In July, 1950, a new chapter in space flight began with the launch of Bumper 2 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Bumper 2 was a two-stage rocket with a V-2 missile base topped by a WAC Corporal rocket. The upper stage reached a record altitude of almost 400 kilometers. Those who have visited the modern Cape Canaveral should be interested in how it looked almost 60 years ago.

Seven years later, in response to Bumper 2 and friends, the Soviets launched Sputniks I and II. Our response to their response was to create NASA, 50 years ago today.

In 1950, Harry Truman was President, and I was a sophomore electrical engineering student at Kansas State College. In 1958 I became an engineer for Collins Radio Company (Now Rockwell Collins), provider of space communications for NASA. I wasn’t involved with the space program but contributed to the technology war with the Soviets with long-distance earth-bound radio communications.

Dave, A little spacey himself, at times.