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

JULY
Julyl: os0 I was transmitting continuous signals and 20% of real-
lime data wats being acquired from each 95-min. orbit. During
11 weeks of near-perfect operation from launch on March 7 to
May 22, os0 I transmitted 1,000 hours of scientific information.
Before os0 I, less than an hour of solar phenomena data had been
collected above the earth’s atmosphere by all previous rocket-
flight observations. os0 I had begun transmitting again on June
24, 1962.
State Department announced plan to incorporate its oace of the
Science Advisor into the main policy-making elements within the
department. Based on recommendations by scientist Lloyd V.
Berkner in his report “Science and Foreign Relations,” the
reorganization would make science a more important factor in
the formulation and execution of US. foreign policy.
DOD opened Defense Research Office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to
coordinate basic scientific research throughout Latin America.
Col. Leonard M. Orman (USA) headed the office and the Army
Element, and Lt. Col. Charles J. Lyness (USAF) headed the Air
Force Element. Also established, near the Defense Research
Office, were NSF and NIH offices. U.S. Department of State
would coordinate all the offices’ activities.
About 350,000 undergraduates and graduate students attended
college through the benefits of the National Defense Education
Act during its 4-year program, Secretary of Health, Education,
and Welfare Abraham A. Ribicoff announced.
July 2: NASA signed three letter contracts with NAA’S Rocketdyne
Division for further development and production of the F-1 and
5-2 rocket engines. The contracts provided: (1) $1 million for
long lead-time items in F-1 engine R ~D; (2) $3.4 million for early
production effort on 55 F-1 engines; and (3) $1.7 million for early
production work on 59 5-2 engines. Ultimate value of the final
contracts, extending through 196ii, would be about $289 million.
House Committee on Science and Astronautics issued report based
on NASA’s authorization hearings and two days of specific testi-
mony on the Centaur program.
NAA announced that the 1961 Robert J. Collier Trophy, U.S.
aviation’s highest honor, was awarded to four test pilots of the
x-15 rocket research airplane: Scott Crossfield (NAA), Joseph
Walker (NASA), Major Robert White (USAF), and Cdr. Forrest
Petersen (USN). Co-sponsors of the annual award, National
Aeronautic Association and Look magazine, said the Collier
Trophy was awarded to the pilots “for invaluable technological
contributions to the advancement of flight and for great skill and
courage as test pilots of the X-15.”
House of Representatives passed a bill (H.R. 9485) to amend the
Space Act of 1958 to designate March 16 as National Goddard
Day, commemorating the date in 1926 when Dr. Robert H.
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