Aug 11 1964
From The Space Library
Echo, Relay, and Syncom communications satellites were presented to the Smithsonian Institution in ceremony at Museum of History and Technology. Among the NASA officials participating in the presentation were Deputy Administrator Dr. Hugh L. Dryden, Langley Research Center Director Dr. Floyd Thompson, and Goddard Space Flight Center Director Dr. Harry Goett. Carl T. Rowan, Director of U.S. Information Agency, said in address at the ceremony: "As we view the unfolding drama of the American space program it can be clearly seen that one of its most significant aspects is that it has been carried out in the full, open view of an interested and anxious world. When it was written into the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 that the activities of the new space agency were to be open to the widest practicable and appropriate spread of information, the Congress cast into law one of the deepest instincts of the American people. It was an act of faith to specify that this enterprise should be carried on openly before the gaze of those who wished us well and those who hoped otherwise; it was truly an expression of faith in freedom and the ability of Americans to meet the challenges and opportunities of an era when each day unfolds new perils and new promises. "If openness to public scrutiny was a basic concept in the entire space program, the decision to carry out a satellite program dedicated to freedom of communications on a global scale represented that concept converted into a highly meaningful fact. . . . "It is obvious that the over-riding quality of communications satellites is their internationalism. A practical system based on communication satellites is inherently universal, for it would be of little use if it did not mean communicating between the peoples of widely separated lands. Its basic premise involves the inclusion of as many countries as possible in the interchange that the system allows. "This presentation of communication satellites to our national museum of science and technology is, therefore, most truly an international occasion. For it is their international utility in the cause of world understanding, peace and progress which gives them their deepest meaning." (Text)
NASA Aerobee 150 sounding rocket launched from White Sands, N. Mex., reached 107-mi. altitude with four spectrographs to obtain spectra of planets, but no data were obtained because attitude control system's despin valve failed and the rocket spun out of control. (NASA Rpt. SRL)
USAF Titan II rocket was launched successfully from an underground silo on flight down Western Test Range. Same day, faulty relay box in Thor-Agena launch vehicle postponed launch of NASA's Nimbus meteorological. satellite into polar orbit. (Wash. Post, 8/12/64; M&R, 8/17/64, 9)
Communications Satellite Corp. said DOD's last-minute demands on ComSatCorp to change the terms of the international comsat agreement were the reason why DOD-ComSatCorp negotiations fell through. ComSatCorp President Joseph Charyk said DOD had insisted on changes which would have barred foreign members from any voice in letting con-tracts to build the military portion of the network. DOD's demands were presented in July, shortly before the conference that created the new consortium and after all technical details of the proposed military-commercial sharing plan had been agreed upon in June. (Toth, Wash. Post, 8/12/64)
Four Soviet parachutists at world parachute jumping championships, Leutkirch, West Germany, set new world record for men's team jumping from 1,000 meters, landing an average of 66.5 centimeters from center of target. Previous world record of 89.5 centimeters was set two days earlier by U.S. team. (Reuters, NYT, 8/12/64, 35)
August 11-12: Four NASA sounding rockets were launched in coordinated studies of the atmosphere from Wallops Island, Va.: Ft. Churchill, Canada; and Kronogard, Sweden. Nike-Cajun launched from Ft. Churchill reached 77.5-mi. altitude with 12 grenades ejecting and detonating during rocket ascent. Ground-based microphone array recorded time and direction of detonation sounds' arrivals to obtain atmospheric temperature, wind, density, and pressure data. Nike-Cajun launched from Wallops Island ejected 12 grenades during its ascent to 72-mi. altitude, with similar ground-based microphone array to obtain data. Nike-Apache launched from Kronogard reached 75.5-mi. altitude with micrometeoroid-particle-sampling payload. Although sampling cans did not seal completely, preliminary evaluation indicated that data would be recovered. Experiment was cooperative effort of USAF Cambridge Research Laboratories and Meteorological Institute of Stockholm Univ. Nike-Cajun launched from Kronogard, with grenade payload functioned properly, but no usable data were obtained because of loss of Dovap near Cajun ignition. For same reason, peak altitude was unknown. (NASA Rpts. SRL)
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