May 21 1963
From The Space Library
On 36th anniversary of Lindbergh's historic transatlantic flight, Astronaut Leroy Gordon Cooper was presented NASA Distinguished Service Medal by President Kennedy in White House ceremony. Also presented were NASA Medals for Outstanding Leadership to: G. Merritt Preston, Manager of Project Mercury Operations at NASA Launch Operations Center; Floyd L. Thompson, Director, NASA Langley Research Center; Kenneth S. Kleinknecht, Manager of Project Mercury Office, NASA Manned Spacecraft Center; Christopher C. Kraft, Director of Flight Operations Div. Of NASA Manned Spacecraft Center; and Maj. Gen. Leighton L. Davis, commander of AFMTC, Cape Canaveral. NASA Group Achievement Awards were presented to: DOD Recovery Forces; and Air Force Space Systems Div. Following ceremony, Astronaut Cooper was hailed by thousands in motorcade to the Capitol, where he addressed special joint session of Congress: ". . . I don't think I have ever been with a team that was more dedicated, or striving harder, or was more completely sold on their product than the total space effort and particularly the manned flight effort in which I am involved .... "I named my spacecraft FAITH 7 for three masons: First, because I believe in God and country; second, because of the loyalty to organization, to the two organizations, actually, to which I belong; and, third because of the confidence in the entire space team "I think of all things that I am constantly amazed at is the public's response to this program . . . it is tremendously impressive." The parades and activities following each flight "show that Americans want to express their feelings and their confidence that we ... can conduct peaceful research programs; that we can conduct them openly, and under the surveillance of every man, woman and child in the entire world." (Space News Roundup, 1/8/64, 2 ; CR, 5/28/63, A3420-21)
At the State Department luncheon honoring Astronaut Gordon Cooper, Vice President Johnson remarked "In 1942, President Roosevelt called together our wartime leaders for the final decision on continuing or abandoning the Manhattan project which produced the atomic bomb. One of the most eminent leaders present heard presentation from all sides. Then, he solemnly gave President Roosevelt his verdict: `The bomb will never go off -I speak, of course, Mr. President, as an expert on explosives.' "In that first, uncertain spring of the space age 5 years ago, some conscientious experts took the same attitude toward Project Mercury. History has proved them grossly wrong.... "Hitler once predicted the Nazis would wring England's neck like a chicken. After the Battle of Britain, Winston Churchill said to Commons, 'Some chicken. Some neck.' We have heard some say recently that the civilian space program is only 'leaf-raking.' Considering Major Cooper - considering the vast technological cooperation which made his mission a success - I would say today, 'Some leaf. Some rake.'" (Text, CR, 5/23/63, A3299)
U.S. and U.S.S.R. signed three-year agreement for cooperative program in nuclear studies. Signed in Moscow by Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman Of AEC, and Andronik M. Petrosyants, Chief of State Board for Peaceful Uses Of Atomic Energy, agreement provided for exchanges of scientific delegations and unclassified documents as well as joint conferences and visits by research specialists in fields Of controlled thermonuclear fusion, reactor techniques, and physics Of high-energy particles. (Shabad, NYT, 5/22/63,4)
Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from Ft. Churchill, Canada, carrying experiments (1) to determine upper atmospheric winds and diffusion coefficients by means Of triangulation photography Of sodium vapor trail, and (2) to determine atmospheric temperature from photoelectric measurement of emission line width. The flight was part of an international effort to measure winds at widely separated geographical locations. (NASA Rpt. Of S. Rkt. Launching, 6/14/63)
Presidential Boeing 707 jet airliner flew nonstop from Moscow to Washington in 9 hours 53 minutes 52 seconds, claiming 15 s records, the same number it had claimed for the outbound flight Over the same route On May 19. (AP, NYT, 5/22/63, 18)
Dr. L. R. Shepherd, President Of British Interplanetary Society, urged European Space Research Organization (ESRO) and European Launcher Development Organization (ELDO) combine to form a European space agency to "develop the technology and logistics of an economically viable space transportation System." Suggesting it would be wasting time and money for Europe to attempt to duplicate U.S. communications satellite systems, he Said European agency should concentrate On advancement Of transportation techniques-including construction of Orbital stations and establishment Of lunar base capable Of constructing and supplying space vehicles. (Wilcke, NYT, 5/22/63, 37; M&R, 5/27/63, 14-15)
May 21-24: Aviation/Space Writers Association met in Dallas, Tex., more than 500 writers from throughout U.S. and Canada. (MSC Space News Roundup, 5/16/63,1)
Dr. Lawrence L. Kavanau, Special Assistant for Space, DOD DDR&E, said: "None of us harbors any illusions about the expense Of developing and Operating military space systems. Any and all military efforts in this field will be costly. Of the two, development costs may well prove to be the relatively minor One. Building and supporting an operational military space force may involve costs out-distancing the investment m its research and development. Military mission capabilities in space will not ipso facto evolve merely because we are able to attain an experimental capability in the medium. The fundamental paint here is that military needs, by definition, require the capacity to conduct reliable repetitive space operations .... "One of the important aspects of the [NASA-DOD)Gemini agreement is the stipulation that neither agency will initiate any major new programs or projects in the field of near-earth orbit manned space flight without the consent of the other. That paragraph was inserted for a specific purpose. The concept of a Manned Orbital Space Station, Manned Orbital Development System, or similar names by which such a facility has been called has been proposed and considered in the Department of Defense for al least five years ... a limited space station project need not represent a national commitment as far-reaching and as large in scope as the manned lunar landing program. It should, nevertheless, require a national, rather than a single agency decision, to get it under way. There is no question that, if a decision is made to proceed, the Department of Defense should be a full partner in this enterprise all the way, and may even qualify for management of the national project to satisfy both NASA and DOD needs. This, of course, requires a Presidential decision if and when the project is approved." (Text, DOD Release 718-63)
Col. James W. Little, Director of Pilot Training, USAF Air Training Command, said: "We envision that the basic preparation for space flight taught now by the Edwards AFB Aerospace Research Test Pilot Course will be taught eventually to all pilot trainees in the Air Training Command. Student training will be conducted into the suborbital area above 200,000 feet instead of below 50,000 feet as it is at present . . . " (A-N-AF Journ. & Reg., 6/1/63,2)
William Littlewood, American Airlines vice president, said "The United States is woefully deficient in funds and efforts to solve the essential research problems, to gain the basic knowledge, to develop the potentials of atmospheric flight, as to safety, comfort and efficiency, or to compete successfully and for long with the foreign advantages in this field "Whereas all efforts and expenditures of NACA were devoted to aeronautic research, including large assignments in safety and reliability, we now find aeronautic research relegated to a fifth echelon level in NASA and reduced to a negligible portion of the total budget and to a fraction of the former NACA effort." (AP, NYT, 5/22/63,65)
Rep. A. J. Multer (D.-N.Y.) said at Briefing Conference on National Patent Policies and Practices, Washington: "Among the many subjects around which differing opinions swirl is that of Government patent policy, particularly as respects ownership of patent rights on inventions resulting from governmentally financed research . . . "I have introduced in the 88th Congress two bills of major importance in this field, H.R. 701 and H.R. 2349. Both bills were also introduced in the last, the 87th Congress. "The purpose of H.R. 701 is to attempt to bring some order out of chaotic and conflicting Government patent policies to the end that a uniform practice as respects ownership of patents derived from Federal contracts, and grants, research, and otherwise, would be carried out by executive agencies. "This bill has been referred to Subcommittee No. 3 of the House Judiciary Committee .... "The second bill, H.R. 2349, would amend the existing patent code to permit patent holders to bring civil actions against Government contractors who infringe their patents while carrying out Government contracts. "This bill is also in the Judiciary Committee but not yet referred to a subcommittee . . . " (Text, CR, 5/23/63,8743)
Scientists and engineers from major NASA centers convened at Lewis Research Center to discuss future manned planetary missions. (LRC Release 63-30, Lewis Chronology, 4)
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