Dec 7 1963

From The Space Library

NASA launched two sounding rockets from Wallops Sta­tion to compare measurements of pressure, temperature, density, and winds: Nike-Cajun carried 82-lb. instrumented payload to 64.4-mi. altitude, ejecting 11 grenades which detonated at intervals from 20 to 60 mi. At 272,000-ft. altitude an inflatable sphere was ejected, ascending to 319,000-ft. apogee, and was tracked for 20 min. to 96,000 ft. Thirty-two minutes later a Nike-Apache carried 62-lb. instru­mented payload to 87.2-mi. altitude. Experiment chiefly con­sisted of pitot-static probe measurements. Approximately 6 min. of scientific data were telemetered to ground stations before Apache impacted in Atlantic Ocean 93 mi. downrange. (NASA Rpts. of S. Rkt. Launchings; Wallops Release 63-108)

Special committee of the FM, meeting in Paris, decided that Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Nikolayeva-Tereshkova was the "first abso­lute world champion among women in all types of competitive achievements in space," according to Tass. (Tass, Krasnaya Zvezda, 12/8/63, 3, ATSS-T Trans.)

Details of Soviet antimissile missile were disclosed for the first time, by Hungarian Communist Party newspaper Nepsza­badsag. The two-stage rocket has range of between 2,500 and 3,750 miles, can operate effectively against target missiles at alti­tudes from 20 to 200 miles. Weapon is part of long-range radar system that automatically feeds data of approaching missiles into computers; data are passed automatically to antimissile missile stations, which take over tracking; then, when approaching mis­sile is within 600 miles, antimissile missile is fired automatically. (UPI, Wash. Post, 12/8/63)

James J. Haggerty, Jr., writing in Army-Navy-Air Force Journal and Register, said : "The excitement and enthusiasm which char­acterized the early years of space research is dimming. The barrage of criticism leveled at the Administration for its lunar landing program has taken a severe toll and brought forth a budget which will move the manned moon shot back at least two years and there seems to be a general lack of concern over this abrogation of a stated national goal . . . . "Space exploration may soon run into its first real barrier, which might be termed the 'megabuck barrier.' In the fantastic missions being considered for the next decade, there are myriad technical problems, the solutions of which will require a supreme effort on the part of the scientific and technological community. Yet none of these problems appears impossible of solution. The real stumbling block may be money . . . . "Perhaps there will be some great breakthrough-or a series of them-which will bring a dramatic reduction in the costs of space flight. But at the moment, with no such breakthrough on the horizon, the megabuck barrier appears more formidable than the speed of light.' (A-N-AF Journ. & Reg., 12/7/63, 14)

Princeton-Pennsylvania Accelerator, a 3-bev proton synchrotron, dedicated at the James Forrestal Research Center of Princeton Univ. In his remarks at the dedication, AEC Chairman Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg pointed out that the accelerator "is unique among large proton accelerators in the unusually rapid pulsing of the magnet-19 cycles per second." (AEC Release S-37-63)

• December

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