Apr 1 1965
From The Space Library
The S-IB-1 stage of the Saturn IB booster was successfully static-fired by Chrysler for the first time at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center; the test lasted about 30 sec, Powered by 8 Rocketdyne uprated H-1 engines, each developing 200,000 lbs, of thrust, S-IB-1 stage would be fired at least one more time before being returned to Michoud Operations in New Orleans for checkout. It would then be shipped to Cape Kennedy for launch early next year. (MSFC Release 65-75)
A prototype Tiros weather satellite was donated to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air Museum by Dr. Hugh L. Dryden, NASA Deputy Administrator, on behalf of NASA, in commemoration of the fifth anniversary of NASA's TIROS I launch. Dr. Dryden said: "... nine experimental meteorological satellites of the Tiros series have been successfully launched and operated. "Seldom, if ever, has a complex technological effort in its early phases returned such valuable dividends as this project. In the early stage Tiros was an Army project, When the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was created in 1958 it took over the development of the spacecraft, "The United States Weather Bureau utilized the data from the very first experimental flight. The first Tiros had been in orbit only a few hours when it began transmitting to NASA ground stations cloud photographs of good quality. The Weather Bureau was quickly able to apply the pictures to its day-by-day forecasting. During the years since then, Tiros satellites have literally been working their way around the world, benefitting men everywhere by supplying previously unobtainable weather data. At this stage, it is impossible to estimate how many lives have been saved and how much property loss avoided through use of Tiros information, but the totals must already be substantial," David Arthur Davies, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, discussed international reaction to meteorological satellite developments, listing three main points: (1) "... the tremendous impact which this new means of observing the atmosphere has had upon the world scientific community. ... [For instance,] it was the realization that the meteorological satellite was , , a turning point in the long history of man's endeavors to improve his knowledge and understanding of his environment-the atmosphere" that led to the establishment of the World Weather Watch. (2) The impact of the meteorological satellite upon the United Nations. The ". , impact of the TIROS satellites was so great as to inspire the General Assembly of the United Nations to take the very unusual step of adopting a resolution on a scientific question of this kind [Resolution 1721 on International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space] and to maintain its interest from that time," And (3) ". . the general feeling of gratitude and admiration towards the United States which the launching of TIROS I and which the decision to distribute the data to all countries throughout the whole world engendered," Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Robert M. White, Chief of the U.S. Weather Bureau, praised the Tiros program and said that the NASA-Weather Bureau Tiros Operational Satellite System (TOS), expected to be operational early next year, would modify a Tiros satellite similar to TIROS IX to permit daily observation of clouds in the earth's atmosphere. He added: "And one day we may even be using the moon as a base for establishing a weather station to monitor and study terrestrial weather," Dr. White predicted continued NASA-Weather Bureau cooperation: (1) to further develop "satellite visual and infrared sensing devices for the indirect probing of the atmosphere"; (2) to "broaden the meteorological satellite system as a means of data collection"; and (3) to "pursue the use of synchronous satellites for weather observations." Dr. Morris Tepper, Director of Meteorological Programs in NASA’s Office of Space Sciences, recalled the launching of TIROS I: "It was a very exciting morning-waiting for my first countdown ... someone fixed a leaky lox line at the launching pad by wrapping a wet rag around the leak and freezing it solid , . The launch vehicle, the Thor-Able, performed exceptionally well. The spacecraft was placed into an exceptional orbit. The next question was-what would we see? . . . And finally we had our picture-this first picture from TIROS I, Yes, there were clouds in it . . . The first three pictures were carried to Dr. Glennan, the first Administrator of NASA, and finally we all trekked over to the White House and interrupted a Cabinet Meeting to show President Eisenhower the results of this remarkable space capability." (Texts; NASA Release 65-102)
To date, 46 sounding rocket launchings had been made from the USNS Croatan operating at sea off South America's west coast, NASA announced. 32 of the firings were two-stage sounding rockets carrying upper atmosphere and ionosphere experiments; 14 were single-stage vehicles to obtain high-altitude meteorological data. Launchings were part of NASA's sounding rocket program for the 1964-65 International Quiet Sun Year (IQSY) when solar flare and sunspot activity were at a minimum. Expedition data would be correlated with findings of scientists throughout the world conducting experiments to study IQSY phenomena. ( NASA Release 65-104)
Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey visited NASA Flight Research Center. (FRC X-Press, 4/9/65, 1, 2)
FAA announced one-month extensions, through April 1965, of design contracts with Boeing Co. and Lockheed Aircraft Corp, airframe contractors; and General Electric Co. and Pratt & Whitney Div, of United Aircraft Corp, engine contractors, for U.S. supersonic transport program. Extensions applied to design contracts awarded to four companies for period Jan, 1, through Feb. 28, 1965, with provisions for one-month extensions from Feb. 28, through June 30. Dollar amount of each one-month airframe contract extension was $1 million ($750,000 Government, $250,000 contractor) ; dollar amount of each one-month engine contract extension was $835,000 ($626,250 Government, $208,750 contractor). ( FAA Release 65-24)
NASA awarded a $1,307,347 firm-price contract to Space Corp, to fabricate, test, assemble, install, and check out engine servicing platforms at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 on Merritt Island. (KSC Release 72-65)
Members of Southern Interstate Nuclear Board, official agency of the 17 states of the Southern Governor's Conference for service and assistance in nuclear energy and space technology, toured Cape Kennedy and received briefing on NASA activities there. (KSC Release 73-65)
Najeeb Halaby, FAA Administrator, announced that he would ask Congress for enabling legislation authorizing a ten-day, federally-sponsored International Aerospace and Science Exposition, to be held the summer of 1966 at Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C. The Exposition, approved by President Johnson March 31, 1965, would attempt to stimulate export sales of U.S. products and to demonstrate U.S. accomplishments in aerospace and related sciences. (FAA Release 65-25)
A proposal was made that Great Britain streamline its space and scientific research efforts by dissolving the Dept, of Scientific and Industrial Research and transferring its activities to the Ministry of Technology and the Science Research Council. Control of British scientific attaches in embassies abroad would be transferred to Dept, of Education and Science which would coordinate its activities with Science Research Council and the Ministry. (Av. Wk, 4/12/65, 33)
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