Jupiter Missile Cancellation

[Byeman]

The head of Army R&D (LTG Austin Bell) proposed cancellation of the Jupiter missile to save costs. And.... he agreed with turning over Von Braun's team and JPL to NASA.

 

[Archibald]

Do you mean, long before the 1959 transfer as it happened ? https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/29/article/184818

 

[Byeman]

Do you mean, long before the 1959 transfer as it happened ? https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/29/article/184818

Can't tell when from the article. But the cancellation proposal was in 1956 around the time of the Nickerson saga.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Was there some sort of backroom deal going on there, do you think?

 

[Archibald]

Now that's interesting - von Braun's Huntsville team transfered, not to 1959 NASA but to 1956 NACA ? Could that gently nudge NACA in the direction of spaceflight BEFORE Sputnik ?
Also: on September 10, 1956 von Braun could have orbited the first satellite, but for political reasons the upper stage got filled with sand ballast rather than propellant. A pity, as the rocket worked like a charm that day...

 

[Byeman]

Now that's interesting - von Braun's Huntsville team transfered, not to 1959 NASA but to 1956 NACA ? Could that gently nudge NACA in the direction of spaceflight BEFORE Sputnik ?

No, the Jupiter cancellation was proposed then

Also: on September 10, 1956 von Braun could have orbited the first satellite, but for political reasons the upper stage got filled with sand ballast rather than propellant. A pity, as the rocket worked like a charm that day...

Myth. it wasn't a stage just a tracking station beacon. The difference between the first Jupiter-C payload and an Explorer.

 

[Rule of cool]

What does the US put in Turkey and Italy, and is the Cuban Missile Crisis avoided?

 

[alertken]

OP: different take, at heroicrelics.org/info/jupiter/jupiter-hist/History%20of%20the%20Jupiter%20Missile%20System.pdf,27/7/62,

DoD 5/54 planned CONUS' defence by ICBMs, Europe's by UK-IRBM, to be part-DoD-funded. Ike secured Amdt 12/6/54 to AE Act (McMahon) for some AW data exchange, and 16/6/54, Sandys/Wilson GW Data Exchange MoU, i.a Atlas ICBM.
DoD chose 2/12/54 also to Study US IRBMs in parallel to 3xICBM and duplicating, UK/MRBM, though continuing data flow and paying $8Mn. -1958 (I.Clark,Nuclear Diplomacy and the Special Relationship,Clarendon,94.,P163).

RocketMan Sandys gave the job of sifting US data to EE, who Reported and declined further involvement. MoS tried to interest Bristol, who said ditto likewise. DH Props' Sorley shouted I'm your man and won 4/55 ITP for “co-ordination of weapon system & design”.
DoD funded 11/55 Study ITPs, 1,500n.m. USN/Army Chrysler Jupiter and USAF Douglas Thor. SecDef 26/11/56 limited Army “gun/ artillery” range to 200n.m., so put Jupiter to USAF, USN 8/12/56 to Lockheed UGM-27A Polaris A-1 SLBM,1,400n.m.

Sputnik 4/10/57 opened the coffers: production funds Thor 27/11/57, Jupiter 4/1/58. Thor was offered on "dual key" lease to UK, 23/3/57, Jupiter to France 30/1/58 (declined 6/58 by new PM CDG - requiring solo Release Authority); Italy accepted 26/3/59, Turkey 26/10/39; Greece talks lapsed as did thoughts of Thor in Alaska.
(Fairchild/Poole, HistJCOS VI, P.106).

 

[Rule of cool]

Jupiter to France 30/1/58 (declined 6/58 by new PM CDG - requiring solo Release Authority)

Wow, CDG really was an independence 'enthusiast'. I've been looking at the Mirage F2 lately, and it got canned because it used an American engine and CDG wanted independence.

 

[Archibald]

France was playing a very complicated game even before CdG "legal coup" (eeeeerhmmmm) May 1958 and return to power.

Basically, France was trying every single card to get ballistic rockets ASAP and if possible, at lower price. Lots of political madness flying in every direction
-1957 : atempts at enlisting Germany and Italy into a tri-partite european nuclear missile program (F-I-G, De Gaulle stopped it)
-1960-63 : atempts at blackmailing poor Harold MacMillan for Blue Streak IRBM technology

Plus all the crazy whacky back and forth, cat-and-mouse game between CdG and Kennedy, related to nuclear tech, submarines, rockets and missiles.
-Proposals for French Skipjack subs (yes, it was proposed)
-Proposals for dual-key Polaris (CdG blew a gasket and told the american - thanks, really, but - NO WAY)
-also Boeing trying their chance with cut-down Minuteman

Typical situation: CdG tries scrapping bits of US nuclear stuff from the ailing, cash-strapped british; but everything has been locked down and clamped down by the 1958 agreement re-starting US-UK collaboration, notably over H-bombs. British almost fell to the trap, tries bargaining CEE membership in return - only to get slapped on the wrist by the americans. "Remember that 1958 agreement, and how our H-bombs are so much better than yours..."

On JFK side, are the twin Deans (Acheason and Rusk) called Europeanists. Their mantra: european independant nuclear deterrents (the nascent french one and the ailing british one) are expensive, foolish, and destabilizing. Better to... nuke them into oblivion with dual-key Polaris NATO force. And since nuclear subs are unaffordable to NATO medium powers, then let's go all out on surface ships even if they make no sense whatsoever if the balloon blows up. Sunk in mere minutes...

 

[Michel Van]

What does the US put in Turkey and Italy, and is the Cuban Missile Crisis avoided?

good question
Jupiter was MRBM with range of 2400–2700 km
that match the Polaris SLBM who were proposed as land MRBM
But Polaris would operational in 1961, while Jupiter came in 1958
alternative the Thor MRBM operational in 1958 in UK with better range 2800 km

lets look on Warhead side
Jupiter had W39 (3,47MT) and W49 (1,44MT)
Polaris had W47 (1,2 MT to 600kT)
Thor had W49 (1,44MT)

However the Jupiter play crucial role during 1958 to 1963
It could "deliver" fast a W39 Warhead on important targets under SIOP
This were soviet Air command, certain air-defence sites and even Moscow
Those could Jupiter hit fast from Italy and Turkey
open gaps for incoming SAC Bombers and Navy Bombers.

Without the Jupiter SAC needed more Thor to hit there "destination" means far more Thor in UK, Italy and Turkey.
what would made the Soviet more nervous as already.

Ironic it was Soviet Sputnik that Saved Jupiter from cancellation.
Original Jupiter program had to end as NAVY pullt out the joined program official in January 1957
while ARMY were fighting with USAF who build and use Missile with Nukes on it
secretary of defence limits the range of ARMY missile unter 370 km range
so Jupiter wanted to cancel the program, but new ARPA explained it good system ready for production.
then soviet launch R-7 with small satellite. Jupiter was rush into production.

 

[Rule of cool]

Plus all the crazy whacky back and forth, cat-and-mouse game between CdG and Kennedy, related to nuclear tech, submarines, rockets and missiles.
-Proposals for French Skipjack subs (yes, it was proposed)
-Proposals for dual-key Polaris (CdG blew a gasket and told the american - thanks, really, but - NO WAY)

I've read that during the UK-UK negotiation that led to the UK adopting Skybolt the US also considered offering (or actually offered) Polaris to the British and also (in order not annoy them) the French as well despite not wanting to offer the Europeans anything. However, they knew (or believed) the French couldn't build the submarines needed for Polaris, so they were safe making the offer knowing it couldn't be taken up.