The Office, Chief of Ordnance (OCO) disapproved Redstone Arsenal's proposed development plan for what would become the Redstone missile. The arsenal had intended to implement the manufacturing program for these missiles by creating an assembly line in its own development shops. The OCO, however, required that the development effort be done by a prime contractor. Nonetheless, delays in the acquisition of production facilities for the prime contractor caused Redstone Arsenal to fabricate and assemble the first 12 Redstone missiles along with missiles 18 through 29.

The Redstone missile system officially received its popular name. Previously, this missile was known at various times and places as the Hermes C1, Major, Ursa, XSSM-G-14, and XSSM-A-14.

Ionosphere research. Launched at 1028 local time. Reached 112.7 km.

Cosmic radiation, solar radiation research. Launched at 0630 local time. Reached 127.8 km.

Solar radiation research. Launched at 0759 local time. Reached 126 km.

Solar radiation research. Launched at 0842 local time. Reached 91.8 km.

Cosmic radiation, solar radiation research. Launched at 0644 local time. Reached 127 km.

Density research. Launched at 1815 local time. Reached 76.1 km.

The Special Committee for the International Polar Year (later designated the International Geophysical Year), was established. References: 483 .

Temperature, winds research. Launched at 1907 local time. Reached 90.1 km.

Launched 09:06 local time. Reached 103.7 km. Carried composition, photography experiments for Signal Corps Engineering Lab, University of Michigan. V-2 number 58 never launched.

Biological research. Launched at 0818 local time. Reached 26.1 km. Air Force Aerobee rocket placed an aeromedical payload containing two Phillipine monkeys (Pat and Mike) and two mice to an altitude of 26.1 km, which were recovered unharmed and without apparent ill effect.

First Dnepropetrovsk production R-1, albeit still containing many parts and assemblies fabricated at NII-88, was finally complete.

NACA Lewis Laboratory completed first rocket combustion tests using the high-energy propellant liquid fluorine as an oxidant. References: 17 .

The Navy's Johnsville, Pennsylvania, human centrifuge began operations. This installation was later designated the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory (AMAL) and was used extensively in the training of the Mercury astronauts. References: 483 .

The 54th and 56th brigades were formed for test launches at Kapustin Yar. R-2's were deployed in rocket brigades equipped with six launchers (three divisions per brigade, each division with two batteries).

Solar radiation research. Launched at 1050 local time. Reached 99.8 km.

H. Julian Allen of NACA Ames Laboratory conceived the "blunt nose principle" which submitted that a blunt shape would absorb only one-half of 1 perecent of the heat generated by the reentry of a body into the earth's atmosphere. This principle was later significant to ICBM nose cone and the Mercury capsule development. References: 17 .

The NACA Committee on Aerodynamics recommended that NACA increase its research efforts on the problem of manned and unmanned flight at altitudes between 12 and 50 miles and at speeds of mach 4 through 10. As a result of this recommendation, the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory began preliminary studies on this project and immediately identified several problem areas. Two of these areas were aerodynamic heating and the achievement of stability and control at very high altitudes and speeds. Of the two, Langley considered aerodynamic heating to be the more serious, and, until this problem was resolved, the design of practical spacecraft impractical. References: 483 .

Sky brightness research. Launched at 0732 local time. Reached 101.4 km.