May 24 1966
From The Space Library
Senate unanimously passed by voice vote the NASA FY 1967 authorization bill of $5,008,000,000-$121,135,850 more than the sum voted by the House but $4 million less than President Johnson had requested. In speech on Senate floor during passage of bill, Sen. Spessard L. Holland (D-Fla.) said that if the US. failed to continue development of solid propellants, it would fail in the one thing it “should be doing to catch up with the Soviet Union in the field of space effort.” Senate bill included only the $3.5 million requested by the Administration for one additional firing of a half-length 260-in. solid rocket motor. In other debate, Sen. Joseph S. Clark (D-Pa.) said he felt that national priorities were “substantially out of order when the Senate, in the course of 5 or 10 minutes, passes a $5 billion authorization bill to send a man to the moon,” and that he hoped the space effort could be put on an international cooperation and not a competitive basis. Clark was joined in his remarks against the bill by Sen. J. William Fulbright (D-Ark.), who said such action was “typical, today, of any bill relating either to outer space or the military . . . in my view, it is an outrageous distortion of priorities.” (CR, 5/24/66, 10715-20)
NASA Aerobee 150 launched from WSMR reached 82-mi. (132-km.) altitude in GSFC-Princeton Univ. experiment designed to study ultraviolet radiation of the star Zeta Ophiuchus. Burn through in rocket’s combustion chamber at 50.1 sec. caused under performance, and payload did not observe primary target. Most data were lost through long exposure of payload film to direct sunlight before recovery. (NASA Rpt. SRL)
U.S.S.R. launched COSMOS CIX carrying scientific instruments for continued space research. Orbital parameters: apogee, 1,305 km. (810.5 mi.); perigee, 219 km. (136 mi.); period, 99.8 min.; inclination, 48.5°. Instruments were functioning normally. (Pravda, 5/25/66, 2, USS-T Trans.)
First Europa 1 booster for European Launcher Development Organization (ELDO) was successfully launched from Woomera Range although malfunction in an impact indicator at a downrange radar station led to early reentry. Booster, composed of British Blue Streak first stage and dummy French and German second and third stages, was programmed for 143-sec. flight. Range safety officer cut flight short by eight seconds when radar indicated Europa 1 was heading off course to the left. There was no malfunction in the rocket itself. Reduction of data later showed booster had been on a correct course at 30.3-mi. (48.8-km.) altitude. Hawker Siddeley Dynamics officials estimated test was 90% successful, and that "objectives were achieved.” Europa 1 was sponsored by U.K., France, Australia, Italy, West Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. (UPI, Wash. Post, 5/24/66, A12; NYT, 5/25/66,22; Av. Wk., 5/30/66, 32)
NASA and West Germany’s Ministry for Scientific Research had signed cooperative agreement to investigate the physics of comets, interplanetary medium, and earth’s magnetosphere. Initial experiments, to be launched in fall 1966, would release vaporized metal in upper atmosphere, creating artificial ion clouds which would be observed from ground. Results would be reviewed to determine desirability of conducting similar experiments on larger vehicle at a distance of several earth radii. Under agreement, BMwF would provide rocket payloads, supplementary cameras, and photometric equipment. NASA would furnish one Javelin and one Nike-Tomahawk rocket, launching range, support facilities, and equipment for optical observations. (NASA Release 66-121)
Former Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., received Great Silver Medal of Paris from Mayor Albert Chavanac for being “one of the pioneers of space, who was able to give a human aspect to the experiment he attempted so successfully.” (AP, NYT, 5/25/66, 33)
May 24-25: Representatives of NASA and its major spacecraft and launch vehicle contractors attended Saturn Manufacturing Review meeting at MSFC’s Michoud Assembly Facility. Meeting, sponsored annually by MSFC, was held to “promote the interchange of space vehicle manufacturing technology.” (MSFC Release 6-115)
May 24-26: Aviation/Space Writers’ Assn. held annual meeting in New York. AFSC Commander Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, in luncheon address, cited three factors which could restrain full advancement of technology: “The first of these constraints is the relative silence of our opponents. A few years ago the headlines were full of Soviet threats of orbital bombs, missiles that could ‘hit a fly in the sky,’ and similar weapons. Today, by contrast, the Soviets are not boasting about their new weapon developments. . . . The second constraint is the argument made in some quarters that US. military research and development could be ‘provocative’ to our opponents. This argument overlooks the fact that our very existence as a free society is ‘provocative’ to our opponents, because it contradicts their theory of history. . . . The third constraint is the immediate need for large funds to support our forces in Vietnam.. . . To overcome these constraints, General Schriever said, “we must harness our management experience and technological knowledge to serve the national purpose,” in an effort involving every “segment of our national life. . . .” (Text)
Dr. George E. Mueller, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, discussed implications of 1968 space budget decisions. He said US. today was not ahead in this deadly serious competition,” and “strong and increasing effort” would be required “to prevent the Soviets from forging ahead as the unchallenged leader in space.” (Text)
Nike X system had been improved so that it could not only destroy hostile satellites but also provide defensive cover for the entire Nation,. reported Dr. Oswald H. Lange, chief scientist for the Nike X project office at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. He described the Nike X system as employing two interceptors-the long-range Zeus and short-range, high acceleration Sprint. (NYT, 5/26/66, 4)
R. I. Mitchell, vice-president of Lockheed Aircraft Corp.’s JetStar program, said that Lockheed would produce advanced version of four engine JetStar business aircraft capable of taking off on shorter runways and carrying more cargo and passengers than previous models. New Dash 8 JetStar, powered by Pratt & Whitney JT12A-8 engine, would reduce runway requirements from 6,425 ft. to 5,550 ft. and would have 1,000 fpm faster rate of climb. (Lockheed Release)
Two space rescue systems being tested for possible use by USAF were discussed by Harold L. Bloom of General Electric Co’s Re-Entry Systems Dept.: (1) “Emergency cocoon”-an inflatable shelter to maintain astronaut in a “livable environment” while awaiting rescue would use thin silicone rubber membrane in dacron and Mylar skin to provide CO2 and water vapor control; (2) one-man reentry vehicle for self-rescue--“Manned Orbital Operations Safety Equipment (MOOSE)” -would consist of foldable heat shield bonded to Mylar bag. Astronaut would zip himself into MOOSE bag, leave spacecraft, and initiate polyurethane foaming process; foam would insulate and support him during reentry oriented with small rocket in an attitude/de-orbit package. Form-fitting couch, designed to be traveling at less than 30 feet per second at the time of impact, would also double as a life raft. (Text, Wilford, NYT, 5/8/66, 66)
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