Jul 26 1968
From The Space Library
NASA Aerobee 150 MI sounding rocket launched from WSMR, carried Columbia Radiation Laboratory experiment to 88.3-mi (142-km) altitude to examine x-ray polarization of Sco XR-1 in 10- to 25-key region with x-ray polarimeter. Rocket and instruments performed satisfactorily. Experiment worked as expected, but some counter or electronic failure, or both, occurred during early part of flight. (NASA Rpt Km)
USAF-sponsored unidentified flying object (UFO) investigation by Univ. of Colorado concluded April 30 had become "mired in controversy," said Science. Its Director, Dr. Edward U. Condon, had refused to discuss situation and critics were saying project was "biased and less than diligent investigation." Chief targets for criticism were Dr. Condon and project coordinator Robert J. Low, while "most substantial" critics were James E MacDonald, Univ. of Arizona senior physicist, and Northwestern Univ. astronomer Dr. J. Allen Hynek, USAF'S chief UFO consultant, who feared Dr. Condon would recommend against further serious UFO study. Dr. Condon's supporters had noted criticism was based on newspaper quotes, on his delight in humorous UFO anecdotes, statements from project members who had been fired, and memo writ- ten by a subordinate before project began. They did not find evidence convincing, Science said. (Boffey, Science, 7/26/68, 339-42)
Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories scientists John W. Salisbury and Graham R. Hunt reported in Science they had found hypothesis of particle-size control of albedo incompatible with hypothesis of abundant limonite on Mars. Their observations indicated that proposal that polarimetric, spectrometric, color, and albedo measurements of light and dark areas on Mars proved limonite was major soil constituent was irreconcilable with proposal that variations in size of particle could be responsible for albedo difference between light and dark areas. They showed relative albedo was reversed from blue to red for limonite samples with different-sized particles. Observations of Mars revealed no blue-red albedo reversal between areas. Although evidence was insufficient for choice between hypotheses, they believed Mars soil was most likely, for geological reasons, to be composed of silicates stained or coated with ferric oxides. (Science, 7/26/68, 365-6)
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