Jul 27 1962
From The Space Library
X-15 No. 1 flown to near 100,000 feet to begin descent maneuvers with yaw damper off, NASA’s Neil A. Armstrong as pilot, in test of re-entry control with electronic equipment turned off. X-15 No. 1 was grounded after this flight for installation of telescopic cameras for future research flights.
NASA-JPL-USAF Mariner R-1 Post Flight Review Board determined that the omission of a hyphen in coded computer instructions transmitted incorrect guidance signals to Mariner spacecraft boosted by two-stage Atlas-Agena from Cape Canaveral on July 21. Omission of hyphen in data editing caused computer to swing automatically into a series of unnecessary course correction signals which threw spacecraft off course so that it had to be destroyed.
GSFC awarded contract to IBM Corporation's Federal Systems Division for computer support services for Project Mercury flights, nonrendezvous Gemini, and unmanned lunar flights scheduled for Project Apollo.
USAF launched unidentified satellite (Alpha Theta) from Vandenberg AFB with Thor-Agena Booster.
Reported that Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory was establishing a midwestern network of 16 observing stations with four automatic cameras to photograph the night sky to locate meteorites quickly after they fall. Located in 7 midwestern states, the stations will scan a total possible recovery area of two and one half billion acres.
NASA Administrator Webb named Franklyn W. Phillips, Assistant to the Administrator (October 1, 1958-present), to establish and direct NASA’s Northeastern Operations Office in Boston, Mass. Phillips served as Acting Secretary of the National Aeronautics and Space Council from January 1959 to February 1960.
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