Memorandum on the Exchange of Visits with Russian Astronauts
10/21/1959
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Selected from 500 applicants, the Mercury Seven were to be the first Americans in space. Introduced to the world on April 10, 1959, the men considered themselves to be military test pilots but became instant national heroes. However, the men were caught in the middle of the larger Cold War rivalry and space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.
NASA, concerned about the growing competition between the two countries, sent this memo regarding the exchange of visits with Russian astronauts, proposing to publicly work with Russia. It said: “Propaganda-wise, we apparently stand to gain a great deal and could lose little or nothing.” Two of the Mercury Seven, Walter M. Schirra and Donald K. Slayton, in an apparent protest to this, crossed their names out and did not sign.
NASA, concerned about the growing competition between the two countries, sent this memo regarding the exchange of visits with Russian astronauts, proposing to publicly work with Russia. It said: “Propaganda-wise, we apparently stand to gain a great deal and could lose little or nothing.” Two of the Mercury Seven, Walter M. Schirra and Donald K. Slayton, in an apparent protest to this, crossed their names out and did not sign.
This primary source comes from the Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
National Archives Identifier: 4662499
Full Citation: Memorandum on the Exchange of Visits with Russian Astronauts; 10/21/1959; Reference Files on Project Mercury, 1958 - 1963; Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Record Group 255; National Archives at Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/memo-visits-russian-astronauts, March 28, 2025]Activities that use this document
- Cultural Diplomacy and Propaganda During the Cold War
Created by the National Archives Education Team - The Space Race: Project Mercury
Created by the National Archives Education Team
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