Jan 28 1964
From The Space Library
100th flight of the X-15 rocket aircraft was conducted near Edwards AFB, Calif., with Maj. Robert Rushworth (USAF) as pilot. X-15 No. 1 reached 3,682 mph (mach 5.4) and 107,000-ft. altitude in its "fully successful mission." The X-15 was launched over Delamar Lake, Nev., its engine burning 76 sec. and the flight lasting 11 min. X-15 program was initiated in December 1954 with signing of formal memorandum of understanding by NACA, USAF, and USN. Contracts were awarded to North American Aviation for construction of three X-15 aircraft and to Thiokol Chemical Corp.'s Reaction Motors Div. for manufacture of rocket engines. X-15 was designed to fly at mach 6 and 250,000-ft. altitude, objectives often exceeded in flight. First powered flight of X-15 was made Sept. 17, 1959, by NAA test pilot A. Scott Crossfield. X-15 research program has provided information on aerodynamics, structures, flight control, and physiological aspects of highspeed, high-altitude flight. Follow on program, begun in 1962, utilizes X-15 as test-bed for scientific experiments beyond earth's atmosphere. (TWX, FRC to NASA Hq.; FRC Release 2-64)
In Komsomolskaya Pravda, Soviet Academician A. A. Blagonravov was interviewed by Tass correspondent regarding the launching of ECHO ". • In time, international space cooperation will acquire decisive significance. Each country will contribute its best efforts to the peaceful conquest of space. The knowledge obtained will accrue to the benefit of all mankind. Certain long-range communication problems will be clarified by the joint investigations of the U.S. and U.S.S.R. scientists. There are other equally fruitful points of contact. The coordination of the program of space experiments envisages the use of satellites for weather service on a world-wide scale. Also the combined use of sputniks for compiling charts of the Earth's magnetic field will be a significant contribution to world science. These projects are part of the Soviet-American collaboration in the interests of mankind." (Tass, Komsomolskaya Pravda, 1/28/64,4, ATSS-T Trans.)
Early telemetry and radar reports indicated ECHO II appeared to be losing its spherical shape and high reflectivity, NASA spokesman announced. Telemetry showed ECHO H pressure "has decreased more rapidly than anticipated.' However, "optical observations tell us we have a beautiful balloon." Analysis of TV photographs taken by camera mounted on Agena stage showed sphere had inflated properly; but inflating gas apparently leaked out after two hours instead of lasting for 20 hours as planned. However, quality of radio signals between Rome, NX, and Columbus, Ohio, and between Dallas, Tex., and Stump Neck, Md. was reported to be good. Spokesman indicated telemetry reports of pressure decrease could be false due to possible error in the observations. (Wash. Post, 1/28/64; Chic. Trib., 1/28/64; Finney, NYT, 1/29/64, 12)
NASA conducted three grenade experiments with Nike-Cajun sounding rockets launched from Wallops Island, Va.; Fort Churchill, Canada; and Ascension Island in the South Atlantic, part of current series to gather comparative data on high-altitude winds and atmospheric temperatures at widely separated locations. At Wallops Island, Nike-Cajun lifted off at 11:11 p.m. EST, followed by Nike-Cajun at Fort Churchill at 11:17 p.m. EST, and Nike-Cajun at Ascension Island, 11:18 p.m. EST. Grenades were ejected and detonated at altitudes ranging from 23 to 56 miles. The series of experiments was under direction of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. (Wallops Release 64-11)
Aerobee 300A vehicle launched from NASA Wallops Station carried 95-lb. instrumented, payload to 192-mi. altitude in experiment to measure simultaneously electron and neutral particle temperatures in the upper atmosphere. Secondary objectives were to obtain data on ion and neutral particle densities. After 101/2-min. flight, payload impacted 156 mi. downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. Experiment was fourth in series of ionosphere studies, joint project of Univ. of Michigan and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. (Wallops Release 64-10)
NASA Aerobee 150 sounding rocket launched from White Sands, N. Mex., sent instrumented payload to 117-mi. altitude in successful test of the sounding rocket's attitude control system with the improved inertial reference system. Payload was recovered immediately after impact and found to be in excellent condition. (NASA Rpt.SRL.)
George M. Low, MSC Deputy Director and NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, said in Space Business Daily interview that crew "aboard the Apollo spacecraft will be more than adequately shielded from solar flare radiation.' Low cited National Academy of Sciences' opinion that solar radiation dosages to Apollo astronauts would be five to 10 times less than maximum tolerable dosage, and "the astronauts would be safe on their trip to the Moon if it is made during its presently scheduled time." He pointed out that special solar-radiation advisory committee (see Dec. 9, 1963) did not take into account the NAS information and the GSFC tables which show that solar flares during 1969-70 would not be as dangerous as heretofore thought. (SBD, 1/28/64, 144)
NASA and India's Dept. of Atomic Energy announced they were jointly conducting series of four sounding rocket launchings from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station to investigate equatorial electrojet, electric current flowing along earth's magnetic equator at about 60-mi. altitude. Thumba range is located near southwestern tip of India, on the magnetic equator. In the four electrojet experiments, India's Dept. of Atomic Energy provides launching site and supporting facilities; personnel for sounding rocket launch operations, acquisition of data and data analysis; and supporting ground magnetometer and meteorological observations. NASA provides Nike-Apache rockets, loans the launcher, telemetry equipment, and supplementary magnetometers. Indian launch and telemetry personnel were trained by NASA. Rocket magnetometer was built by Univ. of New Hampshire through NASA contract. (NASA Release 64-19)
Spain and U.S. announced agreement to construct and operate space tracking and data acquisition station about 30 mi. west of Madrid. Cooperating agencies were NASA for the U.S. and Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial on behalf of Spain's National Space Research Commission. To be used primarily in NASA'S Deep Space Network, the $1.5 million installation would include 85-ft.-diameter parabolic antenna and equipment for transmitting, receiving, recording, data handling, and communications with spacecraft. (GSFC Historian) Army Corps of Engineers awarded $5,154,551 contract to Robert E. McKee, General Contractor, Inc., for construction of NASA'S Lunar Excursion Module Test Facilities at White Sands Missile Range. (DOD Release 89-64)
Discussing U.S. supersonic transport program, Lockheed Aircraft Corp. vice president Dudley E. Browne told American Bankers Association's conference in Philadelphia that Lockheed had proposed "increased use of Government capability to underwrite both risk and financing, balancing this with sufficient risk assumption and financing by the contractor to justify returning him a reasonable profit. . . . "Whatever final plan is adopted, the banks will be called upon to play a significant part. "When they are, I think they will find themselves participating in a program whose magnitude they have never encountered before, a total program cost that may run into something like $8 or $10 billion, may involve loan limits for aircraft of as much as 20 years in place of the present 10 or 12, and may require supplemental participation of other financing organizations like insurance companies . . ." (Clark, NYT, 2/2/64, 90)
USAF fired third and last interim Minuteman missile, a Wing II version with Wing VI second stage, from Cape Kennedy. This was 30th success in 45 Minuteman attempts from AMR. (M&R, 2/3/64, 13)
Distinguished Flying Crosses were presented to 14 members of U.S. Army and USAF for record mass free-fall parachute jump Dec. 16, 1963, as part of Operation Halo. (DOD Release 87-64)
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