Sep 24 1964
From The Space Library
NASA's astronomy program was topic of background briefing for the press at NASA Hq., by astronomy program chief Dr. Nancy Roman. Dr. Roman disclosed at the briefing that NASA was studying concept of a manned orbiting telescope. The 100-in. telescope would operate in space automatically, but man would have to make final adjustments in its focus, change auxiliary instruments from time to time for varying the experiments, collect photographic film, and make repairs. NASA had invited members of the astronomical community to propose studies basic to the Mot concept. Several NASA centers and Hq. offices were supporting related engineering studies. Dr. Roman said design studies for a Radio Astronomy Observatory were "pretty well completed." Not yet an approved program, RAO would have four 750-ft. antennas extended in two V's to receive radio emissions from space. (NASA Transcript; ATPH)
U.S.S.R. announced routine launching of COSMOS XLVI into earth orbit: apogee, 271 km. (168 mi.) ; perigee, 215 km. (134 mi.) ; period, 89.2 min.; inclination to the equator, 51.3°. (Tass, Krasnaya Zvezda, 9/26/64, 1, ATSS-T Trans.)
Aerojet-General Corp. and Westinghouse Electric Corp. successfully con-ducted first power test of a Nerva (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application) experimental reactor designated the NRX-A2. The reactor was operated for six minutes, at powers ranging from 56% of full power to near full power. All test objectives were met. Nerva was a project of NASA-AEC Space Nuclear Reactor Office. (SNPO; Lewis News, 10/30/64, 1; Hines, Wash. Eve. Star, 9/25/64)
DOD announced $2,641,430 contract to Akwa-Downey Construction Co. for construction of NASA test buildings at John F. Kennedy Space Center, NASA, Merritt Island Launch Area (MILA). Contract was awarded by Army Corps of Engineers (DOD Release 688-64)
USAF Minuteman II "flew according to the book" in its first flight-test, USAF announced. The ICBM was launched from silo at Cape Kennedy to target site about 5,000 mi. downrange. (AP, Balt. Sun, 9/25/64)
President Johnson awarded Robert J. Collier Trophy, U.S. aviation's highest honor, to Clarence L. Johnson, Lockheed Aircraft Corp. designer and developer of A-11 aircraft. (NAA Release)
Redeye guided antiaircraft missile was publicly tested in series of four launches against drone craft, and performance was declared "technically successful." Smallest known guided missile-weighing only 28 lbs. including bazooka-like hand-held launcher-Redeye was being developed jointly by US. Army and USMC. (Witkin, NYT, 9/25/64)
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