Mar 5 1967
From The Space Library
USAF SV-5D lifting body was successfully launched from WTR by Atlas booster on reentry mission and telemetered "excellent" performance data to earth before losing its flotation gear and sinking in the Pacific. Released by Atlas booster at desired orbital altitude, the 900-lb vehicle became first spacecraft to perform preprogrammed cross-range maneuvers when it glided away from a straight line and then returned to original flight path. Purpose of flight-second of four in USAF's Precision Recovery Including Maneuvering Entry (Prime) program-was to further test theory that a vehicle could be designed to operate like an orbital spacecraft and be maneuvered like an aircraft when it reentered and traveled through the atmosphere. First SV-5D vehicle, launched Dec. 21, 1966, performed successfully but was lost when parachute malfunctioned. (AFSSD Release 77.67; Av Wk, 3/13/67,23; Miles, LA Times, 3/6/67)
Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences staff report released by Committee Chairman Sen. Clinton P. Anderson (D-N.Mex.) disputed theory that any nation would have a military advantage with orbiting nuclear weapons. Report, prepared "to provide information for . . . legislative evaluation on the space law treaty [see Dec. 8, 1966] submitted for Senate approval Feb. 7, noted: "Majority military opinion holds that orbital bombardment is not an effective strategic weapon as compared to land-based ballistic missiles. An effort to use space-based nuclear weapons would have the effect of a strategic warning, thus placing an aggressor in the position of being open to retaliation by strategic weapons." (Text)
Two-to 12-day delivery time for letters between US. and Vietnam could be appreciably shortened with Satellite Mail (S-Mail) system, National Environmental Satellite Center's J. Gordon Vaeth suggested in letter to New York Times editor. S-Mail letters would be electronically scanned and converted to radio signals that would be sent by mid-Pacific comsat relay to Vietnam where they would be reconverted and reproduced on a recorder. (NYT, 3/5/67, E9)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
