Sep 4 1963

From The Space Library

Space News for this day. (2MB PDF)

Aerobee 150 sounding rocket launched from Ft. Church­ill, Can., with nuclear emulsion payload to study very-low­ energy cosmic. ray heavy nuclei. Payload reached 150-mi. alti­tude, was recovered from an inland lake approximately 90 mi. from launch site. Instrumentation and nuclear emulsions were in excellent condition, but analysis of nuclear emulsions would require considerable time. Experiment was project of NASA God­dard Space Flight Center. (NASA Rpt. Of Sounding Rkt. Launching)

NASA Manned Spacecraft Center announced issuing requests for pro­posals for vacuum chamber to generate space environmental con­ditions for use in thermochemical tests. Chamber would per­mit MSC engineers to study function of propellant equipment, heat rejection, and energy collecting devices during long periods of space flight. (MSC Release 63-144)

According to Soviet lunar-exploration timetable published in Hun­garian magazine Lobogo, U.S.S.R. planned first manned circum­lunar flight for 1964--65, first manned lunar landings for 1966-68, and first "temporary laboratory" On moon for 1968-70. Article said manned Vostok flights had "virtually accomplished 80 per cent Of a space rendezvous maneuver, lacking Only the coupling Of the two spaceships." Next step after orbital rendezvous should be trip to moon. Abstract Of article, which appeared in June 26 issue of Lobogo, was published in translation by Joint Publi­cations Research Service of Dept. Of Commerce's Office of Tech­nical Services. (Schmeck, NYT, 9/4/63)

Urging a "breakthrough" by CAB and FAA "toward more economical operations in 18 passenger to 24 passenger" range of commercial aircraft, Sen. Thomas J. McIntyre (D.-N.H.) pointed out that in 1958 "the passage of the Federal Aviation Act provided the basis for such [design] studies.... Originally, of course, such studies were the province of the National Advisory Committee for Aero­nautics, set up as early as 1915. Senator Ralph Flanders said, in 1955: "'There is not an airplane flying in this country today--cer­tainly not a military one-the design of which does not depend to some degree upon scientific investigations of the NACA." (C, R, 9/4/63,15444)

Gemini astronauts would learn how to "apprehend" another vehicle traveling in space on a special trainer in a darkened hangar-high structure now being erected at Manned Spacecraft Center's Clear Lake home. (MSC Space News Roundup, 1/8/664)

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