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

ASTRONAUTICAL AND AERONAUTICAL EVENTS OF 1962 177
September 6: USIA Voice of America began broadcasting reports of
U.S.S.R. unsuccessful inte lanetary probes and sent the announcement
to news apers % a over the world via its wireless press
network. Public re r ease of information on Soviet space failures
was made September 5 in form of letter from NASA Administrator
James E. Webb to Congressmen.
0 TELSTAR satellite was used to relay exchange of reports of action on
New York and Pans stock exchanges, in 10-min. test transmission
of telephom call between Michael W. McCarthy, chairman of
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, and Smith, Inc., to Frederick J.
Sears, manager of Merrill Lynch’s Pans office.
Weather Bureau announced weather data gathered by Tiros satellite
was relayed to France via TELSTAR satellite.
Ernest Brackett, NASA procurement officer, told American Management
Association that about 80% of NASA’s contracts are made for
research and development, and outlined NASA procedures of
awarding R ~ contracts. D
0 USN launched second Polaris A-3 in partially successful test from
Cape Canaveral, a malfunction during second-stage flight causing
the missile to fall far short of its intended 1,950-mi. range.
In response to US. explanation that U-2 reconnaissance plane may
have unintentionally overflown Soviet territory, Soviet government
newspaper Izvestia said U.S. Government spokesmen in the
U-2 situation were “making clumsy attempts to exonerate themselves,
attempts unworthy of responsible politicians.” Soviet
Communist Party newspaper Pravda claimed U.S. was renewing
“provocative” reconnaissance flights and said that “such activities
only intensify the threat of war, heat up the international situation
and stir up suspicion and hostility between countries.”
British Minister of Aviation Julian Amery told London audience
that Aviation Ministry was studying an “aerospace plane” that
could be operated either in the atmosphere or in space. London
newspapers reported that the craft was a “space fighter” that
takes off in conventional manner but can fly into orbit and back
at speeds up to 18,000 mph. Space fighter was reportedly based
on concept of sustained flight rather than boost-glide principle
used in U.S. D na Soar.
U.S. and Austra ifl ‘an scientists reported in Science that phases of
the moon affect rainfall on earth. Their studies in both northern
and southern hemispheres disclosed that heavy rains fall most
frequently in the first and third weeks of the synodical monththe
period from one new moon to the next.
September 7: AEC-DOD-NASA announced that results of joint study of
artificial radiation belt indicated Project Mercury flight MA-8
could be made with no change of plans and with no fear of harm
to Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr. (Cdr., USN). Study showed
that radiation on outside of capsule during Cdr. Schirra’s 6-orbit
flight would be about 500 roentgen (R). Shielding, vehicle
structures, and flight suit would cut this to 8 R on the astronaut’s
skin. “This exposure is well below the mission limit
previously established by NASA for the manned flight program,”
the report said.
Other results of the investigation: Soviet Cosmonauts Nikolayev
and Popovich (VOSTOR 111 and IV orbital flights in August)