Apr 30 1968
From The Space Library
NASA launched Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket from Churchill Research Range carrying Univ. of New Hampshire-Univ. of California at San Diego payload to 66.4-mi (109.7-km) altitude to measure electric field, ionospheric currents, auroral light intensity and location, and proton and electron fluxes (1-10 key) while passing through or close to auroral display. Rocket did not perform as expected; spin rate was below that anticipated. Payload broke away from rocket and no useful data were received from experiment. Launch was third in series of four [see April 23]. (NASA Rpt SRL) --
Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of Marshall Space Flight Center, told Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences he was greatly concerned about future of entire space program without propulsion capability of nuclear rocket program. Nuclear propulsion was "a must for our future space needs." Failure to proceed into development phase would result in "losses of experienced personnel and cost-increase effects on the total program. . . A one-year delay in funding could result in as much as two years delay in having an operational nuclear engine." Nuclear vehicle as 3rd stage on Saturn V could significantly improve payload and mission versatility, and improved capability could be utilized "to improve mission effectiveness, to increase the mission and payload reliability, and to extend the spectrum of potential missions in the late 1970's and the 1980's. Equally important . . . for high energy missions requiring the launch of two or more Saturn V's, with subsequent rendezvous in earth orbit, we will be able to reduce the number of Saturn V's needed through the utilization of a nuclear vehicle," at substantial cost savings. In response to questions by Sen. Howard W. Cannon (D-Nev.), Dr. von Braun said space program was "cutting edge of our technology advancements and of many advances in the applied sciences . . . [be- cause] no other program . . . involves so many branches of technology and science." Reduction in NASA's $60-million NERVA request to $11 million recommended by House would be disastrous because to make manned space operations useful, "plenty of payload" was required. AEC funding for NERVA had been approved, but if cuts were made in NASA funding, program would be nonexistent. (Testimony; Transcript; O'Toole, W Post, 5/1/68, A3)
Secretary of Defense Clark M. Clifford asked House Committee on Armed Services to restore funds cut by Senate for compromise development program for Navy F-111B aircraft. According to compromise plan, USN would continue tests on F-111B experimental models and exploratory work on alternate aircraft, VFX-1, until March 1969 and then decide whether to proceed with F-111B or to cancel program after first eight models and develop alternate. If VFX-1 were chosen, F-111Bs already produced would provide sophisticated air defense until alternate aircraft became operational in 1973. DOD had requested $425 million for 8 F-111Bs and 60 Phoenix missiles and $30 million for R&D on VFX-1. Senate instead had approved $170 million for VFX-31. (Testimony; Sheehan, NYT, 5/1/68, 4; UPI, W Star, 5/1/68, A12)
Univ. of Colorado physicist Dr. Edward U. Condon announced that Univ. $500,000 twO study for USAF had been completed on schedule. Dr. Condon declined to discuss conclusions and said final report would be submitted to NAS in September. He protested May 14 Look magazine article, which called project fiasco, but said completion of field investigations were not related to controversy. Rep. J. Edward Roush (D-Ind.), citing article on House floor, ques- tioned scientific profundity and objectivity of project and urged Congress to take over UFO investigation from USAF. (CR, 4/30/68, 113087; Clark, NYT, 5/1/68, 5)
Republican Coordinating Committee released statement on U.S.-U.S.S.R, relations, including policy on space: "Outer space should be seen as the focus for ever increasing United States-Soviet collaboration rather than as the site of an endless series of increasingly expensive prestige races. Because our society is open, so much is known about our space program that inviting Soviet participation in the nonmilitary projects would be unlikely to endanger national security. By insisting upon reciprocal privileges we would acquire much additional knowledge about their space efforts, thus achieving a net gain for United States security. At the same time, we must not intimate that the Soviets and ourselves have an exclusive role to play in this area. We must constantly reiterate our willingness to collaborate with NATO and other Allies in space technology." (Text; UPI, NYT, 4/30/68, 95; Unna, W Post, 4/30/68, A5; SBD, 5/1/68, 2)
NASA awarded General Dynamics Corp. Convair Div. $4,771,390 supplemental agreement for construction of two additional Centaur launch vehicles to be used with Atlas boosters to launch two Orbiting Astronomical Observatories (OAO) in 1960 and 1970. (NASA Release 68-83)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
