Jul 3 1963

From The Space Library

With President Kennedy's return to Washington from Eu­rope, NASA communications satellite RELAY I marked end of its busiest programming period. RELAY was "booked solid" during past weeks to cover President's trip, death of Pope John XXIII, and election of Pope Paul VI. During its six months of operation, RELAY I had been used for 85 public communications demonstra­tions, including transmission of television, voice, radio-photo, and teletype. (NASA Release 63-144)

Selection of Republic Aviation Corp. for negotiation of Advanced Orbiting Solar Observatory (AOSO) contract announced by NASA. Under 5.5 million contract, Republic would complete Phase I of AOSO development, including detail design, systems engineer­ing, reliability assessment, limited hardware development of critical systems and components, and trade-off analysis. (NASA Release 63-147)

NASA Manned Spacecraft Center announced ejection seat escape sys­tem for Gemini two-man spacecraft had successfully undergone first high-speed rocket-sled test, at Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, Calif. Both dummy astronauts were safely recov­ered after ejection at nearly 600 mph from boilerplate spacecraft, simulating emergency ejection during boost phase of Gemini mission. Tests simulating ejection before launch were also being conducted, consisting of firing ejection seats from 150-ft. tower and parachuting dummy astronauts to safe landing. (MSC Release 63-111)

Addressing First World Conference on World Peace Through Law in Athens, NASA Communications Systems Director Leonard Jaffe described role of satellites in communications and said ". . . Today, approximately 300 telephone channels are available across the North Atlantic. "Notwithstanding these recent and radical improvements in trans-Atlantic telephone service, we can predict the need for still more channels. Every time communication channels have in­creased, they have been loaded to capacity almost at once-new means for communication have never caused the abandonment of the old ones. During 1960 there were more than three million overseas telephone calls, and reliable estimates indicate a seven­fold increase in overseas calls during the next decade. Such an increase in traffic will overtax the current and planned under­sea cables, and high frequency radio facilities. And our current communication facilities have no capability for transmitting television. . "Communications satellites should soon be providing a substan­tial increase in our capabilities for world-wide high quality com­mon carrier communications, at least over those routes where the volume of traffic exceeds present or forecast capabilities, and is also great enough to justify the necessarily large investment in a communications satellite system. Eventually, we hope that com­munications satellite technology will be improved to the point where service can also be provided to areas not served by other means, either because of their isolation or because the traffic volume does not justify an investment in more conventional communication means. "The objective of the United States in this area was voiced by President Kennedy in a public statement, not too long ago, in which he said: `There is no more important field at the present time than communications, and we must grasp the advantages presented to us by the communications satellite to use this medium wisely and effectively to insure greater understanding among the peoples of the world."' (Text.)

Bochum Institute for Satellite and Space Research, Germany, an­nounced reception of 15-min. radio transmission on frequencies normally used by Soviet spacecraft. Commercial radio station in Paris broadcast that U.S.S.R. had placed a man into space but did not elaborate. Soviet news agency Tass made no mention of space launching. (UPI, Wash,. Post, 7/4/63)

Effective date of appointment of Dr. Eugene G. Fubini as Assistant Secretary of Defense, with specific duty of serving as Deputy Di­rector of Defense Research and Engineering. (DOD Release 7/8/63)

National Aeronautic Association President Martin M. Decker an­nounced five Americans would receive 1962 awards from Federa­tion Aeronautique Internationale : Paul F. Bikle, Director of NASA Flight Research Center, Lilienthal Medal for his record­ making glider flights; Donald L. Piccard of Raven Industries, Montgolfier Award for best international balloon performance in 1962; and (jointly) Mrs. Grace M. Harris of Kansas City Aero Club, Philip S. Hopkins, National Air Museum Director, and W. W. Millikan, Northrop Corp. Washington representative, the FAI Paul Tissandier Diploma for Outstanding service to aviation in general and sporting aviation in particular. (NAA Release)

First Minuteman missile wing declared operational in cere­mony turning Over last of the Montana sites to Strategic Air Com­mand at Malmstrom AFB, Great Falls, Mont. (DOD Release 952-63)

SAF launched Atlas ICBM from Vandenberg AFB in successful rou­tine training launch. (DOD Release 987-63)

Polaris A-3 missile launched from land pad On successful 1,500-mi. flight down Atlantic Missile Range. (AP, Wash. Eve. Star, 7/4/ 63; M&R, 7/15/63,10)

Army's Nike-Zeus antimissile missile performed successfully in White Sands Missile Range test studying precise control of the missile by ground equipment under "severe" conditions. (DOD Release 954-63)

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