Jun 16 1964
From The Space Library
NASA ordered a third OAO (Orbiting Astronomical Observatory) and took an option on two more, from Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp., prime contractor for the current OAO program. If only one satellite were purchased the contract would be more than $20 million, and if all three were purchased the contract would total more than $50 million. (NASA Release 64-142)
House Subcommittee on NASA Oversight of House Committee on Science and Astronautics issued a report on its hearings on the repeated failures in the Ranger spacecraft program. The committee concluded that NASA provided too little direction on Ranger, while JPL was too resistant to following NASA orders when they were issued. To strengthen management over JPL, the committee recommended: (1) JPL should be restricted to doing the work of a center rather than that of an industrial contractor; (2) a general manager with industrial experience should be appointed as deputy to JPL director to be in charge of complex projects such as Ranger; (3) NASA should streamline its relationship to JPL to achieve JPL responsiveness to NASA direction. (Text; Finney, NYT, 6/17/64; Wash. Post, 6/17/64)
Scientist R. M. Lemmon told lunar exploration symposium at MSC that he would recommend officially that astronauts returning from trips to the moon be quarantined for at least three weeks "for the protection of everybody." He said that astronauts might pick up disease-causing organisms during their stay on the moon "which may be totally different from anything we have here on earth." (Wash. Post, 6/17/64)
Dr. Edward C. Welsh, NASC Executive Secretary, dedicated J-4 propulsion engine test cell at Arnold Engineering Development Center. He said: "In recent years, there has been much talk about a "space race'. There is such a race and we should not forget it for a minute. However, we must not let the pace of our national space program be deter-mined just by the actions of others. Actually, the real opponent in the space race is time." We must continue "to push technology vigorously," and "recognize the importance to the national space program of adequate technical facilities." In answer to reporters" questions following dedication, Dr. Welsh said the U.S.S.R. still led the U.S. in the space race and was speeding up its program. (Text; Clark, NYT, 6/17/64)
Western Materials Co. was awarded a $1,178,517 contract by the Army Corps of Engineers for construction of roads at NASA's Mississippi Test Facility. (DOD Release 464-64)
FAA announced plans to celebrate the formal beginning of postwar international cooperation in civil aviation twenty years ago. It was in November 1944 that the U.S. convened the International Civil Aviation Conference in Chicago, resulting in the Convention of International Civil Aviation signed by the 52 attending nations. ( FAA Release 64-60)
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