January 1963
From The Space Library
Series of Gemini parachute design qualification tests was successfully completed at El Centro, Calif., for NASA Manned Spacecraft Center. Parachute system would undergo two more test series before qualification; system would be backup mechanism for two-man Gemini spacecraft recovery in case of water landings. (MSC Roundup, 1/23/63,1)
USAF Space Systems Division requested proposals from 34 firms for development of medium-altitude communications satellite system. (M&R, 2/4/63,11)
Basic concepts of USAF five-year space plan contained in published article by Lt. Gen. James Ferguson, USAF DCS/R&T. Specific military objectives in space were: (1) to develop those military capabilities now believed required for national security; and (2) advance technology in space (i.e., “building blocks”) which can be converted to military space systems. USAF was primarily interested, he said, in space from the earth‘s surface to the stationary orbit (22,000 mi.). (A-N-AF Journal & Reg.. 2/3/63,9,22f)
New members of House Committee on Science and Astronautics of the 88th Congress: Democrats-Richard J. Patten (N.J.), Richard Fulton (Tenn.) , Don Fuqutt (Fla.) , Neil Staebler (Mich.), and Carl Albert (Majority Leader-Okla.); Republicans-Donald Rumsfeld (Ill.), James D. Weaver (Pa.), Edward J. Gurney (Fla.), and John W. Wydler (N.Y.). (NASA AC; AP, Wash. Post, 1/25/63)
NASA simplified its launch vehicle terminology for the Saturn space booster series: Saturn C-1 became “Saturn I”; Saturn C-1B became “Saturn I-B”; and Saturn C-5 became “Saturn V.” (MA, Holmes)
In International Geophysics Bulletin, NASA proposed contributions to IQSY (1964-65) were outlined. Prominently among them: sounding rockets; ionosphere explorers and monitors ; atmospheric structure satellite; Oso, Ego, Pogo satellites; Imp, Pioneer, Mariner, and Surveyor probes. (IG Bulletin, 1/63, 12-19)
Engineers Joint Council issued report, The Nation’s Engineering Research Needs, 1965-85, which concluded :
- (1) present system of allocating resources to U.S. R&D is producing imbalance in technical effort;
- (2) non-defense agencies of Government do not have adequate research programs relating to problems in public sector of the economy ;
- (3) R&D by private industry is influenced heavily by Government R&D allocations; and
- (4) R&D efforts applied to creating new materials and products have been highly successful, but have not been matched by development of systems to utilize these products and materials efficiently.
EJC recommended:
- (1) periodic review of U.S. R&D allocations and “their compatibility with national goals” ;
- (2) council and professional societies make periodic studies of technical and social problems to which engineering profession should make significant contributions, but "for which engineering programs and institutions appear to be inadequate";
- (3) educational institutions and professional societies expand their programs of systems engineering “aimed at optimizing the technical engineering and social systems within which improved materials and devices perform their designed functions.” (Industrial Research, 1/63, 5)
Reported that General Electric scientists had succeeded in refining junction laser to point where output wavelength can be selected for optimum system performance by changing the chemical composition of the crystal. Output wavelength can be selected in the range from perhaps below 6,200 angstrom units to near 8,400 angstrom units. (Industrial Research, 1/63)
Yuri Marinin, Soviet space writer, wrote in article translated by U.S. Dept. of Commerce’s Office of Technical Services that “earth-orbit rendezvous” method of manned lunar flight “is regarded as the most practical.” (Wash. Eve. Star, 1/26/63, A5)
John C. Sanders, chief of Dynamics and Controls Branch, NASA Lewis Research Center, obtained patent for and made preliminary design of interplanetary rocket using solar rays as energy source. Rocket uses 200-ft.-wide aluminized mylar mirror to gather solar. (Marshall Star, 1/9/63,3)
Series of studies for Congressional Joint Economic committee reported that status of resources in U.S.S.R. force Soviet leaders to choose which of three areas to emphasize-ICBM production, anti-missile defense, or space flight - with inescapable detriment to other two areas. (M&R, 1/7/63, 17)
According to three Ling-Temco-Vought aerospace scientists, astronauts operating outside their capsules in outer space would have considerable difficulty estimating distances to other objects, even of known size Results of experiments suggest that observers cannot make accurate distance estimates without the aid of some kind of artificial ranging device. The accuracy of visual observation will affect the complexity of the guidance system and the total thrust requirement for close-in maneuvering. For this reason, man’s visual performance capability must be defined as accurately as are other design data for successful space missions. (Ling-Temco-Vought, Inc.; Space Information Digest, Vol. 4, No. 4, 1/28/63)
Dr. Douglas McKie, Univ. of London, writing in Jan. 1963 Endeavour, traced the history of the metric system, a subject of renewed interest in the U.K. since Parliament was considering the adoption of the metric system of weights and measures. Dr. McKie pointed out that the recent adoption of the wavelength of a line in the spectrum of krypton-86 as the basis for an international unit of length was the realization of an old French dream at the time of the adoption of the metric system - the use of an invariable natural standard. At the time of the French Revolution, Dr. McKie asserted, France had become weary of the chaos of variable systems of weights and measures and the government and the National Academy urged the States-General to adopt a national system. The States-General authorized the Academy to formulate a system of weights and measures based on measurement of an arc of the meridian as the universal standard and decimals as the notation system. This was done by 1793, but Revolutionary politics intervened, having done away with the States-General and even replaced the Academy. Not until Dec. 10,1799, did the new standards become legal, and by then it had been discovered that the earth was not a perfect sphere and therefore that the am of the meridian was not the invariable standard the Academy had thought. (SIN, Mar. 1963,ll-13)
A new submarine cable extension 700 nautical miles in length and due for completion by late August 1963, would be laid in two links-one from Grand Turk Island AFB to Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico; the second from Ramey to Coolidge AFB, Antigua, B.W.I.- to substantially increase operational control at Cape Canaveral by providing downrange tracking and telemetry inputs faster and more reliably. The present operational system extends from the Cape to Grand Turk. (M&R, 1/14/63,28)
“Wernher von Braun answers your Questions about Space” article in Popular Science magazine
- January
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