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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 1242.PDF
SPACE SPECIAL AMERICA'S SPACE PROGRAMME . . . The programme for boosters and payloads is an extensive one.Two radiation-belt studies using Juno 2 are to be made later this year. One other such shot has failed. Juno 2 is capable ofplacing 1001b into a 300-mile orbit. It consists of one large, liquid-propelled first stage; a second stage made up of a clusterof 11 Sergeants; a third stage of three scaled-down Sergeants; and finally a fourth stage consisting of a single scaled-downSergeant. With a gross weight of 122,0001b, Juno stands 77ft high (overall) and has a diameter of 8ft 9in. It has launched threePioneers, including America's first satellite, and an Explorer. The Juno 2 vehicle was originally scheduled to handle severalshots in 1961, but these recently were re-scheduled to Thor- Delta, which is capable of putting 5001b into a 300-mile orbit.Of the 12 Thor-Delta shots planned for 1961, one will measure ionospheric properties, two will measure gamma and cosmic rays,and two more will test out ideas for an ionospheric beacon. Another use of Thor-Delta will be to launch Echo balloons tovery high altitudes. The Delta coasts for as long as 15min before ignition of the guided third stage, which makes possible very-accurate placement into orbit. Scout is a specially designed, low-cost booster. Its four solid-propellant stages make it an all-purpose vehicle particularly use- ful for NASA's scientific research programme that will receiveso much emphasis over the next 18 months. Scout will be used for ' -S MtTEIBW HMjKETflKSTCK , U£CT«0Sttt IC Mlirt& j ,t«M» is TCUSC«P€ aCS 'WE l*t- ' ' -CSKWCTOS „ iCIOtS fltCISOST* PSTM *ss;r ROLL J£T$ --' 8tt«y? MITES? SCUP »*«L 180 FLIGHT, August 5 I960 many of the sounding shots, but it also is adaptive to the require-ments for orbiting, and can place 2001b into a 300-mile orbit. Flight testing of this important vehicle began in July, with onlypartial success. The fourth stage was not ignited and the vehicle was destroyed because of some erroneous radar informationwhich made it appear that the Scout had gone off course. The first Scout scientific shot has been scheduled for the fourthquarter of 1960, with four more in 1961 as a minimum, five in 1962 and two in 1963. Two shots to be made in 1962 will beaimed at learning more about the ionosphere over the Poles, and to carry out polar radiation studic. A shot scheduled for 1963will be concerned with polar atmospheric structure. Although it has not been definitely announced, the polar shotswill quite likely be made from the new Pacific Missile Range near Point Arguello, California, which is ideally suited for polar orbitssince the various booster stages can drop harmlessly into the Pacific. By 1962, Scout will have replaced all of the liquid-propeliedvehicles for orbiting small payloads. A big step forward will be made in 1962 and 1963 when the Thor-Agena-B and Atlas-Agena-B series become available. With the Thor-Agena-B it will be possible to put a payload of 1,6001b into a 300-mile orbit,and with the Atlas-Agena-B to put 5,3001b into a similar orbit or, alternatively, to accelerate 8001b to escape velocity. The Agena-Bwill be quite manoeuvrable in space and will have an engine—an advanced Bell Hustler—that can be restarted in space, if necessary,thereby greatly enhancing the control of any launching. Not until the two Agena-B vehicles are available will NASAbe able to lay really solid groundwork for extensive measure- ments in space. Dr Abe Silverstein, Director of Space FlightPrograms for NASA, says the two vehicles will mark "the beginning of what we might say will be our really advancedprogram." The Atlas-Agena-B will be used for unmanned studies of thesurface properties of the moon scheduled by NASA in 1962. The following year the same booster combination will put specially-designed capsules containing a geophysical observatory and an astronomical observatory into orbit, while the Thor-Agena-B in 1963 will boost vehicles into orbit for further studies of the Sun'seffects upon the Earth and the magnetic field around it. Late next year, NASA is scheduled to launch its first Centaur,a multi-purpose launch vehicle that will be able to put 8,5001b into a 300-mile orbit, or to take 1,4501b up to escape velocity.Centaur will be the first vehicle to employ hydrogen as an upper- stage fuel. The first stage will be a modified Atlas, and the secondstage will consist of a Centaur vehicle with two Pratt & Whitney LR115 liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen engines developed prim-arily for space use. The added specific impulse of the hydrogen fuel will give theCentaur fifty per cent more payload than the Atlas-Agena-B in a low orbit, and perhaps as much as 300 per cent more payloadwhen used as a lunar probe. With Centaur, according to NASA's Director of Launch Vehicle Programs, Maj-Gen Don R.Ostrander, the USA will finally achieve a launching vehicle that can duplicate the payload capabilities of the Sputnik 3 vehicle.Centaur is of great interest to the Department of Defense as well as to NASA. With Centaur in operation in 1963 and 1964, NASA expects tomake a soft landing on the Moon so that specially packaged instruments will be able to withstand the impact and report backto Earth such things as temperature, radiation, magnetic field, etc. The Ranger spacecraft would be used for this mission. Other Aboye, model of Ranger spacecraft, designed by the Jet Propulsion Labora- tory for NASA. First test flight should take place next year, with Atlas- Agena-B as booster. Later, Ranger will be used on cislunar flights, for soft lunar landings, and in flights to orbit (and possibly land on) Mars and Venus, using Centaur and Saturn boosters The diagram (right) shows how the Ranger orients itself in successive manoeuvres en route to the Moon. The spacecraft first orients itself on two axes, collects solar energy from the Sun and points its directional antenna at the Earth. After radio command from Earth it leaves this position while a small rocket fires, placing the craft on an impact course to the Moon. Next it rolls and twists again on two axes to aim at the Sun and Earth once again. As it nears the lunar surface, it turns backward to take pictures of the surface and allow the capsule to be detached
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