Mar 6 1963
From The Space Library
Dr. Homer E: Newell, NASA Director of Space Sciences, testified before House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Space Sciences that "Project Surveyor is de signed to make a giant stride in lunar exploration technology beyond that of the Ranger. Surveyor will demonstrate soft landing technology , will survey various landing areas on the lunar surface, and will measure physical-chemical properties of the lunar surface in the immediate vicinity of the spacecraft .... "Developments of the Surveyor orbiter were restricted during FY 1963 to permit reprogramming of funds into more critical areas in the Ranger and Surveyor landing programs. Design work has proceeded, however, and has resulted in . . . [a system making] extensive use of Surveyor lander components. In 1964 we will begin work on the flight hardware. The lunar orbiter will provide complete photo-reconnaissance coverage which will permit us to extrapolate to other areas our knowledge about local spots in which we have landed with Ranger and Surveyor. We will then be able to make selections of potential manned lunar landing sites. In addition, the orbiter will enable use to determine the gravity field of the moon which will affect the Apollo orbits . . . ." (Testimony)
By this date, EXPLORER XV had transmitted 2,067 hours of data, of which 1,266 hours had been digitized and sent to the five experimenters. The radiation-investigation satellite had not been operating .satisfactorily since Jan. 27 and had completely stopped transmitting Jan. 31, 1963. NASA scientists believed the satellite's attitude with relation to the sun was such that the sun was illuminating only the edge of the solar paddles; in such a case, the satellite should resume transmitting around April 1, when the solar paddles come into more favorable attitude to the sun. (NASA Proj. Explo. XV, Prog. Rpt. No. 2)
House Armed Services Committee reported on its vote to add $363.7 million to DOD budget for development of two additional RS-70 supersonic aircraft with supporting weapon systems. Committee's report said the four chiefs of staff of the armed forces favored development of RS-70 at a "substantially higher" rate than General Maxwell D. Taylor, Chairman of Joint Chiefs, and Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of Defense. In his FY 1964 budget request, Secretary McNamara had included no funds for RS-70 beyond authority to complete three experimental models. (UPI, Wash,. Post, 3/7/63)
The ships Rose Knot and Coastal Sentry, two mainstays of the world-wide Mercury tracking network operated by Goddard Space Flight Center, have undergone modifications for the MA 9 mission and are ready for sea duty again. (Space News Roundup, 1/8/64, 2)
NASA announced Third National Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Space would be held May 1-9 in Chicago, sponsored by NASA and Committee for Economic and Cultural Development of Chicago (NASA Note to Editors)
USAF OAR announced AFCRL was conducting survey of potential emergency landing areas for aircraft, using one-lb. device called "penetrometer" to measure weight the soil can bear. Penetrometer is carried in wing-tip tanks of an aircraft, fired at predetermined intervals over test areas, and photographed aerially after impact. If impact is greater than pre-set level, infrared bulb in tail of penetrometer lights up and is photographed. (USAF OAR Release 1-63-5)
NASA was reported by Space Business Daily to be negotiating contract with Standard Oil Co. of Ohio for "a research investigation of a technique for abstracting information from non-cooperating objects in Earth-orbit." (Space Bus. Daily, 3/6/63, 280)
March, 6-7: D. Brainerd Holmes, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator and Director of Manned Space Flight, testified before House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Manned Space Flight "The major problem remaining in the F-1 engine program is the existence of the phenomenon known as combustion instability, which is characterized by pressure oscillations in the combustion gas inside the engine. Although combustion instability has developed in only seven of the 250 F-1 firings in the last two years, even this small incidence cannot be tolerated. Consequently, we are placing major emphasis on solving this problem. The source of instability in liquid propellant engines has been the subject of considerable research, since most engines exhibit instability in the early stages of their development. . . "We are confident that we will solve the instability problem on the F-1 engine, just as it has been solved for all other liquid propellant engines m use, and we are confident that we can achieve the flight rating and delivery schedules. We are, however, giving this matter our closest attention and bringing to bear the knowledge and judgment of the most qualified experts in the United States. . . . In response to questions by Congressmen Emilio Q. Daddario (D.-Conn.) and James G. Fulton (R.-Pa.), Mr. Holmes said that both Projects Gemini and Apollo slipped about five months because of the Administration's refusal to request FY 1963 supplemental appropriations last fall. (Testimony; M&R, 3/18/63,10)
