This is a photograph of a group of government officials touring the Marshall Space Flight Center in July 1961 with Dr. von Braun. Second from left is Alabama Congressman Robert Jones.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Astronauts Deke Slayton, far left, and Virgil Grissom, far right, were on hand to greet Astronaut Alan B. Shepard at Grand Bahama Island after his historic first U.S. manned suborbital flight. Just behind Astronaut Shepard is Dr. Keith Lyndell.

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 22, 1961, shows danger signs posted around the abandoned site with floods nearing the top. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

F5D Skylancer with camera installation in nose.

S61-02819 (21 July 1961) --- A U.S. Marine Corps helicopter retrieves astronaut Virgil I. Grissom from the Atlantic Ocean following the Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) spaceflight. Grissom's "Liberty Bell" Mercury spacecraft sank to the bottom of the ocean and was not recovered. Photo credit: NASA

VZ-3RY (AF 56-6941, NASA 235, NASA 705) Vertiplane - Level flight 25 knots, flaps deflection 60 degrees. Flight investigation o f the flying qualities of a deflected slipstream VTOL aircraft. Note: Used in publication in Flight Research at Ames; 57 Years of Development and Validation of Aeronautical Technology NASA SP-1998-3300 fig. 115

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 21, 1961, workers can be seen inside the test stand work area clearing the site.

The launch of the Mercury Atlas (MA-2), an unmarned suborbital Mercury capsule test on February 24, 1961.

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo shows the construction progress of the S-IC test stand as of September 7, 1961.

This photo depicts the recovery of the Freedom 7 (MR-3) capsule by a U.S. Marine helicopter. The MR-3 mission successfully placed the first American astronaut, Alan Shepard, in space for 15-1/2 minutes and returned safely to Earth on May 5, 1961.

APOLLO CONFIGURATION OF SATURN MODEL IN THE 8X6-FOOT SUPERSONIC WIND TUNNEL

S61-03744 (July 1961) --- Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., backup astronaut for MR-4, inspects the interior of a Mercury spacecraft on Pad 5. He is reviewing material on the checklist he is holding against the consoles in front of him. Photo credit: NASA

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken September 29, 1961, shows the progress of the concrete walls for the stand’s foundation. Some of the walls have been poured and some of the concrete forms have been removed.

Cracked canopy glass on right side of X-15 #2 after flt. 2-21-37 on Nov. 9 1961. Robert White-pilot. First flight to mach 6.

S61-03645 (5 May 1961) --- Close-up of astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., in his pressure suit and helmet, ingressing into the Freedom 7 capsule in preparation for the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) mission. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

S61-03567 (13 Sept. 1961) --- View of the launch of Mercury-Atlas 4 (MA-4) spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sept. 13, 1961. Photo credit: NASA

S88-31374 (29 April 1961) --- A close-up of astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. in his space suit with his helmet on inside the Mercury capsule. He is undergoing a flight simulation test with the capsule mated to the Redstone booster. This will be the first attempt to put a man into space by the U.S. aboard a Mercury spacecraft, launched atop a Redstone rocket. The suborbital trajectory will be down the Atlantic Missile Range. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand had to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 18, 1961, shows the abandoned site entirely flooded. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Portrait: Ames Director H Julian Allen (1965 - 1969)

S61-02409 (5 May 1961) --- Launching of the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) rocket from Cape Canaveral on astronaut Alan B. Shepard?s suborbital mission. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), teams up with Senator Robert S. Kerr, a chairman of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences to break ground for MSFC's new Central Laboratory and Office Facility.

Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. during suiting for the first manned suborbital flight, MR-3 mission. The Freedom 7 spacecraft, carrying the first American, Astronaut Shepard and boosted by the Mercury-Redstone launch vehicle, lifted off on May 5, 1961.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Astronaut Virgil I. Grissom, suited up and ready to climb into Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft, talks with backup astronaut John Glenn prior to insertion. The Mercury-Redstone 4 mission was scrubbed a few hours later due to unfavorable weather over the launch area. (NASA Photo)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Marine helicopter appears to have Liberty Bell 7 in tow after Virgil I. Grissom's successful flight of 305 miles down the Atlantic Missile Range. Minutes after 'Gus' Grissom got out of the spacecraft, it sank. (NASA Photo

Portrait of Floyd L. Thompson NASA Langley Center Director

Supersonic Transport installed in 40x80ft w.t.

S61-03158 (1961) --- Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) missile standing alone on launch pad. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

S61-03249 (13 Sept. 1961) --- View of the launch of the Mercury-Atlas 4 (MA-4) spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sept. 13, 1961. Photo credit: NASA

This photo depicts the recovery operations of the MR-3 mission. Astronaut Alan Shepard was picked up by a U.S. Marine helicopter after the completion of the first marned suborbital flight by MR-3 (Mercury-Redstone) with the Freedom 7 capsule.

Tilt-Wing Propeller model with blowing flaps in 40x80ft w.t.

A completed Saturn I launch vehicle in the Fabrication and Assembly Engineering Division at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The Saturn I launch vehicle is composed of an S-I first stage or booster (rear), powered by eight H-1 engines having a thrust of 1,500,000 pounds, followed by a dummy S-IV second stage with six RL-10 engine, with a total thrust of 90,000 pounds.

S61-00203 (31 Jan. 1961) --- Chimpanzee "Ham" with bio-sensors attached to his body is readied by handlers for his trip in the Mercury-Redstone 2 (MR-2) spacecraft. Photo credit: NASA

S61-02749 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. has his blood pressure and temperature checked prior to his Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) mission, the first American manned spaceflight. The attending physician is Dr. William K. Douglas. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

S61-02455 (19 June 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. met and talked with Boy Scouts from Franklin, Virginia on June 19, 1961. They are photographed in front of the NASA Space Task Group building at Langley Space Flight Center. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

A view inside the 55-foot high containment vessel of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Plum Brook Reactor Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. The 60-megawatt test reactor went critical for the first time in 1961 and began its full-power research operations in 1963. From 1961 to 1973, this reactor performed some of the nation’s most advanced nuclear research. The reactor was designed to determine the behavior of metals and other materials after long durations of irradiation. The materials would be used to construct a nuclear-powered rocket. The reactor core, where the chain reaction occurred, sat at the bottom of the tubular pressure vessel, seen here at the center of the shielding pool. The core contained fuel rods with uranium isotopes. A cooling system was needed to reduce the heat levels during the reaction. A neutron-impervious reflector was also employed to send many of the neutrons back to the core. The Plum Brook Reactor Facility was constructed from high-density concrete and steel to prevent the excess neutrons from escaping the facility, but the water in the pool shielded most of the radiation. The water, found in three of the four quadrants served as a reflector, moderator, and coolant. In this photograph, the three 20-ton protective shrapnel shields and hatch have been removed from the top of the pressure tank revealing the reactor tank. An overhead crane could be manipulated to reach any section of this room. It was used to remove the shrapnel shields and transfer equipment.

S61-01908 (5 May 1961) --- This is the launch of the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) spacecraft from Cape Canaveral on a suborbital mission -- the first U.S. manned spaceflight. The spacecraft is already headed towards its suborbital mission. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Dr. von Braun watches the Saturn 1 (SA-1) launch through a scope from the blockhouse 34 on October 27, 1961. The SA-1 was the first launch of Saturn launch vehicles developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) under the direction of Dr. von Braun. The flight demonstrated the validity of the clustered engine concept and launched dummy upper stages.

Vertol-76 Descent Test. Tilt Wing airplane prop rig at 80 deg. Angle of attack, in the 40x80 foot wind tunnel at NASA's Ames Research Center.

S61-01250 (20 Jan. 1961) --- Photo of the Mercury astronauts standing beside a Convair 106-B aircraft. They are, left to right, M. Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil I. Grissom, Walter M. Schirra Jr., Alan B. Shepard Jr. and Donald K. Slayton. EDITOR'S NOTE: Astronaut Gus Grissom died in the Apollo 1 -- Apollo/Saturn (AS-204) -- fire at Cape Kennedy, Florida on Jan. 27, 1967. Astronaut Deke Slayton died from complications of a brain tumor, in League City, Texas on June 13, 1993. Astronaut Shepard died after a lengthy illness in Monterey, California, on July 21, 1998. As of Jan. 1, 1977 none of the seven astronauts remained with the NASA Space Program. However, in October 1998, United States Senator Glenn (Democrat-Ohio) flew as payload specialist on the STS-95 mission. Photo credit: NASA

This is a comparison illustration of the Redstone, Jupiter-C, and Mercury Redstone launch vehicles. The Redstone ballistic missile was a high-accuracy, liquid-propelled, surface-to-surface missile. Originally developed as a nose cone re-entry test vehicle for the Jupiter intermediate range ballistic missile, the Jupiter-C was a modification of the Redstone missile and successfully launched the first American Satellite, Explorer-1, in orbit on January 31, 1958. The Mercury Redstone lifted off carrying the first American, astronaut Alan Shepard, in his Mercury spacecraft Freedom 7, on May 5, 1961.

Lunar Take Off Simulator: This simulator is used by scientists at the Langley Research Center ... to help determine human ability to control a lunar launch vehicle in vertical alignment during takeoff from the moon for rendezvous with a lunar satellite vehicle on the return trip to earth. The three-axis chair, a concept which allows the pilot to sit upright during launch, gives the navigator angular motion (pitch, role, and yaw) cues as he operates the vehicle through a sidearm control system. The sight apparatus in front of the pilot's face enables him to align the vehicle on a course toward a chosen star, which will be followed as a guidance reference during the lunar launch. The pilot's right hand controls angular motions, while his left hand manipulates the thrust lever. The simulator is designed for operation inside an artificial planetarium, where a star field will be projected against the ceiling during "flights". The tests are part of an extensive NASA program at Langley in the study of problems relating to a manned lunar mission. (From a NASA Langley, photo release caption.)

S61-02888 (1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, suited up and ready to climb into Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft, stands in front of the capsule for a picture. Backup pilot John Glenn is in the right corner of the view behind Grissom. The Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) mission was scrubbed a few hours later due to unfavorable weather over the launch pad. Photo credit: NASA

S61-03705 (1961) --- Close-up view of the fueling of the Liberty Bell 7 for the Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) mission. Photo credit: NASA

G.E fan-in-fuselage model (lifting) 3/4 front view of fan at low G.P. position

XV-3 airplane helicopter hovering VTOLin front of the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA hangar N-211

S61-02897 (21 July 1961) --- Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, pilot of the Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) ?Liberty Bell 7? spaceflight, talking on the phone with President Kennedy. Grissom is still wearing his pressure suit. Photo credit: NASA

S61-01226 (21 Feb. 1961) --- Launch of the unmanned Mercury-Atlas 2 (MA-2) vehicle for a suborbital test flight of the Mercury capsule. The upper part of Atlas is stengthened by an eight-inch wide stainless steel band. The capsule was recovered less than one hour after launch. The altitude was 108 miles. Speed was 13,000 mph. Recovered 1,425 miles downrange. Photo credit: NASA

S88-31376 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., pilot of the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) suborbital spaceflight, is retrieved by a helicopter from the USS Lake Champlain during recovery operations in the western Atlantic Ocean. Shepard and the Mercury spacecraft designated the ?Freedom 7? (floating in water below) were flown to the deck of the recovery ship within 11 minutes of splashdown. MR-3 was the United States? first manned space mission. The spacecraft attained a maximum speed of 5,180 miles per hour, reached an altitude of 116 1/2 statute miles, and landed 302 statute miles downrange from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The suborbital mission lasted 15 minutes and 22 seconds. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

AERIAL PHOTO SHOWING COMPLEX 34 AND OTHER LAUNCH PADS IN BACKGROUND CCMTA NASA-LOD

Project LOLA. Test subject sitting at the controls: Project LOLA or Lunar Orbit and Landing Approach was a simulator built at Langley to study problems related to landing on the lunar surface. It was a complex project that cost nearly 2 million dollars. James Hansen wrote: This simulator was designed to provide a pilot with a detailed visual encounter with the lunar surface the machine consisted primarily of a cockpit, a closed-circuit TV system, and four large murals or scale models representing portions of the lunar surface as seen from various altitudes. The pilot in the cockpit moved along a track past these murals which would accustom him to the visual cues for controlling a spacecraft in the vicinity of the moon. Unfortunately, such a simulation--although great fun and quite aesthetic--was not helpful because flight in lunar orbit posed no special problems other than the rendezvous with the LEM, which the device did not simulate. Not long after the end of Apollo, the expensive machine was dismantled. (p. 379) Ellis J. White wrote in his paper, Discussion of Three Typical Langley Research Center Simulation Programs : A typical mission would start with the first cart positioned on model 1 for the translunar approach and orbit establishment. After starting the descent, the second cart is readied on model 2 and, at the proper time, when superposition occurs, the pilot s scene is switched from model 1 to model 2. then cart 1 is moved to and readied on model 3. The procedure continues until an altitude of 150 feet is obtained. The cabin of the LM vehicle has four windows which represent a 45 degree field of view. The projection screens in front of each window represent 65 degrees which allows limited head motion before the edges of the display can be seen. The lunar scene is presented to the pilot by rear projection on the screens with four Schmidt television projectors. The attitude orientation of the vehicle is represented by changing the lunar scene through the portholes determined by the scan pattern of four orthicons. The stars are front projected onto the upper three screens with a four-axis starfield generation (starball) mounted over the cabin and there is a separate starball for the low window. -- Published in James R. Hansen, Spaceflight Revolution: NASA Langley Research Center From Sputnik to Apollo, (Washington: NASA, 1995), p. 379 Ellis J. White, Discussion of Three Typical Langley Research Center Simulation Programs, Paper presented at the Eastern Simulation Council (EAI s Princeton Computation Center), Princeton, NJ, October 20, 1966.

S61-04674 (31 Jan. 1961) --- Earth view from the Mercury Redstone 2 (MR-2) spacecraft. Photo credit: NASA

M61-00150 (1961) --- Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., suited with hose to suit ventilation unit attached, during altitude chamber test. He is standing in the entrance to the test chamber with his helmet visor down. Photo credit: NASA

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The chimp Ham (primate #65) and a technician goes over the equipment in Hangar S that is going to be used for Ham's suborbital flight. Ham is scheduled to be launched aboard a Mercury-Redstone 2 from Launch Pad 5 on January 31, 1961.

S61-01925 (25 April 1961) --- View of the Mercury-Atlas 3 (MA-3) liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida on April 25, 1961. The orbital test flight of the Mercury capsule did not achieve orbit and was destroyed after 40 seconds by Range Safety Officer when the inertial guidance system failed to pitch the vehicle over toward the horizon. Photo credit: NASA

S64-10806 (21 July 1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, pilot of the Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) spaceflight, in his Mercury "Liberty Bell 7" spacecraft is checking his flight plan during prelaunch activities. Photo credit: NASA

S63-20801 (23 Jan. 1961) --- Primate chimpanzee ?Ham?, in his spacesuit, is fitted into the couch of the Mercury-Redstone 2 (MR-2) capsule #5 prior to its test flight which was conducted on Jan. 31, 1961. Photo credit: NASA

S61-04037 (1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, pilot of the Mercury-Redstone 4 spaceflight, sits in a life raft during water egress training activies. Photo credit: NASA

S61-02757 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. is being helped into his pressure suit for the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) flight, the first American manned spaceflight. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Operators test the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Plum Brook Reactor Facility systems in the months leading up to its actual operation. The “Reactor On” signs are illuminated but the reactor core was not yet ready for chain reactions. Just a couple weeks after this photograph, Plum Brook Station held a media open house to unveil the 60-megawatt test reactor near Sandusky, Ohio. More than 60 members of the print media and radio and television news services met at the site to talk with community leaders and representatives from NASA and Atomic Energy Commission. The Plum Brook reactor went critical for the first time on the evening of June 14, 1961. It was not until April 1963 that the reactor reached its full potential of 60 megawatts. The reactor control room, located on the second floor of the facility, was run by licensed operators. The operators manually operated the shim rods which adjusted the chain reaction in the reactor core. The regulating rods could partially or completely shut down the reactor. The control room also housed remote area monitoring panels and other monitoring equipment that allowed operators to monitor radiation sensors located throughout the facility and to scram the reactor instantly if necessary. The color of the indicator lights corresponded with the elevation of the detectors in the various buildings. The reactor could also shut itself down automatically if the monitors detected any sudden irregularities.

S61-02889 (1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom approaches his Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) launch vehicle to begin his mission. To the left of the view is an emergency shower stall, to the right is the elevator which will take Grissom to the capsule. Photo credit: NASA

S88-31380 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., strides across the deck of the U.S. Navy Carrier Champlain following an inspection of his Freedom 7 capsule. Shepard had just completed the first manned U.S. space mission, a 15-minute suborbital flight. (NASA Hq. Photo No., MR3-40) Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Photographed are Dr. von Braun and Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper in the blockhouse during the recovery operation of the MR-3 (Freedom 7) mission on May 5, 1961. The MR-3 mission, a 15-1/2-minute suborbital test flight, put the first American astronaut, Alan Shepard, in space.

Test subject sitting at the controls: Project LOLA or Lunar Orbit and Landing Approach was a simulator built at Langley to study problems related to landing on the lunar surface. It was a complex project that cost nearly $2 million dollars. James Hansen wrote: "This simulator was designed to provide a pilot with a detailed visual encounter with the lunar surface; the machine consisted primarily of a cockpit, a closed-circuit TV system, and four large murals or scale models representing portions of the lunar surface as seen from various altitudes. The pilot in the cockpit moved along a track past these murals which would accustom him to the visual cues for controlling a spacecraft in the vicinity of the moon. Unfortunately, such a simulation--although great fun and quite aesthetic--was not helpful because flight in lunar orbit posed no special problems other than the rendezvous with the LEM, which the device did not simulate. Not long after the end of Apollo, the expensive machine was dismantled." (p. 379) Ellis J. White further described this simulator in his paper , "Discussion of Three Typical Langley Research Center Simulation Programs," (Paper presented at the Eastern Simulation Council (EAI's Princeton Computation Center), Princeton, NJ, October 20, 1966.) "A typical mission would start with the first cart positioned on model 1 for the translunar approach and orbit establishment. After starting the descent, the second cart is readied on model 2 and, at the proper time, when superposition occurs, the pilot's scene is switched from model 1 to model 2. then cart 1 is moved to and readied on model 3. The procedure continues until an altitude of 150 feet is obtained. The cabin of the LM vehicle has four windows which represent a 45 degree field of view. The projection screens in front of each window represent 65 degrees which allows limited head motion before the edges of the display can be seen. The lunar scene is presented to the pilot by rear projection on the screens with four Schmidt television projectors. The attitude orientation of the vehicle is represented by changing the lunar scene through the portholes determined by the scan pattern of four orthicons. The stars are front projected onto the upper three screens with a four-axis starfield generation (starball) mounted over the cabin and there is a separate starball for the low window." -- Published in James R. Hansen, Spaceflight Revolution: NASA Langley Research Center From Sputnik to Apollo, (Washington: NASA, 1995), p. 379.

S61-02735 (5 May 1961) --- Astronauts Alan Shepard and John Glenn at breakfast before Shepard's Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) spaceflight. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken September 1, 1961, shows the construction of forms which became the concrete foundation for the massive stand.

G61-00490 (1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, wearing the new Mercury pressure suit, is preparing for centrifuge training. He is receiving assistance in adjusting the breathing apparatus which is attached to a data recording device at his feet. Assisting him is Dr. Jackson. Photo credit: NASA

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- AWAITING ORDERS to proceed to the launching site for Project Mercury's second attempt to launch a man into space, Astronaut Virgil I. 'Gus' Grissom relaxes in a contour chair in the Personal Equipment Room Hangar 'S,' Cape Canaveral, Fla. A parabolic plexiglas mirror on his chest reflects the faces of two fellow Mercury pilots: Walter M. Schirra (left) and M. Scott Carpenter. The mirror, which was not included in the May 5 Shepard flight, will be used to reflect the instrument panel, bringing it into view of the pilot observer camera. MR-4, known as Liberty Bell 7, has been rescheduled for Friday, July 21. (NASA Photo

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken September 29, 1961, shows the progress of the concrete walls for the stand’s foundation. Some of the walls have been poured and some of the concrete forms have been removed.

S62-01287 (21 July 1961) --- Earth observation take during the Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) spaceflight. Photo credit: NASA

Pictured in front of the Saturn 1 launch vehicle are (L to R): Dr. Rocco Petrone, Director of Launch Operations at Kennedy Space Center; Dr. Werher von Braun, Director of Marshall Space Flight Center; Dr. Oswald Lange, Director of the Saturn Systems Office; Mr. Hans. H. Maus, Director of Fabrication and Assembly Engineering Division; and Dr. Hans Gruene, Deputy Director of Launch Operations Directorate. Maus and Gruene were original members of von Braun's rocket team.

Gus Grissom trying on a Spacesuit; Seated with assistant; Seated with assistant putting on boots; Standing by mirror, name tag visible; Outside in suit, name tag visible. Mercury Project photo, 1961. Original negatives sent to Johnson Space Center when astronauts moved to that center. Photograph take on 03/27/1961.

A Dyna-Soar (Dynamic Soaring) vehicle clears the launch tower atop an Air Force Titan II launch vehicle in this 1961 artist's concept. Originally conceived by the U.S. Air Force in 1957 as a marned, rocket-propelled glider in a delta-winged configuration, the Dyna-Soar was considered by Marshall Space Flight Center planners as an upper stage for the Saturn C-2 launch vehicle.

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 13, 1961, progress is made with the excavation and preparation of the S-IC test stand site.

Joseph A. Walker was a Chief Research Pilot at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center during the mid-1960s. He joined the NACA in March 1945, and served as project pilot at the Edwards flight research facility on such pioneering research projects as the D-558-1, D-558-2, X-1, X-3, X-4, X-5, and the X-15. He also flew programs involving the F-100, F-101, F-102, F-104, and the B-47. Walker made the first NASA X-15 flight on March 25, 1960. He flew the research aircraft 24 times and achieved its fastest speed and highest altitude. He attained a speed of 4,104 mph (Mach 5.92) during a flight on June 27, 1962, and reached an altitude of 354,300 feet on August 22, 1963 (his last X-15 flight). He was the first man to pilot the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) that was used to develop piloting and operational techniques for lunar landings. Walker was born February 20, 1921, in Washington, Pa. He lived there until graduating from Washington and Jefferson College in 1942, with a B.A. degree in Physics. During World War II he flew P-38 fighters for the Air Force, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Seven Oak Clusters. Walker was the recipient of many awards during his 21 years as a research pilot. These include the 1961 Robert J. Collier Trophy, 1961 Harmon International Trophy for Aviators, the 1961 Kincheloe Award and 1961 Octave Chanute Award. He received an honorary Doctor of Aeronautical Sciences degree from his alma mater in June of 1962. Walker was named Pilot of the Year in 1963 by the National Pilots Association. He was a charter member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and one of the first to be designated a Fellow. He was fatally injured on June 8, 1966, in a mid-air collision between an F-104 he was piloting and the XB-70.

JSC2007-E-046478 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. is rescued by a U.S. Marine helicopter at the termination of his suborbital flight May 5, 1961, down range from the Florida eastern coast. Original photo number was 61-MR3-76A. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

S61-02845 (1961) --- Portrait of astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom in his pressure suit and wearing his helmet in Hangar S at Cape Canaveral, Florida before the Mercury-Redstone 4 mission. Photo credit: NASA

S88-31377 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. is rescued by a U. S. Marine helicopter at the termination of his sub-orbital flight May 5, 196l, down range from the Florida eastern coast.

Low Speed investigation of a supersonic transport model in the 40x80 Wind Tunnel. 03/01/1961 R 975 T Zero angel of attack. Supersonic transport with delta wing and delta conard. 3/4 front view.

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. Construction of the S-IC test stand came to a halt at the end of September as the determination was made that the Saturn booster size had to be increased. As a result, the stand would have to be modified. With construction delayed, and pumps turned off, this photo, taken December 4, 1961, shows the abandoned site with floods at the 11 ft mark. The flooding was caused by the disturbance of a natural spring months prior during the excavation of the site.

Astronaut Virgil Grissom walks on the recovery ship after completing the 15-1/2-minute suborbital MR-4 mission.

S61-03676 (23 July 1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom speaks at a press conference on July 23, 1961 held at the Starlight motel. Behind him is a large representation of the NASA logo. Photo credit: NASA

S88-31388 (8 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. (center), along with wife Louise, waves to a crowd outside the U.S. Capitol building. Shepard, Mercury-Redstone 3 astronaut, had earlier briefed Congress on the first U.S. manned spaceflight -- a 15-minute suborbital mission on May 5, 1961, aboard the Freedom 7 capsule. (NASA Hq. Photo No., MR3-49) Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

G61-00337 (31 Jan. 1961) --- Chimpanzee "Ham" during preflight activity with one of his handlers prior to the Mercury-Redstone 2 (MR-2) test flight which was conducted on Jan. 31, 1961. Photo credit: NASA

AUGUST 23, 1961 LAUNCH OF NASA AGENA RANGER 1 FROM PAD 12.

Supersonic Transport being installed in 40x80ft w.t.

Lockheed NC-130B aircraft in flight over Santa Clara Valley, CA

S61-02547 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., in his pressure suit and helmet, looks into the Freedom 7 capsule in preparation for ingress before the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) mission. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Dr. von Braun, Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center, spoke of the progress in the Saturn Program during his appearance before the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. He was accompanied by Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Associate Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. This photo, taken September 22, 1961, shows the progress of the concrete walls for the stand’s foundation. Some of the walls have been poured and some of the concrete forms have been removed.

3/4 FRONT VIEW OF HILLER H-23C (USA 56-2288). USE OF THE HILLER H-23 HELICOPTER AS AN AID IN ESTABLISHING SATISFACTORY FLYING QUALITIES & REQUIREMENTS FOR VTOL AIRCRAFT. Rotocraft Research. NASA SP Flight Research at Ames: 57 Years of Development and Validation of Aeronautical Technology

The Saturn project was approved on January 18, 1960 as a program of the highest national priority. The formal test program to prove out the clustered-booster concept was well underway. A series of static tests of the Saturn I booster (S-I stage) began June 3, 1960 at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). This photograph depicts the Saturn I S-I stage equipped with eight H-1 engines, being successfully test-fired on February 4, 1961. A Juno rocket is visible on the right side of the test stand.

The Thor-Delta-5 launched an Earth observation satellite, TIROS III (Television Infrared Observation Satellite), on July 12, 1961.

Lockheed NC-130B (AF58-712) Aircraft. A Study of STOL Operational Techniques; landing approach. Nose-low pitch attitude of the aircraft was required in wave-off (or go-around) at 85 knots with flaps 70 degrees. An increase in stall-speed margin could be required to produce a more positive climb angle. (Nov 1962) Note: Used in publication in Flight Research at Ames; 57 Years of Development and Validation of Aeronautical Technology NASA SP-1998-3300 fig. 104; 60yrs at Ames, Atmosphere of Freedom NASA SP-2000-4314

The original seven Mercury astronauts during training at NASA Langley Research Center Project Mercury. The original seven astronauts trained at NASA Langley Research Center. Chosen from among hundreds of applicants, the seven men were all test pilots. Standing in front of the U.S. Air Force Convair F-106B aircraft, the astronauts are, from left, Lt. M. Scott Carpenter, Capt. Gordon Cooper, Col. John H. Glenn Jr., Capt. Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Lt. Comdr. Walter Schirra, Lt. Comdr. Alan B. Shepard Jr. and Capt. Donald K. "Deke" Slayton. While familiarizing the astronauts with the Mercury set-up, Langley employees helped them to specialize in the technical areas crucial to the overall success of Project Mercury. Langley people also guided and monitored the astronauts activities through the many spaceflight simulators and other training devices built at the Center expressly for the manned space program. In less than three years, Project Mercury proved that men could be sent into space and returned safely to Earth, setting the stage for the longer duration Gemini flights and the Apollo lunar landings. This photograph was originally taken on 01/20/1961 and is published in Spaceflight Revolution NASA Langley Research Center from Sputnik to Apollo, NASA SP-4308, by James R. Hansen, 1995, page 40.

S61-01690 (28 April 1961) --- View of the launch of the Little Joe-5B spacecraft from Wallops Island on April 28, 1961. Photo credit: NASA

S61-01372 (21 Feb. 1961) --- Launch of the unmanned Mercury-Atlas 2 (MA-2) vehicle for a suborbital test flight of the Mercury capsule. The upper part of Atlas is stengthened by an eight-inch wide stainless steel band. The capsule was recovered less than one hour after launch. The altitude was 108 miles. Speed was 13,000 mph. Recovered 1,425 miles downrange. Photo credit: NASA

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 10, 1961, actual ground breaking has occurred for the S-IC test stand site.

S61-03885 (26 April 1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, wearing the new Mercury spacesuit, stands outside of a mock-up of the Mercury capsule on the deck of a ship taking him to emergency water egress training activities. Photo credit: NASA

S61-02408 (5 May 1961) --- Launching of the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) rocket from Cape Canaveral on astronaut Alan B. Shepard?s suborbital mission. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

S61-03698 (1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, suited up and ready to climb into Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft, sits in front of his capsule for a picture. Behind him technicians work inside the capsule. The Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) mission was scrubbed a few hours later due to unfavorable weather over the launch pad. Photo credit: NASA