Jun 6 1963
From The Space Library
U.S. Ambassador to U.N. Adlai E. Stevenson said in letter to U.N. Secretary General U Thant that U.S.S.R. had failed to register six space vehicles which achieved orbit last Aug. 25, Sept. 1 and 12, Oct. 24 Nov. 4, and Jan. 4 (1963). Stevenson repeated charges that U.S.S.R. also had concealed four high-altitude nuclear tests in autumn 1961. Letter was in response to Soviet Ambassador Nikolai Fedorenko's asking U.N. Secretary General to circulate Tass article criticizing U.S. Project West Ford, which Stevenson defended. (L.A. Times, Wash. Post, 6/7/63)
Unnamed NASA spokesman quoted as saying ECHO I's orbit was "holding up fine" and could last another year or more. Although partially crumpled, balloon satellite launched Aug. 12,1960, was still visible to naked eye. (UPI, Wash. Post, 6/6/63)
Sen. Margaret Chase Smith (R.-Me.), speaking on the Senate floor, said Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences would " provide a forum for [DOD-NASA] witnesses who are recognize as experts in their respective fields. They will have an opportunity to analyze our space objectives and to air their views, pro and con, on the manner in which we are seeking to achieve national goals "Why is this particular year [FY 1964] of unusual significance? "First, there is a tremendous increase in NASA's budget request and there seems to be no ceiling in sight for succeeding fiscal years .... "Second ... NASA's funds are largely committed to landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth during this decade. The priority given this project, which has been variously estimated to cost between $20 billion and $40 billion, raises the question of adequate funding of other space activities . . " (CR,6/6/63,9690)
U.K. Office of the Minister for Science announced contract had been awarded to British Aircraft Corp., Ltd., for development and construction of UK-3 (S-53) satellite. NASA would launch the experimental satellite into orbit in about four years. (AP, Wash,. Post, 6/7/63)
Scientists at the NASA Lewis Research Center succeeded in driving an experimental solid-propellant rocket motor into unstable combustion. This new experimental technique makes possible a planned research investigation of combustion instability problems. (Lewis Chronology, 5)
USN test-fired Polaris A-3 missile from land pad at Cape Canaveral in successful flight down Atlantic Missile Range. (M&R, 6/17/63,12)
DOD announced two single- engine Cessna 180 airplanes of USN Arctic Research Laboratory made deepest known light-plane penetration of Arctic Ocean Basin when they landed May 24 at North Pole. From May 21 to June 2, nine sites were occupied on pack ice so that scientists could collect scientific data on gravity and on ice conditions. (DOD Release 814-63)
National Aeronautic Association president Martin M. Decker announced National Frank G. Brewer Trophy for 1962 would be awarded to Dr. Merlyn McLaughlin, president of College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery of Des Moines, Iowa. (NAA Release)
June 6-7: Symposium on exploration of Mars held in Denver, with objectives of assessing effort necessary for manned exploration of Mars, reviewing planning for such mission, estimating timetable, and defining scientific value. Symposium was sponsored by NASA, American Astronomical Society, American Institute of Biological Sciences, and American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. (Marshall Star, 6/5/63,1,8)
Eugene M. Zuckert, Secretary of the Air Force, speaking at Symposium on the Exploration of Mars of the American Astronautical Society, discussed the two-fold task of the Air Force ".... first, to protect the Nation's exploration and research in space as effectively as the Air Force contributes to protection of our national activities on the Earth's surface, and second, to act as the Department of Defense agency which helps insure the National Space Program's success through provision of Air Force facilities and services to the overall effort. "The question of whether there is a need of an operational capability for United States military forces beyond the atmosphere may already have been answered for us in a number of public statements y Soviet military and political leaders .... Their major new book on Military Strategy ... says, "Soviet military strategy acknowledges the need to study the use of space and space vehicles to reinforce the defense of the socialist countries.... It would be a mistake to allow the imperialist camp to gain any superiority in this area."' (Text)
Speaking at a symposium on the Exploration of Mars in Denver, Colo., Wolfgang E. Moeckel, chief of LRC's Electromagnetic Propulsion Division, said: "The potential of electric propulsion for Mars exploration is as great or greater than that of other stems now under development and it becomes even more attractive for the exploration of the farther reaches of the solar system." (LRC Release 63-35, Lewis Chronology, 4-5)
Highlights of parallel studies on three classes of Nova launch vehicles, conducted by General Dynamics/Astronautics and Martin-Marietta Corp. for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, were presented by Andrew Kalitinsky, on/A Program Director. (Av. Wk., 6/10/63,34)
Dr. H. O. Rupee of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Future Projects Office estimated manned Mars mission would require about $9 billion for interplanetary spacecraft, $5 billion for operating costs (including procurement of Nova launch vehicles, and $2 billion for remaining production and procurement costs. Dr. Rupee presented paper on "Vehicle Design for Earth Orbit to Mars Orbit and Return," discussing results of Project Empire (Early Manned Planetary-Interplanetary Roundtrip Expedition) contract studies by Lockheed Aircraft Corp., Ford Co. Aeronutronics Div., and General Dynamics/Astronautics Corp. Results of studies indicated: only marginal capabilities exist for all chemically propelled space vehicles; even with nuclear-powered upper stages, manned roundtrip flight would be difficult task; because of eccentricity of earth's orbit, flights during 1975-80 period may be technically or economically unfeasible; manned Mars program would require unusually high degree of coordination within entire National space program. (NYT, 6/7/63, 11; Marshall Star, 6/12/63,1,4)
Harold B. Finger, Manager of NASA-AEC Space Nuclear Propulsion Office and Director of NASA Nuclear Systems, said: "[Manned Mars mission] will be a very major undertaking exceeding the Apollo program in total cost and difficulty. For that reason, we must realistically recognize that one of the factors determining the timing of such a mission will be the availability of funds and manpower. We must recognize that we cannot undertake such a mission until the Apollo mission begins to phase out. "If, as will probably be the case, rendezvous in earth orbit and some orbital assembly or propellant transfer will be required to perform the Mars landing missions, an earth orbiting space laboratory will probably precede the accomplishment of the actual planetary missions. The cost of such a system would also be high but it would probably be a necessary stepping stone to the planetary missions .... "The unknowns in such a mission will require the accumulation of a great deal of basic information and . . . substantial development efforts for all of the systems and facilities that would required in such a mission. I think it is to be expected that the time required for development of these systems puts the accomplishment of a manned Mars landing mission off until late in the seventies and more probably into the early eighties . . . . "I expect that large chemical rocket booster stages, in combination with nuclear rocket upper stages, will be used to accomplish the Mars landing mission. I expect also that such vehicles and propulsion systems will be used to perform the preliminary missions of manned fly-by trips around Mars and trips into orbit around Mars. It is conceivable that such missions could start in the latter part of the 70's . . . ." (Text)
A. James Shiner of NASA Man-System Integration delivered paper prepared by him and Dr. Eugene B. Konecci, Director of NASA Biotechnology and Human Research: "A manned orbital research laboratory.. . . becomes a distinct requirement to obtain human design requirements for a Mars vehicle system, whether that system be nuclear or chemical. The manned orbital research laboratory will help answer many of our questions about the space environment, and man's ability to not only survive, but tope perform useful functions in prolonged space missions. The manned orbital research laboratory under study by the Langley Research Center will have to operate for prolonged periods of time to obtain the required human research and biotechnology data needed for de sign of advanced space systems. A manned orbital research lab oratory will eventually used to simulate Martian voyages as well . . . ." (Text)
Secretary of the Air Force Eugene Zuckert predicted need for military patrol in space "to determine at all times what is happening in near-space and to deal with any threat there . . [Space patrol] would provide on-call protection for U.S. space activities, both scientific and military , in the event of hostile enemy actions." (Rocky Mountain News Denver], 6/7/63)
Dr. W. M. Sinton, Lowell Observatory astronomer, said in June 7 address that possible vegetation on Mars would probably resemble cactus, especially barrel or saguaro cactus. (AP, Balt. Sun, 6/8/63)
Dr. Gerard de Vaucouleurs of Univ. of Texas described recent Mars observations from Pic du Midi in French Pyrenees. Studying spotted patterns of dark areas, Pic du Midi found seasonal darkening of Martian surface was actually a filling in of spaces between ark spots on the planet. Dr. de Vaucouleurs found it difficult to reconcile large-scale changes of dark areas with recent findings that Mars was extremely dry. (Sullivan, NYT, 6/8/63)
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