Aug 15 1963
From The Space Library
SYNCOM II communications satellite was successfully maneuvered into synchronous position 55° west longitude, over Brazil and South Atlantic Ocean. The satellite was slowed from westward drift, speed of 1.2° per day to nearly zero drift by firing of onboard nitrogen jets. Previous firings of hydrogen peroxide jets occurred Aug. 11, when SYNCOM II was slowed from 7° drift, per day to 2.7° drift per day, and Aug. 12, when satellite was reduced to 1.2° drift. Firings were directed by engineers at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and actual command was executed from ground station at Lakehurst, N.J. SYNCOM II was now stationed about 22,300-mi. altitude and traveling at speed of about 6,800 mph, matching earth's rotation speed of 1,040 mph at equator to keep it on station. It was hovering in figure-8 pattern 33° north and south of equator. NASA Administrator James E. Webb called completion of the positioning maneuvers the culmination of "one of the outstanding feats in the history of space flight." (NASA "SYNCOM II Fact Sheet"; NASA Release 63-185)
Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, announced appointment of Robert B. Young as MSFC Director of Projects and Industry Operations. Presently Vice President and General Manager of Aerojet General Corp.'s Sacramento Plant, Young would assume his MSFC position Nov. 1. (NASA Release 63-184)
NASA Administrator James E. Webb said in letter to Sen. Thomas Kuchel (R.-Calif.) : "It is not NASA policy to direct or instruct its prime contractors as to where to place their subcontracts or the identity of subcontractors." Statement was in response to Senator Kuchel's request for comment on charges that NASA was ordering contracts be awarded in specified locations. NASA provisions in prime contracts regarding subcontracting policy: selection of subcontractors be made "on a competitive basis to the maximum practical extent"; subcontracts be awarded to small business firms in labor-surplus areas "to the maximum practical extent"; NASA must approve contractor's plan to manufacture more than $1 million worth of space work outside of contractor's own plants; and NASA reviews contractor's basis for selecting proposed subcontractor "and the degree of competition obtained by the prime contractor." (MacDougall, Wash. Post, 8/16/63)
Dr. T. L. K. Smull, NASA Director of Grants and Research Contracts, said in commencement address, Univ. of Georgia "Today we are dealing not only with profound changes in a social and economic structure of our country and of the world; we are dealing as well with even more profound changes in man's own conception of the boundaries and limitations of his habitable environment and of his understanding of the forces of the universe. "Therefore, the opportunities available to you graduates in the next decade are, in a very real sense, boundless. The challenges of tomorrow are not just for the scientist, the engineer, and the technician working toward scientific developments, but for all men and women in all professions-for every one of you. Even if science is not your field, you must understand what it implies simply because science will continue affecting your lives with even greater impact as each year asses . . . . "Never before has a civilization seized upon and exploited a new technology at the rate man is now exploring the new dimension of space. In the 2,060 days since the Russians launched Sputnik, NASA has conducted 96 major vehicle launchings, an average of one every 22 days. In this period, the USSR has announced about 35 successful space flights. "NASA's impressive accomplishments will be dwarfed by United States activities during the rest of this decade as our understanding of the nature of space, the sun, and the map of the Universe is greatly enhanced. `In an age of exploding knowledge in all of the physical sciences no area of human activity better focuses and dramatizes the meaning of today than does this boldest, most challenging arena of space . . . ." (Text)
FAA issued to industry the Request for Proposals establishing performance objectives for U.S. supersonic transport airplane. Initial designs were to be submitted to FAA by Jan. 15, 1964. (FAA Release 63-76)
Rep. R.. C. Pucinski (D.-Ill.) introduced in House an amendment to Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to make illegal any civil supersonic aircraft within U.S. that generated sonic boom overpressures exceeding 1.5 lbs. per sq. ft. on ground directly beneath its flight path. (CR, 8/15/63,14271-76)
85-ft.-tall research balloon drifted out over Pacific Ocean at 90,000ft. altitude and was reported "hopelessly lost" by balloon flight center at Palestine, Tex. Balloon was sent aloft Aug. 13 to gather meteor particles, and had been intended to land at Pecos, Tex. (UPI, Wash. Post, 8/16/63)
Findings of Trendex survey of public attitude on space exploration, conducted by Hicks and Greist, Inc., advertising agency: "There seems to be a definite relationship between age and attitude toward the space program. Generally, there is an increasingly negative opinion about the program with increase in age . . . ." (Kaselow. N.Y. Herald Trib., 8/15/63)
USAF successfully fired Titan I ICBM from Vandenberg AFB, a routine. training launch by SAC crew. (DOD Release 1142--63)
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