Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in ... - The Black Vault

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First Steps into Space: Projects Mercury and Gemini
Document I-18
Document Title: George M. Low, NASA, Memorandum for Dr. Silverstein, NASA,
“Change of Manned Satellite Project name from “Project Mercury” to “Project
Astronaut,” 12 December 1958.
Source: National Archives and Record Administration, Forth Worth, Texas.
In the fall of 1958, NASA was preparing to implement its initial human spaceflight effort.
The space agency decided to name the effort “Project Mercury,” after the messenger of the
gods in ancient Roman mythology. The symbolic associations of this name appealed to Abe
Silverstein, NASA’s Director of Space Flight Development. On December 1958, the 55th anniversary
of the first flight of the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, T. Keith Glennan announced
the name for the first time. A last-minute attempt by the head of the Space Task Group, Robert
Gilruth, to change the name to “Project Astronaut” was not successful.
Document I-17
MEMORANDUM For Administrator, NASA
Washington, D.C.
November 26, 1958
Subject: Code name “Project Mercury” for Manned Satellite Project.
1. Considerable confusion exists in the press and in public discussions regarding
the Manned Satellite Project because of the similarity of this program with
other Man-in-Space proposals.
2. At the last meeting of the Manned Satellite Panel it was suggested that the
Manned Satellite Project be referred to as Project Mercury.
3. It is recommended that the code name Project Mercury be adopted.
[Signed]
Abe Silverstein
Director of Space Flight Development
Cc: Robert Gilruth, Langley Task Group
Dr. S.B. Batdorf, ARPA
MEMORANDUM For Dr. Silverstein
Document I-18
Washington, D.C.
December 12, 1958