Mar 27 1964
From The Space Library
ARIEL II (UK-C) scientific earth satellite, the second in series of three U.S.-U.K. satellites, was orbited by NASA Scout booster launched from Wallops Island, Va. Initial orbital data: 843-mi. apogee, 180-mi. perigee, 101-min. period, and 52° inclination to the equator. Under overall administrative responsibility of the British Office of the Minister for Science, the three onboard experiments were designed and built by the U.K. to measure vertical distribution of ozone in the upper atmosphere, measure galactic radio noise, and detect micrometeoroids encountered by the satellite. The experiments Were chosen by the British National Committee on Space Research, chaired by Sir Harrie Massey, in consultation with NASA. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center built and tested the spacecraft and contracted with Westinghouse Electric Corp. for subsystems. (Wallops Release 6430; NASA Release 64-56)
COSMOS XXVII satellite was launched into orbit by U.S.S.R. Announced orbital data were: 237-km. (147-mi.) apogee; 192-km. (119-mi.) perigee; 88.7-min. period; and 64.8° inclination to the equator. Soviet news agency Tass said the satellite carried scientific instrumentation intended for the "further study of outer space in accordance with the program announced by Tass" March 16, 1962, as well as radio transmitter and telemetering systems. All onboard equipment was functioning normally. (Tass, Pravda, 3/28/64, 1, ATSS-T Trans.)
X-15 No. 1 flown by USAF pilot Maj. Robert Rushworth to maximum speed of 3,920 mph (mach 5.76) and altitude of 101,000 ft., in flight near Edwards AFB, Calif. For the flight a special camera was installed in the plane's fuselage to test optical degradation caused by temperatures of up to 1,200° F. This was the 103rd flight of the rocket research aircraft (NASA X-15 Proj. Off.; UPI, Chic. Trib., 3/28/64)
Dr. Hari K. Sen, research scientist in Space Physics at USAF OAR's Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories, had shown that evaporation of solar corona was largely responsible far origin of the solar wind, OAR announced. Dr. Sen evolved simple physical theory explaining how electrons and protons of solar winds escape solar corona, then compared his results with observed interplanetary electron densities and with experimental data obtained from spacecraft on solar winds near the earth. His theory agreed, in order of magnitude, with experimental data and gave estimate of interplanetary electron density beyond observed range out from the sun. He set critical altitude for escape at about four solar radii, about 1,300,000 mi. above the visible solar disc. (OAR Release 3-64-5)
World Book Encyclopedia announced 14 new NASA astronauts had been added to the 16 astronauts with four-year contracts for newspaper distribution rights to their life stories. World Book-a unit of Field Enterprises Educational Corp.-also said the astronauts had signed separate contracts with Life magazine. (AP, NYT, 3/28/64, 20)
Severe earthquake caused major damage in southern Alaska, and President Johnson declared a major disaster area in Alaska. There was no apparent damage at NASA tracking station near Fairbanks, although tremors were felt. Cape Kennedy rose and fell about 21/4 in. because of seismic wave from Alaskan earthquake, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey said. Earth movement at. Cape Kennedy was greatest in U.S. (NYT, 3/29/64,1; AP, Kansas City Star, 5/10/64)
NASA Lewis Research Center announced award of $797,200 contract for construction of concrete-lined shaft for the 500-ft. gravity facility, to Patrick Harrison, Inc. The underground shaft would be first phase of construction of largest zero-gravity facility in the U.S. Completion of the facility was expected this year. (LRC Release 64-30)
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