Jul 24 1964
From The Space Library
At international conference in Washington, two interrelated agreements for establishment of global commercial communications satellite system were initialed by the negotiators from 13 participating countries. Five other nations planned to join the agreement on or before Aug. 19, date of formal enactment. Under these agreements, ownership in the $200 million enterprise would be shared among 18 nations and Vatican City, with the United States' Communications Satellite Corp., owning 61% of the shares and serving as manager of the system on behalf of all participants- Agreement would be open for six months beginning Aug. 19 to any nation belonging to International Telecommunications Union. (ComSatCorp Releases;" Finney, NYT, 7/25/64; N.Y. Her- Trib., 7/25/64; WSJ, 7/27/64)
1,000-hr. operating test at full power of Snap-8 experimental reactor was completed in a ground test at Atomics International's Nuclear Field Laboratory, contractor to AEC for the reactor. During the test, the reactor was operated at 600 kw. of heat output and 1,300° F coolant outlet temperature, thus exceeding the current Snap-8 system requirement of 450 kw. of heat. Snap development was joint program of NASA and AEC. (Marshall Star, 9/23/64, 8)
At his Washington press conference, President Johnson announced successful development of an advanced, long-range reconnaissance air-craft to be employed by Strategic Air Command : "This system employs the new SR-71 aircraft and provides a long-range, advanced strategic reconnaissance plane for military use capable of worldwide reconnaissance for military operations. "The Joint Chiefs of Staff, when reviewing the RS-70, emphasized the importance of the strategic reconnaissance mission. The SR-71 aircraft reconnaissance system is the most advanced in the world. "The aircraft will fly at more than three times the speed of sound. It will operate at altitudes in excess of 80,000 feet. It will use the most advanced observation equipment of all kinds in the world. "The aircraft will provide the strategic forces of the United States with an outstanding long-range reconnaissance capability. The system will be used during periods of military hostilities and in other situations in which the United States military forces may be confronting foreign military forces. "The SR-71 uses the same J-58 engine as the experimental interceptor previously announced, but it is substantially heavier and it has a longer range. "The considerably heavier gross weight permits it to accommodate the multiple reconnaissance sensors needed by the Strategic Air Command to accomplish the strategic reconnaissance mission in a military environment. "This billion-dollar program was initiated in February, 1963. The first operational aircraft will begin flight-testing in early 1965, and deployment of production units to the Strategic Air Command will begin shortly thereafter. "Appropriate members of Congress have been kept fully informed on the nature of, and the progress in, this aircraft program. "Further information on this major advanced aircraft system will be released from time to time at the appropriate military secret classification levels." (Transcript, NYT, 7/25/64, 6)
McDonnell Aircraft Corp. was awarded a $1,189,500 fixed-price contract for study of Gemini B spacecraft for the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program. The contract was awarded by the USAF Space Systems Division. (DOD Release 545-64)
NASA announced small businesses received three out of every four sub-contracts awarded by NASA contractors in the first three quarters of FY 1964. Of 1,337 subcontractors, 983 (or 74%) were small companies. The small businesses received $119 million, or 23% of the $526 million awarded in the time period. (NASA Release 64-179)
Governors and senators from 12 midwestern states meeting in Washington held under consideration a suggestion from Gov. James A. Rhodes (R.-O.) and Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D.-Wis-) that a regional bloc be formed in Congress to obtain Federal contracts for the Midwest: "When we refuse as a unit to support east and west coast projects until a sensible policy of government spending is established, then we'll get a hearing," Senator Nelson said. "We aren't going to support the others and make a wasteland of the Midwest." (Dodd, CTPS, Chic. Trib., 7/25/64)
Cape Kennedy celebrated its 14th anniversary as a missile and space vehicle launching base. The first missile from the Cape was a hybrid Bumper (V-2) booster with an Army Wac Corporal second stage, launched on a 200-mi. trajectory on July 24, 1950. Since then more than 1,400 launches had been made- Since its establishment in 1958, NASA had been responsible for 84 flights. (Marshall Star, 7/29/64, 9)
It was reported that USAF was planning to permanently preserve the launch complex from which the first American astronauts were launched into space and to develop the area around it into an Air Force Space Museum. (Strothman, Miami Herald, 7/24/64)
An exhibition of U.S. communications equipment-including a model of the Telstar satellite opened in Leningrad. (AP Wire, 7/24/64)
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center announced researchers had developed first known high-temperature-resistant ceramic potting compound in which space electronics could be imbedded for protection against extreme heat. The ceramic potting compound can be cured at temperatures as low as 150° F, permitting it to be cured in place around the electronics without subjecting the delicate equipment to damaging heat. The ceramic potting compound combined protection against heat up to 2,500° F with protection against vibration. (GSFC Release G-18-64)
Results of space poll of 2,000 randomly selected AAAS members, 1,134 of whom responded, were published in Science. To the statement, "The vital national interests of the United States require that a high priority be given to landing a man on the moon by 1970," 31% of the respondents said "Yes," 62% "No." To the statement, "A reasonable objective would be a lunar landing by 1970, 1975, 1980, 1990, [or] Never," 20% chose 1970; 23% 1975; 19%, 1980; 9%, 1990; and 7%, Never. Asked to select "the most important justification for manned exploration of the moon" from prepared list of alternatives, respondents said: military, scientific, 58%; resources on moon, 1%; national prestige, 13%; technological fallout, 6%; spirit of adventure, 7%. Asked to rank following fields "in order of their potentiality for producing new knowledge," respondents said: earth-based astronomy, 2%; manned lunar research, 10%; biomedical research, 51%; oceanography, 6%; physics research, 15%; chemical research, 9%; other, 7%. Asked to choose "what fraction of the total federal $15 billion" R&D funds "should be devoted to the space program," 30% chose 0-10%, 31% chose 10-20%, 14% chose 20-30%, and 5% chose 30-40%. Commenting on the poll, Robert C. Toth of Los Angeles Times noted that Science editor Philip Abelson was "an outspoken opponent of the moon program" and that the survey did not directly ask the key question: Should the existing program be slowed down now? Journal of the Armed Forces space editor James J. Haggerty, Jr., pointed out that "it all depends on who you ask." Of the 1,134 respondents, he said, "it turned out that 86% were not connected with the space program. As a matter of fact, there is a strong suspicion that they are all medical researchers, since 51% of them indicated that biomedical research is the scientific field with the potential for producing the greatest amount of new knowledge, where only 10 percent thought manned lunar research would contribute anything of value. . . . ' (J/Armed Forces, 8/8/64, 12; Science, 7/24/64, 368; Toth, Wash. Post, 7/27/64)
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