Jul 1 1963
From The Space Library
NASA announced selection of Boeing Aircraft Co. to negotiate contract for four-month study of lunar base concept. Study would be first phase of broad lunar base study program to deter mine feasibility of such a project following Project Apollo. (NASA Release 63-145)
NASA Administrator James E. Webb, quoted in press interview, expressed his hope that Congress would continue its record of consistently taking "the necessary action to support the space pro gram . . . As the space program builds up toward pre-eminence for the United States, a position we are rapidly approaching, the space agency is endeavoring to obtain the maximum space value for each dollar it spends and has made an excellent record in this regard .... [But] the successful and expeditious carrying out of the programs recommended in the President's budget will require the $5,712,000,000 which he recommended . . . ." (Hines, Wash. Eve. Star, 7/1/63)
Letter from RCA Chairman David Sarnoff to Sen. Warren Magnuson, Commerce Committee Chairman, and Rep. Oren Harris, Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee Chairman, made public. Repeating his view that commercial communications carriers be consolidated under Communications Satellite Corp., Sarnoff charged that the proposal for separate, competing carriers (advocated in June 18 letter to Congress) would "turn back the clock" and be a "disservice to the public and an exercise in futility." He urged Congress undertake public hearings aimed at providing "powerful impetus" to search for unified U.S. communications policy. (Wall Street Journal, 7/1/63)
Reported that DOD cost study of Titan III launch vehicle concluded total development cost of Titan III "exclusive of mission payload adaptations" would be $808.3 million. Study concluded the military space booster would repay its development costs over three or four years of operation-conclusion based on predictable and expectable payload launchings within booster's capability. (Space Bus. Daily, 7/1/63)
International Academy of Astronautics announced 1963 Daniel and Florence Guggenheim International Astronautics Award would be awarded to Prof. Marcel Nicolet, Director of Centre National de Recherches de l'Espace in Belgium. Prof. Nicolet's achievements in aeronomy and planetary atmospheres included that of accurately predicting existence of earth's helium belt, later verified by space probes. Award would be presented during IAF XIVth Congress in Paris next autumn. (IAA Release No. 15)
A. O. Tischler, NASA Launch Vehicles and Propulsion Assistant Director (for Propulsion), quoted as saying combustion instability problem of F-1 rocket engine was now "under control," in Missiles and Rockets. Installation of mechanical isolator separated oscillations in engine pump from oscillations in fuel system. "Since that time the engine has been tested under the most severe conditions and there has been no evidence of combustion instability." (M&R, 7/1/63)
Hitchhiker radiation monitor satellite on DOD unidentified satellite launched June 27, 1963, with Thor-Agena vehicle, was ejected and fired kick motor to attain higher apogee. Satellite measuring magnetically trapped electrons and protons of all significant energy levels showed relation between solar flares and low-energy particles in solar plasma. No distinct division between inner and outer Van Allen radiation belts was found, but instead a gradual transition. (Pres. Rpt. on Space,1963,1/27/64)
USAF Minuteman ICBM "met all its test objectives" in 5,000-mi. flight from silo launch, Cape Canaveral. (UPI, Wash. Post, 7/2/63) )
U.S. Army Nike-Zeus antimissile missile performed successfully in development test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. (M&R, 7/8/63,10)
Dr. Robert W. Buchheim became USAF Chief Scientist, replacing Dr. Launor F. Carter. Dr. Buchheim was formerly head of RAND Corp., Aero-Astronautics Dept. (DOD Release 690-63)
The 6555th Aerospace Test Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla., was placed under the command of the Space Systems Division (AFSC), Los Angeles, Calif. The Wing was previously assigned to the Baltic Systems Division, Norton AFB, Calif. (A-N AF Journal and Register, Jan., 1964)
Restructuring placed the AF Materials Laboratory, the AF Avionics Laboratory, the AF Aero-Propulsion Laboratory and the AF Flight Dynamics Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB, under the operational control of RTD, Bolling AFB. (AFSC Operational Highlights 12)
FBM program had at this date as its objective the deployment of additional submarines carrying the Polaris A-2 missiles and the deployment in 1964 of FBM submarines carrying Polaris A-3 missiles. Thirty-five SSBN's and four tenders were authorized with long lead time items authorized for an additional six SSBN's. (Polaris Chronology, 1955-63)
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