November 1966
From The Space Library
Two tests important to launch of NASA's first manned Apollo mission had been successfully completed at MSC. First was six day manned Apollo systems test of spacecraft 008 which was conducted in Space Environmental Simulation Laboratory chamber. Second was entry-egress training in Gulf of Mexico for AS-204 prime and backup crews. (MSC Roundup, 11/11/66, 8; NAA S&ID Skywriter, 11/11/66, 1, 2)
ComSatCorp conducted test transmissions via INTELSAT II-A ("LANI BIRD") comsat, launched by NASA Oct. 27, which included: first live color programs between US. mainland and Hawaii, featuring Notre Dame Michigan State, Army-Navy, and Green Bay Packers-Chicago Bears football games; first live news and public affairs programs between US. and Japan; and first live telecast between Great Britain and Australia. Comsat had failed to achieve desired synchronous orbit Oct. 30, but its communications system was functioning well and could be used for short periods of time when in line-of-sight of ground stations. Orbit would be adjusted in early December to maximize use of comsat for transmissions between ComSatCorp earth stations. (ComSatCorp Release; Reuters, Wash. Post, 11/26/66, A4; Wash. Eve. Star, 11/25/66, AS; AP, Wash. Post, 11/28/66, A1)
Management organization to direct Apollo Telescope Mount (Atm) project at MSFC was announced by MSFC Director Dr. Wernher von Braun; Leland Belew, Program Manager; Keathley, Project Experiments Officer; and Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger, scientist. MSFC's Astrionics Lab., headed by Dr. Walter Haeussermann, Director, and William Horton, Assistant Director, would be responsible for overall technical aspects of Atm development. (MSFC Release 66-270)
Two experiments developed at ARC and flown on Nov. 11-15 GEMINI XII mission were highly successful. Five runs with hand-held sextant proved it could deliver required accuracy of 10 see. of arc (1/360th of one degree of a circle) in actual space flight. In experiment to study effects of weightlessness on living cells using newly fertilized frog eggs, astronauts arrested cell growth at programmed intervals during mission. Data were being analyzed. (ARC Releases 66-15, 66-16; ARC Astrogram, 11/23/66, 1, 4)
NASA selected Westinghouse Electric Corp. for an $8-million contract to install semiautomatic systems in tracking stations to speed compilation of satellite data. The data acquisition system would be used in NASA's Applications Technology Satellite (ATS) program; it would make possible reduction of data within 90 days of satellite launch. Systems would be installed at Rosman, N.C., Goldstone facility, and Toowoomba, Australia, tracking stations. (WSJ, 12/1/66, 8)
NASA Hq. OSSA issued report for NRC Space Science Board describing past achievements and outlining plans for future missions. (Text)
Boeing Co. awarded subcontracts totaling more than $25 million to Lockheed Aircraft Corp., General Precision Equipment Corp., Litton Industries, Inc., North American Aviation, Inc., General Telephone & Electronics Corp., and Universal Match Corp. for help in developing a short-range attack missile (Sram) . Boeing had received $142.3-million USAF contract Oct. 31. (WSJ, 11/8/66, 13)
Human voice was successfully relayed via DOD's Initial Defense communications Satellite Project (IDCSP) from terminal in Nhatrang, South Vietnam, to Camp Roberts, Calif. US. Ambassador to South Vietnam would probably use military system to talk to President Johnson in times of crisis. (Wilson, Wash. Post, 11/10/66, M7)
French Minister of Research Alain Peyrefitte, commenting on the 1967 space budget, disclosed that France planned to launch two D-1-type satellites from Hammaguir Range in February 1967 and one D-2-type satellite from Guiana Range in 1969, Technology Week reported. He said a Super Diamant booster was under development to launch French built satellites from Guiana, but stressed that main French effort was centered on continuing development of ELDO booster. (Tech. Wk., 11/14/66, 3)
Joint PUS-NAE Committee had been established to provide continuing advisory services in science and engineering to ESSA. Verner Suomi, professor of meteorology at Univ. of Wisconsin, had been named chairman. (NAS-NRC-NAE News Report, 11/66, 3)
Biologist Dr. Colin S. Pittendrigh, Dean of Princeton Univ. Graduate School, said in Astronautics & Aeronautics that biological exploration of the planets would be "a milestone in modern science," but such an undertaking, he cautioned, would first require scientific readiness and organization. Without adequate preparation, outright commitment now would risk the political consequences that would attend failure of a major, costly project. "Could commitment now to the opportunities. in mid-1970s fail to freeze an inadequately formulated strategy? Could it avoid outright assignment of responsibility and the authority for decision on design and tactical detail to one of several single laboratories, no one of which can marshal the necessary scientific talent to ensure a competent project? . . . The task immediately confronting those of us anxious to see Voyager go in the 1970s is thus more organizational than scientific. . . ." (A&A, 11/66, 76-89)
Department of Transportation would be the means and choice to begin a new era in transportation planning, Alan S. Boyd, Under Secretary of Commerce for Transportation, wrote in Astronautics & Aeronautics. ". . . transportation policy-making today necessitates a resolving of three different elements: The methodology for planning and programming; the organization to parallel such methods; and the leadership to carry them out. These three ingredients have never been combined in an effective manner. . . . If the nation takes this opportunity, benefits to the public and to the users of transportation will be tremendous.. . ." (A&A, 11/66, 112-116)
DOD was successfully using SYNCOM II comsat 12 hrs. daily and SYNCOM III comsat 22 hrs. daily for military communications across the Pacific, Technology Week reported. DOD had assumed control of both satellites -launched by NASA July 26, 1963, and Aug. 19, 1964, respectively July 8, 1965. (Tech. Wk., 11/21/66, 9)
"The outstanding achievements of air transportation and associated social and economic gains have been paced in the main by the continued development of the gas-turbine propulsion system," LRC Director Dr. Abe Silverstein wrote in Astronautics & Aeronautics. "Despite the outstanding developments of the past 20 years, however, there still remain large gains in performance and operational capability to be achieved." Potential for major advances, Silverstein continued, existed in several areas : noise reduction, engine cooling, engine-inlet matching, development of improved materials, determination of engine temperature values, and use of liquid-methane fuel. (A&A, 11/66, 96-104)
Trendex poll indicated favorable attitude toward NASA's Project Apollo had increased 13% over past three years; negative attitude had decreased 40%. Sentiment to speed up program was greater than to slow down, but majority of respondents were content with present progress. While there was evidence of some increase in desire to reduce expenditures on space program, this attitude was in line with public's increasing concern with governmental expenditures of all kinds because of the defense buildup. Public appeared receptive to news and information of further space programs and plans. (Text)
"In the last analysis, the only reason for having a space program is to satisfy the needs of society," editorialized AIAA President Dr. Raymond L. Bisplinghoff in Astronautics & Aeronautics. "Unless the space program serves people in a useful way, it will be transitory and fade into history as a curiosity. It will not even be enough for the program to serve people by measuring interesting scientific data. It must eventually serve the masses of people of the Earth, if it is to command substantial resources." Communications, geodetic, navigation, and meteorological satellites, and other satellites designed to study and manage the world's natural resources could, in Bisplinghoff`s estimation, contribute to meeting man's needs, but international cooperation would be essential. (A&A, 11/66. 54-55)
Viewing space program in "historical perspective," Solomon W. Golomb wrote in Astronautics & Aeronautics: "The Manhattan Project established that we could run a program for three years and two billion dollars. This was the size limit for major technological projects until Apollo escalated the level to ten years and thirty billion dollars. The next major goal will be the establishment of permanent colonies on other planets. This may mean a commitment of 50 to 90 years and a price tag measured in Terabucks." (A&A, 11/66, 14)
“The Earth From Orbit” article appears in National Geographic Magazine
- November
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