1958 (Cont.)
October 6
Personnel from the Langley Research Center visited the Army Ballistic Missile Agency to open negotiations for procuring Redstone and Jupiter launch vehicles for the manned satellite projects.[1]
October 7-8
Personnel from the Space Task Group involved in the study of reentry methods visited the Air Force Wright Air Development Center, Dayton, Ohio, for the purpose of preparing test specimens. Along with individuals from the center and the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division, the group then met at the Chicago Midway Laboratories, Chicago, Illinois, to investigate various ablation methods of reentry. Concurrently, these same methods were being investigated at high-temperature test facilities at Langley.[2]
October 9
In behalf of the manned satellite project, an air drop program for full-scale parachute and landing system development was started at Langley.[3]
October 14
The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Supply and Logistics invited the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to submit nominations for material procurement urgency (commonly known as the DX priority rating).[4]
October 17-18
Langley Research Center personnel visited the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division, Inglewood, California, to open negotiations for procuring Atlas launch vehicles for the manned satellite project.[5]
October 21
A bidders’ briefing for the Little Joe launch vehicle was held. As earlier mentioned, this launch vehicle was to be used in the development phase of the manned satellite project. The Little Joe launch vehicle was 48 feet in height, weighed (at maximum) 41,830 pounds, was 6.666 feet in diameter, consisted of four Pollux and four Recruit clustered, solid-fuel rockets, could develop a thrust of 250,000 pounds, and could lift a maximum payload of 3,942 pounds. (See January 16, 1958, entry.)[6]
October 23
Preliminary specifications for a manned spacecraft were distributed to industry. These specifications outlined the program and suggested methods of analysis and construction.[7]
- ↑ Memo, Space Task Group to NASA Hq., subject: Transmittal of Comments on AOMC Memorandum for Record — Meeting of NASA and AOMC, Oct. 6, 1958, Nov. 13, 1958, with inclosures.
- ↑ Letter, Wright Air Development Center to Air Research and Development Command, subject: Ablation/Heat Sink Investigation — Manned Reentry, Oct. 21, 1958.
- ↑ NASA Space Task Group, Project Mercury [Quarterly] Status Report No. 1 for Period ending January 31, 1959, March 1959.
- ↑ Notes, Assistant to Deputy Administrator to NASA Administrator, subject: Briefing Memorandum for the Administrator, March 12, 1959.
- ↑ Memo, Warren J. North to NASA Administrator, subject: Background of Project Mercury Schedules, Aug. 14, 1960.
- ↑ Letter, Space Task Group to AVCO-Everett Research Laboratory, (no subject), May 5, 1960.
- ↑ Memo, George Low, NASA, for the House Committee on Space and Astronautics, subject: NASA Procedure Used in the Selection of McDonnell Corporation for the Construction of the Project Mercury Capsule, April 24, 1959.
