Jan 22 1963
From The Space Library
NASA Administrator James E. Webb and DOD Secretary [Robert S. McNamara] announced NASA-DOD agreement establishing Gemini Program Planning Board, with Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr. (Associate Administrator for NASA) and Dr. Brockway McMillan (Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for R&D) as co-chairmen. Planning Board would delineate NASA and DOD scientific and technological requirements and monitor the Gemini program to ensure that the requirements are met. Agreement supplemented NASA-USAF Gemini management agreement in effect since spring 1962 ; NASA would continue to be responsible for Project Gemini management. DOD would participate in development, pilot training, pre-flight check-out, launch operations, and flight operations “to assist NASA and to meet the MID objectives.” DOD also would assist in funding Gemini. (NASA Release 63-12; NASA-DOD Agreement; DOD Release 8463)
NASA-DOD agreement setting forth management responsibilities for operations in Cape Canaveral area was announced. Agreement provided that DOD would continue as the single manager of AMR, extending from the Cape to the Indian Ocean; USAF Missile Test Center, under DOD authority, would continue as host agency at existing 15,000-acre Cape Canaveral launch area; NASA [[Launch Operations Center]] would manage and serve as host agency at new 87,000-acre Merritt Island launch area, being developed primarily for use with very large launch vehicles such as NASA's Advanced Saturn (C-5). NASA and DOD would be responsible for their own logistics and administrative functions in their respective areas ; regardless of location, NASA and DOD would perform most specific mission functions in their own behalf such as preparation, checkout, launch, and test evaluation; DOD would continue to be responsible, in both areas, for certain fundamental range functions such as scheduling of launches, flight safety, range search and sea recovery, etc. (NASA Release 63-11)
Dr. Jerome B. Wiesner, director of President Kennedy’s Office of Science and Technology, was asked in Voice of America interview whether an attempt to land astronauts on Mars in 1971 or 1973 “could be considered.” Dr. Wiesner replied: “I think it could be considered, but I don’t think it would be done. I think it is a very major effort, even considerably larger than the moon effort. We have made estimates of a Mars program cost and a round number like one hundred billion dollars seems to be a reasonable figure. It is obviously technically possible., [but] I doubt whether one could do it in the time period be- tween now and 1970 without just an unbelievable crash program. I think that before the century is out we will probably have done just that, and it would be interesting to do, but I don’t believe anyone can deny the vital reason for undertaking the program of the kind you are talking about.” (Transcript)
Speaking in New York on the history of television FCC Chairman Newton Minow said: “The year 1450 in Mainz, Germany, marked a watershed in history-the introduction of the printing press and with it the beginning of modern communication . . . . “In these terms, we are still at the beginning of television- the year 1465, so to speak. Even Telstar, with its present technological sophistication, is but a crude vision of what will soon be the everyday, global marriage of sight and sound. I believe television is now having an impact, on society as great as, if not greater than, the printing press had over the course of several centuries . . . .” (Text, CR, l/30/63, 1327-30)
Georg von Tiesenhausen, chief of future studies for NASA Launch 0perations Center, told IAS meeting in New York that by 1970 U.S. would need an orbiting space station to launch and repair spacecraft; space station could double as a manned scientific laboratory. Describing station 300-ft. long and 33-ft. in diameter, von Tiesenhausen said it could be launched in two sections by Saturn C-5 vehicles and joined together in space rendezvous. (L.A. Herald-Examiner, l/22/63)
Institute of Aerospace Sciences awarded its Honors and Awards for 1962: Honorary American Fellowship to Robert R. Gilruth, Director of NASA Manned Spacecraft Center; Louis W. Hill Space Transportation Award to Dr. C. Stark Draper, head of Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT and Director of Instrumentation Laboratory ; Sylvanus Albert Reed Award for achievement in theoretical investigation in aeronautical sciences to Walter C. Williams, Associate Director of NASA Manned Spacecraft Center; Lawrence B. Sperry Award to outstanding young man in aeronautics, Robert O. Piland, NASA Manned Spacecraft Center deputy manager of Project Apollo. NASA employees elected IAS fellows: John V. Becker, NASA Langley Research Center; Paul F. Bikle, NASA Flight Research Center; Dr. Hermann H. Kurzweg, NASA Office of Advanced Research and Technology ; and Walter C. Williams, NASA Manned Spacecraft Center. (MSC Space News Roundup, l/9/63, 1; A-N-AF Journal & Reg., l/5/63, 12; Av. Wk. l/21/63,23)
DOD announced establishment of Directorate for Classification Management, “designed to increase the flow of information, both general and technical, and to eliminate the unnecessary expense of protecting information which no longer warrants security classification . . . .” (DOD Release 79-63)
USAF'S 1962 launching of six tin dipoles into orbit was disclosed by W. E. Morrow of MIT, at annual IAS meeting. The 14-in. dipoles were launched to measure effects of solar pressure, air drag, and electrical drag on small objects, so that scientists could predict how long Project West Ford copper dipoles would remain aloft. Morrow said the special tin dipoles were following their predicted orbit and were still orbiting the earth. (Wash. Post,l/23/63, Al)
James A. Van Allen, speaking at science hearing of House Committee on Science and Astronautics, said: “The spectacular nature of many space achievements, especially those involving human passengers, is such that the space race stirs the enthusiasm of all but the most obtuse or superstitious persons, and makes possible widespread support by the tax-paying public.” (AP, Wash. Post, l/23/63)
Rear Adm. Hugh Stirling MacKenzie was named by British Admiralty to direct Polaris project in Britain. Appointment was "first step in implementing the decisions reached by President Kennedy and Prime Minister Macmillan at Nassau" to make Polaris missiles available for Royal Navy. (AP, Wash. Eve. Star, l/23/63)
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