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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 0906.PDF
\300 K VI PAYLOAD LB | 6 FLIGHT, 6 July 1961 Token from the f>of>er "A Lightweight Solar Propulsion Unit for Transfer to a 24hr Orbit" by P. A. E. Stewart and J. F. Swale of the Advanced Projects Group, Hawker Siddeley Aviation, this diagram shows the performance of five launch vehicles based on Blue Streak. Type I comprises Blue Streak with Black Knight as second stage; type 2, the same vehicle with a third stage employing high-test peroxide and kerosine; type 3, the same vehicle with a liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen third stage substituted; type 4 is a two-stage version using Blue Streak as first stage and a near-optimum liquid oxygen/ liquid hydrogen second stage; type 5 shows a three-stage vehicle specially designed for the 300-mile circular orbit, i.e., with equal velocity increments (7,OOOft/sec) for second and third stages Missiles and Space flight. Details of the CERN project were given by a scientist fromthe Geneva centre, Dr C. J. Zilverschoon, who said that, about a decade ago. high-energy physics in Europe faced exactly thesame problems as were now facing space research. The two important factors in the success of the CERN experiment had been(a) the fact that it was a scientific organization, and (b) its ambitious programme. It had brought Europe to the forefront of high-energynuclear research with the construction and operation of a 28GeV proton synchrotron (the largest accelerator in the world whenplanned) and a 600MeV synchro-cyclotron (similar to the largest in the world). Mr G. K. C. Pardoe of de Havilland Aircraft suggested thatthe problem of international co-operation in space had been over- simplified, and that the conditions were different from those underwhich CERN had been established. The launch vehicle and the applications of its payload formed two main considerations, andthe second of these involved pure research, civilian applications and military possibilities. This alleged difference was stronglydenied by Mr Weinstein and by Dr L. R. Shepherd. Dr Shepherd is in a unique position in any discussion of thisparticular relationship. For many years a protagonist of space exploration, and immediate past-president of the British Inter-planetary Society, he is head of research and development on Project Dragon, the international programme for the constructionand operation of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor at the UK Atomic Energy Authority establishment at Winfrith. "We haveexactly those problems," he commented. The whole basis of international co-operation, Dr Shepherd declared, was that onemust oversimplify at the start, and deal later on with the complica- tions. Otherwise one just did not start.In Dr Shepherd's prepared paper, A Ten-year Programme of SPECIFIC IMPULSE Oo o o o o oooX O O O O O OOOo oo o oo o oo o oo o Vehicle Characteristic Velocity Km/Sec EXHAUST VELOCITY Km/Sec1 Space Technology, an extract from which introduced this article,the programme summarized on page 5 was proposed. Dr Shepherd went further than most speakers in the extent of co-operationenvisaged:— "While collaboration between the nations of Europe would be,in itself, a very important step forward, a still more significant end would be served if they took the opportunity of encouragingworldwide collaboration by making the membership of their enter- prise open to any country in the world that might wish to join.An open policy of this kind could lay the foundation for a truly international advance into space, for not only would it open thedoor for the citizens of small countries anywhere in the world, but it could, by its eventual success, encourage the space-capablenations of America and Russia to throw their own vast resources into a common pool. "Such a proposal, more ambitious in its philosophy than themere establishment of a European third-space-power, should be no less ambitious in its scope. The joint undertaking should embracethe development of astronautical science and technology in the broadest possible manner, and make the fullest use of the combinedeconomic resources of its members in order to achieve this object- ive.'" Referring to the three-stage launch vehicle now proposed forEurope by Britain and France, Dr Shepherd said: "Such a vehicle is adequate for the purpose of carrying out many importantexercises in space research and the initial steps in the development of communications satellites. It should be sufficient, furthermore, tolaunch manned vehicles into sub-orbits. However, it is important to appreciate at the outset the limitations of this vehicle and, as soonas possible, to take the steps leading to the development of larger and more powerful rockets." For the widely based programme which he proposed,Dr Shepherd submitted that the first step should be the setting-up, possibly under OEEC, of a European Space De-velopment Agency. This agency would decide the scope and cost of the programme, divide the work into projectsand areas, and allocate the work to centres in the partici- pating countries. Speaking on New Aerospace Technologies, M. F. Vinsonneauof SEREB (Societe pour I'Etude et la Realisation d'Engins Ballistiques) referred to the European industrial spacestudy group known as Eurospace, whose formation in Paris on May 29 had followed the joint studies carried out bySEREB and Hawker Siddeley Aviation Flight March 3 and 10).According to a Hawker Siddeley Aviation press release on the opening day of the symposium, working parties hadnow been established within Eurospace to examine and evaluate possible programmes, projects and budgets. M. Vinsonneau, who is secretary-general of the newgroup, commented that Eurospace had made a good start and, if the large industries of Europe expressed a jointly heldview, that view would be worth listening to. "In another direction," he continued, "we have supportedthe plan for a heavy launcher based on Blue Streak. We have not pretended, either at home or to our friends abroad,that this is the only solution technically or economically pos- This diagram, from "The Impact of Space Propulsion Technology on the Engineering Industry" by M. S. Hunt of Bristol Siddeley Engines, shows the performance of space propulsion systems. The nuclear rocket gives more than double the performance of the best chemical rocket and could form the basis of future first-stage boosters. Once in orbit, with high thrusts no longer needed, the electrical methods such as plasma and ion rockets offer enormous advantages ooo"ooogooog
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