Jul 5 1964
From The Space Library
NASA extended contract with Mason-Rust Co. for provision of support services at Michoud Operations near New Orleans. New $6,839,069 modification awarded by MSFC, to continue in force till end of 1964, increased total Mason-Rust contract to $17,751,806. (Marshall Star, 7/8/64, 1)
Library of Congress had distributed to 30 large city and state libraries copies of Braille translations of books on space exploration. These information aids for the blind had been published by Library of Congress under a NASA grant. (Las Cruces Sun-News, 7/5/64)
Effective this date, USAF Western Test Range's facility at Point Arguello became part of Vandenberg AFB, and its facility at Kwajalein Island was turned over to the Army. Organization plans for National Range Division with its Eastern Test Range and Western Test Range had been announced May 4. (L.A- Times, 7/2/64)
During 1,000th session in U.S.S.R. on radar probing of planets, Tass said, Soviet scientists used newly designed equipment and high-speed computer to successfully gather data on topography of planet Venus. (Pravda, 7/5/64, ATSS-T Trans.)
Second U.S. manned rocket flight was made 20 years ago today, when Northrop MX-324 flying wing was towed aloft and propelled by 200- lb.-thrust Aerojet rocket engine and flown for four minutes by test pilot Harry Crosby over Harper 's Dry Lake, Calif. (Clark, NYT, 7/5/64, 44; A&A, 1915-60, 47)
Reported that new 125-ft. radiotelescope opened at England's Jodrell Bank Radio Astronomy Station early in June could give insight into creation of universe. Radiotelescope was to detect and analyze high-frequency radio pulses emitted by stars 6 billion light-years distant. (Reuters, Chic. Trib., 7/6/64)
During week of July 5-11: Unmanned paraglider wing designed to make air-to-ground cargo deliveries to forward battle areas successfully completed series of three flight tests at U.S- Army Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. The paraglider, also designed to be a spacecraft recovery system, slipped three 1,000-lb. cargo packages to earth without mishap from 3,100 ft. Demonstration was performed by Space and Information Div. of North American Aviation under program called Precision Aerial Delivery System (PADS). (NAA S&ID Skywriter, 7/17/64, 1)
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