Jan 20 1963
From The Space Library
Team of four USAF and Lockheed exnerts, headed by Laurence Stoddard of Lockheed-California Co., Lunar and Planetary Sciences Laboratory, announced they would attempt to photograph moon during 37-sec. solar eclipse near Cape Town, South Africa, “Knowledge of the exact shape of the moon will give us additional information on the effects of moon gravity. This information is of great importance in planning lunar landings and computing the lifetime of man-made vehicles orbiting the moon,” Stoddard said. Stoddard photographed similar eclipse last July in Senegal, West Africa. (AP, Wash. Post, l/21/63, A3)
French National Center for Space Studies announced it would launch 100 sounding rockets during 1963 in program to study upper atmosphere, double the number of rockets launched by France during 1962. (NYT West. Ed., l/21/63)