Dec 31 1966
From The Space Library
Boeing Co. and General Electric Co. had been selected to continue development and refinement of designs for first U.S. supersonic transport (SST), FAA announced. Decision climaxed 30 mos. of intense competition between Boeing Co. and Lockheed Aircraft Corp. for airframe design; and GE and United Aircraft Corp's Pratt & Whitney Div. for engine design. Boeing's 350-passenger, 1,800-mph, variable-sweep-wing model would be powered by four 4.5-ton GE engines capable of generating 600,000 lbs. thrust. Approval for prototype construction was expected in early 1967. (FAA Release; AP, Wash. Post, 1/1/67, A1; Wash. Sun.. Star, 1/1/67, A10)
New York Times characterized 1966: "In all future histories of lunar exploration the year 1966 will hold an honored and important place. In effect, it was the year of the moon, the year in which a dazzling array of Soviet and American instrumented capsules photographed, measured and probed the moon to an extent never before known. As a result of the successful flights of the Soviet Luna vehicles and of the American Surveyor and Lunar Orbiters, it is probable that more detailed information about earth's natural satellite was gained in 1966 than in all the rest of human history. . . ." (NYT, 12/31/66, 18C)
Fourth earth-orbiting object [see Sept. 30] not identified "with any launching or country of origin" was reported by GSFC in Satellite Situation Report. Object apparently decayed Dec. 30. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/66)
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