Sep 19 1963

From The Space Library

SYNCOM II 24-hour communications satellite used to relay oceanographic data from research vessel Geronimo in Gulf of Guinea off Africa to National Oceanographic Data Center in Washington, which compared the data with its records and sent back to the Geronimo the deviations to correct errors. Dem­onstration via SYNCOM II was performed to determine practica­bility of providing research sips quickly with information to correct errors. Line of transmission : from Geronimo to Kings-port in Lagos harbor, to SYNCOM II some 22,300 mi. above Atlan­tic Ocean, to ground station at Lakehurst, N.J., along ground lines to NODC, and return. (NASA Release 63-212)

September 19-22: Conference on Outer Space, sponsored by St. Louis Univ. and Columbia Univ., held in St. Louis. 75 persons from 13 states represented business, industry, education, professions, Science, labor, Government, and the press at the third Midwest. Assembly. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 9/8/63)

NASA Administrator James E. Webb said in Sept. 19 address: 64... as a nation we are going through a new and vital experi­ence in achieving the mastery of space. We have undertaken to perform the largest job of research, of development, and of manufacture ever mounted by this or any other nation. There is required here the mobilization of the best of science, of engineer­ing, of industry, and of government. The technical job is in itself staggering. Yet for American society perhaps the greater significance lies m the fact that the objective of this program is fully as much to gain knowledge as to secure concrete objec­tives; that it is being carried on in peacetime without the impetus of war; that, while insuring national security, its cen­tral purpose is to Secure the peaceful uses of space for all man­kind; that NASA is a civilian agency; and that it necessarily will require many years of sustained and costly effort. We have in fact Set ourselves a hard challenge of national purpose and will: to sustain Such a program through all of the troubles and diffi­culties that are inevitable in a research and development effort, an effort whose failures as well as. its successes are set before the world to see. This is a difficult undertaking; but if we suc­ceed in these ways, then we will have accomplished much and learned more as a free Society . . . ." In interview following his address, Webb commented on that day's proposal by Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko for summit meeting of lead­ers of the 18 nations participating in Geneva disarmament con­ference. Webb said Gromyko's U.N. speech was the most recent example of growing awareness of U.S. advances in space tech­nology. 16... The image of America as a can-do nation in space has been increasing rapidly, and the Russians cannot fail to be influenced by that image." (Text; St. Louis Post-Dispatch,, 9/24/63)

USAF announced two 11/2-lb. Tetrahedral Research Satellites (TRS) had been ejected into orbit from an unidentified orbiting satellite earlier in 1963. Twin satellites were second and third of Series; first TRS was launched in 1962. Primary pur­pose of TRS experiments was investigation of radiation damage to spacecraft solar-power Systems and evaluating methods of protecting the Solar cells from Van Allen belt radiation. Valu­able data obtained by the five radiation-damage experiments in each Satellite were transmitted back to earth and received by NASA Minitrack telemetry network, cooperating with USAF in the project. (DOD Release 1260-63; TRS Fact Sheet)

Quoting President Kennedy's Inaugural Address, in which he said, "Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars . . .," New York Times editorial Stated "When the President Spoke these words, there was far more reason to think his idea an impractical one than there is today. Of course there are difficult problems still in the way of serious Soviet-American cooperation on a manned space flight. But the financial, political and Scientific advantages to both Sides of a joining of forces in this area would be so great that every oppor­tunity Should be seized to explore this possibility with the So­viet Government. Moscow's feelers in this direction should be followed up, not rebuffed out of hand . . . ." (NYT, 9/19/63, 26)

USAF announced issuing Requests for Proposals for Studies of manned orbital space Station. From the bidding industries USAF will select three contractors to conduct parallel four-month studies "to define characteristics from which a space Station could be designed to demonstrate and assess quantitatively the utility of man in space for military purposes." (DOD Release 1261-63)

• September

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