Mar 22 1966
From The Space Library
President Johnson requested Congressional approval of amendment adding $200 million to pending request for $80 million in FY 1967 budget for FAA’s SST development program. In a letter transmitting BOB amendment to Speaker of the House John W. McCormack, President Johnson said funds would be used “to complete the design competition, for expanded economic and sonic boom studies and for the start of prototype construction.” Work carried out with these funds would “bring us closer to a supersonic transport which is safe for the passenger, superior in performance to any comparable aircraft and profitable for both the airlines and the manufacturers.” ‘‘(Text, Pres. Doc., 3/28/66, 431)’’
Construction of a $3.5-billion radiotelescope of 10,000 steerable dish antennas was proposed by Dr. Bernard M. Oliver, outgoing president of IEEE, at the Institute’s convention in New York. It could gather 1,000 times more radio energy than the largest radio telescopes now in use and could detect radio signals emitted in space 200 light yrs. away. Dr. Oliver said the telescope should be built by NASA as a ‘(natural adjunct to the manned and unmanned exploration of space.” ‘‘(NYT, 3/23/66,38)’’
AEC announced selection of Martin Co. for an estimated $10-million contract to develop Snap-29-nuclear power source for short-lived earth orbital space missions, Generator would be planned to produce 400 watts of power-nearly ten times the output of any radioisotope space power source now being developed by AEC. Weighing about 400 lbs., it would be fueled with plutonium 210 and would draw power from decay of the radioactive fuel without mechanical generators. ‘‘(AEC Release J-69; Martin Co.)’’
Heat shields on the unmanned Apollo spacecraft that underwent reentry test Feb. 26 had developed three “hot spots,” NASA announced. Problem would be corrected with improved insulating compound. No delay in Apollo program was anticipated. ‘‘(AP, Wash. Eve. Star, 3/23/66, A29)’’
USAF announced Dr. J. Allen Hynek, chairman of Northwestern Univ.’s Dearborn Observatory and scientific consultant to USAF’s Project Blue Book, would investigate reported UFO sightings in the Ann Arbor, Mich., area. ‘‘(UPI, NYT, 2/23/66, 22)’’
March 22-25; Air Force Assn. held its 20th annual convention in Dallas, Tex. USAF Chief of Staff Gen. John P. McConnell told the meeting that U.S. and U.S.S.R. had enough long-range nuclear weapons to make a nuclear war between them extremely costly for either side, but that a stalemate did not exist between them: “It follows that each country has its own nuclear threshold, that is, the point or level of restraint above which it may no longer be deterred from war. This threshold is by no means static but dynamic, as it is determined by a number of factors which are both variable and unpredictable.” McConnell said the strategic superiority of USAF during the past 20 yrs. had kept the nuclear threshold of all potential aggressors at a safe level. ‘‘(Text)’’
USAF’s first priority-continued maintenance of strategic superiority over any potential enemy-required a mixed force of missiles and manned bombers, Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Harold Brown told the convention. “We will continue to need manned bombers in our strategic forces as far ahead as any of us can see, and I think that should include at least the entire decade of the 1970s. “There is no doubt about the technical feasibility of advanced manned bombers of all sorts of designs. The questions which have to be answered. . . are how we propose to use such a weapon system and how it fits in to the missions of assured destruction and damage limitation. . . . This issue is under intensive study by the Air Staff. . . .” ‘‘(Text)’’
A Citation of Honor-Air Force Assn.’s highest award-was presented to B/G Joseph S. Bleymaier for “outstanding management achievements while directing the Air Force’s development program for the Titan III-C space booster,’’ and to SSD’s 655th Aerospace Test Wing at Patrick AFB, for “successful missile and space launches, including six Gemini launches which placed ten astronauts in orbit and achieved the first manned rendezvous in space.” ‘‘(AFSC Release 48.66)’’
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