August 1965
From The Space Library
Karl G. Harr, Jr, president of Aerospace Industries Assn., wrote in Aerospace: "Almost every aspect of our national life has begun to show a positive and beneficial impact of this nation's decision to be a major participant in man's greatest adventure, "There has been the direct economic impact on the communities and regions where the major parts of this large national event are centered. There has been introduced into our national economy a wide variety of radically new industrial techniques. There have evolved new standards of excellence in engineering, testing, design, reliability, environment, control, and the skill and dedication of personnel . , "In space research, development and exploration, the identity be. comes . . . more imperative. Aerospace companies go many routes attempting to achieve that goal, Leading aerospace companies, for example, developed a 'Zero Defects' program aimed at reminding, rewinding, and emphasizing to the worker that rejects are expensive and, if undetected, would contribute to tragedy. Other companies have instituted variations of the zero defects promotional program. "A second motivation campaign called 'The Critical Parts Program,' to insure that all 98 subsystem assemblies that go into a major space booster system will work, precisely in sequence, has been sold as an industry wide concept. "Another company reports that employees were amused and, more importantly, impressed, when a sign was tacked above the door of its main assembly room that reads: 'In NASA we trust. Everything else we check. " (Aerospace, Summer 1965, 25)
Experts had observed that some plants had an unusual ability to adapt to the most severe physical conditions, reported Aviatsiya i Kosmonautika. Plants had been deprived of oxygen or supplied with very small amounts of it, had been exposed to argon or nitrogen atmospheres, and had been exposed to extreme cold in experiments which tested the effects of a simulated Martian climate on plant growth. It had been found that the cucumber, a heat-sensitive variety of plant, could withstand an argon atmosphere and frost; lettuce, tomatoes, beans, turnips, and other plants had been grown in compartments supplied with extremely small amounts of oxyGen. This led to the speculation that not only lichens but small shrubs might be indigenous to Mars and that there may in fact be a rich and varied Martian flora. (Aviatsiya i Kosmonautika, 8/65, 96)
A pressurized suit identical to that worn by Astronaut Edward H. White II (L/Col. USAF) during his walk in space June 4, was donned by George C. Wiswell, Jr, founder and head of Marine Contracting, Inc., for a repair job 200 ft, below water at the American Electric Power Co.'s Smith Mountain Dam near Roanoke, Va, Wiswell headed a team of divers who lived in a pressurized tank for a week at the bottom of the dam, using a pressurized diving bell while making the necessary repairs. "The job could have been done by conventional methods," Wiswell asserted, "but the divers would each have been limited at that depth to 20 min, of work a day," With the David Clark Co,'s "aquanaut" suit, four hours work each day for each man was possible, he said. (Smith, NYT, 8/9 /65, 35)
Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, AFSC Commander, announced the assignment of B/Gen. Daniel E. Riley as commander of the USAF Contract Management Div. (AFCMD) at Inglewood, Calif, General Riley replaced Col. Fred L. Rennels, who had been commander of AFCMD since its activation in January 1965 and who was named vice commander to General Riley. (AFSC Release 132.65)
Report to industrial and defense management on the technical and economic status of magnesium-lithium alloys had been published by NASA's Technology Utilization Div. The report was prepared for NASA by the Battelle Memorial Institute. A NASA technology utilization report based on cryogenic research directed toward evaluation of the stress distribution near abrupt changes in wall thickness of pressure vessels also became available. (NASA Releases T-65-12 and T-65-10)
Data were summarized from NIMBUS I meteorological satellite, which had provided first high-resolution, nighttime, cloud-cover pictures and cloud-top temperatures taken from a satellite, Circular 575-mi.-altitude orbit had been planned for the 830-lb, spacecraft; but short burn of the Agena stage-resulting when about 100 lbs. of fuel which should have been loaded on board the Agena had escaped through a faulty valve prior to launch-had injected NIMBUS I into an elliptical orbit, Launch was made Aug. 28, 1964. Results from HRIR (High Resolution Infrared Radiometer) data had demonstrated: (1) feasibility of complete nighttime surveillance of surface and land features on a global scale; (2) detailed vertical structure of intertropical convergence zone and formation of tropical storms and of frontal zones; (3) capability to detect temperature gradients over earth's surface under clear skies; (4) applicability of high-resolution radiometry for glaciology, geology, and oceanography. Apt (Automatic Picture Transmission) system experiments provided almost instantaneous data on clouds for thousands of square miles around Apt ground stations, demonstrating that the system could provide cloud-cover data for almost all local forecast requirements; thus, it would be a basic element in the Tiros Operational Satellite program. AVCS (Advanced Vidicon Camera System) experiment provided first near-global, relatively high-resolution cloud pictures ever assembled. Proved capabilities of camera assembly and confirmed decision to use it as basis for first operational meteorological satellite system, On Sept, 3, 1964, during 381st orbit, NIMBUS I stopped operating. Deterioration of the bearing grease at high temperatures had caused the paddles in the solar array drive system to lock, Final contact with NIMBUS I occurred Nov, 20, 1964, Data revealed that (1) all batteries were in trickle charge; (2) voltage regulation had failed; (3) both Pcm and command clock subsystems were operable; (4) spacecraft tape recorders were not operating; and (5) controls power supply had failed. (NASA Proj. Off,)
Lowell Thomas, news commentator, explorer, and author, was named the fifth Honorary Chairman of the Robert Hutchings Goddard Library Program (Clark Univ.). The four other honorary chairmen were previously announced [see July 16 ] . Appointments to the Goddard Library's International Sponsors Committee were announced: Dr. Hugh L. Dryden, NASA Deputy Administrator; Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, MSC Director; and Dr. William H. Pickering, JPL Director. (Goddard, 8/65)
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