John F. Kennedy photo

Reply to Chairman Khrushchev's Message on the flight of Colonel Glenn.

February 21, 1962

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I thank you warmly for your message of congratulations on Colonel Glenn's successful space flight, and I welcome your statement that our countries should cooperate in the exploration of space. I have long held this same belief and indeed put it forward strongly in my first state of the Union message.

We of course believe also in strong support of the work of the United Nations in this field and we are cooperating directly with many other countries individually. But obviously special opportunities and responsibilities fall to our two countries.

I am instructing the appropriate officers of this Government to prepare new and concrete proposals for immediate projects of common action, and I hope that at a very early date our representatives may meet to discuss our ideas and yours in a spirit of practical cooperation

Sincerely,

JOHN F. KENNEDY

Note: Mr. Khrushchev's message, dated February 21 is published in the State Department Bulletin (vol. 46, p. 411). For the proposals of joint action with the Soviet Union in the exploration of outer space, see Item 96.

John F. Kennedy, Reply to Chairman Khrushchev's Message on the flight of Colonel Glenn. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/236861

Filed Under

Categories

Attributes

Simple Search of Our Archives