Jan 29 1964
From The Space Library
NASA launched Saturn I SA-5 from AMR in first successful flight test of both stages of the rocket. The 1.5-million-lb.-thrust S-I stage performed as planned, and the 90,000-lb.-thrust upper stage (S-IV) powered by six liquid-hydrogen' RL-10 engines separated and burned properly for eight minutes; attaining orbital speed. The orbited body (spent S-IV stage, instrument unit, payload adapter, Jupiter nose cone, and 11,500 lbs. of sand ballast) Weighed 37,700 lbs., nearly 20,000 lbs. of which was payload. As the first of the Block II Saturn I's, SA-5 was first flight test of both Saturn stages and only the second flight test of a liquid-hydrogen powered rocket stage (see Centaur AC-2, Nov. 27, 1963) . The five Block II Saturn I's differ from Block I predecessors in that they have live upper stages, S-I propellant tanks are extended to provide 100,000 lbs. usable propellant, and tail fins are added for stability. During the flight eight onboard motion picture cameras photographed various operations of the rocket and a TV camera provided real-time photographs of separation and ignition of S-IV stage. Shortly after S-I burnout, the motion picture cameras were ejected, impacting downrange where pararescue men recovered seven of them. This test of the world's largest known rocket proved flight capability of Saturn I's liquid-hydrogen, clustered-engine upper stage and demonstrated the vehicle's capability to orbit 20,000-lb. payload. (Marshall Star, 2/5/64, 1; NYT, 1/30/64, 1; M&R, 2/3/64, 17-18)
Following successful launching of Saturn I two-stage SA-5, President Johnson issued statement saying U.S. had now "proved we have the capability of putting great payloads into space. . . . "We have come a long way from the 31 pounds of EXPLORER I on January 31, 1958, to the some 37,000 pounds Which has just been placed into orbit by Saturn I. "We have demonstrated not only enormous boost capability, but we have proved the effectiveness and the practical use of liquid hydrogen as a rocket fuel for space flight. . ." (Knighton, Balt. Sun, 1/30/64)
At Cape Kennedy press conference following Saturn I SA-5 launch, NASA Associate Administrator Dr. Robert C. Seamans stated, "There is little question that it took us ahead of the Russians in our capability." He noted that payload equivalent of SA-5's orbiting body was between 19,000 and 20,000 lbs., far exceeding the 14,292 lbs. reported for heaviest Soviet satellites. (M&R, 2/3/64, 18)
RELAY II communications satellite transmitted portions of Soviet-American championship hockey game of the 1964 Winter Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria, to the U.S., the first public demonstration of RELAY II Transmission of the event was made via French ground station at PleumeurBodou and U.S. ground station at Andover, Me. By this time numerous communications tests of the satellite had been made, and NASA scientists said that all communications experiments were of excellent quality. RELAY II also was sending back information on radiation collected by onboard instrumentation. (GSFC Historian; NASA Release 64-24)
Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, Director of NASA Manned Spacecraft Center, said in speech at Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn.: "Although we have not yet equaled the Soviets in the number of hours for manned flight, I am convinced we have gained full dollar value for our Mercury program. The total project cost was less than one percent of our military budget for one year. The project was successfully completed with Gordon Cooper's flight of 22 orbits and 34 hours length in May 1963. Needless to say I am very proud of this team effort and the short time that passed from the day we were told to get on with the project until it was finished. (Text)
NASA spokesman said ECHO II balloon satellite was still operating with "great success" despite preliminary radar reports that it was deflating and losing its reflectivity. The 135-ft. balloon was tested in transmission between Rome, NJ., and Ohio State University at Columbus, Ohio. (UPI, NYT, 1/30/64, 12)
Senator Clinton P. Anderson (D.-N. Mex.) , Chairman of Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, noted on Senate floor that 100th flight of X-15 was made yesterday. "During the past 4 1/2 years the program has achieved a very commendable record, providing a wealth of research data for the aeronautical and space program of the United States. The past accomplishments of the X-15 program reflect a superb job of management, flight-test operation, and cooperation between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Air Force, and the Navy.. . . "The X-15 program not only has contributed to the increased confidence of designers of current high-performance aircraft but, in doing so, has focused attention on a few areas which require additional research. The planned program will be directed toward these areas. This program is providing information for the next logical step in the NASA's flight research program, the hypersonic. "In addition . . ., the X-15 program is going to produce information of value, I believe, to the development of supersonic commercial airplanes. This data will include flight controls, materials and surface temperatures. "The lesson from the X-15 is that cooperation among agencies having an interest in a project pays off." (CR, 1/29/64, 1358-59)
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center announced award of $1,356,000 contract to Blaw-Knox Co. for design and fabrication of three 85-ft.- diameter dish-shaped antennas to be used in manned space flight tracking network for Project Apollo lunar mission. (GSFC Release G-4-64)
NASA announced $300,000 contract award to Wayne State University to establish program to accelerate industrial application of aerospace-related technology. Organized under Wayne State's Center for Applications of Science and Technology, the program would receive and would process technical information through NASA; evaluate applicability of the information to prospective industrial users; and train applications engineers to match needs of specific industries with specific innovations or new knowledge. (NASA Release 64-23)
Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in press conference in Detroit, remarked that the U.S. since 1955 had obtained "a great deal of dependability" in ballistic missiles. " .. . I do have confidence that we do have just as good missiles as there are in the world." (Jones, NYT, 1/30/64, 1)
Maj. Gen. Don R. Ostrander, Commander of USAF Office of Aerospace Research, addressed National Space Club in Washington: "I am sometimes asked how military space research differs from space research conducted by civilian institutions or other government agencies. The answer, of course, is that there is no difference, except in the ultimate purpose for which it is conducted. As a matter of fact, there is very close liaison in this field between my Command, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Office of Naval Research, and the scientific community. We make every effort to keep them informed about the work we are doing or sponsoring, and we are constantly exchanging information with them about our findings on the characteristics of space. Our job, however, is specifically to support the Air Force mission in space. . "I know that you are all familiar with the potential radiation hazards to man in space, particularly with the deadly proton showers that accompany certain solar flares. We have made great strides in predicting the onset of these showers at our Sacramento Peak Observatory in New Mexico. "We can predict safe periods with increasing accuracy-better than most weather predictions here on earth-but there is still a large gray area in which we do not know whether conditions will be safe or unsafe. It is possible that we could narrow this gray area significantly with that which penetrates the atmosphere and can be picked up at the observatory. "If we had this knowledge, it would extend the time we could operate in space with absolute assurance of safety. It would also give us advanced early warning that would enable us if necessary to get our astronauts out of danger. "Even in the present state of the art, our Sacramento Peak predictions have been crucial to the safety of the astronauts participating in the Mercury program. We have been able to give NASA absolute assurance of safe conditions, insofar as proton showers are concerned, when the astronauts have gone into orbit; and warnings of potential danger, at other times. . . ." (Text)
U.S.S.R. opened first section of its 21-acre radiotelescope 55 mi. south of Moscow, Tass announced. The section, consisting of east-west portion of the cross-shaped antenna, was being used to measure with great accuracy radio waves originating in the outer solar corona, part of an IQSY project. (NYT, 1/30/64, 12)
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