Oct 26 1964
From The Space Library
NASA's EXPLORER XX topside-ionosphere sounder satellite was providing new information on "the arrangement of ionospheric irregularities" and "the structure of plasma resonances," according to Central Radio Propagation of National Bureau of Standards. (M&R, 10/26/64,23)
NASA Aerobee 150 sounding rocket was launched from White Sands, N. Mex., to 119-mi. altitude in successful flight to collect data on celestial x-ray sources. American Science and Engineering, Inc., provided pay-load instrumentation, which included four Geiger counters, one photo-electric detector, two scintillation counters, and two star sensors. Rocket and instrumentation performance were considered good. This was the 500th launch of an Aerobee liquid-propelled sounding rocket, the booster that carried first U.S. rhesus monkeys into space on high-altitude flights in 1951 and 1952. Aerobee was outgrowth of rocket program begun in 1946 by what is now Aerojet-General Corp., which was then engaged in jet-assisted take-off (Jato) research. (NASA Rpt. SRL; Wash. Eve. Star, 10/28/64)
NASA Associate Administrator Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., said in Missiles and Rockets interview that NASA was tentatively planning to initiate pro-gram definition of Apollo-X spacecraft in FY 1965. He stressed, however, that NASA manned space station of from six-months to one-year lifetime would receive no hardware funding until the 1970's. He also said NASA's Apollo-X study did not compete with USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program: "MOL is important for the military as a method of determining what opportunities there are for men in space. It is not suitable to fulfill NASA requirements to gain scientific knowledge." (M&R, 10/26/64,14)
Dr. John J. Brennan, Jr., speaking for Committee to Preserve Cambridge (Mass.) Industries, said he would petition court to decide that proposed Kendall Sq. site for NASA Electronics Research Center did not meet urban renewal standards. Dr. Brennan said he received reply from White House to his letter of protest in which Presidential aide Kenneth O'Donnell said Kendall Sq. would have to meet all legal requirements for urban renewal before NASA could locate there. (Boston Globe, 10/26/64)
Astronaut Russell L. Schweickart removed spacesuit at NASA Ames Research Center, where he had undergone three rides on centrifuge. Schweickart, who had celebrated his 29th birthday in the spacesuit, had worn it constantly since Oct 19. (AP, Wash. Eve. Star, 10/27/64)
Soviet astronomer Nikolai S. Kardashev, writing in U.S.S.R.'s Astronomical Journal, proposed that two sources of strong radio emissions-CTA-21 and CTA-102-were possible beacons from intelligent civilizations. First observed in 1960, the optically invisible "objects" are unique among recorded sources in that their radiations emit at peak intensities of about 900 megacycles. Kardashev said 900 megacycles would be optimum frequency for interstellar communications, since it is the frequency where background noise-cosmic noise and quantum noise-is at a minimum (Sullivan, NYT, 10/26/64, 1, 36)
Republican National Committee Chairman Dean Burch said in open letter to President Johnson that NASA Administrator James E. Webb was engaging "in the most blatant and transparent politics by suggesting he will shift the top space scientists and executives from Huntsville, Ala., to New Orleans. . . . This is political blackmail, pure and simple.. . ." (CTPS, Chic. Trib., 10/27/64)
European Space Research Organization (ESRO) announced plans to build research center at Noordwijk, the Netherlands. Center would employ 800-man international staff, would include laboratories, proving grounds, and other facilities. (NYT, 10/27/64, 5)
London betting house of William Hill Ltd., announced odds of 100-to-1 against manned lunar landing by U.S.S.R. before Jan. 1, 1971 and 150-to-1 against manned lunar landing by U.S. before same date. Several weeks later the firm improved their odds by changing date to Jan. 1, 1968. (AP, Balt. Sun, 10/27/64; SBD, 11/12/64)
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