts, such as writing or purposeful hand motions; can maintain communication by radio; can read; and, besides, can orient himself visually."

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