Sep 9 1963
From The Space Library
Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from NASA Wallops Station carried 70-lb. instrumented payload to 106-mi. altitude, payload impacting in Atlantic Ocean 87 mi. downrange after 6 min., 40 sec. flight. Payload contained instrumentation to determine altitude and intensity of electric current systems in the ionosphere. New method of altitude determination during rocket flight was also tested. Flight was in preparation for electrojet program to be conducted from India later this year. (Wallops Release 63-81; NASA Rpt. of Sounding Rkt. Launching)
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Co. announced successful demonstration of new method of cooling high-pressure hydrogen rocket-engine chamber. P&W spokesman said that successful demonstration of cooling during this company-sponsored firing was a research breakthrough on high-pressure hydrogen rocket engines .... The high pressure concept is the next step in increasing the performance of hydrogen fueled rocket engines." P&W is producer of RL-10 liquid hydrogen rocket engines for Saturn S-IV stage and Centaur upper stage booster. (Space Bus. Daily, 9/9/63, 356; Hartford Courant, 9/9/63)
Clarence A. Syvertson, NASA Ames Research Center scientist, said in paper presented at Space Rendezvous, Rescue and Recovery Symposium at Edwards AFB that future spacecraft based on M-2 lifting body design could satisfy requirements for maneuvering re-entry vehicles on missions from near-earth orbit and on return from manned Mars missions. With lift-drag ratio of over one, M-2 lifting body allows use of maneuvering technique to solve critical heating problems of re-entry. Choice of M-2 rather than spacecraft covered with heavy ablative material could save considerable spacecraft weight. (Ames Release 63-34)
James T. Koppenhaver resigned as Director, Office of Reliability and Quality Assurance, NASA. Deputy Director John E. Condon was appointed Acting Director of the Office. (NASA Announcement 63-198)
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