Apr 9 1963
From The Space Library
In its first few days of operation, EXPLORER XVII satellite had obtained data that more than tripled all previous direct measurements of the neutral gases in earth's upper atmosphere, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center announced. Satellite was traveling in elliptical orbit (578-mi. apogee, 153-mi. perigee, 96.4-min. period) and was transmitting data of excellent quality and quantity. It had been commanded more than 75 times, and each time it responded with approximately four min. of data on density, pressure, composition, and temperature of upper atmosphere gases. New communications system, utilizing special data readout station at GSFC, was providing scientific and technical data from the satellite within minutes of its transmission. (GSFC Release)
Nike-Apache sounding rocket carried instrumented payload to 101-mi. altitude in experiment from NASA Wallops Station to measure density and conductivity of electrically charged particles in the ionosphere under undisturbed conditions. Except for failure of solar aspect sensor, experiment was considered a success. The 80-lb. payload impacted in Atlantic Ocean 77 mi. from launch site. (Wallops Release 63-38; NASA Rpt. of Sounding Rkt. Launching)
Televised White House ceremony, with President Kennedy signing bill making Sir, Winston Churchill an honorary citizen of the U.S. was transmitted to England and Europe via RELAY I communications satellite. Broadcast was viewed by millions of Britons and Sir Winston himself, and both audio and visual reception were considered perfect. (NASA Release 63-69; Wash. Post, 4/10/63)
Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., NASA Associate Administrator, testified on NASA's contractual arrangements with industry in systems engineering and in checkout, reliability assessment, and integration before Subcommittee on Applications and Tracking and Data Acquisition, House Committee on Science and Astronautics: "In February 1962, NASA requested . . . AT&T to provide an organization of experienced men able to employ the most advanced analytical procedures necessary to develop the factual bases needed by responsible NASA officials to make the wide range of decisions required for the successful execution of the manned space flight program. "AT&T responded to this request by forming Bellcomm, Inc., in March, 1962 .... "It is important to note that the Bellcomm organization assists and supports a technical office within the Government rather than an administrative office. This important distinction makes it possible for the Government to properly carry out its total technical responsibility utilizing a contractor for assistance, but maintaining final technical, engineering, and procurement judgments within the Government itself .... "It is important to understand the difference between systems engineering, an activity that requires a relatively small organization of very highly qualified individuals, and checkout, reliability assessment, and integration, which because of the massive amount of technical detail which must be handled, require large manpower efforts. "In systems engineering, we have developed the system concept and are now writing the overall specifications for project Apollo. You should recognize that. a portion of these specifications will include the general requirements on the checkout system, definition of the requirements for reliability assessment, and technical monitoring of the program. Bellcomm supports NASA in this work. "We have asked General Electric to provide support in areas in which the details require many people. G.E. is implementing the checkout system, beginning hardware production, and undertaking comprehensive work in integration and related data gathering and processing, which will help to insure that the overall systems engineering requirements are being met in detail." (Testimony)
LUNIK IV was Soviet Union's third attempt in 1963 to send instrumented payload to the moon, William Hines reported in Washington Evening Star. He quoted a. Government official- a outside of NASA and DOD-as saying: "We are trying to make a record to place before the world. The preparation of this record is now in progress. There has been no official statement to date long things that are up there which we know about and don't long to us. But there are such things, and they should be made public-by us, if the Soviets refuse." NASA and DOD had no comment on any unannounced Soviet space launchings. (Wash. Eve. Star, 4/9/63, Al)
Senator John L. McClellan (D.-Ark.) introduced in the Senate a bill (S. 1290) to establish a uniform national policy concerning proprietary rights in inventions made through expenditure of public funds. Bill was referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary. (CR, 4/9/63, 5609 )
Dr. Eugene B. Konecci, NASA Director of Biotechnology and Human Research in Office of Advanced Research and Technology, outlined NASA's human factors systems program before House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Space Sciences and Advanced Research and Technology and said "This program is designed not only to do human research and development of adequate life support and protective systems for man's survival in the aerospace environment, but to adequately determine man-machine relationships, and integrate them properly into the advanced aerospace systems. Our success and progress in the next 10 to 20 years depends upon the Biotechnology and Human research we do today . . . ." (Testimony)
First college program to train USAF astronauts had been established at Purdue Univ., USAF announced. Fourteen June graduates of Air Force Academy had been selected to begin the l specialized program in Purdue's School of Aeronautical and Engineering Sciences, their studies leading to newly created Master's degree in astronautics. (Chicago Trib., 4/10/63)
Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., officially opened Chicago and Midwest Space Month with his televised dinner address in the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. Dinner marked the opening of "America, in Space" exhibit in the museum, largest space display ever made available by NASA in the midwest. Space Month activities would be climaxed by third national conference on the peaceful uses of space in Chicago, May 1-9. (Chicago Trib., 4/9/63)
NASA Langley Research Center announced selection of E. W. Muller, Contractor, Inc., of Newport News for preparing the site for NASA Space Radiation Effects Laboratory, Newport News, Va. (Langley Release)
Andrew G. Swanson, scientist at NASA Langley Research Center, was one of 45 outstanding young executives awarded an Alfred P. Sloan fellowship in executive development at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Award was announced by Dean Howard W. Johnson of MIT's School of Industrial Management. (Langley Release)
In speech before Public Relations Society of America luncheon meeting in Washington, Mac Public Affairs Officer Lt. Col. John H. Powers (USAF) said preparations for Project Mercury flight MA-9 were proceeding on schedule. Flight was scheduled for mid-May. (AP, Birmingham Post-Herald, 4/10/63)
U.S.-U.K. agreement on purchase of Polaris missiles for use in British submarines was published in Washington. Contract was technical version of Nassau agreement signed last December by President Kennedy and Prime Minister Macmillan establishing Polaris as substitute for Skybolt weapon system. It was signed March 16 and submitted to British Parliament today. (NYT. 4/10/63,3)
Reported that Soviet cosmonaut Gherman S. Titov had been promoted from major to lieutenant colonel. (UPI, NYT, 4/9/63,15)
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