Apr 5 1963
From The Space Library
Tass reported LUNIK IV spacecraft was 365,000 km. (226,680 mi.) from earth at 6:00 p.m. Moscow time and was continuing on its flight toward the moon. Radio communications with the probe were good, and telemetry data indicated onboard instruments and systems were functioning normally. "Experiments and measurements, provided for by the program, are being conducted." Sir Bernard Lovell, Director of Jodrell Bank Experimental Station (radiotelescope facility), reported receiving signals from LUNIK IV for 45 min., 'ceasing abruptly at 8:50 p.m. (10:50 p.m. Moscow time). Lovell said there appeared to have been some "complicated maneuvers" with the probe. Italian astronomers reported receiving 45 min. of TV pictures showing close up of moon's surface. In Moscow, two scheduled lectures on LUNIK re flight were canceled by Moscow radio; a television discussion of history of lunar research made only passing reference to LUNIK IV. (Krasnaya Zvezda, 4/6/63 EOS Traps. ; NYT, 4/6/63, 2; UPI, NYT, 4/6/63, 2; CBS-TV "Newsnight," 4/5/63; Av. Wk., 4/15/63, 38)
Lewis Scientists report new and unusual use for liquid gallium, which appears ideally suited to the task of lubricating moving parts in space-bound machinery. (LRC Release 63-12; Lewis Chronology, 3 )
USAF announced launching of unidentified satellite with Blue Scout rocket from Vandenberg AFB. (AP, Wash. Eve. Star, 4/6/64)
USAF memorandum charging that NASA was planning to build $77 million worth of facilities that would duplicate existing USAF facilities was detailed in New York Times. Interviewed regarding the memorandum, NASA Deputy Director Dr. Hugh L Dryden said NASA had frequent coordination meetings with moo and that "no Such statement has been made to us." He described the memorandum as representing "a point of view of junior people who can't get their superiors to support their desires." On point made m memorandum about USAF's offering bioastronautics laboratories to NASA, Dr. Dryden said: "We have offered to carry half the cost of bioastronautics laboratories but this was not accepted by the Department of Defense." (NYT, 4/5/63)
USN made second attempt to place operational Transit navigational satellite into orbit from Pt. Arguello, Calif., Astronautics and Aerospace Engineering reported. A&AE said spacecraft failed to attain orbit because of malfunction in fourth stage of US" Blue Scout booster. (A&AE, 5/63,141)
John L. Sloop, Director of NASA Propulsion and Power Generation in Office of Advanced research and Technology testified before House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Space Science and Advanced Research and Technology: "Propulsion is the key to space exploration and our push to the moon in this decade will depend completely on chemical propulsion. We see a large and continuing role for chemical propulsion in the next decade. The advent of nuclear and electrical propulsion will greatly increase our capability and enable us to use each type in the application best suited to its characteristics. We see much larger chemical propulsion systems than we have today. Some of these may use air augmentation and will be capable of ferrying large payloads economically from earth to manned satellites and between distant points on the earth. We see chemical propulsion packages carried dormant for months on long space missions but read at the touch of a button or a signal from earth to perform heir task. We see chemical propulsion systems for landing and take-off from the moon, Mars, and Venus where compact systems of high thrust per pound of weight are needed. Some may be carried as extra stored energy sources for emergency use . . . ." (Testimony)
AEC announced Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer would be recipient of Enrico Fermi Award, AEC's highest honor, in recognition of his leadership in development of the atomic bomb and of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. Dr. Oppenheimer has headed Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, since 1947. (NYT, 4/6/63,1,5)
Vasily V. Parin, president of Soviet Academy of Medical Sciences and expert in space medicine, was awarded the Order of Lenin "in recognition of his great contribution to the advancement of Soviet medical science," Tass reported. (AP, Balt. Sun., 4/7/63)
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