Feb 19 1963
From The Space Library
USAF launched unidentified payload with Blue Scout booster from Pt. Arguello, Calif. (Wash. Post, 2/20/63, Al; M&R, 2/25/63, 11)
Number of engineering students studying for doctoral degree tripled in U.S. during last seven years, said report in Journal of Engineering Education. (AP, Wash. Post, 2/20/63, B11)
Senator John O. Pastore (D.-R.I.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee's Communications Subcommittee, questioned the wisdom of continued Government financing of experimental communications --satellites: "We were led to believe that practically all this work would be done by the private [communications satellite] corporation." (Wash. Post, 2/20/63, A8)
Dr. Hugh L. Dryden, NASA Deputy Administrator, testified before Communications Subcommittee of Senate Commerce Committee that experiences of both TELSTAR I and RELAY I communications satellites were being "used continuously to review projects such as Syncom . . . . in an attempt to achieve the 24-hour, synchronous orbit, as well as all of our other satellite projects. "I should like to add, finally, that the experience of Telstar and Relay to date have merely reinforced the opinion which I gave before this committee last year; that considerable research and development have yet to be performed before economic operational systems can be established . . . ." (Testimony)
Lt. Col. Robert E. Warren (U.S. Army), NASA Deputy Director of Communications Systems, reviewed launching and performance of SYNCOM I communications satellite before Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications. After SYNCOM was successfully launched by Delta vehicle, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center had determined apogee of SYNCOM's elliptical transfer orbit would occur at 21,700-mi. altitude, about 600-mi. short of synchronous altitude but well within allowable error. So that more nearly synchronous orbit could be achieved, signal was sent from USNS Kingsport in Lagos harbor, Nigeria, commanding satellite's apogee motor to fire 10 min. earlier (at 5:42 a.m.) than firing time set on onboard timer. SYNCOM received and stored signal, and at 5:42 a.m. signal was sent from Kingsport to execute the command. 20.1 sec. later, ground reception of satellite telemetry abruptly ceased. Because apogee motor was to have fired for 21.2 sec., Colonel Warren said it was "difficult to imagine that these two events are unrelated . "So, what can we make of all this? First we know that SYNCOM is in orbit. If the apogee motor did not fire, it is still in the elliptical orbit and will eventually be found, either by optics or by radar. If the apogee motor did fire, SYNCOM is in a very high altitude orbit, and without telemetry, there is only a slim chance that it will be found. A search has been organized which will continue until such time as it is found, or until further search seems unwarranted. If it is found, we will have another chance to try out the command system, and if it works, we could again be in business. "Secondly, we know that one of the communications transponders worked well in the transfer ellipse. "Thirdly, we have shown once more that the Delta launch vehicle is a reliable booster, this being its 15th successive flight with performance well within acceptable error." (Testimony)
Bill to create Commission on Science and Technology (S. 816) introduced in Congress by Senator John McClellan (D.-Ark.). Commission would be charged with bringing about more economy and efficiency in scientific programs carried out and funded by Federal Government. (Space Bus. Daily, 2/20/63,224)
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