Aug 1 1963
From The Space Library
MARINER II interplanetary space probe completed its first orbit of the sun, after traveling approximately 540,000,000 mi. (aphelion, 113.8 million mi., occurred June 18, 1963; perihelion, 65.5 million mi., occurred Dec. 28, 1962). Launched Aug. 27, 1962, the spacecraft passed within 21,648 mi. of Venus Dec. 14, 1962, and provided 111 million bits of information on Venus and interplanetary space. (UPI, NYT, 8/2/63, 7; MSC Space News Roundup, 8/7/63, 1, 2)
House passed bill to authorize $5,203,719,400 for NASA in FY 1964 (334-57). House bill would authorize $4,013,175,000 for research and development; $508,185,000 for administrative operations; and $682,359,400 for construction of facilities. House cut $34.4 million from the bill as reported from Committee on Science and Astronautics: Amendment introduced by Rep. Richard L. Roudebush (R.-Ind.) cut $24.4 million from Committee's recommendation for facility, training, and research grants, the amendment intended "to stabilize" NASA's university program at FY 1963 level. Another amendment cut $10 million from advanced design development. Amendment offered by Rep. John W. Wydler (R.-N.Y.) to cut $3.9 million authorization for electronics research center was defeated (111-64). (CR, 8/1/63, 1307013129)
August 1 - November 1: Project Stormfury, experiment to investigate ways of reducing destructive force of hurricanes, conducted jointly by Weather Bureau and Naval Weather Service. Experiment involved seeding hurricane clouds and cumulonimbus clouds (not associated with hurricane winds) with silver iodide to learn it energy patterns can be changed. Results would be compared with similar experiment conducted during 1961 Hurricane Esther. (DOD Release 1077-63)
Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences ordered H.R. 7500 favorably reported (pending receipt from the House). With amendments, bill would authorize $5,511,520,400 for NASA in FY 1964. (NASA Leg. Act. Rpt. II/117; N.Y. Herald Trib., 8/2/63)
Commenting on action of Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Committee's Chairman Sen. Clinton P. Anderson, (D.-N.M.) said Committee approved NASA appropriations requests whenever they made sense in terms of National objectives. On the other hand, some projects failed to get committee authorization because they are in need of further explanation .... "If an Apollo landing on the moon were to be the end of the line, then the attitude of the Congress toward NASA expenditure will be one thing. But if space is here to stay, and we believe it is, then our attitudes would be something else again. When we are asked for funds to cover a variety of advanced research projects and new engines and vehicles beyond those occasioned by Apollo, it is hard to be enthusiastic in supporting these projects in the absence of clearly stated national goals." (Missile/ Space Daily, 8/2/63)
In report to Bureau of the Budget, NASA commented on bill (S. Res. 50) to establish Senate Select Committee on Technological Developments. NASA recognized that "there may be substantial advantages derived both for the Senate and for the general public from the establishment of a committee such as this," which would study and investigate responsibilities of Government departments and agencies for scientific and technical developments and the effect such activities upon U.S. scientific, technical, and economic progress and upon structure of the U.S. economy. (NASA Leg. Act. Rpt. II/118) )
In Washington press conference, President Kennedy was asked about relative status of antimissile missile programs of U.S. and U.S.S.R. in light of last year's Soviet nuclear tests "in which very large warheads were detonated." The President replied "I don't think that the problem is solved by the explosion of a large megaton bomb. The problem is really one, as you know, of discrimination, of being able to prevent saturation, of having to protect many targets while the adversary can select a few . . "The problem of developing a defense against a missile is beyond us and beyond the Soviets technically, and I think many who work in it feel that perhaps it can never be successfully accomplished because the whole problem, as you know, is to have 100 objects flying through the air at thousands of miles an hour [and] to be able to pick them out. And if you can do that there is an advantage, it still seems to me, to the offense because they can pour in 200, or 300. "And therefore, the problem is not the size of the bomb but rather the problem of discrimination, the problem of selectivity, targeting and all the rest. "On those matters we can continue to work. But I must say those who work the longest are not particularly optimistic that a scientific breakthrough can be made . . . ." (Transcript, NYT, 8/2/63, 10)
Speaking at the Fourth International Space Science Symposium in Warsaw, Poland, Dr. R. S. Young of NASA's Ames Research Center, said that certain earth bacteria not only survive but grow satisfactorily in a laboratory-created Martian environment.. Knowledge of growth of earth organisms on Mars is important for two reasons, Dr. Young said. 'First, the extremely complex problem of decontaminating earth spacecraft depends upon proof that earth organisms do not present a hazard to other planets. Second, as much information as possible about survival on Mars or on other celestial objects is needed for designing instruments on spacecraft to detect and analyze such life if it exists. (The Cleveland Press, 8/1/63)
Australian Minister of Supply Allen Fairhall announced U.S.-financed space tracking station would be built near Canberra. The 60-sq.-mi. complex would be built by Australia and staffed by Australian scientists and technicians. (NYT, 8/2/63, 8)
On his third anniversary as president of USAF's Aerospace Corporation, which itself was three years old last June 25, Ivan A. Getting reported the organization now has annual budget of $22,600,000 and 4,500 total personnel (1,617 scientists, engineers, and technicians.) During year just completed, Aerospace Corp. provided guidance on $1 billion in space systems contracts and $3 billion in ballistic missiles and components. (Aerospace Corp. Release; NYT, 8/4/63)
First technical description of U.A.R.'s Pioneer rocket appeared in Cairo newspaper Akher Saa. Article said Pioneer multistage rocket has range of 625 mi., is powered with liquid oxygen and another unnamed liquid, and is intended as space research vehicle. (AP, Houston Post, 8/2/63)
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