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

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First Steps into Space: Projects Mercury and Gemini
1- Test results are influenced by excitement, particularly since the animal
subjects have led sheltered lives. A minimum of crowd activity
is justified from both scientific and clinical standpoints.
2- Elimination of all but necessary scientific persons curtails added
chances of the primates contacting diseases.
3- Complex handling procedures for the animals will not be required.
4- The undesirable effects of the “Roman Holiday” atmosphere are
eliminated.
While the above procedures indicate fairly full-dress coverage, the press
will be permitted on the spot viewing at only two of the five Wallops Station launchings.
NASA OPI will assure that there will be no interruption of scientific activities
and personnel until after the launch.
For the launches not open to the press, a NASA OPI representative will
witness the firings and prepare releases on them.
Press activities at AMR are governed by the joint NASA-DOD agreement,
but will be supplemented with the requirement that the animal subjects will at not
time be available to the press, for the above reasons.
3. Summary
NASA OPI will conduct information activities associated with animal
launches in a factual manner which will satisfy requirements [5] for accurate
reporting and non-interference with scientific personnel conducting the
program.
Two launches at Wallops Island will be open to news media.
NASA and DOD personnel will be requested not to comment on aspects of the
technical program outside their cognizance. Lines of responsibility are clear:
Management and overall responsibility – Space Task Group
Boosters- Langley Research Center (Little Joe)
- Army Ballistic Missile Agency (Redstone, Jupiter)
- Air Force Ballistic Missile Division – (Atlas)
Medical data correlation – NASA biomedical group
Capsule recovery - U.S. Navy under DOD assignment (Note: the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs has been designated sole liaison to
NASA for the Mercury project. He is expected to detail cognizant military
agencies to act in his name.)
Information - NASA OPI (Headquarters and field)