Astronautical and Aeronautical Events of 1962 - NASA's History Office

100 ASTRONAUTICAL AND AERONAUTICAL EVENTS OF 1 9 6 2
June 13: NASA Manned Spacecraft Center awarded $1 million contract
to North American Aviation, Inc., for a paraglider development
program.
Reported that Neil Armstrong, NASA x-15 test pilot, was studying
approaches and abort maneuvers for Dyna Soar project by flights
in an F5D aircraft.
Full-scale model of Mercury spacecraft dropped into Trinity Bay
in parachute system design test.
Capt. Richard 11. Coan (USAF) established a new world’s record for
a helicopter distance flight over a closed course, flying an H43R
Huskie 656.258 miles on a 25-mile course near Mono Lake, Calif.
Previous record of 625.464 miles had been held by a Russian
military helicopter Mi-1 (June 1960).
Army Transportation Command awarded a contract to Ryan Aeronautical
Company of San Diego for the design of a flexible wing
cargo glider capable of carrying heavy payloads when being towed
by a helicopter.
James V. Bernardo, Director of NASA’s Educational Programs
Division (AFE), was awarded the Frank G. Brewer Trophy for
1961 by the National Aeronautic Association, for the development
of a plan for national spacemobile demonstration units to supple-
ment high school science programs and for organizing 32 aviation
education workshops in 21 U.S. colleges prior to his joining NASA.
June 14: In regular press conference, President Kennedy was asked
for his assessment of the U.S. space effort and “whether you plan
any major realignments, such as a military role?” In answer,
he said: I‘. . . the military have an important and significant
role, though the prime responsibility is held by NASA and is
primarily pertce, and I think that that proportion of that mix
should continue. I think the American people have supported
the effort in space, realizing its significance, and also that it
involves a great many possibilities in the future which are still
almost unknown to us and just coming over the horizon.
“AS far as where we are, I don’t think that the United States
is first yet in space, but I think a major effort is being made,
which will produce important results in the coming months and
In FarS*,’ aris, delegates from 10 nations-France, Britain, West Germany,
Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria,
and Sweden-signed a convention creatin the European Space
Research Organization (ESRO). Denmar% and Norway have
indicated their intention of joining later. Prof. Pierre V. Auger
of France was named Director-General of the new organization.
With an eight-year budget of $300 million, ESRO plans to carry
out some 500 space experiments beginning with 10 sounding
rockets in 1963, and the first European satellites in 1967. Launching
vehicles will be sup lied by another organization, the European
Council for tshe 8onstruction of Spatial Vehicles, which
was created last March.
TIROS IV weather satellite was no longer transmitting pictures usable
for global weather forecasting, although TIROS IV was still taking
“direct” pictures on command which were suitable for limited
US. weather analysis. Infrared instrumentation was still providing
information on the earth’s heat balance. Launched on