Jan 26 1964
From The Space Library
Potential of the gas-core nuclear rocket was outlined at recent press conference by National Aeronautics and Space Council staff-member Maxwell W. Hunter, Jr., and Welsey Kuhrt and George McLafferty of United Aircraft Corp., which is performing research on gas-core nuclear rocket under NASA contract. Maximum specific impulse for gas-core nuclear rocket would be between 2,000 and 3,000 (contrasted with 400 for the best chemical propellants and 1,000 for solid-core nuclear rocket). United Aircraft calculated useful payload sent to moon and back by gas-core nuclear rocket would be 10-30% of takeoff weight, compared to a fraction of 1% for chemical rockets. Power of gas-core rocket would be so great there would be no need for rocket staging; single-stage rocket could take off from earth, land on moon, take off, return to earth, and land safely. Such a rocket vehicle would be reusable. (Witkin, NYT, 1/26/64, 32)
DOD was reconsidering its tentative plans for a military communications satellite system, instead would rely on satellites of Communications Satellite Corp., John Finney reported in New York Times. Partly in response to Congressional pressure, Finney reported, DOD was proposing to delay development of ground stations and defer or prolong the completion of its military comsats. Final decision Would be dependent upon outcome of DOD negotiations with ComSatCorp, still underway. (Finney, NYT, 1/27/64)
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