Sep 13 1965
From The Space Library
In a Cabinet report for President Johnson, NASA Deputy Administrator Hugh L. Dryden said: "The primary objective of the Gemini V mission to demonstrate man's ability to function in the space environment for 8 days and to qualify the spacecraft systems under these conditions was met. This milestone duplicated the period required for the manned lunar exploration mission. "Gemini V also demonstrated the capability of man to withstand prolonged periods of weightlessness. The adaptability of the human body was indicated by the performance of the astronauts, For example, their heartbeat rates gradually dropped to a level significantly lower than their preflight normal rates, but by the fourth day, adapted to the weightless condition and leveled off. Upon return to Earth, the heartbeat rates were slightly higher than normal, as expected, but returned to normal rates during the second day. This has assured us of man's capability to travel to the Moon and return." (Pres. Doc, 9/20/65, 258)
President Johnson, in a statement to the Cabinet on strengthening academic capability for science, said: "Almost all of the Federal research money is provided to produce results that are needed now and in the future to achieve our many national goals in health, in defense, in space, in agriculture, and so on, Of the total provided to universities, 34 percent comes from the National Institutes of Health, 23 percent from the Department of Defense, 9 percent from NASA, 6 percent from the AEC, and 4 percent from Agriculture, Only 13 percent is provided by the National Science Foundation-the only agency which supports science and science education as such." (Pres, Doc., 9/20/65, 268)
First flight model of S-IVB, second stage of NASA's Saturn IB booster, was en route via water from Douglas Aircraft Co, Sacramento, to Kennedy Space Center, NASA, where it might be flown as early as December in the first launch of an Apollo flight-type spacecraft. (Marshall Star, 9/22/65, 10)
Two USAF Athena missiles were fired within hours of each other from Green River, Utah, into the White Sands Missile Range, Vehicle performance was said to have been good. (DOD Press Office; M&R, 9/27/65, 15)
Philip E. Culbertson became Director of Lunar Mission Studies, Advanced Manned Missions Program Office, Office of Manned Space Flight, NASA Hq, Culbertson would direct studies concerning manned exploration of the moon in the time period following Project Apollo. Before joining NASA, he had been associated with General Dynamics/Astronautics since 1958, where he was Chief Project Engineer for Atlas launch vehicle systems, manager of the Atlas launch vehicle systems engineering and reliability program, manager and director of manned space studies, and director of advanced development. (NASA Release 65-308)
Dr. Charles C. Price, president of the American Chemical Society, told the annual meeting of the Society in Atlantic City that the synthesis of life should be made a national goal: "We have been making fantastic strides in uncovering the basic chemistry of the life process and the structure of many of the key components of living systems. . The political, social, biological and economic consequences of such a breakthrough would dwarf those of either atomic energy or the space program. Success could lead to modified plants and algae for synthesis of foods, fibers, and antibiotics, to improved growth or properties of plants and animals, or even to improved characteristics for man himself. . ." (Text)
Robert Hotz wrote in Aviation Week and Space Technology: "A strong smell of sour grapes is beginning to emanate from the Soviet propaganda machine with its waspish comments on recent U.S. space achievements... "This , . was evident in the Soviet propaganda barrage aimed at the Gemini V flight when it became apparent that Astronauts Cooper and Conrad would surpass the world space flight endurance record set by Soviet Cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky in June 1963, Tass charged that U.S. space officials were endangering the lives of the two Gemini Astronauts by keeping them in flight after the initial fuel cell problems in a supposedly rash effort to surpass the Soviet mark, Red Star, the official Defense Ministry newspaper, joined in by 'exposing' the Gemini V flight as a Pentagon plot to develop better space reconnaissance techniques and charged the peaceful scientific aims of space exploration were being subverted in Gemini by its military experiments... "What is really significant about these Soviet sour grapes is that they reflect a realization that the USSR has been overtaken and is being passed in the space race by the U.S. program. The U.S. superiority in unmanned space probes has become clearly recognized by the world with the Ranger lunar pictures and the Mars data from MARINER IV. Gemini IV and Gemini V finally erased the Soviet lead in the manned space flight. The solid operational foundation of the Gemini program has made possible the swift and sure pace which promises to eclipse significantly the Voskhod flights in the immediate future..." (Hotz, Av. Wk., 9/13/65, 21)
Harry Schwartz discussed the "New Arms Race in Space" in the New York Times: "The President's MOL announcement came at a time when the Soviet Union was publicly attacking Gemini V as primarily a venture in military espionage. Just why the President chose precisely that time to supply the Russian propagandists with supporting ammunition is still a puzzle, "Moreover, by underlining the potential military significance of space, the President may have finally ended any last lingering hope that there might be a joint Soviet-American program for sending a man to the moon or to some more distant objective in the solar system. "Most serious is the indication that the Soviet Union and its allies have interpreted the MOL decision as the American signal for an arms race in space." Would it not have been better for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to have been given the MOL assignment and thus avoid the provocation and propaganda setback represented by the decision the President actually took? And once a NASA MOL were developed, it could be used by the military if the need arose. That need would presumably be evidence that the Russians or others were actively exploiting space for military purposes other than intelligence collection." (Schwartz, NYT, 9/13/65)
ComSatCorp was seeking establishment of a world-wide satellite communications network to be leased jointly by NASA and commercial telecommunications carriers, reported Katherine Johnsen in Aviation Week and Space Technology, Miss Johnsen reported that last week the National Communications System (the U.S. Government's centralized communications agency) and ComSatCorp appeared to be approaching "agreement on an arrangement under which it would pay about $80 million over a 10-year period for use by NASA of the global network, primarily for the Apollo manned lunar landing program," Several variations of the proposal were also presented and ComSatCorp executives were optimistic that one would be approved. (Johnsen, Av, Wk, 9/13/65, 35)
NASA Michoud Assembly Facility resumed partial operations after suffering extensive damage from Hurricane Betsy. The Tri-State Roofing Co. and J. A. Jones Construction Co. were selected to begin emergency repairs. (MSFC Release 65-237)
U.S. News and World Report commented on President Johnson's decision to develop a Manned Orbiting Laboratory: "President Johnson has now committed this country to a vital and far-reaching race against Russia for military supremacy in space. "It is a strategic decision regarded as important as any since World War "The race actually has started. At this point it is largely silent and secret. But both powers are known to be conducting military missions with unmanned satellites, and results are described as striking and enormous, "Next, both countries will make major strategic moves by putting up space stations with military crews, Beyond that, plans are being readied for armadas of orbiting platforms and fleets of space planes-and, in case of hostilities, possible confrontation in space. "The U.S. goal: to make certain Russia is denied control of space that might enable it to tip the balance of power here on earth. . . ." (U.S. News, 9/13/65, 10)
In a Washington Evening Star article, "Costs Soar in Lagging TFX Project," Richard Wilson wrote: "Here's the latest word on that $8 billion miracle airplane program, the TFX. It is costing about $5 million per plane instead of the estimated $2.2 million. It is too heavy for the Navy to use. It could have been ready now but it isn't because the Kennedy administration lagged a year while evaluating and reevaluating the aircraft so that General Dynamics Corp, could get the contract. ... "Nobody knows for sure that the Boeing plane would have worked out any better but the top military men all thought so... So far as realizing any billion dollars savings as was at first advertised, this doesn't appear very likely if the Navy has to have a lighter version. In view of the nearly doubling of cost per plane, it does not seem likely in any case..." (Wilson, Wash, Eve. Star, 9/13/65)
September 13-18: International Astronautical Federation's 16th Congress was held in Athens, Participants were greeted by King Constantine of Greece. Introductory speeches were made by the president of the IAF, Dr. William H. Pickering; chairman of the International Academy of Astronautics, Dr. Charles S. Draper; and president of the International Institute of Space Law, Dr. I, Pepin. (Hines, Wash. Sun, Star, 9/12/65; Izvestia, 9/14/65, 5, ATSS-T Trans,)
Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, reported at a plenary meeting of the Congress that the Apollo program had now passed the half-way point and was moving forward at full momentum. He listed three primary commitments: "-the first Saturn V carrying an unmanned Apollo spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in 1967"-the first Saturn V carrying a manned Apollo spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in 1968, "-the manned lunar landing is scheduled to be accomplished prior to 1970." Following his presentation, von Braun told a news conference that "many Soviet and American scientists will participate to lay the foundation for extensive cooperation on the moon," He said there were indications that the moon's surface was solid enough to bear the weight of the spacecraft. Soft spots had been identified and would be avoided. He estimated that a landing on Mars would occur 15 yrs. after a successful lunar landing. (Text; NYT, 9/15/65, 24)
Dr. George E. Mueller, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, outlined broad objectives of the Saturn-Apollo applications missions, earth-orbital and lunar: "(1) Evaluate and extend man's capabilities to operate in space effectively as an astronaut and as a scientist, "(2) Conduct observations of the Earth, extra-terrestrial phenomena, and experiments dependent on the space environment "(3) Qualify systems and crews for subsequent long-duration space missions. "(4) To explore, map and survey the Moon. Throughout these extended Apollo missions, the primary emphasis will be on science and applications experiments, "The foundation for any long-range and broad national space program is a strong manned Earth-orbital program. For example, the approach to future manned planetary missions will depend not only on what is learned from unmanned missions such as Mariner and Voyager, but also what we can learn in Earth orbit about the effects on crew members of long-term confinement and reduced and/or intermittent artificial-gravity fields, as well as on the Earth-orbital qualification of extended-duration life support and power systems. "Man's greatest contributions in space will come when he can bring his intelligence to bear on the spot... " (Text)
Michael Stoiko, technical director of Martin Co.'s Gemini advance design section, suggested to the IAF congress that an international space rescue service to aid astronauts stranded in orbit be devised. The U.S. and Russia would organize the service with available equipment, and eventually rescue would be conducted on an international basis. Stoiko said the Martin Co. estimated 280 manned spaceflights would be flown by various nations in the next 20 yrs, with crews totaling 800 men. There was a "reasonable probability" that one or more U.S. crews would be stranded in orbit and a 62% probability that at least seven space ships with crews totaling 22 astronauts and cosmonauts would have to be rescued. (AP, N.Y. Her. Trib. 9/15/65)
Paper on "Research and Systems Requirements for a Lunar Scientific Laboratory" was presented at the IAF congress by C. William Henderson, NASA Office of Manned Space Flight, and Grady L. Mitcham of the Boeing Co. "It is our obligation to define a meaningful lunar laboratory program which will extract the maximum scientific return for the investment of resources. Our scientific methods may have to change radically in order to achieve this goal of efficiency; perhaps by using the mantime on the moon only for the extraction of data, leaving the analysis of this information to the far less costly man power on earth. Most probably, leading scientists will not be, themselves, on the lunar surface, but rather will be at earth-based television consoles directing and guiding their counter-parts on the moon..." (Text)
Soviet Cosmonaut Pavel Belyayev reported at the IAF congress that the exit of cosmonauts into space from orbital stations to relieve the crews and perform work in space would be made only through air locks, making it possible to avoid dehermetization of the spacecraft, Belyayev said visual acuity of astronauts was lessened by from 20-30% during spaceflight. Sensitivity of the eye to color was also affected. Drop of 50% occurred in the case of green and purple, Cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov described in his report the functioning of the self-contained life-support system he wore in open space. He was able to regulate the atmosphere in his spacesuit, maintaining within it an excess pressure of 0.4 atmospheres or 0.27 atmospheres. When he stepped out of VOSKHOD Leonov said, the excess pressure in the spacesuit was 0.4 atmospheres and before reentry into the spacecraft, he said: "I once more set the pressure back to 0.27 atmospheres." Data obtained, he summed up, permitted the conclusion that stepping out into open space does not cause serious specific changes in psychophysiological functions. Of the future of the Soviet space program, he said: "In time there will be many space laboratories, with crews being periodically exchanged. Then there will be a spaceship for the moon, and a landing on the moon, followed by shots to other planets." (AP, Wash. Post 9/17/65; AP, Balt. Sun, 9/17/65; National Zeitung, 9/16/65, 3)
A voyage in a seven-man spacecraft, past Venus to land on Mars, was proposed by Robert L. Sohn of the Space Technology Laboratories in a paper at the 16th Congress of the International Astronautical Federation in Athens. Sohn said the flight could be conducted in the 1980's using launching equipment and spacecraft already in development, including Saturn launch vehicles and modified Apollo spacecraft, He further claimed that the billion-mile, 400-day trip would cost about $20 billion. A 400,000-lb. craft would be assembled in earth orbit after component parts were placed into orbit by four or five separate launches. (NYT, 9/14/65)
Soviet Professor Savenko reported to the congress about the study of primary cosmic rays by PROTON I, launched July 16, 1965. Volume of information radioed back to earth was 60 million units daily. Equipment was sensitive to particles of energy of "billions and more of electron volts which makes it possible for the station to explore the depth of matter." Design of the ionization calorimeter in PROTON I permitted improved methods of research, Professor Savenko said. Information relayed from PROTON I processed so far showed that distribution of cosmic ray particles of very high energies differed from picture obtained by indirect measurements. (Tass, 9/17/65)
Mstislav V. Keldysh, president of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, received the International Academy of Astronautics' 1965 Daniel and Florence Guggenheim International Astronautics Award. The congress elected the leadership of IAF and reelected Dr. William H. Pickering as president. (Hines, Wash, Sunday Star, 9/12/65; Tass, 9/18/65)
Reporting on the Lunar International Laboratory, under consideration by the International Astronautical Federation meeting in Athens, William Hines, in the Washington Evening Star, said the case for LIL had been outlined this way: "1. A spaceship is horribly expensive; it costs $15,000 now to boost one pound of instruments to the moon, and will cost $180,000 a man hour to sustain scientists in space in the 1970s, "2. The precedent exists for international scientific efforts: nuclear physicists already are discussing a trillion-volt atom smasher of which the world needs only one, "3. The concept of international science has been accepted by the United Nations since 1946... "4. While the Russians have not taken an official stand, Sedov and others last year openly discussed Soviet studies on moon construction. "C. Stark Draper (Director of MIT Instrumentation Laboratory) ... has called for a computer center on the moon to collect data there and pass it on to earthly campuses and laboratories with information literally unavailable here. The LIL program has not yet reached the cost effectiveness and design stages yet, but at the rate the Apollo program to land men on the moon by 1970 is going, backers say only 10 to 20 years is needed. A curbstone opinion is that $20 billion to $30 billion . , comparable to the Apollo costs-would handle the construction and start of LIL operations." (Hines, Wash, Eve. Star, 9/13/65, A8)
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