Jun 25 1964
From The Space Library
Maj. Robert Rushworth (USAF) flew X-15 No. 2 to 83,000-ft. altitude and 2,966-mph speed (mach 4.49). Engine of the rocket research aircraft burned 76 sec. This was the first flight of the rebuilt No. 2 aircraft, and performance was successful. (NASA X-15 Proj. Off.)
NASA launched companion Nike-Apache sounding rockets from Wallops Island, Va., with instrumentation to detect quiet day ionospheric electric currents and to detect and study configuration of ionospheric currents under disturbance conditions. Each payload contained a dual-cell rubidium-vapor magnetometer to measure magnitude of the magnetic field. Both rockets performed and transmitted excellently, the first (launched at 10:57 a.m.) reaching 92.5-mi. altitude and the second (launched at 8:52 p.m.) reaching 96.7-mi. altitude. (NASA Rpts. SRL)
First tracking station to be built for Project Gemini was dedicated at Carnarvon, Australia, a site close to the antipodal point to Cape Kennedy, the launch site. Carnarvon was first land station over which Gemini spacecraft would pass as it went into orbit. NASA Administrator James E. Webb participated by telephone in the ceremonies, and his remarks initiated the new station into "SCAMA," the NASA 13-country net-work of operational voice communications connecting the manned space flight tracking network. (NASA Release 64-155)
Scout rocket launched by USAF from Pt. Arguello, Calif., exploded in flight. (M&R, 7/6/64, 8)
NASA announced award of three-year, $3.6-million contract to Federal Electric Corp. for instrumentation support services to the Merritt Island Launch Area of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, NASA. (NASA Re-lease 64-156)
First four divisions of NASA Lewis Research Center had completed moving into new Development Engineering Building, LRC announced. Occupancy of the building by LRC units temporarily housed in a Cleveland shopping center would be completed by end of summer. (LRC Release 64-58)
Dow Chemical Corp. selected by Kennedy Space Center, NASA, for contract to provide engineering support services at Merritt Island Launch Area facilities. Cost-plus-fixed-fee contract was estimated at $L4 million for the first year, with two one-year options for extensions. (SBD, 6/26/64, 315)
DOD announced Aeronca Manufacturing Corp. was receiving $1,809,724 contract from Office of Naval Research for design, fabrication, and installation of an advanced antenna tracking system for NASA Wallops Station. (DOD Release 485-64)
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