Mar 16 1962
From The Space Library
USAF Titan II ICBM successfully launched on first flight, from Cape Canaveral. Initiated less than 2 years ago, Titan II is powered by storable propellants (430,000-lbs. thrust in 1st stage, 100,000-lbs. in second stage), and will also be used as the boosters for NASA's Gemini two-man spacecraft.
Premier Khrushchev claimed that the. U.S.S.R. had a new "invulnerable global rocket," announced the orbiting of Cosmos I (the 16th Russian satellite), and stated that the U.S.S.R. would carry out new atmospheric nuclear tests if the U.S. resumes its atmospheric tests. Tass released a news story on the new satellite, giving its orbital data as apogee, 609 mi.; perigee, 135 mi.; period, 96 min.; and inclination, 49° to the equator. A scientific payload included measurements of meteoric impacts, low-energy solar radiation, earth's radiation belts, cosmic rays, earth's magnetic field, short-wave radiation from sun and other celestial sources, and atmospheric cloud patterns.
First anniversary of the dedication of the Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA. During that year, seven Goddard satellites were orbited, the Center successfully operated the new 18-station world tracking network for the Glenn flight, began expansion of the 13-station scientific satellite tracking and data network, saw some 70 of its sounding rocket payloads launched from Wallops Station, established the Institute for Space Studies in New York, and added three buildings and 700 persons to the Goddard staff.
At Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson pointed out areas in which international cooperation should begin in outer space. "As we attempt to look 25 years into the future, we catch visions of breathtaking journeys in large man-made planets around the sun to Mars and Venus—of a new freedom of movement of man across millions of miles of space—of a permanent colony on the moon and of large space stations or space forts at key locations for the conduct of space research, for aid to space navigation, and for rescue operations." Major awards of the National Rocket Club were presented: the premier Dr. Robert Goddard Memorial Trophy was presented by Mrs. Esther C. Goddard and the Vice President to Robert R. Gilruth, director of Project Mercury; the National Rocket Club Award was given to the New York Times; the Nelson P. Jackson Aerospace Memorial Award was given to the Radio Corp. of America for its design and construction of the Tiros meteorological satellites; and the Astronautics Engineer Award was given to William G. Stroud of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for his contribution to the technology of meteorological satellites.
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