Jan 8 1964
From The Space Library
Revision as of 03:17, 18 April 2009
X-15 No. 1, piloted by Capt. Joe H. Engle (USAF), reached 139,500-ft. altitude and 3,716 mph (mach 5.36) in test near Edwards AFB, Calif. Flight plan called for Capt. Engle to shut off X-15's Stability Augmentation System (SAS), then the Alternate Stability Augmentation System (ASAS), to evaluate basic stability of the aircraft during re-entry. At peak of flight the X-15's altimeter, air speed, and rate-of-climb instruments failed, but Capt. Engle followed flight plan and landed the X-15 safely on Rogers Dry Lake with assistance from a ground control station. (FRC Release; AP, Balt. Sun, 1/9/64; UPI, N.Y . Her. Trib., 1/9/64)
In his State of the Union message to Congress, President Lyndon B. Johnson said: ". . . our ultimate goal is a world without war, a world made safe for diversity, in which all men, goods and ideas can freely move across every border and boundary. "We must advance toward this goal in 1964 in at least ten different ways, not as partisans but as patriots. . . "Fourth, we must assure our pre-eminence in the peaceful exploration of outer space, focusing on an expedition to the moon in this decade-in cooperation with other powers if possible, alone if necessary." (Text, NYT, 1/9/64, 16)
Second rocket in India's space program, a Nike-Apache, was launched from Thumba Range on southern tip of Indian peninsula, releasing sodium vapor clouds used to study high-altitude conditions. The Nike-Apache's peak altitude was estimated at 106 mi. The Physical Research Laboratory of Ahmedabad provided the instrumented payload for the NASA rocket. (NASA Rpt. SRL; Reuters, NYT, 1/9/64, 15)
Dr. Edward C. Welsh, NASC Executive Secretary and Acting Chairman, spoke at 10th National Symposium on Reliability and Quality Control on misconceptions about national space policy: "First, the lunar project should not be confused with our total space effort. Of course, it is a complex, expensive, and difficult task, but it's just a part of our young and growing national space program. Its major significance is that it sets a goal for an orderly development of competences-all of which will be useful for a wide range of space activities in the future. "Second, the national security aspects of space are not being neglected. The National Aeronautics and Space Act requires that they receive attention and they are receiving it. Careless thinking prompts critics to assert that practically nothing is being done by the military in the space field. For example, about two-thirds of all our space flights in the past two years have been launched by the Department of Defense. And just as careless thinking assumes that a larger space budget for NASA than for Defense means a neglect of the latter. While one need not be satisfied with the rate of progress in either the civilian or non-civilian aspects of space, nevertheless it is worth noting that national security objectives are being pursued by both NASA and the Defense Department. . . . The fact that we do not plan space programs for aggression does not mean that we have a national security space gap or that we will allow one to develop. "Third, there is another misconception to the effect that the national space program is employing an unduly large portion of our engineering and scientific manpower. Added to this misconception is the parallel view that the space program is creating a shortage of such talents which otherwise would be applied in our civilian economy. Actually, profits in private enterprise are at an all-time high and, in general, higher in the non-space and non-defense companies than in those whose business is primarily government-financed for space and defense. If those very profitable companies do not hire scientists and engineers to engage in research and development, it is not because they can't get them as their profit position gives them remarkable bargaining power. Rather, failure to employ such scarce talents in large numbers is the result of deliberate decisions on the part of private entrepreneurs and not because there are no such persons available. . . . Furthermore, government-financed research and development-particularly in such challenging fields as space-is having a salutary effect in stimulating an increase in the number of highly trained scientists and engineers. "Fourth, there has also been some criticism and confusion on the subject of international cooperation in the space program. We have formed a useful base for peaceful and constructive relationships with some 60 other countries in space activities. The benefits are mutual. Some of our projects could just not have been conducted successfully without the tracking facilities, sites, and other cooperative efforts of countries around the world. In no case do we impair our national security through such cooperation, and we do not plan to do so. . . "Fifth, there are those who argue that it would be better to slow down-or even stop-our space effort in order to divert the resources to education, slum clearance, medical research, and other such purposes. As much as we need to do more in those important areas, it is unrealistic to believe that the resources are transferable even if it were desirable to attempt the shift. . .. What is more, there is no assurance that the Congress would vote more funds for education or public housing just because it voted less for space. . . ." (Text)
Edward Z. Gray, Director of Advanced Studies in NASA Office of Manned Space Flight, said in Space Business Daily interview that when NASA builds a manned space station it would be "more sophisticated" than the DOD Manned Orbiting Laboratory ( MOL) . NASA now has 13 studies dealing with concepts leading toward development of an orbiting manned space station; when these studies are completed, NASA would be able to appraise "the space station requirements and what will be the best method of pursuing the development of a manned orbiting space station system." (SBD, 1/8/64, 34)
DOD announced W. S. Bellows Construction Corp. and Peter Kiewit and Sons, Inc. were awarded $4,211,377 contract for construction of Mission Simulation and Training Facility and the MSC Center Support Facility at NASA Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Tex. Contract was awarded by Army Corps of Engineers. (DOD Release 21-64)
Mating assembly of Saturn V rocket sections would be accomplished with aid of air cushions, Marshall Star reported. General Motors' Defense Research Laboratories was developing for MSFC a special tool-basically 20 "air pads"-for lifting rocket section and its wheeled carrier. Air pads would lift the huge sections about 11/2 in. from the floor. Tool designers were also working on mechanical mover for the air-cushion device so that one man would be able to move the stages forward and laterally. (Marshall Star, 1/8/64, 1-2)
Secretary of the Air Force Eugene M. Zuckert, addressing Harvard Business School of Washington, presented an appraisal of U.S. aerospace power in 1964: "My appraisal for 1964 indicates continuing increase in airpower. All of the ATLAS and TITAN missile squadrons were operational by the end of 1963. Our total U.S. strategic power, the backbone and starting point of deterrence, will more than double in 1964 when new MINUTEMAN strategic missile wings become operational.. . "Today's appraisals of airpower must also cover the space front. "The Air Force space program will have a Manned Orbital Laboratory as its central project. The switch from Dynasoar to MOL reflects a change in emphasis toward on-orbit experiment rather than re-entry experiments. . . (Text, DOD Release 18-64)
CAB Chairman Alan S. Boyd told House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce's Public Health and Safety Subcommittee hearings on recent jet airliner crashes that investigation showed air turbulence no more hazardous for jets than for other airliners. (Witkin, NYT, 1/9/64, 52)
Washington Evening Star editorialized about recent discovery that "Mars is covered by great yellow clouds of gaseous compounds of nitrogen and oxygen, or smog" and about scientists' conclusion that the clouds preclude any chance of man's finding life on Mars: "Quite the contrary. This clearly indicates that Martian life exists and the Martians are one, hopefully two, generations ahead of us in smogging up the atmosphere. As for landing there, all we need are spacemen from Los Angeles." (Wash. Eve. Star, 1/8/64)
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