First missile launched at Naval Air Facility, Point Mugu, Calif., a KVW-1 Loon, USN name for AAF robot bomb (JB-2) modeled on the German V-1. References: 17 .

The Army Air Forces established Project RAND at the Santa Monica, California, plant of Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc. On 12 May, Project RAND, which had studied supersonic aircraft, guided missiles, and satellite applications, released a report on 'Preliminary Design of an Experimental World-Circling Space Ship' that argued the technical feasibility of building and operating an artificial Earth satellite.

In the first 1946 summary of his work during World War II, Wernher von Braun proposed a toroidal station spun to provide artificial gravity.

Von Braun briefs Hermes; V-2 first stage, ramjet second stage, cruise at 2,100 mph at 12 miles altitude. References: 86 .

U.S. upper atmosphere research program initiated with captured German V-2 rockets. A V-2 panel of representatives of various interested agencies was created, and a total of more than 60 V-2's were fired before the supply ran out. The Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University then undertook to develop a medium-altitude rocket, the Aerobee, while the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) directed its efforts to the development of a large high-altitude rocket, first called the Neptune, later the Viking. References: 17 .

Bell flight 1. First glide flight of AAF-NACA XS-1 rocket research airplane (No.1 of the original three X-1's built), by Jack Woolams, Bell Aircraft test pilot, at Pinecastle Army Air Base, Fla. References: 49 , 97 .

Army announced creation by AAF of the First Experimental Guided Missiles Group to develop and test rocket missiles at Eglin Field, Fla. References: 17 .

Bell flight 2. At Pinecastle AAF, Florida. References: 49 , 97 .

Bell flight 3. At Pinecastle AAF, Florida. References: 49 , 97 .

Bell flight 4. Gear retracted, left wing damaged. At Pinecastle AAF, Florida. References: 49 , 97 .

Bell flight 5. Nosewheel retracted on landing runout. Landing-gear door damaged. At Pinecastle AAF, Florida. References: 49 , 97 .

Bell flight 6. Static directional stability investigation. At Pinecastle AAF, Florida. References: 49 , 97 .

Bell flight 7. Longitudinal and directional stability investigation. At Pinecastle AAF, Florida. References: 49 , 97 .

Bell flight 8. Dynamic stability check. At Pinecastle AAF, Florida. References: 49 , 97 .

Bell flight 9. Rate of roll investigation. At Pinecastle AAF, Florida. References: 49 , 97 .

Bell flight 10. Static longitudinal stability investigation. At Pinecastle AAF, Florida. References: 49 , 97 .

BuAer Committee for Evaluating the Feasibility of Space Rocketry (CEFSR) held joint meeting with AAF representatives to work out joint satellite development program based on BuAer proposal. Nothing resulted until a subsequent Project Rand report and Navy CEFSR proposal were presented to RDB, Committee on Guided Missiles, Technical Evaluation Group in March 1948. References: 17 .

First American-assembled V-2 static fired at White Sands Proving Ground.

The Army Air Forces established Project RAND, which in part included the study of satellite applications. References: 483 .

First American rocket to escape earth's atmosphere, the JPL-Ordnance Wac, reached 50-mile height after launch from WSPG. References: 17 .

80 km alt.