June 1967
From The Space Library
NASA had failed to locate SURVEYOR III's transmitting frequency after repeated attempts to reactivate spacecraft since May 23. Efforts to reestablish contact would be resumed on a limited basis after end of third lunar night which would begin July 1. (NASA Proj Off; SBD, 6/5/67,194)
Contract to develop ESRO's TD-1 and TD-2, largest satellites to be designed in Europe, had been awarded to MESH consortium. European members of MESH-Engins Matra of France, E.R.N.O. of West Germany, S.A.A.B. of Sweden, Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Limited of Great Britain-would get œ8-million contract to develop the two satellites; Engins Matra would be prime contractor. Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Limited and Engins Matra had jointly designed, developed, and manufactured Esro II satellite. TD-1 and TD-2 would be launched in 1970 and 1971 and would perform astrophysics missions. (S /F , 6/67, 198)
Full size dynamic model of Canadian Defence Research Board's ISIS-A third ionosphere satellite for Canada-had successfully completed series of vibration tests at GSFC. Joint Canadian/U.S. program of International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies would include ISIS-B and ISIS-C during the 1960s as solar activity would pass through its intensity, causing a variety of changes in ionosphere and outer space. Launch of ISIS-A was planned for early 1968 [see Mar. 231. Like its predecessors (Alouettes I and II) , ISIS-A would be spheroid and have 11,000 solar cells on its outer surface to power internal batteries. (S/F, 6/67, 197-8)
Variety of ion engines could be used in satellite station keeping and attitude control, and solar-powered ion engines for primary propulsion would be feasible for Voyager-class missions of early 1970s, Space/Aeronautics reported. Nuclear-powered ion propulsion was still about a decade off. (S/A, 6/67,92)
Computer system which furnished selected scientists with biweekly listings of the new technical developments in their fields was put into operation at Ft. Monmouth, N.J. Hq of USA Electronics Command. Designated Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI), system utilized abstracts of scientific and engineering reports prepared at Defense Documentation Center, Cameron, VA. Abstracts were classified into 7,144 subjects, inserted into computers, and then registered on reels of magnetic tape bearing document profiles of subscribers. Ft. Monmouth Commander M/G William B. Latta said the goal of the system was "to increase the productivity of our technical personnel by making sure that each scientist is kept abreast of the latest work in his specialty. "Our researchers will thus be able to make maximum use of the scientific advances of their co-workers throughout the country and avoid costly duplication." (Lyons, NYT, 6/2/67, 22)
Col. Maynard E. White (USAF, Ret.), former Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, USAF Hq. in Europe, was appointed Director of Manned Space Flight Program Control, OMSF. (NASA Ann)
- June
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