May 14 1963
From The Space Library
Project Mercury flight MA-9 postponed at T-13 in launch countdown because of technical failure in computer converter at Bermuda tracking station. Earlier, at T-60, countdown was halted for 129 min. to repair faulty fuel pump in gantry's diesel engine, which had failed to start. Eight-min, recapitulation of prelaunch activities for Project Mercury flight MA-9, Cape Canaveral, was telecast to European viewers via RELAY I communications satellite shortly after flight was postponed. (NASA Release 63-104; NYT, 5/15/63)
Maj. Robert Rushworth (USAF) flew X-15 No. 3 to 95,600-ft. altitude and 3,600-mph speed (mach 5.20) in test to record temperature increase rates with more than 600 sensors on X-15's skin. During the flight, Major Rushworth rolled aircraft into 90° bank to obtain the necessary data. Aircraft's exterior reached temperatures of 900° F. (FRC Release; UPI, Chicago Trib., 5/15/63)
First flight test of inflatable meteoroid probe (paraglider), using Aerobee 150 launch vehicle, was conducted from White Sands Missile Range. Objective of experiment was to develop technique for determining penetration rates in thin structural materials. Preliminary results indicated Aerobee 150 followed nominal flight trajectory, but paraglider did not accomplish flight because canister in which it was contained failed to eject. Experiment was joint project of NASA Langley Research Center (paraglider) and Goddard Space Flight enter (vehicle) under direction of NASA Office of Advanced Research and Technology. (NASA Release 63-102; NASA OART/Levine)
William S. White, editorializing in the Washington Evening Star, May 14,1963, pointed out that "There are reformist politicians-who would never agree with the conservatives on anything else whatever-who don't want this money [for space exploration] sent simply because in their opinion not enough is being done or projects like `urban renewal.' Such men no doubt would have screechingly stopped development of the airplane a lifetime ago if, in the meantime, the street cars in New York were in any way inadequate and the slums in Chicago or Philadelphia had not been totally replaced by public housing." (Wash. Eve. Star, 5/14/63)
Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of U.N. Committee on The Peaceful Uses of Outer Space convened in Geneva. (NYT, 5/3/63)
Successful MA-9 Project Mercury flight, longest U.S. manned space flight to date (22 orbits; 34 hrs. 20 mm.) Mercury spacecraft FAITH 7, with Astronaut Leroy Gordon Cooper (Maj., USAF) as pilot, lifted off Pad 14, Cape Canaveral, at 8:04 a.m. EST. Atlas launch vehicle placed spacecraft in initial orbit of 166-mi, apogee, 100perigee, 88.7-min. period, 32.5 ° inclination to equator 17,544-mph speed. Besides participation in flight procedures, astronaut ate, slept, and conducted scientific experiments. Because automatic control system (acs) failed during 19th orbit, spacecraft was oriented manually during 22nd orbit, retrorockets were fired manually, and re-entry phase was conducted without acs. FAITH 7 landed two miles from U.S.S. Kearsarge near Midway Island in Pacific. Value of trained pilot's presence in spacecraft was underscored by successful mission achievement despite acs failure. MA-9 provided biomedical data confirming man can survive and function during prolonged space flight with no ill effects. Experiments during flight included: ejecting from spacecraft in third orbit a 10-lb. flashing-beacon sphere (testing visibility of objects in space in preparation for future rendezvous maneuvers), which Cooper sighted during fifth and sixth orbits; photographs of zodiacal light nighttime airglow layer; horizon definition experiment, using colored filters in 70-mm. camera; radiation measurement experiment, using Geiger counters mounted on spacecraft exterior and detectors inside spacecraft and inside astronaut's space suit; tethered balloon experiment (to measure atmospheric drag) which Cooper attempted in sixth orbit but balloon did not deploy; infrared photography for meteorological purposes; television photography, which achieved historic "first" in U.S. manned space flight with direct transmission of TV pictures to tracking stations; cabin environmental temperature study, another historic "first" with cabin coolant valve and fan turned off from orbit #5 until about two hours before re-entry, astronaut relying on space suit for cooling while cabin temperature stabilized at around 96° F; HF antenna tests, another "first", involving transmissions with antenna horizontally polarized and vertically polarized; ground light experiment, with astronaut observing three-million-candlepower xenon light at Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa; window attenuation experiment, with astronaut viewing calibrated standard light source and stars to evaluate transmission of light through spacecraft window; and white paint patch measurements, investigating changes in paint pigments during re-entry heating. Cooper's historic flight covered estimated 593,885 mi. in 34 hrs. 20 min. Nearly. 36 years before, Charles Lindbergh's historic flight from New York to Paris covered 3,610 mi. in 33 hrs. 30 min. (NASA MA-9 Press Kit; NYT, 5/15/63; NYT, 5/16/63; NYT, 5/17/63; Press Conf. Transcript, NYT, 5/20/63; Aerospace Yearbook, 1960)
Millions of Americans heard and watched MA-9 launching and subsequent flight activities on commercial radio and television. Estimated 8,000 people watched launching on Grand Central Station, New York, 12-by-16-ft. television screen. Attempt to telecast launching to European viewers via RELAY I communications satellite was unsuccessful because "an error on the part of the broadcast company programmers ... resulted in the transmission of live TV monitors at Cape Canaveral which consisted of a hodgepodge of random pictures and sounds that was virtually meaningless. Videotape of launch activities and of first TV pictures from Astronaut Cooper was successfully transmitted via RELAY I later in the day. Beginning at 6:55 p.m. EDT, the three U.S. TV networks received via RELAY I a three-minute program on European reaction to Astronaut Cooper's flight. (NYT, 5/16/63; AP, Wash. Eve. Star, 5/16/63; NASA Release 63-106)
Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper's FAITH 7 Mercury spacecraft was clearly visible to unaided eye to observers in Johannesburg, South Africa. (UPI, NYT, 5/16/63, 19)
Radio Moscow wished Astronaut Cooper good luck on his space flight and said: "The Soviet people, who were pioneers in space, are hoping that this scientific experiment works out successfully. We sincerely hope that its results will serve the development of peaceful cooperation and above all cooperation between the Soviet Union and the United States in the study of the laws of the universe." (UPI, Wash. Post, 5/16/63)
X-15 No. 1 piloted by John B. McKay (NASA) reached 3,856-mph speed (mach 5.57) and 124,200-ft. altitude, 156 mph faster and 26,200 ft. higher than planned because of one-degree error in flight angle. Aircraft was equipped with traversing probe, de- vice that extends itself about three inches from X-15 surface every four seconds, to measure air flow. (FRC Release; NYT, 5/17/63,19)
NASA announced from Cape Canaveral that recruiting 9-12 new astronauts would begin next month. (Simons, Wash. Post, 5/16/63)
NASA announced award of $10,687,000 contract to Chance Vought Corp. for 23 Scout launch vehicles. (NASA Release 63-105)
Chief of NASA Future Applications Satellites Cap t. Alton B. Moody (USNR), addressing graduating class of U.S. Naval Academy, described nonmilitary navigation satellite system being studied by NASA. One such system could provide position determination, air traffic control, ship surveillance, search and rescue, fleet monitoring, and weather routing services. (Text)
International Association of Machinists announced ratification of new three-year contract with Boeing Co. Agreement ended aerospace industry-labor negotiations begun last September. (NYT, 5/16/63,33)
U.K. and France were calling conference of European Postal and Telecommunications Administrations to discuss possibility of European communications satellite system, U.K. Foreign Office spokesman said. U.K. had abandoned any plan to develop its own system. Conference participants would be Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, and West Germany. (NYT, 5/16/63, 19)
Soviet news agency Tass reported radioastronomers at Pulkovo Observatory h had discovered radiation belt around planet Jupiter. (UPI, Wash. Daily News, 5/15/63)
May 15-17: Second Annual National Flight Forum Symposium held at Hartford, Conn., with more than 300 representatives of business, industry, education, government, and military services at tending. Symposium was sponsored by Connecticut General Life Insurance Co. (NASA Release 63-101)
Addressing the Forum, NASA Administrator James E. Webb reviewed earl history of U.S. development in aeronautics, noting U.S. was far hind in aircraft development in 1915, when NACA was formed: "The wisdom of its [NACA's] establishment was amply demonstrated over the ensuing years, and led ultimately to United States supremacy in civil and military aviation . . . :' He noted U.S. was behind in 1957 when U.S.S.R. orbited SPUTNIK I, then cited formation of NASA in 1958 and President Kennedy's recommendation in 1961 of accelerated program "to give the nation a clearly leading role in the conquest of space. "I review this history because it is necessary occasionally to remind ourselves of the past if we are to have a clear view of the present. With a warning clearly sounded in space, the nation determined, for the first time, that it would seize the opportunities offered by man's new ability to explore space, and that it would not be content merely with catching up with somebody else. Instead we set our sights on the most challenging goal within our reach, which could be achieved within a time scale competitive with the ability of others to do the same, and determined that we would explore the moon with men within this decade. "Nothing in recent history suggests that we have reason now to change our course . "Those who view the lunar program simply as a propaganda effort fail to grasp that not only our prestige, but our capacity for constructive international leadership, our economic and military capacity for technological improvement, depend upon our ability to achieve acknowledged superiority in science and technology, and to use this capability in our own behalf and that of our allies .... " (Text)
Dr. Raymond L. Bisplinghoff, Director of NASA Office of Advanced Research and Technology, described NASA research in supersonic transport and in V/STOL aircraft and said: "Aeronautical and space research serves as a sharp cutting edge to advance man's knowledge in practically every technology which is fundamental to transportation devices. Although it is impossible to predict quantitatively the impact on transportation of current aeronautical and space research, past experience has shown that we may predict with confidence that it will be considerable . ." (Text)
