Apr 4 1963
From The Space Library
Sixth Apollo spacecraft impact test conducted by North American Aviation's Space and Information Systems Div., Downey, Calif. Highly instrumented capsule fell from 10-ft. height at vertical speed of 18 mph into test tank containing 300,000 gals. of water. (CBS-TV "Newsnight," 4/5/63; L.A. Herald Examiner, 4/4/63)
Dr. George L. Simpson, Jr., NASA Assistant Administrator for Technology Utilization and Policy Planning testified before House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Applications and Tracking and Data Acquisition: "NASA is committed to a hard, driving effort to transfer the useful fruits of our research and development effort to the private Sector of the economy in as quick and as useful a way as possible. "We are committed, first, because the Space Act requires it. NASA is directed to `Provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof.' "We are also committed because we are mindful that. a large part of the Nation's R&D effort is occupied by the Federal agencies; and that it is essential that the maximum value be wrung out of this part of the total effort. "The requirements for space exploration begin in the field of anatomy and run through virtually the whole gamut of Scientific and technological interest, through new power sources to zero gravity. Further, those things which are made for space travel receive no compromises from that harsh environment. Which is to Say that a very large part of the total space work is at the very leading edge of the state-of-the-art; and that in another large part of the state-of-the-art must be extended. "It is reasonable to think that an effort of Such Size, range and Sophistication, extending over a number of years, cannot fail to have major scientific and economic consequences: consequences that begin as scientific and technological advances and then are converted into new techniques of manufacture, new systems of organization, and new products and services. The space effort will be, we think, altogether comparable in its effect on the American economy to that of World War II. Our objective is to maximize, to facilitate, to speed up this effect. . . . "We are aware that past experience indicates severe problems in the transfer of government research and development efforts to private use. However, we feel that the Nation's well being requires a major effect to determine whether these problems can be solved." (Testimony)
Alton B. Mood, Chief of Future Applications Satellites in NASA Office of Applications, testified before House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Applications and Tracking and Data Acquisition. He Summarized NASA accomplishments and plans in two areas-navigation satellite systems and data collection Satellite systems-and Said: "Both of these projects illustrate the operating procedure adopted for Future Applications. Before a flight program will be undertaken, several questions must be answered affirmatively "1. Is there a requirement? "2. Is the requirement sufficient to justify the expenditure of the funds needed? "3. How would such a system operate? "4. Is the design feasible and within current state-of-the-art? By answering these questions serially, we are not committing funds very far downstream and can turn back at any point if the results are unfavorable." (Testimony)
Ballute drag balloon was being built by Goodyear Aircraft Corp. for use in Gemini manned spacecraft, NASA Manned Spacecraft Center announced. Ballute would be used as part of Gemini ejection-seat-escape system, planned means of emergency escape for altitudes below 70,000 ft. The inflatable rubberized fabric structure would stabilize and slow the astronauts' fall until conventional parachutes could be deployed at lower altitudes. (MSC Release 63-67)
Congressman George P. Miller (D.-Calif.), Chairman of House Committee on Science and Astronautics, spoke out during committee questioning of Dr. Albert J. Kelley, NASA Director of Electronics and Control, about location of proposed NASA Electronics Center in Boston area. Miller made his comments after Congressman Thomas N. Downing (D: Va.) asked Dr. Kelley why NASA had not chosen Langley Field, Va., as site for new center: "Frankly, we're making this thing right now a question of where are we going to put it because it's going to be a plum. We'd all like this in our states. But do you want to make a W.P.A. project out of this or are we interested in the space program?" (AP, NYT, 4/5/63)
Tass announced LUNIK IV was 314,000 km. (194,494 mi.) from earth at 8:00 p.m. Moscow time and would pass close to the moon's surface, indicating for the first. time that the probe would not orbit or land Speculation was that LUNIK IV might have been planned. to soft-land an instrument package on the moon. Tass said radio communication with the spacecraft was good and that onboard instruments were functioning normally. (AP, Wash. Post, 4/5/63; Pravda, 4/5/63, EOS Trans.)
NASA and AEC announced agreement to standardize the reduction ratio and size for microcopy of miniaturized forms of scientific and technical reports generated within the two agencies. (NASA Release 63-64)
Dr. Brockway McMillan, Assistant Secretary of Air Force, gave to House Committee on Science and Astronautics a list of 10 experiments USAF would like to include as part of its participation in NASA Project Gemini: visual definition of objects in space; cooperative target inspection; angle-track-only rendezvous guidance; hybrid IR/laser guidance equipment; passive infrared star and satellite tracking; visual definition of terrestrial features; observation of missile launches; extravehicular operations; autonomous navigation; and radiation levels within the space capsule. (M&R, 4/15/63, 15)
In address at Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, Secretary of Commerce Luther Hodges said: "Of the nearly $17 billion we in the United States are spending on research and development, only about $4 billion is spent by American industry for non-military, non-space work. And of that $4 billion, only about $1.5 billion is aimed at increasing the productivity of our economy. "The countries of Western Europe are spending twice as large a proportion of their gross national product for civilian research and development.... Japan, which many people still think of as an imitator and copier of western scientific and technical developments, actually has as high a ratio of scientists and engineers working on its civilian technology as we have. . . "American industry must be much more alive to the need for more research and development work in the civilian sector of our economy. There must be a wider diffusion of this work throughout industry, and there must be greater industry support for the training of people capable of doing this work. "Some 80 per cent of all our industry sponsored research is done by 300 companies, and 73 per cent in only 5 industries. "Two of these industries, aerospace and electronics account for 25 per cent of the industry sponsored research, but their products account for only 31/2 per cent of the total production of goods and services in this country. . . ." (Text, CR, 4;"25/63, 2444-2445)
Dr. James R. Killian, former president of MIT, was quoted by James Reston of New York Times: "Will several billion dollars a year additional for enhancing the quality of education not do more for the future of the United States and its position in the world than several billions a year additional for man in space?" (NYTNS, Chattanooga Times, 4/5/63)
James J. Tart, of NASA Langley Research Center, was one of five recipients named for second annual E. H. Rietzke Achievement Awards of the Capitol Radio Engineering Institute of Washington, D.C. Cited for his work to help overcome communications blackout during re-entry ionization of space vehicles, Tart devised and built a 9,000-megacycle telemetering system for an X-band radar to enhance re-entry communications. (Newport News Times-Herald, 4/4/63)
Ham, first chimpanzee to be successfully launched on (suborbital) flight, became a permanent resident of Washington's Zoological Park. Ham flew in Mercury-Redstone flight MR-2 down the AMR On Jan. 31, 1961. (Wash,. Post, 4/5/63)
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