Dec 30 1963
From The Space Library
Astronomers at Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory announced it was virtually impossible for EXPLORER XIX balloon satellite to be sighted by the naked eye, because even in the most favorable conditions the satellite appears only of the fourth magnitude (on borderline of visibility). So far, all sightings reported to the Observatory were from the Southern Hemisphere and were assisted by powerful binoculars or telescopes. (AP, NYT, 12/31/63, 4)
Department of Defense announced that the last of the Titan II ICBM's had become operational, giving the U.S. 534 ICBM's ready to fire. Titan II's can be fired in less than one minute, and reportedly can carry 24-megaton warheads 9,000 miles or more. (DOD Release 1606-63; UPI, Wash. Post, 12/31/63, Al)
At AAAS meeting in Cleveland, biophysicist Dr. Harold C. Urey expressed disappointment with cutback in scientific exploration of the moon preparatory to manned lunar landings. Criticizing advocates of exploring the moon by instruments instead of men, he repeated his view that only personal observations by trained men will provide answers to scientific questions about the nature of the moon. In this connection, he deplored criteria for selecting astronauts, arguing that the emphasis should be on trained geologists rather than jet pilots. Later at press conference, Dr. Urey stated that there is no scientific reason to believe the moon is devoid of water and that "most probably" there are pools of water below the rocky surface. Dr. Urey discussed eruptions on moon near the crater Aristarchus, observed by Lowell Observatory and others. He said sightings may have been carbon in a form not found on earth. Action of water on calcium carbide beneath moon's surface may have released acetylene gas, which was then broken down by the sunlight into a molecular form of carbon in which the atoms are paired. Such substance could exist in moon's near-vacuum atmosphere, but on earth the atoms would join and form graphite. ( Sullivan, NYT, 12/31/63, 5; Wash. Post, 12/31/63; NY T -CTS, Chic. Trib., 12/31/63)
Plans for orbiting 18 unhatched chicken eggs in Biosatellite were described at AAAS meeting by Dr. G. N. Hoover, Chief of Life Sciences, North American Aviation, Inc. One of several Biosatellite experiments planned for life specimens, the experiment was expected to yield data on effects of weightlessness on incubating eggs. (Troan, Wash. Daily News, 12/30/63)
C. Leo DeOrsey, attorney for the original seven NASA astronauts, announced the astronauts had sold their interest in the Cape Colony Inn in Cocoa Beach, Fla. (AP, Wash. Post, 12/31/63)
Dr. Richard Sharp of Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. told American Geophysical Union meeting in Boulder, Colo., that a polar-orbiting satellite had discovered last May that most of the Aurora Borealis is invisible to the naked eye. The seemingly thin sheets of shimmering light actually are several hundred miles thick. The satellite studies also confirmed that auroral light is produced by electrons. (Sci. Serv., NYT, 12/31/63, 20)
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