Sep 29 1964
From The Space Library
USAF launched final Minuteman I test ICBM from Cape Kennedy. First-stage flight was satisfactory, but second stage veered out of control and had to be destroyed by range safety officer 165 sec. after launch. In launches from Cape Kennedy, the missile scored 38 successes, 8 partial successes, and 8 failures. From Vandenberg AFB, it scored 60 successes, 4 partial successes, and 2 failures. (AP, Bait. Sun, 9/30/64; M&R, 10/5/64, 11)
President Johnson sent nomination of Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, Jr., to Senate for promotion to full colonel (USMC) in recognition of his "many accomplishments while in the service of his country." Former Astronaut Glenn said the news came "as quite a surprise" to him, since he had previously expressed his intention to retire from USMC and had requested that he not be considered for promotion. (AP, NYT, 9/30/64, 16; Houston Post, 9/30/64)
NASA announced it would negotiate with Sanders Associates, Inc., for purchase of seven display systems to be used with computers for checkout and launch of Saturn V launch vehicles. Three of the systems would be used at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and four at Kennedy Space Center, NASA. Cost of the cost-plus-incentive-fee type contract may exceed $5 million. (NASA Release 64-249)
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center announced selection of Univac Div., Sperry Rand Corp., for negotiation of contract for Message Multiplexer communications processor systems. Final contract would call for Univac to supply, install, check out, program, and document two complete message handling systems to be installed in NASA communications switching centers at London and at an undetermined site in Australia. Contract was expected to amount to about $1.3 million. (GSFC Release G-64-28)
Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D.-Wis.) spoke in the Senate about the pattern of Federal R&D expenditures which he said was "having an unfavorable effect on the Midwest, home of many of our greatest industries and our greatest universities.. . . We cannot pursue a policy, even unintentionally, which has the effect of wasting the industrial and intellectual potential of the American heartland. . ." He pointed out that "not all the blame for lack of Federal research and development activity can be attributed to the Government. The industries and universities of the Middle West have not in all cases been as aggressive as they should have been in seeking Federal contracts." (CR, 9/29/64, 22355-58)
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