Mar 8 1966
From The Space Library
NASA Aerobee 150 sounding rocket launched from WSMR carried high angular resolution x-ray collimators to estimated 103-mi. (165-km.) altitude in NASA-American Science and Engineering, Inc.-MIT experiment to determine size and location of strong x-ray sources in Scorpius. Rocket and instrumentation performed successfully [see May 231. (NASA Rpt. SRL)’’
Solar electric propulsion of unmanned spacecraft to Mars appeared entirely possible by the mid-1970’s reported JPL researchers John Stearns and Donald W. Ritchie at AIAA meeting in San Diego. Four 55-ft.-long. folding rectangular solar-cell panels would furnish power that could be harnessed to a set of small ion-chamber engines to propel spacecraft with approximate 7,000-lb. payload toward Mars. Trip would take about 300 days and culminate in orbit around Mars. Report also envisioned 850-day mission by solar-electric-propelled spacecraft to and beyond Jupiter in late 1970’s. ‘‘(JPL Release; NASA Release 66-53)’’
NASA Langley Research Center awarded General Electric Co. $3,000,000 incentive-type contract to build the sixth spacecraft in NASA’s Scout-launched reentry heating flight series. The 13-ft. conical spacecraft would be launched to measure heating rates associated with turbulent air flow close to vehicular surface, which could not be simulated with ground equipment. ‘‘(LRC Release; NASA Release 66-54)’’
ComSatCorp petitioned FCC to deny ITT’s request to construct a fourth satellite earth station in Puerto Rico. ComSatCorp said “public interest would best be served” if it, rather than ITT, owned the station, and revealed plans to seek permission to construct and begin operating the facility by mid-1968. ‘‘(Wash. Sun. Star, 3/1/66, E11; NYT, 3/12/66,22)’’
Reps. William Green (D-Pa.) and Earle Cabell (D-Tex.) were appointed to House Committee on Science and Astronautics, replacing Reps. Bob Casey (D-Tex.) and Brock Adams (D-Wash.), who resigned. ‘‘(NASA LAR V/41)’’
Lt. Valentina Tereshkova, who made 48-orbit VOSTOK VI spaceflight in June 1963, was promoted to major in the Soviet Air Force, reported Krasnaya Zvezda. March 8 was U.S.S.R. International Woman’s Day. ‘‘(Reuters, NYT, 3/9/66, 6; AP, Wash. Eve. Star, 3/8/66, A2)’’
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