Oct 10 1963
From The Space Library
Nike-Apache sounding rocket was launched at twilight from NASA Wallops Station in the second of a series of comet experiments. At 95-mi. altitude the 100-lb. payload produced flames visible from earth and combustion products that lingered after burnout as a faint luminous cloud somewhat similar to a comet. The cloud effect was visible for a surprising five minutes, compared with less than one half minute the night before. The simulated comet was photographed from three ground positions. (Wallops Release 63-92)
Aerobee 150 sounding rocket was launched from White Sands Missile Range, N.M., but sustainer engine failed to ignite, destroying vehicle and payload containing a GFSC nebular spectra experiment. (GSFC Historian)
House passed H.R. 8747, the Independent Offices Appropriations for FY 1964, which included the $5.1 billion for NASA recommended by the Appropriations Committee. Among the amendments accepted was one which would require Senate approval of any agreement that would use NASA funds in support of joint lunar exploration with Communist countries. Among amendments rejected were ones which would have (1) reduced NASA R&D funds by another $700 million and set limitations of $597,400,000 on Project Apollo and $124,400,000 on lunar and planetary exploration; (2) deleted the facility construction funds for the proposed NASA electronics center ($3,990,000) ; and (3) reduced the amount for development of a supersonic transport aircraft from $60 million to $50'0,000. An involved debate preceded passage of the bill, most of it concerned with the NASA program. Rep. Clarence Cannon (D-Mo.), Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, was one of those opposing passage of the NASA funding. He argued that "the appropriation reported out by the committee has been provided largely because of commitments. It is impossible to escape the conviction that the project [manned lunar landing] must eventually be abandoned. Rep. Albert Thomas (D.-Tex.) led the support of the NASA program, arguing that the NASA budget had already been cut $1.1 billion from that ($6.2 billion) originally presented by NASA to the Bureau of the Budget. Another in support of the NASA appropriation was Rep. George W. Andrews (D-Ala.), who read into the record a letter from Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of MSFC. Dr. von Braun argued that a program as big and complex and with such long lead times as the space program must have sustained, consistent support year after year. He stated that of the various major expenditures-rockets, capsules, facilities, etc. only the Lunar Excursion Module was being designed principally for the manned lunar landing. "All other elements of these programs create what we as a nation most urgently need independent of our lunar landing effort: A national manned spacefaring capability, to sail the new ocean, as the President said." (CR, 10/10/63)18260-18309)
A. Scott Crossfield, first pilot of the X-15 and now an executive with North American Aviation, Inc., said in an interview that he thought the X-15 "can fly twice as high as its present record and probably can go several hundred miles faster than it has been flown ...... The increased altitude ". . . would be more difficult than the extra speed and it would create re-entry problems too." (Tulsa Daily World, 10/11/63)
The President's memorandum on patent policy for work performed under Government contract was read into the Congressional Record. Written as guidance on patent policy for all Government agencies the memorandum provided: (1) the Government would normally acquire rights to inventions made in the course of work on a Government contract, except when the head of the agency concerned certified that the public interest would best be served by some other arrangement; (2) in cases where the Government contract calls for building on existing knowledge in a field of technology directly relate to field in which the contractor has an established nongovernmental commercial position, the contractor would normally acquire rights to any inventions. (CR, 10/10/63 18320-21)
Nobel Peace Prize for 1962 went to Dr. Linus C. Pauling, of the California Institute of Technology. It was the second Nobel Prize for Dr. Pauling, who won the chemistry award in 1954 for his theory describing the fundamental nature and behavior of molecular bonds. He had been a controversial figure in the U.S. for some years because of his outspoken opposition to nuclear testing. (NYT, 10/11/63, 1)
The Collier Trophy for 1962 was presented to the seven Project Mercury astronauts by President Kennedy in the White House Rose Garden "I hope this award, which in effect closes out a particular phase of the program, will be a stimulus to them and to the other astronauts who will carry our flag to the moon and, perhaps, some day, beyond." (AP, NYT,10/11/63, 18; NAA Release 10/7/63)
Department of Commerce asked the National Inventors Council, previously concerned with routing the ideas of independent inventors to DOD, to broaden its activities and advise the Commerce Department on all steps the Federal government can take to spur invention and application of inventions. Dr. J. Herbert Holloman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Science and Technology, said application of new ideas was the biggest problem "There is immense resistance to new methods, innovation often comes from an invader-from a foreigner to a company, an industry or a country. For example, polymers came from the chemical industry to the textile industry. Fluorescent lighting came from Europe. The transistor was not developed by a radio-tube manufacturer." (Jones, NYT, 10/11/63, 53)
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