Sep 24 1962
From The Space Library
Six-engine S-IV stage for Saturn space vehicle was successfully static-fired in 60-sec. test at Douglas Missile and Space Systems, Sacramento, Calif.
Announced that Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr., would study powerful light sources in Australia and South Africa, during his MA-8 orbital flight. NASA said experiment was to determine how well a space traveler could see light sources of known density on earth. Three high-intensity flares would burn at Woomera, Australia, and electric lamps at Durban, So. Africa. Schirra would try to determine effects of atmosphere on light observed from orbital altitude and to establish which light source was more readily visible. Other scientific experiments of the MA–8 flight would be studies of cosmic radiation, search for rare particles in space, and effects of re-entry heating on new materials.
Reported that, if Astronaut Schirra's six-orbit flight (MA–8) is fully successful, NASA would conclude Project Mercury with one 18-orbit, 24-hour flight. Present plans called for four 24-hour flights with the one-man Mercury capsule; new plan under consideration would cancel three of these and assign their mission to two-man Gemini capsule.
FCC Chairman Newton N. Minow invited U.S.S.R. to cooperate in an international television system using high-altitude communications satellites. A high-altitude system would have advantages over low-altitude system such as Telstar, he said in Look magazine, but "we now lack the launching power to make it go." He proposed that Soviet rockets be used to launch U.S. communications satellites into high-altitude orbits, and added that "this would be a very dramatic area of cooperation for peaceful purposes in space." Congressman John E. Moss, Chairman of the Government Information Subcommittee, wrote to Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara asking why 1959 Army report "Project Horizon" was not yet declassified. Originally classified "Secret," the study proposing manned lunar program culminating in 1965 lunar landing had 10 separate security reviews by 4 agencies, but it was still classified "official use only." Congressman Moss observed that the House Committee on Science and Astronautics had requested declassified version of "Project Horizon" on Aug. 3, 1961, but had never received it.
Space Technology Center of General Electric Co. said it was designing an escape system for astronauts to use if orbiting capsule malfunctioned and could not return safely to earth. Called "Moose" (Man Out Of Space Easiest), the system involved use of a "prepackaged spacecraft" consisting of plastic sack, folding heat shield, retrorocket pack, containers of foaming plastic, and a standard parachute. Astronaut, zipped into sack, would step out of faulty spacecraft, aim himself with special scope, and fire the retrorocket. Then his heat shield would unfold and sack would fill with rapid-hardening plastic foam, protecting him from re-entry heat. At 30,000-ft. altitude, he would open parachute and descend slowly to earth.
Communications lag between basic researchers and those who apply the research was cited by Assistant Secretary of Commerce J. Herbert Holloman at testimonial dinner for NAS president Dr. Frederick Seitz, in Chicago. Mr. Holloman said that communication "throughout the international scientific community" was more rapid than communication between scientists and people working in application of scientific discoveries.
AFSC announced invention of Bio-telescanner—compact and portable instrument to determine biological properties of other planetary Soil—by Dr. William G. Glenn, SAM research immunobiologist, and Wesley E. Prather, electronics expert. Designed to answer basic questions about extraterrestrial life, the instrument would analyze samples gathered by travelers to Mars or other planets and would telemeter its findings back to earth. It could be adapted to operate automatically, to gather and analyze soil samples before man set foot on the planet. Use of the Biotelescanner would preclude necessity to bring samples of other planetary crust back to earth—an operation which could be dangerous if alien micro-organisms were present in the sample.
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