The NACA Langley Aeronautical Laboratory Pilotless Aircraft Research Division started the development of multistage, hypersonic-speed, solid-fuel, rocket vehicles. These vehicles were used primarily in aerodynamic heating tests at first and were then directed toward a reentry physics research program. References: 483 .

Personnel of NACA Langley and Ames Aeronautical Laboratories were engaged in research on aerodynamic characteristics of reentry configurations. Knowledge acquired from these efforts along with those of industry and the military services was used in Project Mercury, proved the ablation theory for the Army's Jupiter missile development program, and was used in the Air Force intercontinental ballistic missile nose cone reentry program. References: 483 .

Stand test of the missiles systems were conducted through February 1952. Ten rockets were built in the initial lot, of which two were used for stand tests. Trials of the two test rockets began in 1953 at Filial NII-2 at Zagorsk.

Ionosphere research. Launched at 1345 local time. Failure.

An NACA report was issued covering several projects and proposals for the flight of manned and unmanned vehicles to altitudes above the earth where atmospheric density was very low. The substance of these reports was presented at the June 24, 1952, meeting of the Committee on Aerodynamics. After the presentation, committee member Robert J. Woods recommended that basic research be initiated on the problems of space flight and stated that the NACA was the logical organization to carry on this work. To accomplish this task, a small working group was established to analyze the available information on the subject of space flight. The objective of this group was to arrive at a concept of a suitable manned test vehicle that could be constructed within 2 years. References: 483 .

Robert J. Woods of the Bell Aircraft Company recommended to the Committee on Aerodynamics of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) that a small study group be formed to investigate the problems of space flight. On June 24, the NACA Committee adopted a resolution (1) that NACA research effort on problems of manned and unmanned flight in the upper stratosphere at altitudes between 12 and 50 miles and at Mach numbers between 4 and 10 be increased, and (2) that NACA devote a modest effort to problems associated with manned and unmanned flight at altitudes from 50 miles to infinity and at speeds from Mach 10 to the velocity of escape from earth's gravity. Additional Details: NACA study group to investigate the problems of space flight. References: 16 .

Collier's magazine published papers from First Symposium on Space Flight, under the title "Man Will Conquer Space Soon.". This was an important step in the popularization of the idea of manned space flight.

Cosmic radiation, solar radiation research. Launched at 1000 local time. Reached 81.3 km.

Sky brightness research. Launched at 0745 local time. Failure.

Sky brightness research. Launched at 0740 local time. Reached 89.3 km.

First successful solid-fuel ramjet research model flown at NACA's Wallops Island. References: 17 .