Apr 22 1966
From The Space Library
AFSC Commander Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, who directed the development of USAF's strategic missile force, would retire this summer, the White House announced. General Schriever, retiring for personal reasons, would be replaced Aug. 31 by L/G James Ferguson, USAF Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development. (AP, NYT, 4/23/66, 5; Norris, Wash. Post, 4/23/66, A2)
USAF OV3-I satellite carrying AFCRL-instrumented 152-lb. payload was launched into polar orbit from Vandenberg AFB with Scout booster (SLV-1A). Reported orbital parameters were: apogee, 3,557 mi. (5,724 km.); perigee, 219 mi. (352 km.); period, 152 min.; inclination, 82°. Objectives were measurement of charged particle distribution in earth's magnetic field and acquisition of radiation intensity data for comparison with AFCRL satellite measurements in 1960-1963. Previously scheduled for April 19, launch had been postponed after detection of malfunction in launch vehicle's ground support system. (OAR Release; U S . Aeron. & Space Act., 1966, 150)
ComSatCorp Chairman of the Board James McCormack said ComSatCorp was contacting communications and broadcasting companies to get largest possible consensus on costs and technological feasibility of domestic multipurpose communications satellite system, and would present plans to FCC by Aug. 1. (AP, Wash. Post, 4/23/66, E7; Bishop, WSJ, 4/25/66, 32)
LUNA X completed its 150th orbit of the moon and marked Lenin's birthday by beaming back to earth the Communist anthem, "Internationale." (UPI, NYT, 4/23/66, 5)
Graduate Research Center of the Southwest president Dr. Lloyd V. Berkner addressed MSC employees. Outlining post lunar landing exploration, Dr. Berkner said: "The very broad strategic objectives for the exploration of the solar system are clearly outlined in the National Academy of Sciences Summer Study that was done last summer. . . . It is urgent and imperative that this study be adopted, or something like it, as our major basic strategy beyond the moon. The first job is to adopt a national strategy. This is not just a decision of NASA; it is a decision of the administration, of the Congress, of the American people. "And second it is urgent and imperative that this study be translated by joint actions of NASA, the National Academy of Sciences and American scientists into specific tactical plans for a specific program with dollars attached to it. For example, in my opinion, it makes little sense to undertake the first Martian landing without some precedent exploratory steps. We must first orbit and map the planet and ascertain where a landing would be profitable. "To do the planetary exploration job effectively, we now need a tactical program of specific flights on specific dates with the instrumentation necessary to plan to accomplish those tasks. I remind you that what we are doing today was planned in 1961. And yet, when we get to our planetary program in the 1970's, we don't have corresponding specific plans." He reemphasized the urgency by saying: "If we are to achieve in the planetary exploration of the future in an intelligent way, in light of the objectives of the Space Act, the time has come to get our scientists started now. Your vehicle program is already ahead of us." Dr. Berkner said that the long-range program should meet certain specifications: "(1) step-by-step advancement of experiments in the proper order; (2) use of the right vehicles to carry out the experiments; (3) effective use of Saturn capabilities, from unmanned missions to the ultimate manned landing on Mars and perhaps Venus, and (4) proper phasing-in of smaller vehicles with the larger ones, and reasonable time/cost programming." (MSC Roundup, 5/27/66, 3)
April 22-23: JPL Director Dr. William H. Pickering received American Philosophical Society's Magellanic Gold Medal at society's annual meeting in Philadelphia "for his achievements in the fields of astronomy and navigation." (NYT, 4/24/66,83)
AEC Chairman Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg told APS that a technological society must give the humanities economic freedom in order to assure development as a "human" society. Discussing role of National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities, established in September 1965, Seaborg said: "The new support of the arts and humanities by the Federal Government should help break down some of the artificial barriers we have created between the world of science and technology and that of the arts and humanities. . . though science may have a pervading and ascending influence in our lives today, there cannot be any clear cut division between science and nonscience in interdisciplinary civilization which a livable future world will require." (CR, 5/4/66, 3-4)
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