Feb 14 1964
From The Space Library
NASA postponed indefinitely the launch of Ranger 7 lunar probe. New launch date would depend on further study of failure of RANGER VI's TV camera system before impacting the moon Feb. 2. NASA-JPL investigators still were concentrating on unscheduled turn on of telemetry from TV system which occurred at about same time as separation of Atlas booster engines. (NASA Release 64-38)
NASA-DOD agreement that instrumentation ships required to support NASA and DOD space programs would be pooled and operated by DOD on behalf of both agencies was announced. By end of 1967 pool would have 20 operational tracking ships. NASA would participate with DOD in all phases of the program, including systems engineering and development of the plans and specifications. Navy Dept would have central responsibility for design, construction, and modification of the ships. Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) would be responsible for ship operation, and DOD Range Agencies would be responsible for scheduling and ship instrumentation operation. Senate and House space committees released $83 million of FY 1964 funds, which had been authorized subject to NASA-DOD agreement. The funds would be used to acquire three ships from Maritime Reserve Fleet and to modify two ships for Apollo already in the joint tracking system. (NASA Release 64-34; DOD Release 137-64; Wash. Eve. Star, 2/14/64)
Discussing MOL's growth potential in testimony before House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on R&D, Director of DOD Research and Engineering Dr. Harold Brown said: "I want to make a distinction between its ultimate capability and what is in the program. . . . What is in the program is not a space station in that sense. It is an experimental laboratory. But .. . this could grow to be a space station, if and after .. . we conclude .. that a man can have a substantial military purpose [in space]." Dr. Brown said DOD should "move more aggressively into the manned space flight arena in order to explore more fully man's utility for the performance of military space missions and to develop . . . his full capabilities in any area where potential exists." (SBD, 2/17/64, 260; M&R, 2/24/64, 15)
NASA selected Genisco, Inc., to develop, fabricate, and assemble motion generator for research into guidance and psycho-physiological problems of manned space flight. The fixed-price contract was expected to be valued between $6 million and $6.5 million. Genisco had been selected last July for contract negotiations for the motion generator, major component of advanced space navigation simulator at NASA Ames Research Center; however, "during the negotiations a better understanding of the design problems was reached and it was determined that numerous changes were desirable." NASA then directed Ames to request revised proposals from the five bidders. When the companies submitted new proposals in January, Genisco again received highest technical rating and proposed the lowest fixed fee. (NASA Release 64-35)
George Low, recently appointed Deputy Director of NASA Manned Spacecraft Center, said in Houston that failure of RANGER VI lunar TV probe was "a grave disappointment." Despite Ranger failure, target date for manned lunar landing was still 1969, he said, but "we certainly can't guarantee there won't be technical difficulties that won't let us do it. . . . If we have to use the Apollo as an unmanned reconnaissance craft our small margin [of time] will be eaten up." (Houston Post, 2/15/64)
NASA selected Honeywell Aeronautical Div. for negotiation of contract for three suborbital spacecraft to be used in Project Scanner horizon definition experiment. Valued at about $1,000,000, the contract called for early 1965 delivery of two Scanner payloads plus one backup. Scanners would be flown on ballistic trajectories from Wallops Island, Va. (NASA Release 64-36; LaRC Release)
President's Missile Sites Labor Commission adopted statement calling on Railroad Telegraphers Union to refrain from picketing at Cape Kennedy and Merritt Island while the Commission considered the dispute between the union and the Florida East Coast Railway. Statement also called for the union and the company to maintain "full and continuous operations at the sites" while the Commission had the dispute under consideration. (UPI, NYT, 2/15/64)
Patent for design of space propulsion system using jet of electrically charged liquid particles had been awarded to Washington inventor Dominique M. P. Gignoux, president of Cosmic, Inc. The 500,000 volts of electricity to charge and accelerate the particles would be produced by onboard nuclear reactor. (Jones, NYT, 2/15/64)
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