February 1964
From The Space Library
Severely criticizing NASA'S Industrial Applications Program, Arthur Kranish claimed in Western Aerospace article: "Years of work and millions of dollars have resulted, to date, in a handful of dreary pamphlets and a few sheafs of mimeograph paper. . . ." Companies writing for details of "NASA 'innovations'" had "an unpleasant shock awaiting them. . . . Their requests sat for months on someone's desk. Finally, a brief mimeographed description of the innovation was forwarded-along with an unsubtle letter from a leading research institution offering to perform full follow-up and interpretive work for the interested company-at a fee." (Kranish, Western Aerospace, 2/64)
Kennedy Space Center, NASA, awarded $3,061,826 contract to Ling-Temco-Vought's Range Systems Div. for services at Merritt Island Launch Area: automatic data processing, technical information, photographic support, and printing plant operation. The one-year contract would be renewable for two more years through annual options. (SBD, 2/25/64, 296)
Impact of global communications satellite systems was predicted by Arthur C. Clarke in Astronautics and Aeronautics magazine. During the coming decade, comsat systems would bring about "orbital post office," "orbital newspapers," and "orbital telephony." And eventually global comsat system would underscore requirement for universal language, which Clarke predicted would be met with English; would educate millions with TV visual aids, and would end barriers to free flow of information (such as censorship and jamming). "The inexorable force of astronomical facts will destroy the political fantasies which so long fragmented our planet. For when all major artistic productions, entertainments, political and news events (not to mention disasters) can be observed and experienced simultaneously by the whole world, the parochialism and xenophobia of the past will not be able to survive. ". . . another [influence], perhaps even more fundamental, may be reversal of an historic trend which has proceeded with scarcely a break for 5000 years. The traditional role of the city as a meeting-place is coming to an end; Megapolis may soon go the way of the dinosaurs it now resembles in so many respects. This century may see the beginnings of a slow but irresistible dispersion and decentralization of mankind-a physical dispersion which will take place, paradoxically enough, at the same time as cultural unification." (Clarke, A/A, 2/64, 45-48)
Eastern Airlines announced its research on wind-shear turbulence, or clear air turbulence (CAT) , had yielded the significant finding that CAT is preceded by changes in temperatures too slight to be read on present cockpit instruments. Eastern found that temperature change of as little as one degree Centigrade over two-min, period can indicate aircraft is approaching area of turbulence, either in clear air or in clouds. Eastern developed and is flight-testing "Cat-Spy," special instrument which records outside temperatures in fractional degrees, activates warning lights when temperature changes indicate approach to area of possible turbulence. (Eastern Release)
Frank Gifford of U.S. Weather Bureau, Oak Ridge, Tenn., postulated that "canals" on Mars are actually sand dunes 2,500 to 3,000 mi. long. Size of the dunes would indicate surface pressure of about 30 millibars, close to the 25 millibars calculated by JPL from spectrographic measurements. In Martian gravity and air density, wind speeds would have to be five to ten times those on earth to form dunes, and such winds have been observed in Martian dust storms. (M&R, 2/17/64, 21)
NASA Hq. contracted with RAND Corp. for evaluation of alternate approaches to conducting Project Apollo and attaining its goal. (SBD, 2/14/64, 248)
USAF Space Systems Div. reinitiated its program to develop Astronaut Maneuvering Unit (AMU) for extravehicular space activity. Earlier this year SSD had requested bids for "remote space maneuvering system but canceled this in favor of the AMU, to be used in MOL-oriented program. AMU Would consist of five subsystems-hydrogen peroxide propulsion, environment control, attitude stabilization, manual control, and telemetry and voice communications. (SBD, 2/17/64, 255)
General Dynamics/Convair shipped Little Joe II booster to White Sands Missile Range, Where it would be used later this year to launch Apollo boilerplate spacecraft in test of the launch escape system. (MSC Round-up, 2/19/64, 1)
North American Aviation's Space and Information Systems Div. was studying the planaria to help understand human healing process under conditions of weightlessness. Planaria was capable of regeneration even under extremes of temperature, vibration, and shock. (M&R, 2/17/64, 21)
AFSC awarded $100,000 study contract to Sylvania Co. for feasibility study of balloon-satellite communications network. System would relay relatively interference-free signals over microwave radio beams by bouncing them off balloons orbiting earth at about 2,000-mi. altitudes. (SBD, 2/24/64,290)
Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Gerrity, AF Deputy Chief of Staff/Systems & Logistics, described the purpose of the military cost reduction program: "Cost reduction will enhance military capability. We'll save money and thus afford better weapon systems. We are being challenged as never before to perform our mission With less money; this is a way of life we can expect in the future." (AF Mag., 2/64, 21-23)
Aerospace Industries Association of America created Aerospace Technical Council to serve as technical advisory board, technical policy planning group, and overall supervisory agent for Aerospace's Technical Service and the AIA technical committees. (M&R, 2/24/64, 49)
Indonesian air force launched Soviet-built surface-to-air missile in connection with military alert exercises, according to official Antara news agency. (M&R, 2/24/64, 11)
Tory II C series of reactors expected to lead to low-altitude supersonic vehicle nuclear propulsion system was scheduled to undergo initial tests at AEC Nevada Test Site early this year. (M&R, 2/17/64, 9)
In 70-sec. firing, modified Minuteman first stage was used to test prototype gimbaling nozzle half as big as one needed for 156-in. solid motor and four times as big as any gimbaled nozzle built or tested to date. (M&R, 2/17/64, 21)
Second 30-day test of effects of 100% oxygen on men began at USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB. The four subjects would remain in space cabin 42 days, with 12 days at sea-level atmosphere before change to oxygen atmosphere and pressure of about 5 psia. (Av. Wk, 2/24/64, 27; M&R, 2/24/64, 9)
"Universal" upper stage space vehicle powered by restartable liquid-hydrogen/liquid-fluorine engine was proposed by Douglas Aircraft Co.'s Missile and Space System Div. to NASA. Douglas proposed the concept as upper stage for Thor boosters, said it also could be used with Atlas, Titan, and Saturn first stages. Douglas said the high-energy upper stage could be ready for use in three years, would have the advantages of heavy payload capability and adaptability to either earth-orbit or space-probe missions. (SBD, 2/25/64, 300; A-N-AF &R, 2/29/64, 14)
- February
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