Aug 26 1963

From The Space Library

Rep. George P. Miller (D.-Calif.) submitted to the House the conference report and statement on bill (H.R. 7500) to authorize FY 1964 appropriations to NASA. As reported, bill would authorize total appropriations of $5,350,820,400. Report was submitted to Senate August 28. (NASA Leg. Act. Rpt. II/ 133) )

Office of Construction established in NASA Hq., with nationally recognized construction contractor Robert W. Long as Director. Reporting to NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Industry Affairs, Walter L. Lingle, Long would review NASA's construction projects and future construction plans to assure their timeliness, efficiency, and economy. Since June 27, 1963, Long had served as consultant for construction to Associate Administrator Dr. Robert C. Seamans; before that appointment he had been managing partner of Long Construction Co., Kansas City, Mo. (NASA Release 63-192)

NASA announced publication of "Handbook on Space Radiation Ef­fects to Solar Cell Power Systems," prepared for NASA by Exotech, Inc., of Alexandria, Va. The handbook and the recently published transcript of Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, held in Washington earlier this year, were expected to help industry produce more durable, radiation-resistant solar-cell systems for satellites. (NASA Release 63-187)

Legislative Manager of U.S. Chamber of Commerce Theron J. Rice said in public letter that CofC recommended NASA's FY 1964 budget request be cut by $1.2 billion "and that a total of $4,512,000,000 be appropriated for NASA programs for Fiscal 1964. We believe this amount will adequately provide for a continuation of our national space program and will enable the space agency to meet the established goal of a manned lunar landing by the end of this decade. The amount we recommend will give the space agency an approximate 25% increase in appropriations over Fiscal 1963, which is the maximum growth rate we believe can be sustained and supported within the economic as well as scientific and techni­cal capabilities of the nation...." (Text, Av. Wk., 8/26/63,21)

President Kennedy appointed Willis M. Hawkins, Jr., vice president and general manager of Lockheed Aircraft Corp., to position of Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research and Development, replacing Finn J. Larsen who resigned July 31. (Wash. Eve. Star, 8/27/63)

Rep. Joseph E. Karth (D.-Minn.), in Missiles and Rockets interview, advocated selling space boosters to foreign countries. Noting Scout and Thor boosters already were available to European countries, he said Atlas also should be made available, under these conditions "One, that they pay for the vehicle-I don't think we should give it away. "Two, we would need to launch it for them. . . Third, what­ever secrecies surround the launch vehicle and/or other devices, all of this would be handled by U.S. personnel .... my opinion, other nations are not as interested in advancing scientific exploration as they are in embarking on programs to ad­vance their own economic position. And in this instance I say it's fine for us to cooperate by selling to them a booster or what­ever other paraphernalia they need. "As these countries become more involved in space programs, it may be they will be desirous of buying Saturns or Centaurs. We don't necessarily need to stop at Atlas. I think the whole high ­thrust field of boosters is a tremendous market with great poten­tial. "".. we should do this through an agency of the U.S. govern­ment, probably through the Defense Department or NASA. What­ever profit might be involved does not go to NASA, does not go to DOD--it goes to private industry, to those who make the Atlas or the Saturn or Centaur. This money gets back into the economy. It provides jobs. It stimulates the U.S.'s gross national product, causing our overall economy to grow and expand . . . ." (M&R, 8/26/63, 21)

Missiles and Rockets quoted Moscow radio as announcing that U.S.S.R. would attempt orbital rendezvous of two spacecraft "in the very near future." Soviet announcement said earlier tandem flights of Vostok spacecraft were part of the rendezvous program but attempts to link them during flight had not been planned. (M&R, 8/26/63, 9)

U.S. Army announced Nike-Zeus antimissile missile, fired and con­trolled from Kwajalein Island in mid-Pacific, recently made suc­cessful interception of target vehicle launched by Titan I ICBM from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. (DOD Release 1170-63)

General B. A. Schriever, AFSC Commander, received the General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold Aviation Gold Medal Award at national convention of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Seattle. (AFSC Release 38-R-65)

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