Apr 11 1963

From The Space Library

X-15 No. 1 flew at speed of 2,864 mph (mach 4.25) and altitude of 74,000 ft. in its first test as an aerial mapping plane, a camera having been installed into the underside of the craft's nose. Piloted by Maj. Robert Rushworth (USAF), X-15's rocket engine burned a record 21/2 min. Primary purpose of flight was to measure photograph distortion caused by shock waves, air flow, and other aerodynamic turbulence. Flight marked first test in ad­vanced research program in which X-15 would photograph stars, measure meteoroids, and investigate infrared rays in space. (UPI, Wash. Post, 4/12/63; AP, NYT, 4/12/63)

NASA announced selection of 10 experimenters for Mariner space­craft's Mars fly-by mission, scheduled for 1964. Experiments for the probe, which would make measurements of interplanetary space as well as of vicinity of Mars, were: television, magnetom­eter, low-energy cosmic-ray experiment, cosmic-ray spectrum experiment, cosmic-ray ionization experiment, plasma probe, cosmic _cyst experiment infrared spectrometer, ultra-violet photometers, and radio propagation. (NASA Release 63-71)

elevision broadcast of biweekly program narrated by Jacques Sallebert, French radio and TV correspondent in New York, sent direct from New York to Paris via RELAY I communications satel­lite for first time. Program consisted of views of lower New York City and of New York Harbor. Reception in Paris was described as considerably better than prerecorded broadcasts previously used and as comparing favorably with any TV program originating in Paris. (NYT, 4/12/63, 45)

Harold B. Finger, Director of NASA Nuclear Systems Office and Manager of NASA-AEC Space Nuclear Propulsion Office, testi­fied before Subcommittee on Space Sciences and Advanced Re­ search and Technology, House Committee on Science and Astro­nautics : "The space nuclear systems program involves large amounts of funds, manpower, and facilities in NASA's program and, in addition, involves substantial effort on the part of the Atomic Energy Commission. We are convinced that the high performance potential of these systems for space propulsion and electric power generation justifies the substantial effort that we are devoting toward the early development of such systems. It is clear that if we are to perform extensive space exploration mis­sions beyond our first manned lunar landings, it will be necessary to have available to us nuclear propulsion systems and if we are to establish large space laboratories, lunar bases, and are to travel to distant planets, we will have to rely on the availability of large nuclear electric power generating systems. . . ." (Testi­mony)

In news interview, physicist Herman Yagoda of USAF Cambridge Research Laboratories said that living organisms on planet Mars would receive 30-50 times more radiation than organisms on earth, and during a solar storm the radiation dosage on Mars is a million times what it would be on earth. "Thus, Mars with its marginal environment for sustaining primitive life forms is subjected periodically to comparatively intense radiation levels which may have profound effects on the mutation and evolution of Martian plant and animal life." (Wash,. Post, 4/11/63)

Reported that Senator Strom Thurmond (D.-S.C.) told closed ses­sion of Senate that U.S.S.R. was deploying antimissile missiles capable of intercepting Polaris missiles and possibly even Minute­ man missiles. Senator Thurmond spoke in favor of speeding up U.S. Nike-Zeus antimissile missile development, but Senate roll call vote (58-to-16) cut a proposed $196 million authorization for Nike-Zeus from the military spending authorization bill for FY 1964. Senate Armed Services Committee had added the Nike­Zeus funds to the Administration's proposed bill. (Wash. Eve. Star, 4/13/63)

Dr. Simon Ramo, of Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge, was quoted as being skeptical of feasibility of using artificial satellites for mili­tarily aggressive purposes, saying: "We often hear the mistaken impression that a bomb dropped from a satellite will fall to earth. Of course, it won't. It will reach the earth only if it is pushed away from the satellite with the right amount of force and with controlled direction. The whole launching operation (from a satellite) is more difficult that that of launching an ICBM from a point on earth. Also, the flight will take very much longer...." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4/11/63)

EC announced it would commission scientists in several universities to study fragments of meteorite that landed last August in Upper Volta, Africa. (Minneapolis Star, 4/11/63)

Scientist Dr. Charles R. Warren of U.S. Geological Survey's Mili­tary Geology Branch said in Science magazine that the moon is probably covered with a layer of fuzz, about an inch deep. The "skeletal fuzz consists mostly of empty space" and could be a mesh or miniature tinker-toy structure or it might resemble a loose aggregate of snowflakes or reindeer moss. Dr. Warren had made study of lunar terrain for Army Corps of Engineers. (NYT, 4/12/63, 29; UPI, Wash. Post 4/12/63)

Next Soviet space flight would be "spectacular" and "more com­plicated," four Soviet cosmonauts indicated in Evening Moscow interview. The cosmonauts-Yuri Gagarin, Gherman Titov, Andrian Nikolayev, and Pavel Popovich-said U.S.S.R. was busily preparing for a forthcoming space launching. (UPI, Wash,. Post, 4/12/63)

Apr 12 1963