Mar 7 1967
From The Space Library
Secretary of State Dean Rusk, accompanied by US. Ambassador to the U.N. Arthur J. Goldberg, urged prompt Senate ratification of the space law treaty [see Dec. 8, 1966] at Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings: "In my view, the interests and security of the United States would be advanced by its ratification. . . . The conclusion of this Treaty, we feel, augurs well for the possibility of finding areas of common interest and agreement with the Soviet Union on other significant issues-especially in those fields in which there are genuine common interests affecting all mankind." In response to charges by Sen. Albert Gore (D-Tenn.) that some of the provisions were too "vague and even fuzzy," Ambassador Goldberg explained that Senate reservations were "unnecessary" because the treaty was so crystal clear." Reservations entered by the Senate, he warned, might invite other countries to also enter reservations and thus "impair the value of the treaty." (Testimony; Finney, NYT, 3/8/67,20)
Impact of Jan. 27 Apollo accident on Apollo program schedule was discussed by NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight Dr. George E. Mueller, testifying before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics: "We will include in our schedules the time necessary to conduct a thorough program of reverification and requalification of changes . . . based on what we have learned from the AS-204 accident. . . . Our policy of full qualification prior to manned flight will remain unchanged. "I do believe we still have a reasonable possibility of meeting the major milestones for the Apollo program which were established in 1963. In particular, although the probability is lowered, I believe we will be able to land men on the moon and return them safely to earth before 1970." Asked about a manned lunar landing in 1968, NASA Administrator James E. Webb, who accompanied Dr. Mueller, replied that it was "not impossible, but almost impossible." (Testimony; Transcript, 286)
Vesta rocket launched by France from Hammaguir Range carried macaque monkey Martine to 233-km (145-mi) altitude in experiment to measure effects of extreme altitude and weightlessness on reactions of the monkey, who had been trained to push a button in response to a red light, for possible application to problems of manned space flight. Monkey was successfully recovered when she landed by parachute 98 mi from launch site after 21-min flight and was reported to be in good health. (NYT, 3/8/67,24; W Star, 3/7/67)
Secretary of Agriculture Orville L. Freeman and six other Government officials visited MSFC. NASA Administrator James E. Webb had invited cabinet members and representatives of other agencies to visit NASA centers to become more familiar with NASA activities. (MSFC Release 6745)
U.S.S.R. would fly a prototype of her 1550-mph Tu-144, supersonic transport to the Paris International Air Show May 26, according to U.S. intelligence sources, UPI reported. If reports proved accurate, U.S.S.R. would become first country to fly a supersonic transport-about one year before scheduled flight of Anglo-French Concorde and several years before U.S. SST. (UPI, NYT, 3/7/67,69)
Canadian government should establish a national space agency and develop an extensive space program to avoid losing its control over domestic communications to U.S., report to new Science Council of Canada by a four-man panel of scientists and engineers concluded. Report asserted satellite communications were best means of binding Canada's five time zones and bringing advances to isolated northern communities. It advocated that Canada "make or buy" her own satellite launching facilities; centralize her fragmented space program for coordinated planning; renegotiate cooperative agreement for sounding rocket launches with U.S. so that Canada could gradually assume complete control of project; and set up a nationwide comsat system within five years. (Walz, NYT, 3/8/67,21)
United Aircraft Corp. vice president and chief scientist Perry W. Pratt received the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' Gas Turbine Award for "his distinguished leadership and technical contributions in the development of aircraft turbojet and turbofan engines used widely throughout the world." (United Release)
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