Goddard realises after three years of unsuccessful tests that the cartridge rocket concept is too complex and that a new approach is needed. Smokeless powder solid fuels were too unstable for rocket use. Therefore Goddard turned to liquid oxygen and gasoline as propellants. On this date he bought his first can of liquid oxygen from Linde Corporation in Worcester. He had to haggle for it; the liquid form was then only a by-product in the process of extracting gaseous oxygen from the atmosphere. Goddard was charged $ 10 per 2 gallon flask, the minimum Linde would sell to him. References: 377 .

Launched 10:20 local time. Reached 60 km. Carried cosmic and solar radiation, pressure, temperature, photo experiments for Naval Research Lab.

Cosmic radiation, solar radiation, pressure, temperature, ionosphere research. Launched at 2317 local time. Reached 96.6 km.

Thor IRBM successfully fired from Cape Canaveral, flew prescribed course, and impacted in preselected area. References: 17 .

Nike-Cajun successfully launched 12-foot-diameter test inflatable sphere to a height of 75 miles over NASA Wallops Island, the sphere inflating satisfactorily. References: 17 .

In testimony before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, Richard E. Horner, Associate Administrator of NASA, presented NASA's ten-year plan for 1960-1970. The essential elements had been recommended by the Research Steering Committee on Manned Space Flight. NASA's Office of Program Planning and Evaluation, headed by Homer J. Stewart, formalized the ten-year plan.

On February 19, NASA officials again presented the ten-year timetable to the House Committee. A lunar soft landing with a mobile vehicle had been added for 1965. On March 28, NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan described the plan to the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. He estimated the cost of the program to be more than $1 billion in Fiscal Year 1962 and at least $1.5 billion annually over the next five years, for a total cost of $12 to $15 billion. Additional Details: NASA's Ten-Year Plan presented to Congress. References: 16 .

NASA announced the selection of the Philco Corporation as prime contractor for the Mission Control Center (MCC) at MSC. To be operational in mid-1964, MCC would link the spacecraft with ground controllers at MSC through the worldwide tracking network. References: 16 .

The United States and Spain agreed to the construction and operation of a $1.5 million space tracking and data acquisition station about 48 kilometers (30 miles) west of Madrid, Spain. Linked with the NASA Deep Space Instrumentation Facility, the station included a 26-meter (85-foot)-diameter parabolic antenna and equipment for transmitting, receiving, recording, data handling, and communications with the spacecraft. Additional Details: Agreement on space tracking station west of Madrid, Spain. References: 16 .

Maximum Speed - 5821 kph. Maximum Altitude - 32736 m. First test of hypersonic speed brakes. References: 38 , 49 , 97 .

The first major Saturn V flight component, a 10-m (33-ft) diameter, 27,215 kg (60,000 lb corrugated tail section which would support the booster's 6,672 kilonewtons (1.5-million-lb) thrust engines, arrived at MSFC from NASA's Michoud Operations near New Orleans. The section was one of five major structural units comprising Saturn V's first stage. References: 16 .

Suborbital. References: 5 , 126 .

The Apollo 204 Review Board was established by NASA's Deputy Administrator Robert C. Seamans, Jr., to investigate the Apollo 204 accident that had killed the 204 prime crew January 27. The Board would report to the NASA Administrator. Additional Details: Apollo 204 Review Board established to investigate the AS-204 accident. References: 16 .

Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 99 .

Eight satellites launched by a single carrier rocket. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Military cartographic satellite; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

Exploded 73 seconds after launch, all 7 crewmembers were killed; carried TDRSS satellite. Additional Details: STS-51-L. References: 5 , 7 , 33 .

High resolution photo reconnaissance; returned film in two small SpK capsules during the mission and with the main capsule at completion of the mission. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 179 .

First launch was made on 28 January 1991 from Kwajalein Atoll against an Aries sounding rocket.