Jul 14 1965
From The Space Library
A 44-day test of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Space Environment Simulator (SES) had just ended, GSFC announced. In this project, the early performance of a scientific spacecraft in orbit around the earth was compared to the performance of a sister craft "orbited" inside the Ses: the UK-D scientific spacecraft-backup model for ARIEL II (UK-II) launched successfully into earth orbit by U.K. March 27, 1964-was "flown" inside the Ses; flight plan for UK-D followed general flight plan of initial flight days of ARIEL II. Preliminary data indicated operation of the Ses was good throughout the test period. The spacecraft inside the simulator even experienced the same minor malfunction its sister spacecraft had experienced in orbit. (GSFC Release G-17--65)
Speaking before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of his bill calling for a three-year feasibility study of this country's adopting the metric system, Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-R.I,) said: "Should Canada follow Great Britain's example and convert, the United States would be virtually the only remaining country that uses a system of weights and measures based on other than the metric system. Actually, 90 percent of the people in the world use metric measures right now," The proposed three-year Dept, of Commerce study, Senator Pell said, would include not only a detailed estimate of the cost of conversion, but also a statement of the possible side benefits in foreign trade. (AP, NYT, 7/15/65, 35)
U.S.S.R.'s Zond II-launched Nov. 30, 1964-was believed still racing toward Mars, but with its radio power dead. Although Zond II's specific mission was not disclosed. Tass had announced it was intended to "test the systems of the spacecraft in practical conditions of a prolonged space flight and to accumulate experience," Tass had also said "unprecedented" plasma-jet engines were powering the Mars probe. (UPI, Houston Chron, 7/14/65)
A full-scale model of NASA's MARINER IV Mars probe went on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air Museum. Panels explaining the Mariner program would also be displayed; photographs of the Martian surface would be added to the exhibit as they were received. (NASA Release 65-231)
12 delta-winged Mirage IV jet bombers flew across the Paris sky for the first time to open France's annual Bastille Day parade. Two days earlier, the French Atomic Energy Commission had announced production of a smaller, more powerful replacement for the bulky 60-kt, atomic bomb now carried by the Mirage IV. (Breastrup, Balt. Sun, 7/15/65)
Commenting on the U.S. need for a Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL), Lt, Gen. Ira C. Eaker (USAF, Ret.) said in the San Antonio Express: "The nearly simultaneous launch of NASA's Gemini and Air Force's Titan III-C caused some commentators to suggest that there is competition and rivalry in the space effort. Investigation convinces me that there is complete collaboration and accord between NASA and the military in the space program, "There is now little reason to doubt that NASA will succeed with Apollo, the Moon mission, Our continued leadership in the exploration of the peaceful uses of space seems assured. "It is now time to survey where we stand in the military implications and dangers from space. ... "The first step in a needed military space program, which the Air Force earnestly and urgently proposes, is a Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL). It is visualized as an experimental space station in low orbit to determine what man can profitably do in space. "The anti-MOL advocates have suggested that the fall-out from the NASA space program will provide all the building blocks to produce military space vehicles quickly when the need is more clearly evident. Fall-out from the automobile industry did not provide the Patton tank. It was necessary to cut and try, build and test many experimental tanks over a period of 25 years, "Building blocks from civil air transports did not produce the B-52 bomber. We had to build and test 51 earlier bomber models. Effective space weapons will never come solely from the fall-out from the NASA program, "MOL is said to be held up until the Air Force can precisely define and defend a military mission which MOL can be certain to accomplish. To require anyone to visualize and indicate definitely and in detail now, all that man may ultimately do in space, would be like having asked the Wright brothers in 1910 to lay down the specifications for a supersonic transport." (Eaker, San Antonio Ex- press, 7/14/65, 18)
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