Dec 20 1964
From The Space Library
MARINER IV, bound for Mars, began passing through a second stream of meteoroids. In its first 23 days of flight, the craft had made 71/2 million scientific and engineering measurements in interplanetary space and was 3,748,352 mi. from earth, traveling at 6,970 mph relative to earth. Its velocity relative to the sun was 72,902 mph. The straight-line distance from the spacecraft to Mars was 107,592,980 mi. (NASA Release 64-323)
NASA announced that it had organized a moonwatch network to assist with development and operation of the "Moon Blink," an instrument designed to verify and locate color on the lunar surface. When alerted by one of the stations, watchers at scattered distant points would train their telescopes on the moon to verify a sighting. Professional and amateur astronomers at some 35 stations linked by long-distance telephone were working with NASA to give volunteer assistance to the Moon Blink program. The instrument was being developed by NASA's Office of Advanced Research and Technology under contract with Trident Engineer-bag Associates, Annapolis, Md., and consisted essentially of rotating color disks which would blink when red color showed on the Moon. Although the instrument was being developed for detection of unusual coloration on all types of bodies orbiting in space, the moon's surface was Considered of particular interest since the red color could signify a source of gases and possibly of energy. Any source of energy Would be significant to the NASA lunar landing program. (NASA Release 64-316)
Researchers reported the centrifugal experiment conducted for the Air Force by Douglas Aircraft Co's Missile and Space Systems Div. indicated that a centrifuge device in a space station could help to recondition astronauts living for prolonged periods in a weightless condition. Tests in which five college students spent 42 days in a horizontal position showed that tendency to faint on standing diminished after periodic centrifuge rides. (NYT, 12/20/64, 42)
Dr. Boris Yegorov, the Russian doctor who orbited the earth in the VOSKHOD I spaceship, suggested that persons suffering from high blood pressure and heart trouble might one day be rocketed into weightless space for therapy. By relieving the gravitational load on the patients and giving them drugs, he said, "it will be possible to heal a person and give his wearied heart a chance to recuperate." Dr. Yegorov said this novel heart treatment would be possible in the "foreseeable future." (Toth, Boston Sunday Globe 12/20/64)
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