Mar 2 1965
From The Space Library
Two seconds after lift-off, NASA's Atlas-Centaur 5, carrying a dummy Surveyor spacecraft, exploded and burned on Launch Pad 36-B at Cape Kennedy. Failure occurred when two of the three Atlas engines shut off simultaneously due to closing of a fuel-line valve. The 1S0-ton, 108-ft. rocket rose three ft. from the pad, then fell back to the ground and exploded. Although burning propellant covered most of the launch complex, no injuries to personnel were reported. Damage to the launching pad was estimated at $5 million. Objectives of the Atlas-Centaur test had been to test the ability of its guidance system and hydrogen-powered second stage to send a payload the size of the 2,150-lb, Surveyor on a precise path moon and to evaluate how well the mock-up Surveyor spacecraft would withstand the stresses of launching. (AP, Phil. Eve. Bull., 3/2/65; UPI, Chic. Trib., 3/2/65; AP, NYT, 3/3/65; Av. Wk., 3/8/65)
NASA invited international scientific community to propose research experiments and design studies for upcoming missions, primarily those scheduled between 1967 and 1970, and to propose space investigations not presently scheduled. In addition, they were invited to suggest experiments (1) involving the design and construction of entire spacecraft and (2) involving special characteristics or requirements calling for the development of a new Explorer spacecraft or for scheduling of additional missions for Explorers already developed. Proposals would be evaluated on scientific merit, technological feasibility, competence and experience of investigator, assurance of institutional support, and scientific adequacy of apparatus suggested. Proposal deadline: Jan, 1, 1966. (NASA Release 65-70)
In a letter of explanation to Congress, NASA discussed priorities in the FY 1966 budget: ". . . As the President pointed out when he submitted the budget to the Congress, 'It is a budget of priorities. It provides for what we must do, but not for all we would like to do.' In assessing priorities and the most urgent national needs, the 260-inch solid propellant rocket program, the M-1 liquid hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine capable of providing 1½ million pounds of thrust, and the SNAP-8 nuclear electric power generating system to provide 35 kilowatts of electrical power in space could not be supported in the Fiscal Year 1966 budget. ". . . [NASA] is, therefore, preparing plans for reprogramming Fiscal Year 1965 funds so as to logically phase out these program activities in such a way as to obtain as much technical information as is possible for future use. ... Every effort is being made to achieve the greatest possible benefit from the funds already invested." (Text)
Prof. Thomas Gold, Cornell Univ. astronomer, discussing RANGER VIII photographs in an interview with John Lear, World Book Encyclopedia Science Service, Inc., suggested that long, narrow rills and irregular depressions could be caused by moon's surface collapsing into crevasses opened by the movement of a glacier hidden beneath lunar dust. He attributed gently rounded shapes to a shifting of small particles by electrical forces which, on earth, were inhibited by atmosphere. Concerning the manned expedition, Gold indicated: "The presence of ice oceans could give rise to many problems. But once these were solved, the ice itself could be mined and used to make hydrogen for fuel for rockets returning to Earth." Referring to the electrically-charged particles: "Many particles would be dislodged mechanically by the landing of a spacecraft or the footstep of a man. Once loose, the dust would jump in response to electrical attraction or repulsion, If particles landed on the astronaut's visor, brushing wouldn't remove them but would instead intensify the electrical charges affecting their behavior." Dr. Gold recommended more re- search on possible control of these electrical forces. (Lear, Houston Chron., 3/2/65; Ind. Star, 3/7/65; WBE Sci. Serv.)
A $1,366,511 contract for construction of a high temperature heat load testing facility at NASA Flight Research Center was awarded to Santa Fe Engineers, Inc. The facility would be capable of producing temperatures up to 3,000° F on small isolated areas of aircraft; larger areas could be heated up to about 600°. Contract was awarded by Army Corps of Engineers, which was administering it for NASA. (FRC Release 9-65)
A $1,260,000 contract to build an addition to Central Computer Facility at Slidell, La., had been awarded by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center to Quinn Construction Co., New Orleans, La. The computer facility was used to support the Michoud Operations in New Orleans and the Mississippi Test Operations, Hancock County, Miss. (FC Release 65-48)
In a Christian Science Monitor editorial, Leonard Schwartz posed the problem of "how the capability represented by manned orbiting space stations can be used to enhance national security and promote peaceful-scientific uses of outer space." Schwartz suggested formation of an inspection agency-International Space Patrol-to neutralize military potential represented by manned space stations and to ensure usage of outer space for peaceful purposes only. He pointed out that Vice President Humphrey, one of the first proponents of an arms control agency and an international space agency, was now Chairman of National Aeronautics and Space Council, on which sat the Secretaries of Defense and State and administrators of AEC and NASA. This position provided him with "an appropriate vantage to supervise their arms control capabilities in order to reach a national decision which would reconcile control with security and scientific use of outer space." (CSM, 3/2/65, 4)
March 2-3: In testimony before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Advanced Research and Technology, Edmond C. Buckley, Director of NASA’s Office of Tracking and Data Acquisition, said that during 1965, data processing facilities would handle 70,000,000 data points per day and that there would be an increase to 200,000,000 data points per day in 1966. He continued: "In fiscal year 1966, effort under this category will be directed toward developing and evaluating techniques for building up the existing telemetry data reduction capability to match the increasing requirements. In order to reduce this tremendous amount of data in an efficient and reliable manner, new techniques must be evaluated for obtaining this additional capability, "The heart of this prototype system is the Satellite Telemetry Automatic Reduction System (Stars). The development program for this system was initiated in prior years and is planned to continue through fiscal year 1968. The Stars equipment presently includes automatic editing, decommutation, and calibration of the telemetry data. Functions in addition to these will be included in the prototype equipment as the developmental subsystems become available. . . ." (Testimony; NASA Auth. Hearings, 1-87)
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