Dec 16 1964
From The Space Library
Two NASA Aerobee 150 sounding rockets were launched from White Sands Missile Range, N. Mex. The first rocket reached 126.5-mi. altitude carrying instrumented payload which was recovered after impact. Electron measurement experiment did not work, but the other experiments apparently were successful: hypervelocity micrometeoroid collectors, cosmic dust collectors, and momentum and energy measurements as correlative data for the collectors. The second rocket reached 145-5-mi. altitude in successful nighttime test to study distribution of Lyman-alpha radiation. Scanning ultraviolet spectrometer and a photometer were used. ( NASA Rpts. SRL)
A hingeless Lockheed XH-51N rotor helicopter for advanced research in rotary wing aircraft had been delivered to NASA Langley Research Center. Studies would be made of the loads and flying qualities problems that might be encountered by operational aircraft of this type and of the extent to which their potential advantages of simplicity and improved flying qualities could be realized in practice. Rotor blades on the XH-51N were held firmly to the hub, which was attached rigidly to the engine drive shaft. On other helicopters, the blades were either hinged at the side of the rotor hub or were gimbaled atop the mast. (LaRC Release 12/16/64)
Najeeb Halaby, Administrator of FAA, said that the four aircraft companies designing the supersonic transport (SST) had submitted proposals which showed "very substantial progress in the last 6 months." Halaby spoke of progress in the three principal problem areas associated with development of a 2,000-mph airliner: the safety and economics of its operation and the sonic booms created in its wake. The two airframe competitors were the Boeing Co. and Lockheed Aircraft Corp.; designs for the engine were submitted by General Electric and the Pratt Whitney Div. of United Aircraft Corp. (Toth, Wash. Post, 12/17/64, Balt. Sun, 12/17/64)
USAF announced that Aerojet General Corp. would receive a $2,744,000 increment to a previously awarded contract for research and development for the Titan III transtage engine, from Ballistic Systems Div. of Air Force Systems Command. (DOD Release 888-64)
USAF announced that Douglas Aircraft Co., Inc., Missile and Space Systems, would receive a $4,000,000 order to an existing contract for procurement of Thor space boosters from Space Systems Div. of Air Force Systems Command. (DOD Release 888-64)
NASA used an Aerobee rocket to launch two experiments from White Sands Missile Range. The experiments were to measure cosmic dust and electron densities in the upper atmosphere. (M&R, 12/21/64, 8)
NASA also successfully launched a Nike-Apache sounding rocket from White Sands, N. Mex., to peak altitude of 121 mi. Objective was to obtain data on the electron density distribution in the ionospheric D region by means of a radio propagation experiment, and to measure photo-emission currents. (NASA Rpt. SRL)
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