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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 0322.PDF
330 FLIGHT, 16 March 196] Missiles and Spaceflight X-15 REACHES 2,905 M.P.H. Now that the LR99 rocket engine (described in Flight for November25) has settled down in flight as the powerplant of the North American X-15 research aircraft, the way is clear for the NASAtest pilots concerned to explore the flight envelope of the aircraft to its limits. On March 7 the single X-15 so far to have flown withthe engine reached a speed of 2,905 m.p.h., in the hands of Maj Bob White. This speed, which exceeds by 630 m.p.h. the highestreached with the interim LR11 engine, was achieved at roughly half-power at 75,000ft. The temperature-sensitive paint on theX-15's nose turned "from green to blue, yellow, black and finally brown," indicating approximately 680"F. SPACE DOG MAKES GOOD The second successful launch, orbit and recovery of a 10,3601bdog-carrying satellite was achieved by the Soviet Union on March 9. This brought Russia's score in her programme aimed at mannedorbital flight to two successes out of four announced attempts. The basic aim of the March 9 launch was stated to be "The furthertesting of the design of the space-ship and the systems installed in it which ensure the necessary conditions for manned flight. . ." Prof Dobronravov commented that the experiment had con-firmed the launching system's increased accuracy and also the reliability of the guidance system "which was, in fact, what theexperiment was meant to prove." It was stated officially that the satellite had been in an orbit with an apogee of 155 miles and perigeeof 114 miles, and that, following a radio command from the ground, it re-entered and came to Earth in the prescribed area in the SovietUnion. The dog, named Chernushka (Blackie), was reported to be ingood health after the flight, and was accompanied in the satellite by "other living objects." On March 11, some of the animals whichaccompanied Chernushka were identified by Tass as guinea pigs, black mice and insects. Initial examination had shown that all werein excellent condition. Equipment in the satellite included telemetry and televisionsystems, radio communication units and a radio system for trajec- tory measurements. The official announcement said that all workednormally and that valuable data were obtained. Commenting in Washington on the Soviet achievement, MrGeorge M. Low, chief of the manned spaceflight programme of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, said that itsuggested that the Russians were "about ready to put a man up there." Previous firings of 10,0001b Earth satellites by the Soviet Unionhave comprised: Sputnik 4. May 14,1960. Orbit achieved 189-229 miles. Carried Maj Robert White, fastest man in the world, stands at the nese of the X-15 research aircraft in which he achieved 2,905 m.p.h. on March 7. Stripes on the nose record temperature levels indicated by heat-sensitive paint (see "X-15 Reaches 2,905 m.p.h.") "dummy man" in pressure cabin which separated but, instead ofre-entering atmosphere as planned, went into orbit of 191-429 miles Sputnik 5. August 19, 1960. Orbit achieved 190-211 miles.Carried two dogs and other animals. Successfully recovered on 18th orbit on August 20,1960. Sputnik 6. December 1, 1960. Orbit achieved 112-155 miles.Carried two dogs and other animals. Attempt to re-enter and recover failed; satellite burned up on re-entry. Between the December 1 launch and that of March 9, there wasthe launch of Sputnik 7 weighing 14,2931b into an orbit of 139-204 miles on February 4; and that of Sputnik 8, conceivably of a similarweight, on February 12. It was from this satellite that the Soviet Venus probe was launched into its interplanetary trajecton.Sputniks 7 and 8 were reported to have re-entered the Earth's atmos- phere and burned out on February 26 and February 25 respectively. BLUE STREAK COSTS AND PROSPECTS In the Commons on March 6 the Minister of Aviation said that thetotal cost of the Blue Streak military project up to the date of cancellation, including an allowance for charges not yet negotiatedwith contractors, amounted to "some £84m.'" The cost of work to keep a peaceful launcher project open as a possibility had been£2.5m up to the end of February. If the project were completely cancelled there would be in addition terminal costs to be negotiated. Current monthly maintenance costs, previously quoted by MrThorneycroft as "about £300,000," were re-quoted by him as "between £300,000 and £350,000" in reply to a further question.This figure, he said, included Spadeadam but not Woomera: "The figure obviously does not include the whole cost of Woomera,because Woomera is going on perfectly well without Blue Streak. Woomera is a very much bigger undertaking. All our main rocketsand guided missiles are tested there." Mr George Chetwynd asked whether it was worthwhile goingahead with Blue Streak as a space launch vehicle in view of an article which had appeared in that day's Guardian. Mr Thorney-croft replied that there was a real possibility of something which could be of immense value to Europe, and "It would be foolish tocast that opportunity aside without exploring every possibility of going forward with it." The Guardian article referred to by Mr Chetwynd was written bythe paper's defence correspondent, Leonard Beaton, under the title Is Britain Blundering into Space? In it, Mr Beaton wrote: "TheGovernment's plans for a European space programme are an intel- ligent and well-meaning mistake. In the hope of making the most ofthe £100 millions investment in Blue Streak, they are heading directly for the waste of another £100 millions; in playing what theysee as a card of re-entry into Europe, they are storing up future trouble with our European friends; in laying the foundation for aBritish satellite communication system, they are condemning it to launchers which will certainly be late and expensive and may beless accurate than their rivals; and in getting into the space business, because you never know where it will lead, they are putting off byfive years or more the development of economical rocketry in this country. . ." PATRICK HENRY ARRIVES After a record submerged voyage of 11,000 miles in 66 days 22hr,USS Patrick Henry sailed up Holy Loch, Dunbartonshire, on March 8 and anchored along the starboard side of her depot shipProteus. The submarine, the second FBM ship to commission in the 14th Submarine Squadron, submerged off New London,Conn, on December 30; and on her way to Holy Loch fired eight Polaris A-l missiles, presumably down the Atlantic MissileRange. Under Capt Harold E. Shear was the ship's Blue Crew of 13 officers and 122 enlisted men (and five civilian technicians);when the ship leaves she will be manned by her Gold Crew. ION ROCKET DEVELOPMENT A twelve-month study of ion rockets, using realistic thrust, powersupply and weight data to determine payloads, trajectories and engine operating times for specific deep space missions, is to becarried out by the Research Laboratories of United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, Connecticut, under NASA contract.The study will include the optimum calendar times for particular launches and a dual thrust propulsion system (combination of ionand chemical power). The earliest ion rockets to be considered for spaceflight will havea thrust of one-tenth of a pound and will be powered by 30k\V SNAP-8 nuclear reactors after first-stage launch by Atlas-Centauror Saturn C-l boosters. Higher-powered ion engines (up to one megawatt) will also be considered.
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