Sep 10 1962
From The Space Library
NASA Project Mercury officials postponed for three days the 6-orbit space flight of Astronaut Walter M. Schirra (MA-8), now scheduled for September 28. Delay was to permit further time for flight preparation.
AEC-DOD announced that a "few" atmospheric tests would be conducted with nuclear devices dropped from airplanes, beginning late this month. Extension of atmospheric series, originally planned to end in July, was expected to end in 60 days. In addition to the atmospheric tests, plans called for three more high-altitude explosions, to be conducted with rocket-launched nuclear devices and at altitudes below 100 mi. to avoid creation of further radiation belts.
NASA indicated it would begin series of flights with an inflatable paraglider in mid-1963. Flights would provide information on frequency and size of micrometeoroid particles in space and allow post-flight laboratory study of impacts caused by such particles. Paraglider would be launched by Aerobee research rocket from White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) to height of 700,000 ft., and would descend to earth at speed of mach 5. Its re-entry path would be almost straight down—at an angle of 82°. Inflated paraglider would be 14-ft. long with span of 18 ft.; it would weigh 170 lbs. during launch and 85 lbs. during re-entry.
Fire in simulated space cabin at SAM, Brooks AFB, Texas, caused serious smoke-inhalation injuries to Capt. Carl C. Fletcher, Jr. (USAF), one of two men spending 13th consecutive day in cabin; his partner, Capt. Dean B. Smith (USAF), escaped serious injury. Atmosphere in the sealed cabin was almost pure oxygen when fire occurred. Airman 1/C Henry W. Hail broke the cabin's seal, quickly depressurized it, and brought out the two men. Cause of fire, which badly damaged the cabin, was unknown.
Soviet delegate Platon D. Morozov demanded that U.N. Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space reach agreement on legal aspects of space exploration before considering scientific and technical program, at opening meeting of Committee's autumn 1962 session. Morozov argued that U.S. high-altitude nuclear test in July had caused atmospheric radiation that imperiled the lives of Soviet cosmonauts; he also commented that international space cooperation would be possible only "in a disarmed world." When U.S. delegate Francis T. P. Plimpton said he hoped Mr. Morozov was not trying to "block progress" on technical issues, Morozov said U.S.S.R. had accepted "in principle" the recommendations of the scientific and technical committee and later added that his Government would not make agreement on international technical cooperation dependent upon acceptance of Soviet views on legal issues. Committee finally agreed to consider the two subcommittee reports jointly. Subcommittee on international space law had met in Geneva last summer but had failed to reach agreement.
David J. Mann of Thiokol Chemical Corp. told American Chemical Society that Thiokol was developing new rocket fuel, oxygen difluoride, 15% more powerful than current rocket fuels. Used as oxidizer with such substances as diborane or monomethylhydrazine, oxygen difluoride could save 7 ft. in length and 350 lbs. in weight on an Apollo-type launch vehicle. Other claimed advantages were improved storability and capacity to remain in liquid form under wider range of conditions than possible with liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen. New fuel's density would permit large amounts to be stored in smaller volume.
Communist China announced that U.S.-built "U-2 plane of the Chiang bandit group intruded into the airspace of East China on the morning of September 9 and was shot down by the air force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army." The U.S. confirmed that the U-2 missing over East China was one of two sold to Nationalist China by Lockheed Aircraft Corp. in 1960.
Tass announced death of Maj. Gen. Vladimir Y. Klimov of Soviet Corps of Engineers. General Klimov developed V.K. jet engine used in MiG-15 and MiG-17 fighter planes.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
