Jun 15 1963
From The Space Library
Official Opening of 1963 hurricane season. TIROS VI meteorological satellite, launched September 18, 1962, was still operational and U.S. Weather Bureau said additional meteorological satellites may be Orbited by NASA before end Of season, Nov. 15. (Commerce Dept. Release WB 637)
USAF announced launching Of unidentified satellite using Blue Scout booster from Pt. Arguello, Calif. (UPI, Wash. Post, 6/16/63; M&R, 6/24/63,10)
USAF launched five satellites-LOFTI IIA, SOLARAD IV, and three unidentified satellites-using One Thor-Agena D launch vehicle. LOFTI IIA was to conduct low frequency communications experiments and SOLARAD IV was to measure solar radiation. (Pres. Rpt. on Space, 1963,1/27/64)
In May 6 testimony before House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee On Military Appropriations released today, Director Of Defense Research and Engineering Dr. Harold Brown said USAF Midas satellite program had been reoriented and cut back substantially because Of technical difficulties. DOD recommendation of cut in Midas funding for FY 1964 was based "on the conclusion that the way the program was going it would never produce a reliable, dependable system." Midas program had cost $423 million through FY 1963. "Of that, I would say about half has been wasted. Half has been spent on gaining data which are, I think, quite necessary for an system of the kind that we may develop in the future . . . ." During past 10 years DOD has initiated and then terminated 61 projects at cost of more than $6 billion, he testified. (AP, Wash, Sun. Star, 6/16/63)
GSFC Satellite Situation Report identified three Soviet space launchings not previously released by either the U.S. or U.S.S.R. Sept. 12, 1962 (1962 Alpha-Phi 1-5), with fragments re-entering from Sept. 12 through Sept. 17; Nov. 4,1962 (1962 Beta-Xi 1-5), with fragments re-entering from Nov. 5 through Jan- 19, 1963; and Jan. 4, 1963 (1963 1A-1C), with fragments re-entering from Jan. 5 through Jan. 11. (GSFC Sat. Sit. Rpt., June 15, 1963)
Following radio broadcast received in London "Attention all transmitters working on the frequencies between 20,000 kilocycles and 20,012 kilocycles. "You are interfering with the reception of signals from the Vostok V space ship. You are asked to stop working on these frequencies." (AP, Wash. Eve. Star, 6/15/63)
In Saturday Evening Post, Sen. Howard W. Cannon (D.-Nev.) wrote "A perilous notion grips Washington-that through some sort of gentleman's agreement with Russia we can quarantine space, can keep it from becoming a theater of war. Wishfully the nation gears its space program to peaceful purposes, blind to the fact that the Russians have no such inhibitions. While we dream, the Russians bend every effort to develop military space systems. Quite openly they are striving for a decisive advantage in that newly penetrated region." 'Peaceful purposes,' the Administration admits, means 'keeping the peace' as well as engaging in scientific exploration and in commercial activities in space. President Kennedy has said we must insure that no other nation gains a position in space that would threaten our security. And we are orbiting numerous unmanned space vehicles which could have significant military purposes. But the disturbing fact is that we continue to put overwhelming emphasis on nonmilitary space programs and limit military efforts to a small list of defensive possibilities . . . ." (Sat. Eve. Post, 6/15/63,10,12)
Reported that USAF Vice c/s General William F. McKee had dispatched message to USAF commanders urging "personnel attention and active support" in recruiting volunteers for forthcoming NASA astronaut selections. (A-N-AF Journ. & Reg., 6/15/63, 4)
NASA Deputy Administrator Dr. Hugh L. Dryden received honorary Doctor of Science degree from Northwestern Univ. (Letter)
Henry F. Auter, Chief of Electrical Systems Engineering Branch of Test Div., NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, appointed Deputy Manager of MSFC Mississippi Test Operations. (Huntsville Times, 6/15/63)
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