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

76 ASTRONAUTICAL AND AERONAUTICAL EVENTS OF 1962
“HOW much is it worth . . . to have improved weather fore-
casts? In the absence of a market in which weather forecasts or
weather information is sold, it is nearly impossible to answer
such questions. . . .
“Who is it in foreign nations that is impressed by our space
accomplishments? How are their attitudes changed as a conse-
quence? How does that change in behavior affect me as a citizen
of the United States? . . .”
May IO: In address to the House of Representatives, Congressman
Emilio Q. Daddario pointed to a need for a common patent policy
for inventions arising out of research and development financed
by Federal funds and cited President Eennedy’s statement at his
press conference the day before.
DOD announced that Perkin-Elmer Corp. was completing a new
36-inch airborne telescope with 3-5 times as much resolution as
any telescope on the ground. New instrument should finally
answer the speculation about the so-called canals on Mars, the
mysterious red spot on Jupiter, and perhaps the hidden surface
of Venus. “This historic enterprise is only one more step
forward, leading to large telescopes orbiting the earth in satellites
and eventually constructed on the moon.”
Sparrow I11 fired from an F4H-1 scored a direct hit in head-on
attack on a Regulus I1 missile while both were at supersonic
speed. The interception, made in Pt. Mugu test range, was
first successful attack made by an air-launched weapon on a
surface-launched uided missile.
Plans of a non-pro f t Washington Planetarium and Space Center
Corp. were reported at the National Capital Planning Commission
by Father Francis J. Heyden, S.J., of Georgetown University
Observatory. They called for the construction of a $1.5 million,
85-foot-diameter dome on Daingerfield Island, south of the
Washington National Airport. The planetarium would “provide
the public with a much needed space education facility” and
would be operated by the National Park Service.
May 11: NASA announced establishment of an on-site management
unit of some 100 persons at the Space and Information Systems
Division Plant of North American Aviation at Downey, Calif.
It will be an element of the NASA Western Operations Office of
Santa Monica. The Downey office is to expedite NASA con-
tractor decisions and actions essential to development contracts
such as the Apollo lunar-landing spacecraft and the second
stage for the Advanced Saturn booster.
0 Problems with space capsule control system could delay MA-7
launch attempt at least until May 19, it was reported from
Cape Canaveral.
0 NASA Inventions and Contributions Board made awards of less than
$1,000 to the following NASA employees: Wade E. Lanford,
Langley Research Center; Billy C. Hughes, John R. Raskin,
Robert J. Schwinghamer, Wilhelm Angele, and Hans G. Martin-
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eck, Marshall Space Blight Center.
USAF Atlas ICBM launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., launching
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conducted by 12-man combat crew of SAC’S 565th Strategic
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Missile Squadron from Warren AFB, Wyo.
USAF Minuteman launched from silo at Cape Canaveral in successful
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test flight.