Feb 1 1966
From The Space Library
Two large telescopes orbiting 20,000 mi. above earth and occasionally requiring man to service them in space should be the ultimate goal for the national program in space astronomy, according to Space Research: Directions for the Future (Part 11), second report of NAS Space Science Board’s Summer Study (Woods Hole, Mass., 1965). Report, compiled by a working group of astronomers headed by Dr. George P. Woollard, Univ. of Hawaii, said 120-in.-dia. optical telescope and radiotelescope with extended aperture of 12 mi. would aid study of many basic scientific problems in astronomy. It recommended that NASA support, in addition to Orbiting Astronomical Observatories (OAO) and Orbiting Solar Observatories (OSO) : more rapid growth of ground based solar astronomy in accordance with 10-yr. projection of needs for large optical and radio telescopes contained in a 1964 report by the Academy; specialized instrumentation for ground-based solar astronomy; doubling of sounding rocket launches for research in optical, solar, and x-ray and gamma-ray astronomy and for improvements in their guidance and flight stability; laboratory studies for more efficient detection and recording of radiation in all readings of the electromagnetic spectrum; substantial increases in balloon flights for radar and for x-ray and gamma-ray astronomy; and development of systems to reach altitudes higher than present 100,000-to 150,000-ft. limit for balloon borne payloads. ‘‘(Text, NAS Release)’’
Surveyor soft-landing retrorocket system was successfully tested by Hughes Aircraft Co. and JPL at Holloman AFB. After test vehicle was released from balloon at 1,450-ft. altitude, three throttleable liquid engines operated by terminal descent guidance system’s radar and autopilot control slowed vehicle to simulated landing 500 ft. above ground, partially demonstrating performance required to soft-land on the moon. Three engines were then shut down and parachute system deployed to lower vehicle to ground. In actual mission, Surveyor would cut off its engines 13 ft. above moon’s surface and free-fall remainder of distance to avoid unsettling lunar dust with rocket engines’ exhaust. Test was second successful operation of the three liquid-fueled engines under radar control. ‘‘(NASA Release 66-24; Marshall Star, 2/9/66, 9)’’
NASA launched three Nike-Cajun sounding rockets, each carrying payload of 19 acoustic grenades, from three launch sites-Point Barrow, Alaska, Churchill Research Range; and NASA Wallops Station-to gather data on atmosphere between 20-and 60-mi. altitudes over widely spaced 39. geographic areas. Grenades were ejected and detonated at programmed altitudes, yielding information on wind directions and speeds and atmospheric densities, pressures, and temperatures. Rocket launchings were first in series of nine planned for February. Similar experiments would be conducted throughout the year to observe atmospheric conditions during different seasons. ‘‘(Wallops Release 66-9)’’
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