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

Exploring the Unknown 149
Document I-28
Document Title: Mercury Astronauts, Memorandum For [Mercury] Project
Director, NASA, “Exchange of Visits with Russian Astronauts,” 21 October 1959.
Source: National Archives and Record Administration, Fort Worth, Texas.
From the start of their careers at NASA, the seven Mercury astronauts were eager to make
contact with their Soviet counterparts. These efforts were discouraged by NASA and White
House leadership.
It was not until the 1960s that NASA astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts met each
other in various places around the world. These visits were arranged for mostly propaganda
purposes on both sides. American intelligence officials also foresaw the opportunity to pierce
some of the secrecy surrounding the Soviet program if the two sets of pilots could talk with
each other. The first such interchange took place following the flight of Gherman Titov, when
he visited with John Glenn at a May 1962 technical meeting in Washington, DC. The two
men and their wives toured the Capitol and visited President John F. Kennedy in the White
House. The next exchange between astronauts and cosmonauts did not take place until June
1965 when astronauts James A. McDivitt and Edward H. White, along with Vice President
Hubert H. Humphrey, met Yuri Gagarin at the Paris Air Show. As years passed cosmonauts
and astronauts began to meet more frequently and freely.
NASA – Space Task Group
Langley Field, Virginia
October 21, 1959
MEMORANDUM: For Project Director
Subject: Exchange of visits with Russian Astronauts
1. The Russians have recently announced their man-in-space program and have
given some publicity to the pilots selected. In the eyes of the rest of the world,
it appears that Project Mercury is placed in a competitive position, whether
we like it or not. This, of course, sets up for another barrage of unfavorable
propaganda when, and if, the Russians achieve space flight before we do.
2. Certain action at this time might place us in a better position to gain information
about their program and also take the propaganda initiative away from
the Russians with regard to manned space flight. Suggested action is to propose
mutual visits between the Astronauts of the two countries with the purpose
of sharing information on training and mutual problem areas.
3. Propaganda-wise, we apparently stand to gain a great deal and could lose little
or nothing.
a. The U.S. would have taken the initiative in sponsoring international
cooperation in the manned space field.