May 2 1962
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (2MB PDF)
Dr. James A. Van Allen termed the planned U.S. hydrogen bomb explosion high over the Pacific Ocean as a "magnificent experiment," one which should bring new knowledge concerning the origin of the inner belt of high-energy protons. He disagreed with scientists abroad who object to the test as a unilateral military experiment.
NASA scientists reported to COSPAR session that data from EXPLORER IX indicated that the upper atmosphere was heated by sun spot activity. In 1957 and 1953, when solar activity was at the maximum of its 11.1-year cycle, air density at a height of 350 miles was 10 times higher than in 1961 when activity was nearer its minimum. This suggests that "with a decrease in solar activity the upper atmosphere becomes cooler and shrinks to the earth, so that the air density at a given altitude decreases." Report on EXPLORER IX, the 12-ft. inflated satellite sensitive to density changes, was made by William J. O’sullivan, Claude W. Coffee, Jr., and Gerald M. Keating.
House of Representatives defeated by voice vote a bill sponsored by Rep. William F. Ryan which would have provided for Government ownership of the U.S. portion of a communications satellite system.
In news conference at the Soviet Embassy in Washington, Gherman S. Titov forecast cooperative flights to and around the moon if world leaders could come to an agreement on disarmament. He also stated that Soviet Cosmonaut No. 3 was ready to go.
Royal Aeronautical Society announced that John C. Wimpenny had made first extended manned flight under his own power in his pedal-powered Puffin. A design engineer, Wimpenny flew 993 yards at an average speed of 19½ mph and an altitude of 5 to 8 feet.
May 2-5: First AFSC Management Conference held at Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, Calif., to provide exchange of views among leading representatives of industrial, scientific, academic, and financial management areas on the theme of "Systems Acquisition and Management in Today's Environment."
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