Sixties

Events of 1960

January

The Bathosphere “Trieste” reached the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
The testing of Little Joe 1B the Mercury launch escape system was successful.

The British prime minister Harold Macmillan made his Wind of Change speech after spending a month in Africa.

February

France performed it’s first nuclear test at Reggane Proving Grounds Algeria.

March

Pioneer 5 was launched to investigate the space between the orbits of the Earth and Venus.Explorer S-46 failed to reach orbit.

The Bank of England issued the new £1-00 note.

April

The U.S.A. launched “Tiros 1” the first observation weather satellite.

The first navigational satellite Transit 1B was placed into earth’s orbit.

May

president Dwight Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1960.

The USSR Sputnik 4 was launched into earths orbit.

The “Payola” court case which was cash or gifts given for airplay of records. The scandal involved Alan Freed who paid a small fine and was released.

The first contraceptive pill Enovid was approved and made available to the American market.

The first optical laser was demonstrated by Theodore Maiman at Hughes Research

laboratories in Malibu.

June

The Avro HS 748 made it’s first flight at Woodford, England.