Nov 17 1964
From The Space Library
NASA conducted two sounding rocket launches from USNS Croatan, near Wallops Island, Va., to determine whether or not ship's radar could track metalized-mylar spheres with sufficient accuracy to obtain, significant geophysical data. Both payloads, each consisting of two metalized-mylar spheres, were provided by Univ. of Michigan. The first rocket, a Nike-Apache, reached 136-mi. altitude and two spheres ejected and inflated, but ship's radar did not acquire track. Land-based radars did obtain sphere trajectory data. The second rocket, a Nike-Cajun, reached 92.6-mi. altitude, its spheres ejecting and inflating as planned but deflating earlier than expected. Ship's radar provided questionable position data which would have to be analyzed further. (Wallops Release 64-86; NASA Rpts. SRL)
The National Academy of Sciences released a statement from its Space Science Board recommending that unmanned exploration of the planet Mars, involving both physical and biological investigations and expressly the search for extraterrestrial life, be made the primary objective of the Nation's space effort in the ten to fifteen years following the Project Apollo manned lunar landing (1971-85) . Such a program would be planned to (1) capitalize upon each stage of technological capability, (2) yield tangible, meaningful results at appropriate intervals with no potentially critical gap, (3) secure environmental data essential to manned ventures, and (4) provide time for proper development of extended manned activities in space. (NAS-NRC Release 11/17/64; Text, 10/28/64)
NASA Langley Research Center issued requests for proposals for the conceptual and preliminary design of a hypersonic ramjet research engine to be used in the Hypersonic Ramjet Experiment Project announced by NASA last June. Since the project would ultimately include flight research with the engine mounted on the X-15 No. 2 aircraft, the guidelines included a weight limitation of 800 lbs. for the final research engine, including necessary flight-test instrumentation and dimensions compatible with mounting the engine near the lower aft fuselage of the X-15. (Lam Release)
U.S. Army announced that the XV-5A lift-fan jet V/STOL had made its first full transition flight, successfully converting to conventional flight after a vertical take-off. Tests were conducted at Edwards AFB, Calif. The XV-5A was said to have two big advantages over other types of vertical-flight planes: (1) it was much more economical in fuel consumption; (2) because the downward flow of air from the fans was relatively cool and gentle, the aircraft would have no trouble operating from unprepared dirt surfaces. (Witkin, NYT, 11/18/64,17)
James E. Webb, NASA Administrator, told the Council on World Affairs in Dayton, Ohio: "Space has become one of the newest dimensions of power: a dimension that ranks potentially with that of the land, the sea, and the air. And because national security is based on such dimensions, our security is heavily involved in our space achievements. Prudence demands that we conduct our program on a scale and at a pace that will permit no hostile force to employ space against us as an unchallenged avenue of aggression, politically or militarily. "At the same time we must never lose sight of another powerful concept, that in the eyes of the world, space has become an area of active competition with much more at stake than considerations of national pride or prestige. In the view of other nations, the relative effectiveness of the American system of free enterprise is, in a very real sense, being tested in space." (Text)
Electro-Optical Systems, Inc. reported that it had devised a high temperature, ultra high-vacuum thermionic electron emission microscope that can pictorially record critical problems associated with metal phase and grain growth change in missiles and hypersonic air-craft. The instrument was developed under contract to NASA. (L.A. Herald Examiner, 11/17/64)
Maj. Gen. Marvin C. Demler, Commander, Research and Technology Div., AFSC, speaking at the Seventh Hypervelocity Impact Symposium, said: "Another example of advanced development hypervelocity in nature if you will, is the ASSET Program. ASSET stands for Aerothermodynamic/ Elastic Structural Systems Environmental Tests, and involves the flight verification and demonstration of aerodynamic and structural design concepts for the lifting re-entry class of aerospace vehicles. Three ASSET vehicles have been launched to date of which two were quite successful. The ASSET Program was originally conceived and conducted by the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory and has now been turned over to the Systems Command's Space Systems Div. program for even more advanced vehicles." (Text, AFSC Release)
Army announced it had asked industry to submit proposals for a study of an advanced aerial vehicle for use as a weapons platform which might eventually replace current armed helicopters. The vehicle was conceived as an integrated aerial fire support system to include armament, avionics, and fire control equipment. (DOD) Release 811-64)
NASA announced award by Langley Research Center of $2.5 million con-tract to Boeing Co. for dynamic flight simulation work for the supersonic transport program. The Boeing 707 prototype would be modified by installation of major control and computer equipment to permit complete simulation of a wide variety of supersonic transport types. (NASA Release 64-286)
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