Nov 27 1966
From The Space Library
Two propulsion developments emerging from engineering research might open Jupiter, the regions outside the solar system, and even the sun to closeup inspection during 1970s, said Dr. Homer Joe Stewart, manager of JPL's Advanced Studies Office. Developments were use of planetary gravitational drag and solar-electric propulsion. When a spacecraft neared a planet, it would gain speed from gravitational pull. While traveling under planet's gravitation attraction, it would pick up planet's own sun-orbit speed. This, added to spacecraft's momentum, would be enough to propel spacecraft past planet's gravitational field and toward another planet. Travel between gravitational fields would be powered by spacecraft's solar-electric system. Solar-electric propulsion would double useful payload for a Mars-orbiter mission, Dr. Stewart said, and it would offer the advantage of high specific impulse for a Jupiter flyby. (JPL Release; A&A, 12/66, 26-31)
Gen. Bernard A. Schriever (USAF, Ret.) said on ABC-TV's "Issues and Answers" that the US. should concentrate on developing better missiles rather than antimissile defense system. He said there was "a grave question with respect to the effectiveness" of an antimissile system aimed at stopping the sophisticated weapons the U.S.S.R. probably had. On the other hand, the US. could build a defense against the type of missile the Communist Chinese were presently capable of launching. Schriever said he believed US. missiles would get through the antimissile system reportedly being deployed in U.S.S.R. (AP, NYT, 11/28/66, 53)
Analysis of NASA LUNAR ORBITER I's orbit led to assumption that moon is homogeneous, not layered, Dr. G. L. Goudas of Boeing Scientific. Research Laboratories said in an interview with Walter Sullivan of the New York Times, He said its shape--flattened at the poles with several. bulges at the equator and slightly pear-like-was not "dominated by a `frozen tide.' " Gamma ray recordings by U.S.S.R.'s LUNA X spacecraft indicated similar conclusion; lunar surface lacked emissions typical of granites, which are associated with layering. (Sullivan, NYT, 11/27/66, E7)
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