May 11 1963
From The Space Library
Astronaut Leroy Gordon Cooper began series of preflight medical tests at Cape Canaveral in preparation for Project Mercury MA-9 flight scheduled for May 14. With other Project Mercury officials he conducted intensive review of prelaunching activities. (Hines, Wash. Eve. Star, 5/11/63; Witkin, NYT, 5/12/63, 1)
NASA Manned Spacecraft Center announced first drop test to qualify parachute-recovery system for two-man Gemini spacecraft was successfully completed at El Centro, Calif. Test series was scheduled for completion in 1964. (MSC Release 63-86)
Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, speaking before American Editorial Cartoonists' meeting in Washington, referred to complaints that excessive costs of Project Apollo and other U.S. efforts would "undermine the dollar .... But we are not told what would happen to the dollar-or to America-if space were defaulted to the Communist . . ." "The question is which kind of philosophy, democratic or Communist., will dominate outer space? "I, for one, don't want to go to bed by the light of a Communist moon." (Wash,. Post, 5/12/63; AP, Wash. Sun. Star, 5/12/63)
Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall announced U.S. Geological Survey had completed second in series of geological maps of the moon. Map was prepared by C. H. Marshall, astrogeologist of Flagstaff, Ariz., Observatory. (AP, NYT, 5/12/63, 64) )
Soviet news agency Tass announced test program of "improved types of rocket carriers for spacecraft" would be conducted May 15-July 15 in specified regions of the Pacific. (Tass, Krasnaya Zvezda, 5/12/63, 1, AFSS-T Trans.)
Soviet Prof. S. Zonshayn wrote in "The Velocities that are Possible in the Universe" that only major obstacle to "relativistic space travel" was production of engine capable of approaching speed of light: "The way to the cosmos has been opened .... The present level of science already gives us reason to suppose that passing beyond the limits of the stars are problems which can be solved . . . ." (Literature Gazette, 5/11/63, in MSFC SIN, 5/63) 13)
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