HISTORY - Page 4
that the re-entry problem for long-range missiles would be difficult to solve. The initiation seemed logical,
too, from another standpoint, for North American Aviation (NAA) was on the verge of developing a power
unit capable of 135,000 pounds of thrust, which could be either adapted to the REDSTONE or used in new
missile development
4
.
Eventually, many of the recommendations of the Redstone group were adopted, that is, with reference to
the technical pursuit, but not in 1954, for DA and DOD felt that further study was necessary. Redstone was
persistent, however, for as late as December, proposals for long-range missile development were
forwarded to OCO. Reactions were mild.
At the outset of 1955, it appeared that the cycle of study and propose was to continue, when OCO directed
Redstone to make a study of a family of missiles for Army use. To some extent, this did remain the pattern,
but informal information gleaned by OCO in February eventually brought changes. With regard to the
continuing studies, a July proposal for a 1,500-range missile led to a specific development program. As for
the February item, OCO learned that the Air Force intended to invite proposals for the development of a
1,000-mile missile using existing hardware. An announcement had also been made in January by the Air
Force confirming the fact that Convair was working on the ATLAS 5,000-mile ICBM
5
.
______________________________
4. Ltr, RSA to OCO, 31 Jul 54,.subj: Army Long-Range Msl Sys, and annex, subj: A Pro; of Feasibility Studies & Spting Res for a Long Range Msl Pro, Hist Off files.
5. ABMA Ref Book: JUP, Part I, Tab A-4, Hist Off files.6. DA Pam 70-10, p. 118; House Rpt Nr 67, 87th Congress, 1st Session, subj: A Chronology of Missile and Astronautic Events, Washington, D.C., 1961; Emme, Eugene M., Aeronautics and
Astronautics, NASA, 1961.
HISTORY - Page 4
that the re-entry problem for long-range missiles
would be difficult to solve. The initiation seemed
logical, too, from another standpoint, for North
American Aviation (NAA) was on the verge of
developing a power unit capable of 135,000 pounds of
thrust, which could be either adapted to the
REDSTONE or used in new missile development
4
.
Eventually, many of the recommendations of the
Redstone group were adopted, that is, with reference
to the technical pursuit, but not in 1954, for DA and
DOD felt that further study was necessary. Redstone
was persistent, however, for as late as December,
proposals for long-range missile development were
forwarded to OCO. Reactions were mild.
At the outset of 1955, it appeared that the cycle of
study and propose was to continue, when OCO
directed Redstone to make a study of a family of
missiles for Army use. To some extent, this did remain
the pattern, but informal information gleaned by OCO
in February eventually brought changes. With regard
to the continuing studies, a July proposal for a 1,500-
range missile led to a specific development program.
As for the February item, OCO learned that the Air
Force intended to invite proposals for the
development of a 1,000-mile missile using existing
hardware. An announcement had also been made in
January by the Air Force confirming the fact that
Convair was working on the ATLAS 5,000-mile ICBM
5
.
______________________________
4. Ltr, RSA to OCO, 31 Jul 54,.subj: Army Long-Range Msl Sys, and annex, subj: A Pro; of Feasibility Studies & Spting Res for
a Long Range Msl Pro, Hist Off files.
5. ABMA Ref Book: JUP, Part I, Tab A-4, Hist Off files.6. DA Pam 70-10, p. 118; House Rpt Nr 67, 87th Congress, 1st Session,
subj: A Chronology of Missile and Astronautic Events, Washington, D.C., 1961; Emme, Eugene M., Aeronautics and
Astronautics, NASA, 1961.
