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

ASTRONAUTICAL AND AERONAUTICAL EVENTS OF 1962 15
February 9: NASA-Wide conference reviewing NASA’s Future Applications
Program was held in headquarters to review best means of
increasing application of technological advances derived from the
space program to commercial and industrial purposes.
NASA announced that Genera1 Electric had been selected for a
major supporting role in the manned lunar Apollo project, to
rovide integration analysis of the total s ace vehicle (including
Eooster-spacecraft interface), assuring reyiability of the entire
space vehicle, and developing and operating a checkout system.
First successful captive firing of RGlO Centaur engines on a singletank
propulsion test vehicle, at Edwards Rocket Site, Calif.
February 11: Project Oscar Association chairman, M. C. Towns,
reported that signal reports on OSCAR I, placed in orbit in December
1961, had been received from radio amateurs throughout
the world. No confirmation was received that OSCAR’S Morse
signal was heard behind the Iron Curtain. Towns announced
that the 250,000 hams would have another Oscar, tentatively
set for launch sometime in late spring.
Reported in Tass that a Soviet expert on rocket propulsion, not
mentioned by name, had said: “The creation of powerful rockets
has been full of pitfalls. Our investigations and experiments
have not always been successful-far from it. There have
been difEculties . . .”
Fe6ruury 19: In NAs-sponsored lecture on “Geomagnetism” for Voice
of America broadcast, Dr. James P. Heppner of NASA Goddard
Space Flight Center said: (‘Each new space experiment adds to
the list of unanswered questions about our electromagnetic
environment.” He pointed to the changes in the scientific concepts
of the boundary of the earth’s atmosphere and of relation-
ships between the earth’s ma netic field and solar radiation that
have resulted from data alrea % y acquired by satellites and probes.
0 Soviet officials indicated that newsmen may be allowed to cover the
next Soviet space shot, a report later denied.
Februury 13: USAF Atlas-E model ICBM completed its test-flight
program with a 7,000-mile strike down the Atlantic Missile Range.
The Atlas-E, already operational at Vanderberg AFB, Calif. ;
Warren AFB, Wyo.; Fairchild AFB, Wash.; and Forbes AFB, Kan.,
showed an overall test record of nine successes, seven partial
successes, and two failures.
0 Reported from Moscow that Soviet authorities were considering
an offer to purchase licenses on U.S. patents, with royalties for
their use. An agreement for the visit of a Soviet trade delega-
tion later in the year for negotiation of such an arran ement was
announced by the National Patent Development 8 orporation
in New York.
February 1.4: MA-6 launch postponed because of bad weather in
recovery axeas. At regular press conference, President Kennedy
was asked about the eighth postponement of “Col. Glenn’s fight.”
He replied as follows: “Well, it is unfortunate. I know it strains
Colonel Glenn. It has delayed our program. It puts burdens
on all those who must take these decisions as to whether the
mission should o or not.
“I think it’s EB een very unfortunate. But, I have taken the
position that their-the judgment of those on the spot should be