Page:Project Mercury - A Chronology.pdf/52

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squirrel monkey had withstood the space flight and reentry phase without any adverse physiological effects. Gordo was in a weightless state for 8.3 minutes, he experienced a 10g pressure in takeoff, and a 40g pressure upon reentry at 10,000 miles per hour.

Dr. T. Keith Glennan referred to the manned satellite project as Project Mercury in a policy speech for the first time.

A contract was awarded to North American Aviation for design and construction of the Little Joe airframe.

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.

The letter-of-intent was placed with North American Aviation for the fabrication of the Little Joe Test vehicle airframe. Delivery of the airframes for flight testing was scheduled to occur every three weeks beginning in June 1959. Space Task Group had ordered all of the major rocket motors, which were scheduled for delivery well ahead of the Little Joe flight test schedule. The spacecraft for this phase of the program was being designed and construction would start shortly. Thus the Little Joe program should meet its intended flight test schedule.

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.

Qualifications were established for pilot selection in a meeting at the NASA Headquarters. These qualifications were as follows: age, less than 40; height, less than 5 feet 11 inches; excellent physical condition; bachelor's