July 1966
From The Space Library
Teofilo M. Tabanera, president of Argentina's Comision Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales (CNIE) , reviewed accomplishments and current plans of space program in the Air University Review. Since creation of CNIE in 1960, Argentina had organized meetings to promote interest in space research and conducted experiments in aeronomy, ionospheric studies, cosmic radiation, and meteorology, launching balloons and rockets from Chamical Rocket Range. Current plans included: (1) continuation of Centaure sounding rocket launches for wind studies, using "luminous-trails" technique; (2) cooperation in inter-American experimental meteorological sounding rocket research network (EXAMETNET) under agreement with NASA to launch boosted Darts and Arcas rockets; and (3) launchings of sounding rockets to study cosmic radiation and ionospheric phenomena. (Air Univ. Review, 7-8/66)
Quasars, once believed rare, might account for 28 per cent of the radio sources in space, Dr. John D. Wyndham, research fellow at Cal Tech, reported on the basis of 10-mo. research project. Dr. Wyndham had located all 328 sources listed in Third Cambridge Catalog of Radio Objects, then identified many of them with visible light sources, increasing the number of identifications to more than 150. Identification of radio noise source with a visible light source was first step in determining its distance and confirming that it was a quasar, he explained. (AP, NYT, 7/6/66, 35)
Six years of exploratory work at JPL and NASA centers on practical problems of landing on Mars was summarized by R. P. Thompson of JPL in Astronautics & Aeronautics. He concluded that: (1) design of first. lander should be simple and conservative, and capable of thorough testing so that no single failure mode would cause "catastrophic failure of mission"; (2) independent backup should be provided for every critical event in landing sequence with "selective redundance to achieve high reliability; and (3) capsule should be instrumented to allow diagnosis of failures. (A&A, 7/66, 66-73)
David H. Stoddard, M.D., Director of NASA Occupational Medical Division, cited in Hospital Topics two "ideal" physiological monitors developed in space medicine-biotelemetry, which permitted immediate observation of data, although subject was aware he was being monitored; and electrocardiocording, which did not allow immediate observation but "permits the subject to go where he pleases, do what he pleases and to almost forget that he is being monitored." (Hospital Topics, 7/66, 39)
Czechoslovakian radio correspondent Jan Petranek reported: "Usually well-informed Moscow circles have stated that in the next few years the Soviet Union will have a spaceship weighing 100 tons at its disposal." (Wash. Post, 7/25/66, A2)
Patent for system with direction finder that would assure ground stations continuous and efficient communication with orbiting satellites was granted electronics engineers Henry P. Hutchingson, Applied Research Lab., Sylvania Electronic Systems, and Dr. Paul R. Arendt, Army Electronic Command Labs., Fort Monmouth, N.J. Equipment could also correct "Doppler frequency effect" caused by relative movement of satellite and station. (Jones, NYT, 7/23/66, 29)
60 per cent of the Nation's commercial airlift capability was immobilized by the International Assn. of Machinists walkout, which began July 8. (Av. Wk., 7/25/66, 41)
Click here to listen to an interview recorded during this month with Gemini program manager Cliff Charlesworth.
- June 1966
- July
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