Apr 6 1964
From The Space Library
NASA launched Aerobee 150 sounding rocket from White Sands, N. Mex., with two cameras and two spectrographs to obtain spectra of nebulosities of certain star fields. Abnormal coning motion of the rocket and subsequent pitch-roll coupling caused the rocket to reach only 46-mi. altitude; and the attitude control system had no chance to point at the programmed targets, so no experimental data were obtained. ( NASA Rpt. SRL)
First large batch of unusual stones arrived from Iowa at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for analysis in Project Moon Harvest. Residents of six Iowa counties were gathering the specimens, which GSFC scientists Were analyzing to determine if they were of lunar origin. Dr. John A. O'Keefe, project scientist, theorized that pieces of the moon's surface were chipped off the moon by meteorite impact and attracted by gravity to the earth. (Goddard News, 4/20/64, 4; GSFC Release G-13-64)
About 450 iron workers stayed off the job at Cape Kennedy because union and management negotiators had failed to work out a new contract. Most of the other 3,500 construction workers returned to their jobs after picket lines kept workers away the previous week. (UPI, Chic. Trib., 4/7/64)
By this date USAF had made 21 manned drop-tests of the ballute at El Centro, Calif., from C-130 flying at altitudes up to 35,000 ft. Basically a drag balloon, the ballute was under development by Goodyear Aerospace Corp. with NASA funds. To be installed in the ejection seat system of Gemini spacecraft, the self-inflating ballute would stabilize the astronaut during free fall down to 10,000 ft, where final recovery para-chute would deploy. (Yaffee, Av. Wk., 4/6/64, 40-45; MSC Roundup, 4/15/64, 8)
Researchers at Lankeneau Hospital in Philadelphia had concluded that orthostatic hypotension such as occurred in Astronauts Schirra and Cooper after orbital space flights could be caused as much by dehydration as by weightlessness, Missiles and Rockets reported. (M&R, 4/6/64, 25)
Glide parachute achieved glide ratio of up to 2:1 in wind-tunnel tests at NASA Ames Research Center, it was reported. Northrop Ventura, the parachute developer, was proposing it to NASA for later phases of Project Gemini. (ARC; M&R, 4/6/64, 25)
Of the formerly operational Thor missiles that were being converted to space missions, USAF spokesman said: "This program has proved that it is possible to take a complex vehicle that was designed as a weapon and convert it to peaceful uses at a substantial saving and without sacrificing reliability. We can expect that there will be more than this." AFSSD estimated converted booster cost up to $150,000 less than new Thor booster. (M&R, 4/6/64, 31)
USAF was considering developing new 40,000-lb. thrust third stage for Titan III launch vehicle, Aviation Week reported. Burning high-energy fuels, the new stage would replace the 16,000-17,000-lb.-thrust transtage. Meanwhile USAF asked six firms for proposals for a back-up and/or replacement rocket engine system for the transtage, said to be experiencing development difficulties. But USAF was not asking for upgrading of the 16,000-lb.-thrust system at this time. (Av. Wk., 4/6/64, 13; SBD, 4/10/64,59)
April 6-8: U.S. officials met in London with representatives of six European countries for further talks on investing in the global communications satellite network. Spokesman said there was "substantial progress" but no concrete agreements were reached, and another meeting would take place in about a month. (Kohlmeier, WSJ, 4/6/64; NYT, 4/9/64)
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