May 19 1963
From The Space Library
Astronaut Leroy Gordon Cooper, accompanied by NASA Associate Administrator Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Director Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, and MSC Deputy Director for Flight Operations Walter C. Williams, held press conference at Cape Canaveral carried on nation-wide TV. Major Cooper presented orbit-by-orbit account of his MA-9 space flight. Asked about possibility of MA-10 flight, Dr. Seamans said: "It is quite unlikely that we will have another Mercury flight," but final decision on MA-10 would be made "within a week or so." (NYT, 5/20/63, 24; New York Herald Trib., 5/20/63)
Presidential Boeing 707 jet airliner flew nonstop from Washington to Moscow in 8 hours 38 minutes and 42 seconds, claiming 15 speed records. Piloted by Col. James B. Swindal (USAF), air plane brought AEC Chairman Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg and his party to Moscow to conclude nuclear cooperation agreement with Soviet officials. (NYT, 5/20/63,1, 3)
With publication of first NASA Applications Note ("Welding Tips"), NASA inaugurated new phase of its technology utilization program-disseminating information on results of NASA technological research in Applications Notes (containing innovations not thoroughly documented and evaluated) and Applications Reports (presenting comprehensive descriptions of single developments of significant industrial potential). (NASA Release 63-103)
Atlantic Research Corp announced development of solid rocket propellants containing beryllium to provide increased thrust. Studies leading to this development were sponsored by DOD. (NYT, 5/20/63,46)
Tass reported Soviet scientists had synthetically produced isotope with atomic number 256. Produced by irradiating uranium-238 with beam of accelerated neon-22 ions, isotope had half-life of eight seconds, "many tens of times" greater than expected. (Reuters, NYT, 5/21/63, 3)
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