Jan 1 1964
From The Space Library
NASA position paper on DOD'S Manned Orbiting Laboratory, embodying eight principles of NASA policy toward the MOL, was made public. The paper stated: "The DOD Manned Orbital Laboratory is a single military project (a specific goal; not a broad program) within the overall National Space Program. "The MOL should not be construed as the national space station, a separate program currently under joint study by NASA and the DOD. Such a space station project would be considered under the terms of the Webb/McNamara agreement on manned orbital research and development systems larger than Gemini and Apollo. The MOL is, rather, a specific experimental test bed utilizing NASA's Gemini project and the Titan III for certain potential military space applications not within the scope of NASA's activities. ." (Text; Simons, Wash. Post, 1/2/64, 1; A&A, 2/64, 90; AF Mag., 74)
Head designer of Soviet spacecraft, name not identified, was interviewed in Izvestia. His predictions for the next five years: ". . . permanently operating orbital stations consisting of sputniks having various purposes such as providing service in investigating the Earth, the Sun, forecasting weather, monitoring the radiation conditions in space, etc.; . . . an all-purpose radio and TV system for transmitting through space, with the aid of the so-called "hanging' ('stationary') satellites; . . . ways of using space . . . for mail-freight deliveries, requiring high speed, and finally passenger service; . . . permanent orbiting stations [where] regular shifts of scientific workers of the most diversified specialties will live and work. . . . In general, during this period flights into near space and return to Earth will become very commonplace. I think that in the next five years, many comrades will sojourn in space." Regarding "direct investigations in the region of the Moon and on its surface," the designer said: "In all likelihood, in the imminent years such studies can be accomplished only with the aid of small automatic devices transmitting the data to Earth by radio." (Izvestia, 1/1/64, 1, ATSS-T Trans.)
Two mathematicians at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory of Univ. of Calif. achieved first accurate description of the orbit of Mars, Univ. of Calif. announced. The mathematicians, Joseph L. Brady and Edna Vienop, calculated the planet's orbit with aid of computers used to develop nuclear weapons. Brady said calculation left Mercury as the solar system's only planet without accurate description of its orbit. (AP, Wash. Post, 1/2/64, A3)
Beginning of cable circuit connecting New York and Offenbach, West Germany, announced by Dr. Robert M. White, Chief of U.S. Weather Bureau, for exchange of meteorological information between North America and Europe. Inauguration of cable circuit, expected to yield improved reception of weather data because of freedom from radio propagation occurring on radioteletypewriter circuit, represented major achievement in global exchange of weather information. International meteorological community now was planning for future exchanges using highspeed computers and communications satellites. (Commerce Dept. Release WB 64-1)
Fiftieth anniversary of first scheduled airline flight, from St. Petersburg to Tampa, Fla., by Benoist flying boat. Plane made two round-trip flights daily, six days per week across Tampa Bay. 18-mi. flights took 2 hrs. by steamer, 6 hrs. by car and 12 hrs. by rail. During 50th year (1963), U.S. scheduled airlines carried 71,418,000 revenue passengers 50,361,300,000 mi. (Aerospace, Summer 1964)
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