Apr 13 1964
From The Space Library
At Manned Spacecraft Center press conference, MSC Director Dr. Robert R. Gilruth announced Astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young would be prime pilots for the first manned Gemini space flight (GT-3) , with Astronauts Walter Schirra and Tom Stafford as backup pilots. Also at the press conference it was disclosed that Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr., was suffering from labyrinthitis. MSC's Dr. Charles Berry emphasized that Shepard's inner ear inflammation was not caused by space flight but by infection that spread into his inner left ear. (MSC Press Conf., MSC Historian)
NASA announced it would negotiate contract with Space Technology Laboratories, Inc., for two additional Orbiting Geophysical Observatories (Ogo). Under existing contract, STL was designing, developing, fabricating, and testing three Ogo's, the first of which was scheduled for launch this year. Contract for additional two Ogo's was expected to total about $17 million. (NASA Release 64-83)
RCA announced it had received $22 million subcontract from Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp. for communications system to be used in Project Apollo lunar landing. The system would transmit continuous voice and telemetry data to earth, provide communications between the astronauts on the moon and Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) and Apollo command module. (Phil. Eve. Bull.. 4/14/64)
President's Advisory Committee on Supersonic Transport, under chairmanship of Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara, held its first meeting. The Committee reviewed status of U.S. supersonic transport program and began discussing major issues involved in the program. (DOD Releases 295-64, 303-64)
Lockheed-California Co. announced it had developed concept for space shuttle vehicle that could be available in 1966. The "space tug" was designed primarily as spacecraft-to-spacecraft cargo transportation system and was result of study sponsored by AFSC. (SBD, 4/14/64, 75; Av. Wk., 4/20/64, 59)
Invention of pocket-size x-ray unit, smallest in the world, was announced by IIT Research Institute. Device Was invented by Dr. Leonard Reiffel, vice president of the Institute, and developed by James J. Ezop, Institute physicist. Besides uses by doctors for home calls, Dr. Reiffel said the instrument would be useful in testing mechanical parts in aerospace hard-ware. (Chic. Trib., 4/14/64)
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