Feb 10 1964
From The Space Library
President Johnson submitted to the Congress his 1963 report on the activities and accomplishments of the U.S. program to establish and operate a commercial communications satellite system. In his transmittal message, the President said: "The year 1963 has been a period of major accomplishment toward the objectives established by the Congress in the Communications Satellite Act. The Communications Satellite Corporation has been organized, established, has employed a competent staff, and is implementing plans for a commercial communications satellite system. All agencies of Government concerned have contributed wholeheartedly to the furtherance of the objectives of the act. . . ." (CR, 2/10/64, 2714)
USAF Athena missile misfired in its first overland test flight from Green River, Utah, and pieces of the vehicle and instrumented payload landed in sparsely populated southwest Colorado. No person or property was damaged, and USAF officials apologized immediately to Colorado Governor John A. Love. The 8-ton, 50-ft. missile was supposed to have made 450-mi. flight from Green River to White Sands Missile Range, N. Mex. USAF sources later indicated that the missile's nosecone was released when pyrotechnic charges were actuated by a short circuit in second-stage junction box. As result of damage to forward wires, signals for first-stage jettison were lost and second stage ignited with first stage still attached. Pressure forced off the stage fairing as well as second-stage fins, but the vehicle continued to travel-20° off course. (AP, Balt. Sun., 2/11/64; UPI, NYT, 2/11/64, 26; M&R, 2/24/64, 11; Av. Wk., 3 /2/64, 36)
120 delegates from 17 European nations met with U.S. and Canadian delegations in Rome for exploratory talks on European participation in an international communications satellite system proposed by the U.S. (NYT, 2/11/64)
Examining the failure of RANGER VI as well as previous Ranger lunar probes, William Coughlin pointed out in Missiles and Rockets editorial that Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Ranger project manager, is "the only NASA facility where NASA owns all the land, owns all the equipment, pays all the bills and allows a non-profit corporation to run the facility.. . . "An academic environment is neither comparable nor conducive to the kind of hard-driving industrial atmosphere required to make complex space hardware function in a highly reliable manner . . . we think Congress should reopen the whole question of the JPL-Cal Tech relation. ship. " (M&R, 2/10/64, 50)
NASA announced selection of Trans World Airlines for negotiation of contract to provide base support services at John F. Kennedy Space Center, NASA. Under this contract TWA would provide general maintenance, utilities operation, and supply operations on a cost-plus-incentive-fee basis; and janitorial, fire protection and prevention, security, and medical services on fixed-price basis. (NASA Release 64-32; KSC Release 13-64)
Dr. Eugen Saenger, eminent European space scientist, died at 58 in West Berlin. Dr. Saenger was best known for his World War II study "Rocket Propulsion of Long Range Bombers" and his post-war theoretical investigations of photon-powered rockets. He was one of the first to investigate use of liquid hydrogen as a fuel and of metal powders mixed with rocket fuels. Formerly head of Institute of Jet Propulsion Physics in Stuttgart, since last May he held chair of space flight technology at Berlin Technical Univ. Of him, Dr. Walter Dornberger said: "He didn't see the goal of human endeavor as travel just in our planetary system. He wanted to see travel to the outer galaxies. He made very extensive studies in this field, which one day-maybe 40, 50 years from now-may be looked at very seriously.' (NYT, 2/11/64, 39)
Rep. Glen P. Lipscomb (R.-Calif.) discussed on the House floor a document titled "Common Action for the Control of Conflict: An Approach to the Problem of International Tension and Arms Control," prepared by Vincent P. Rock of Institute for Defense Analysis under contract to U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. Rep. Lipscomb said the document "reportedly has been must reading for administration officials.. . [It] becomes an important document because, since its release [July 1963], administration policies seem to have coincided to a high degree with its recommendations. Although it purports to be nothing more than its author's opinions, it has turned out to be a handy advance guidebook to administration actions...." Citing examples of Rock report's recommendations, Rep. Lipscomb said report recommended U.S. seek Soviet cooperation in future space efforts and in scientific areas; he noted NASA-U.S.S.R. space cooperation agreement announced Aug. 16, 1963, and President Kennedy's proposal for U.S.-U.S.S.R. negotiations for lunar exploration cooperation presented Sept. 20, 1963. (CR, 2/10/64, 2720)
NASA announced it would negotiate one-year cost-plus-incentive-fee contract with General Electric Co. Computer Dept, for continuation of engineering services at NASA Co., Space Flight Center's computation laboratory. (NASA Release 64-31)
Florida East Coast Railway moved a freight train into Merritt Island with non-union workers, as NASA had formally authorized on Feb. 8. Striking railroad Workers established picket lines at all entrances to Merritt Island and Cape Kennedy. Army Corps of Engineers said apparently all 4,540 construction workers refused to cross the picket lines, halting construction on more than 30 projects. (UPI, Houston Chronicle, 2/10/64; AP, NYT, 2/11/64, 42)
Thomas L. McGrath, director of R&D Dept. of Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, said in Christian Science Monitor interview that NASA'S electronic research center would be a stimulus to Boston area economy. When the center is completed in 1969, he said, a "conservative" estimate would be $250 million contribution to income of the area. "The center will pull in a lot of capable people, and it's impossible to say what they'll add to the income of the area. Also one good research discovery coming out of the center might be worth millions to industry." (Russell, CSM, 2/10/64)
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Nikolayeva-Tereshkova left London for Moscow, ending tour-of Britain during which she Was presented to Queen Elizabeth. (AP, Wash. Post, 2/11/64)
Air-India had reserved three delivery positions for U.S. supersonic transport aircraft, FAA announced. ( FAA Release 64-13)
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