January 1967
From The Space Library
British government awarded Manchester Univ. a $126,000 grant to design a successor to radiotelescope at Jodrell Bank Experimental Station. New radiotelescope would have an aerial dish 450 ft in dia, and would cost about $11.2 million to build. (AP, W Star, 2/1/67, A3; AP, NYT, 2/2/67,2)
Chimpanzees could survive sudden exposure to near vacuum according to tests performed by 6751 Aeromedical Research Laboratory at Holloman AFB. Visual inspection of the EEG as well as power spectral density computer analysis indicated the expected greater subcortical resistance to anoxia when compared to cortical responses. Results showed that all subjects not only survived the exposures in excellent health but recovered within 4 hr after rapid decompression and were able to execute a complex behavioral schedule at a preexposure level of performance. Central nervous system damage was absent or negligible. (Text)
Edgar M. Cortright, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, reviewed in Astronautics & Aeronautics the achievements of US. unmanned spacecraft: "For exploring the farthest reaches of space, for probing its most unknown and hazardous regions, for continuous monitoring of many diverse phenomena, for day-in, day-out practical utility, and as precursors of all space activity, automated spacecraft remain without peer." Among unmanned spacecraft worthy of future development, Cortright named Voyager, Mariner, a Jupiter probe, a new Applications Technology Satellite (ATS), a Synchronous Meteorological Satellite, a Voice/TV Broadcast Satellite, and a Navigation Satellite. (A&A, 1/67,22-8)
Earth resource evaluation satellites could give ". . . greatest immediate return of all space expenditures," Space/Aeronautics reported. Applications were listed: spotting indications of petroleum and mineral deposits; providing land use maps for urban renewal, agricultural and industrial development ; monitoring underground streams; checking crop and forest vigor; and monitoring pollution dynamics. (S/A, 1/67, 85)
In spite of unleased capacity in two commercial communications satellites now in orbit, optimism prevailed, and ComSatCorp's entry into "global marketplace has led carriers to slash transoceanic rates," Space Aeronautics reported. As technical manager of INTELSAT, ComSatCorp had been establishing operational position in "aeronautical and domestic communications market." (S/A, 1/67,80)
Dr. Karl G. Harr, Jr., President of the Aerospace Industries Assn., emphasized the importance of US. space effort to our total national interest in Aerospace: "As a nation . . . we have probably never learned as much in so short a length of time as from our space effort. . . . Leaving aside the advantages in scientific knowledge, national prestige, defense insurance, domestic economics, and everything else, the task of conquering space requires far and away the greatest technological reach man has ever attempted. . . . As it has in the past, this will set the pace for our total national technological advance. Every aspect of our national life which is influenced in any degree by such advances will be the beneficiary." Harr cited a range of future alternatives that would extend the Nation's technological reach: (1) more ambitious, wholly automated program, including extraterrestrial probes and new applications for earth-orbiting spacecraft; (2) expanded manned spacecraft program which might involve construction of a "permanent" space station or a manned lunar e; and (3) manned expedition to Mars. (Aerospace, 1/67,2-7)
Wall Street Journal staff reporters interviewed experts in many fields for series of articles on probable developments between 1967 and 2000. Jonathan Spivak, in lead-off article, reported that MSFC Director Dr. Wernher von Braun and more than a score of prominent US. scientists and engineers were making optimistic forecasts of future US. space achievements. Insufficient money and lack of nuclear rockets could present serious problems, yet most space experts foresaw the following major possibilities for the next few decades: (1) Early 1970s: extended lunar exploration by astronauts; earth orbital flights of three months' duration to determine effects of prolonged weightlessness. (2) Mid- 1970s: landing of unmanned spacecraft on Mars to search for signs of life; launching of first civilian space station; operation of satellite systems to aid civilian ship and aircraft navigation and to survey earth`s natural resources; development of improved comsats; use of meteorological satellites to produce accurate long-range global weather forecasts. (3) Late 1970s: first flight of six-man spacecraft, circling Mars and returning to earth in 600 days; orbiting of giant astronomical telescope above earth`s atmosphere; establishment of semi permanent base on moon. (4) Mid-1980s: landing of men on Mars for 10-20 days of exploration. (5) The 1990s: launching of unmanned probes to Jupiter, Saturn, and perhaps other planets; longer- duration astronaut exploration of Mars; maintenance of small colony on moon; manned flights around Jupiter and Saturn. Jerry Bishop, focusing specifically on electronic communications in second article, said that researchers were envisioning creation of a vast network of facilities over the next three decades that would use present technology-notably, comsats-to make instant audio, visual, and facsimile transmissions available worldwide. Same network would also enable computers to exchange information with each other and communicate with users located elsewhere. Although such services were not considered economically feasible at present, communications experts expressed confidence that demand for picture phones and facsimile would be high enough and costs low enough to bring about widespread introduction of the services before the end of the century. (Spivak, WSJ, 1/6/67,1; Bishop, WSJ, 1/16/67,1)
Press commented on President Johnson's failure to authorize SST prototype construction. New York Times: "Now the basic size and shape of the plane have been settled. . . . Yet neither [company] has been told when to quit refining the designs that resulted from a three-year, Government-sponsored competition and begin `cutting metal' on flight test models-a step that had been expected on Jan. 1. The companies can take only intermediate steps until the President and the Congress decide how fast the plane should be built, how industry and Government are to divide the financial risk, and whether another, smaller plane should be built for domestic routes. . . . (Clark, NYT, 1/8/67, E2)
Wall Street Journal: "President Johnson evidently has decided to postpone for some time the $4.5 billion [SST] program. . . . This decision . . . hasn't been publicly disclosed, but is nonetheless obvious to Congressional and Administration officials. . . . How long the delay will last depends on whether it has resulted solely from current budget pressures generated by the Vietnam war or is based on a belief that the growing criticism of the SST-as an allegedly costly and technically unsound project that will `benefit the jet set' and be an `ear shattering' nuisance to everyone else-is justified." (Zimmerman, WSJ, 1/3/67,2)
Washington Evening Star: "Competitors in the SST sweepstakes had been hoping ` . . that the winner would receive the green light to build a flyable prototype airplane right away. What Boeing and GE got instead, was a month-to-month commitment to do more of what they have been doing for 2% years-study, design, analyze. . . . One thing is certain about the SST program at this point: there will be no big new government funding until fiscal 1969 at the earliest." (Hines, W Star, 1/2/67, A10)
An advanced concept in solid rocketry was demonstrated when Lockheed Propulsion Co. static-fired large-scale motor with two interconnected combustion chambers for 7.5 min. Firing-longest ever achieved by high-performance solid-propellant gas generator-was 80% successful. Lockheed Vice President Kenneth H. Jacobs commented: "The firing demonstrates the feasibility of a large-scale, all-solid rocket propulsion system for spacecraft attitude control and trajectory adjustment." (Marshall Star, 2/1/67,5)
Sen. Edward W. Brooke (R-Mass.) and Sen. Charles H. Percy (R-Ill.) were assigned to vacancies on the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences created by the resignations of Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (D-Va.) , and Sen. George D. Aiken (R-Vt.) . (Senate Comm.) Dr. Herbert Friedman, Superintendent of NRL'S Atmosphere and Astrophysics Div., was appointed chairman of NRC's Committee on Solar- Terrestrial Research. (A&A, 1/67,18)
Responsibilities of the Defense Communications Agency were described by its director, L/G Alfred Starbird (USA). General Starbird said that DOD'S Communications Satellite Program had been divided into three phases : . (1) use of existing SYNCOM satellites, (2) installation of Initial Defense Communications Satellite System, and (3) investigation of Advanced Defense Communications Satellite Project for later implementation. General Starbird outlined progress in implementing these steps and in meeting the "special operational requirements" for communication support of NASA'S Apollo Program and for increased circuits to Southeast Asia. (Data, 1/67, 5-9)
McDonnell Co. and Douglas Aircraft Co. announced plans to "proceed immediately" with merger negotiations. (WSJ, 1/16/67,2)
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