Dec 20 1967
From The Space Library
France's first variable-sweepwing jet aircraft, the Mirage G, flew 1,500 mph in public debut at Istres, France, military airport. Dassault-built aircraft was world's fourth variable-sweep-wing model and first built in Western Europe; others were American F-111, and Soviet Sukhoi and Mikoyan. (W Post, 12/21/67, A31)
United Aircraft Corp. turbotrain, powered by gas turbine engine similar to those used in jet aircraft, reached 170 mph during test run in New Jersey, setting new speed record for passenger train in US. Train, designed for future passenger service between Boston and New York City, would be operated by New Haven Railroad under DOT contract. (W Post, 12/21/67, A?)
NASA and Italian Space Commission (ISC) agreed to launch jointly Italy's third San Marco satellite (San Marco C) from mobile launcher in Indian Ocean off the coast of Kenya, Africa. Spacecraft would measure air density by continuously monitoring spacecraft's drag forces, investigate ionospheric characteristics which interfered with long-range radio transmission, and conduct other upper-atmosphere experiments in 1969 and 1970. San Marco project, provided for under May 31,1962, cooperative agreement, was a mutual program of NASA and ISC with no exchange of funds. NASA supplied launch vehicle and provided personnel training and tracking and data acquisition services. ISC was responsible for design, fabrication, and testing of payload and for launching of satellite built by Centro Ricerche Aerospaziali (CRA) of the Univ. of Rome. Sun Marco I was launched December 14, 1%4, and Sun Murco II, April 26,1967. (NASA Release 67-303; A&A, 67)
NASA Thesaurus (SP-7030) was published by NASA to provide a standardized list of terms for indexing and retrieving documents in the NASA scientific and technical information system. The three-volume set, containing approximately 15,000 indexing terms and scope notes, subject categories, and a cross-reference for each term, would be available through Superintendent of Documents, GPO. (NASA Release 67-308)
New reconnaissance camera system for use in Vietnam on RF4C aircraft was undergoing tests at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, to determine camera's operating capability and devise techniques to enhance low-altitude aerial photography capability. Developed by AFSC's Aeronautical Div., fully automated camera could take six black and white or color pictures per second during daytime or nighttime reconnaissance and could provide stereo coverage at extremely low altitudes and supersonic speeds. (AFSC Release 192.67)
NASA announced appointment of Bob P. Helgeson, Deputy Manager of AEC's Hanford Project in Richland, Wash., as NASA Director of Safety. He would report to Associate Administrator for Organization Harold B. Finger and would be responsible for "developing and implementing safety programs throughout NASA . . . [with] broad authority over all safety activities, including those involving manned and unmanned flights in aeronautics and space, and ground and test research operations." Helgeson would replace George D. McCauley, who retired. (NASA Release 67-307; UPI, W Post, 12/21/67, A2)
Ben W. Hersey, Chief of KSC's Personnel Office, announced that more than 200 additional permanent employees would be hired for KSC's Civil Service staff by July 1968. First consideration would be given to personnel at MSFC and other NASA centers where personnel reductions had occurred. (KSC Release 44347)
Secretary of Interior Stewart L. Udall had invited a number of distinguished US. scientists to serve on an advisory committee to evaluate how widespread sonic booms expected from SST might destroy the national resource of tranquility, David Hoffman reported in the Washington Post. Discussions would include effect of sonic boom on wildlife, national parks, and Indian adobe structures in the Southwest. (Hoffman, W Post, 12/20/67, A1)
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