May 3 1963

From The Space Library

First drop test of Project Apollo earth landing system suc­cessfully accomplished by Northrop Corp. for NASA Manned Spacecraft Center. Boilerplate model of Apollo spacecraft com­mand module was released from modified C-133 cargo plane and safely landed by cluster of three Northrop Ventura ringsail parachutes. (MSC Release 63-85)

Dr. Hugh L. Dryden, NASA Deputy Administrator, said in address before State Convention of New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers: ". . . activities in space itself, and in the complex of supporting work that goes forward here on earth, draw upon almost every branch of science and technology. In the proc­ess, the needs and interests of engineers and scientists are draw­ing closer together, and the lines of cleavage between the various disciplines are becoming less and less distinct . . . . "More than ever before, engineering has become the full and active partner of science in the exploration of this newest frontier . ." (Text)

NASA requested contractor proposals for lunar base concept study, initiating 18-month broad lunar base study program to provide detailed technical data to determine feasibility of a manned lunar base. (NASA Release 63-91)

Senator J. William Fulbright (D.-Ark.) said in Tufts Univ. William L. Clayton Lecture that Project Apollo should be aban­doned and money thus saved spent on down-to-earth causes such as education: "This allocation of priorities is a recipe for disaster, an unrecognized and powerful endorsement of the wrong side of the race between education and catastrophe."' (Boston Globe, 5/3/63518)

Revolutionary new helicopter, called XH-51A, was described in paper by Lockheed Aircraft Corp. engineers W. H. Statler, R. R. Heppe, and E. S. Cruz delivered at meeting of American Helicopter Society, Washington. Built for Army and Navy, experi­mental craft was said to be first helicopter to fly with ease and stability of an airplane because it employed rigid mounting of rotor blades to shaft and three-armed gyroscopes linking pilot control sticks with rotor. (NYT, 5/4/63, 38)

Dr. Eberhard Wahl, AFSC scientist, announced development of Photo­type Optical Surveillance System-electro-optical telescope capa­ble of tracking spacecraft more than 3,000 mi. away. Telescope's three main components : 27-in. optic for gathering light, electro­ optical device for measuring light, and computer-command sys­tem for controlling tracking of satellites. (AP, NYT, 5/4/63, 26)

May 4 1963