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1958 During the Year - Work begun on Vostok spacecraft and third stage - ...
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During 1958 - NASA sketches two-crew Mercury follow-on spacecraft - In 1958 H. Kurt Strass and Caldwell C. Johnson of NASA's Space Task Group at Langley Field, Virginia.sketched a spacecraft design concept for a two-man orbiting laboratory to be launched by an Atlas-Vega booster. This was one of the earliest sketches...
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15 January - Eleven proposals for Project 7969 initial manned spacecraft - The Air Force received 11 unsolicited industry proposals for Project 7969, and technical evaluation was started. Observers from NACA participated....
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1958 January 29-31 - Conference reviews concepts for manned orbital vehicles. - A conference was held at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to review concepts for manned orbital vehicles. The NACA informally presented two concepts then under study at Langley Aeronautical Laboratory: the one proposed by Maxime A. Faget involv...
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31 January - USAF proposes NACA participation in the Air Force effort in the manned ballistic rocket program. - Lieutenant General Donald Putt, Air Force Director of Research and Development, sent a letter to Dr. Hugh Dryden, Director of NACA, inviting NACA participation in the Air Force effort in the manned ballistic rocket program. Dr. Dryden informed the Ai...
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10 February - Expanded NACA program of space flight research proposed - A greatly expanded NACA program of space flight research was proposed in a paper, "A Program for Expansion of NACA Research in Space Flight Technology," written principally by senior engineers of the Lewis Aeronautical Laboratory under the ...
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1958 March - Manned satellite development plan studied. - At the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory, a working committee studied various manned satellite development plans and concluded that a ballistic-entry vehicle launched with an existing intercontinental ballistic missile propulsion system could be utiliz...
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10 March - MISS Working Conference - A working conference in support of the Air Force 'Man-in-Space Soonest' (MISS) was held at the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division in Los Angeles, California. General Bernard Schriever, opening the conference, stated that events were moving faster t...
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12 March - The NACA staff completed a program outline for conducting the manned satellite program. - At that time, NACA was already actively engaged in research and study of several phases. For example, in the basic studies category effort had been expended on the study of orbits and orbit control, space physical characteristics, configuration studi...
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20 March - Soviet lunar probes authorised. - Decree 'On work on automated lunar probes and three-stage launch vehicles for them' was issued....
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1 May - Korolev OKB cancels suborbital manned flights - Decision to move directly to early manned flights in orbit. Korolev, after a review with engineers, determines that planned three stage versions of the R-7 ICBM could launch a manned orbital spacecraft. Korolev advocates pursuit of manned spacefligh...
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5 June - Advanced Research Projects Agency manned space project. - After serving as a liaison officer of NACA and as a participating member of an Advanced Research Projects Agency panel, Maxime A. Faget reported to Dr. Hugh Dryden on resulting studies and attending recommendations on the subject of manned space flig...
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22 June - NACA space budget - NACA personnel discussed the proposed space agency budget, including the manned satellite project, with Bureau of Budget officials....
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23 June - Preliminary design begun on F-1 - 1.5 million pounds thrust rocket engine - The U.S. Air Force contracted with NAA, Rocketdyne Division, for preliminary design of a single-chamber, kerosene and liquid-oxygen rocket engine capable of 1 to 1.5 million pounds of thrust. During the last week in July, Rocketdyne was awarded the c...
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30 June - Development of Soviet nuclear-powered rockets authorised. - Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On the Creation of pockets With Engines on the Basis of Nuclear Energy Applications--work on a draft project for rockets with nuclear engines' was issued. Competing engi...
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1 July - Korolev letter to Politburo - First explanation to leadership of advantages of manned spaceflight....
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16 July - Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. - ...
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29 July - Saturn I initial contract. - ARPA gives Von Braun team contract to develop Saturn I (called 'cluster's last stand' due to design concept)....
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1958 August - Eisenhower assigns the manned space flight program to NASA. - President Eisenhower assigned the responsibility for the development and execution of a manned space flight program to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. However, NASA did not become operational until October 1, 1958....
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6 August - Rocketdyne gets F-1 engine contract. - Rocketdyne Division of North American announced an Air Force contract for a 1-million-pound thrust engine....
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15 August - Saturn I project initiated by ARPA. - The Advanced Research Projects Agency ARPA provided the Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) with authority and initial funding to develop the Juno V (later named Saturn launch vehicle. ARPA Order 14 described the project: "Initiate a developmen...
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1 September - Redstone Arsenal begins Saturn I design studies. - Saturn design studies authorized to proceed at Redstone Arsenal for development of 1.5-million-pound-thrust cluster first stage....
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1958 September - Mercury tracking network study begun - Study was started on the tracking and ground instrumentation networks for the manned satellite project....
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2 September - Launch of Soviet Luna probes authorised. - Decree 'On launch of automated lunar probes November' was issued....
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11 September - Letter contract for the development of the Saturn H-1 rocket engine - A letter contract was signed by NASA with NAA's Rocketdyne Division for the development of the H-1 rocket engine, designed for use in a clustered-engine booster....
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23 September - Juno V project objective changed to multistage carrier vehicle - Following a Memorandum of Agreement between Maj. Gen. John B. Medaris of Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) and Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) Director Roy W. Johnson on this date and a meeting on November 4, ARPA and AOMC representatives...
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23 September - Luna failure - booster disintegrated at T+92 seconds - This was the start of an acrimonious debated between Glushko and Korolev design bureaux over the fault and fix for the problem....
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1958 September 24-October 1 - Basic plan for a manned satellite program. - A series of meetings were held in Washington, with Robert R. Gilruth serving as chairman to draft a manned satellite program and provide a basic plan for meeting the objectives of this program. Others attending included S. B. Batdorf, A. J. Eggers, M...
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1 October - NASA created - NASA was activated in accordance with the terms of Public Law 85-568, and the nonmilitary space projects which had been conducted by the Advanced Research Projects Agency were transferred to the jurisdiction of the NASA. Concurrently, NACA, after a 4...
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1958 October 3-7 - Plans of the Mercury manned satellite project presented to Advanced Research Projects Agency. - Studies and plans of the manned satellite project were presented to Advanced Research Projects Agency on October 3 and to Dr. T. Keith Glennan, NASA Administrator, on October 7. On October 7, 1958, Dr. Glennan approved the project by saying, in effec...
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6 October - Negotiations for Redstone and Jupiter launch vehicles for Mercury project. - Personnel from the Langley Research Center visited the Army Ballistic Missile Agency to open negotiations for procuring Redstone and Jupiter launch vehicles for manned satellite projects....
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7 October - Project Mercury organized. - NASA formally organized Project Mercury to: (1) place manned space capsule in orbital flight around the earth; (2) investigate man's reactions to and capabilities in this environment; and (3) recover capsule and pilot safely. A NASA Space Task Group ...
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9 October - Mercury air drop program for full-scale parachute and landing system development. - In behalf of the manned satellite project, an air drop program for full-scale parachute and landing system development was started at Langley....
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11 October - Contract for development of the H-1 engine - Pioneer I, intended as a lunar probe, was launched by a Thor-Able rocket from the Atlantic Missile Range, with the Air Force acting as executive agent to NASA. The 39-pound instrumented payload did not reach escape velocity....
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11 October - Luna failure - booster disintegrated at T+104 seconds - ...
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14 October - DX priority could be requested for NASA projects. - The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Supply and Logistics invited the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to submit nominations for materiel procurement urgency (commonly known as the DX priority rating)....
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1958 October 17-18 - Negotiations for Mercury Atlas launch vehicles - Langley Research Center personnel visited the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division, Inglewood, California, to open negotiations for procuring Atlas launch vehicles for the manned satellite project....
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21 October - Bidders' briefing for the Mercury Little Joe launch vehicle. - A bidders' briefing for the Little Joe launch vehicle was held. As earlier mentioned, this launch vehicle was to be used in the development phase of the manned satellite project. The Little Joe launch vehicle was 48 feet in height, weighed (at maximu...
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23 October - Preliminary specifications for Mercury manned spacecraft - Preliminary specifications for a manned spacecraft were established with industry. These specifications outlined the program and suggested methods of analysis and construction....
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25 October - Stever Committee report on the civilian space program - The Stever Committee, which had been set up on January 12, submitted its report on the civilian space program to NASA. Among the recommendations: ...
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27 October - Committee to determine Mercury astronaut qualifications. - A special Committee on Life Sciences was established at Langley to determine qualifications and attributes required of personnel to be selected for America's first manned space flight and to give advice on other human aspects of the manned satellite ...
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1 November - Contract for lunar mapping photography - A contract was signed by the University of Manchester, Manchester, England, and the Air Force (AF 61(052)-168) for $21,509. Z. Kopal, principal investigator, was to provide topographical information on the lunar surface for production of accurate lun...
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1 November - F-1 engine gets highest priority. - NASA requested DX priority for 1.5-million-pound-thrust F-1 engine project and Project Mercury....
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1958 November - Mercury scale model transonic tests. - A scale model of the Mercury spacecraft (without escape tower), oriented for the reentry phase, was tested at transonic Mach numbers in a 1-foot transonic test tunnel at the Arnold Engineering Development Center, Tullahoma, Tennessee....
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3 November - Mercury astronaut training plans. - The initial contingent of military service aeromedical personnel reported for duty and began working on human factors, crew selection, and crew training plans for the manned spacecraft program....
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5 November - Space Task Group (STG) organized to implement the manned satellite project - The Space Task Group (STG) was officially organized at Langley Field, Va., to implement the manned satellite project (later Project Mercury), NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan had approved the formation of the Group, which had been working together...
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7 November - Contractor briefing on the Mercury manned spacecraft - A contractor briefing, attended by some 40 prospective bidders on the manned spacecraft, was held at the Langley Research Center. More detailed specifications were then prepared and distributed to about 20 manufacturers who had stated an intention to...
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14 November - Specifications for Mercury issued. - Specifications for the manned spacecraft (Specification Number S-6) were issued, and final copies were mailed on November 17, 1958, to 20 firms which had indicated a desire to be considered as bidders....
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14 November - Twenty firms to bid on Mercury spacecraft. - Twenty firms notified the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of their intention to prepare proposals for the development of the manned spacecraft. NASA set the deadline for proposal submission as December 11, 1958....
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14 November - DX priority requested for Mercury project. - The highest national procurement priority rating (DX) was requested for the manned spacecraft project....
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24 November - Space Task Group orders first Mercury Atlas missile. - The Space Task Group placed an order for one Atlas launch vehicle with the Air Force Missile Division, Inglewood, California, as part of a preliminary research program leading to manned space flight. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ...
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26 November - Project Mercury named. - Project Mercury, U.S. manned-satellite program, was officially named by NASA....
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1958 December - Mercury Manned Space Capsule Source Selection Board. - A draft checklist entitled 'Overall Technical Assessment of Proposals for Manned Space Capsule,' was prepared by the Space Task Group for use by the Source Selection Board....
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1 December - Design of the Mercury Big Joe spacecraft completed. - Design of the Big Joe spacecraft for the Project Mercury reentry test (the spacecraft would be boosted by an Atlas launch vehicle over a ballistic trajectory) was accomplished by the Space Task Group. Construction of the spacecraft was assigned as a ...
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2 December - Redstone and Jupiter launch vehicle use on Mercury discussed. - Space Task Group officials visited the Army Ballistic Missile Agency to determine the feasibility of using the Jupiter launch vehicle for the intermediate phase of Project Mercury, to discuss the Redstone program, and to discuss the cost for Redstone...
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3 December - Army / NASA cooperative agreements - Secretary of the Army Wilber M. Brucker and NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan signed cooperative agreements concerning NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Army Ordnance Missile Command AOMC, and Department of the Army relationships. The agreement cove...
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4 December - Luna failure - booster core shut down at T+245 seconds - ...
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8 December - Nine Atlas launch vehicles required for Project Mercury - The Space Task Group indicated that nine Atlas launch vehicles were required in support of the Project Mercury manned and unmanned flights and these were ordered from the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division....
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9 December - Mercury astronaut selection procedure. - An aeromedical selection team composed of Major Stanley C. White, Air Force; Lt. Robert B. Voas, Navy; and Captain William Augerson, Army, drafted a tentative astronaut selection procedure. According to the plan, representatives from the services and...
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11 December - Eleven firms submitted proposals for the development of Mercury manned spacecraft. - These were AVCO, Chance-Vought, Convair, Douglas, Grumman, Lockheed, Martin, McDonnell, North American, Northrop, and Republic. In addition, Winzen Research Laboratories submitted an incomplete proposal....
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12 December - Mercury technical proposal assessment - Space Task Group personnel began technical assessment of manned spacecraft development proposals submitted by industry. Charles Zimmermann headed the technical assessment team....
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15 December - ABMA Briefing to NASA - Von Braun briefs NASA on plans for booster development at Huntsville with objective of manned lunar landing. Initally proposed using 15 Juno V (Saturn I) boosters to assemble 200,000 kg payload in earth orbit for direct landing on moon....
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17 December - Project Mercury named - NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan announced that the manned satellite program would be called "Project Mercury."...
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17 December - Saturn H-1 engine first full-power firing - The H-1 engine successfully completed its first full-power firing at NAA's Rocketdyne facility in Canoga Park, Calif....
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17 December - Rocketdyne gets contract to develop F-1 engine. - NASA awarded contract to Rocketdyne of North American to build single-chamber 1.5-million-pound-thrust rocket engine....
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17 December - Military and NASA consider future launch vehicles - Representatives of Advanced Research Projects Agency, the military services, and NASA met to consider the development of future launch vehicle systems. Agreement was reached on the principle of developing a small number of versatile launch vehicle sy...
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29 December - Mercury Little Joe air frame contract. - A contract was awarded to North American Aviation for design and construction of the Little Joe air frame....
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30 December - Space Task Group evaluation of industry proposals for Mercury. - Space Task Group's technical assessment teams completed the evaluation of industry proposals for design and construction of a manned spacecraft and forwarded their findings to the Source Selection Board, NASA Headquarters....
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31 December - Letter-of-intent placed for Mercury Little Joe Test air frames. - The letter-of-intent was placed with North American Aviation for the fabrication of the Little Joe Test vehicle air frame. Delivery of the air frames for flight testing was scheduled to occur every three weeks beginning in June 1959. Space Task Group...
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