Jan 9 1964
From The Space Library
USN announced a solar-powered, 120-lb. satellite was launched pickaback last Sept. 28 along with a previously announced nuclear-powered satellite. On board the solar-powered satellite were six transistors and several radiation detectors, testing means of protecting the transistors from radiation damage. (AP, NYT, 1/10/64, 86)
Sen. Barry Goldwater (R.-Ariz.) stated in Portsmouth, N.H., press conference: "I don't feel safe at all about our missiles, to tell you the truth. I wish the Defense Department could tell the American people how undependable the missiles in our silos actually are." Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara announced that Senator Goldwater's charge was "completely misleading, politically irresponsible, and damaging to the national security. There is no information, classified or otherwise, to support the false implications that our long-range missiles cannot be depended upon to accomplish their mission. . . ." (NYT, 1/10/64, 1, 14)
Following Senator Goldwater's charge that U.S. missiles are undependable, unnamed official sources at Cape Kennedy pointed out that newest U.S. ICBM'S-Minutemen and Titan II's-can be fired in less than a minute's notice, have been successful in nearly 7 out of 10 test firings, partially successful in 2 out of 10, and completely unsuccessful in only 1 out of 10 firings. (UPI, NYT, 1/10/64, 14)
NASA Administrator James E. Webb told University Club in New York that NASA's last 25 attempts to place satellites in orbit were all successful. Of the 25, only one payload failed to function. Mr. Webb pointed out that in 1959, NASA's first full year of operation, the record showed 6 successes and 13 failures. By 1961, rocket reliability "had improved to the point that we had 54 successful space flights with five successes for each failure." (NYT, 1/10/64, 85)
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