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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 1829.PDF
FLIGHT, 21 December 1961 Space technology has opened enormous possibilities for inter-national communications. Within a few years satellites will make possible a vast increase in the control and quality of internationalradio, telephone and telegraph traffic. In addition, something new will be added—the possibility of relaying TV around the globe. The United States wishes to see this facility made available toall states on a global and non-discriminatory basis. We conceive of this as an international service. We would like to see UnitedNations members not only use this service but also participate in its ownership and operation if they so desire . . . The space programmes of the great powers are well advanced.Our own nation is proceeding with the development of satellite systems for weather forecasting and communications. In themonths ahead important decisions will have to be made. If the opportunity for United Nations action is missed, it will be increas-ingly difficult to fit national space programmes into a rational pattern of United Nations co-operation . . . On December 11 the General Assembly's main political com-mittee "unanimously and with acclamation" adopted a revised version of the original four-nation resolution, co-sponsored by 24countries including Britain and the Soviet Union. This followed a two and a half hour meeting on this subject between Mr Stevensonand Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Valerian Zorin on December 8. OSCAR IN ORBIT The USAF Discoverer 36 satellite and the 101b payload known asOscar (orbiting satellite carrying amateur radio) were together successfully placed in orbit by Atlas Agena B from VandenbergAFB on December 12. As reported last week, Oscar was designed and built by a group of radio amateurs in California. The initialorbit for both satellites was at an altitude of 152-305 miles, with an orbital period of 91.88min. The Discover (36) capsule was recovered from the Pacific, northof Hawaii, on December 17 after 64 orbits, while Oscar continued in orbit. Lifetime of the amateur-radio payload was expected to be30 days, or as long as its batteries continued to function. AljROYAL SPACE FORCE? Indications that the Air Ministry would favour a role in space forthe Royal Air Force have come to the surface in recent weeks. This opinion was quoted in an article by the science correspondentof the Evening Standard on December 7, and had been implied the previous day in the House of Lords in a speech by Lord Waleran,a director of Ekco Electronics Ltd. Extracts from Lord Waleran's speech are given below. Themain report of the debate in which Lord Waleran spoke is on pages 945-946. 1 believe it is vital to the security of this country [Lord Waleransaid] that we should at least have a thorough appreciation of the military possibilities of space. . . . I think that the House will agree that it is clear we have not themoney or the scientific resources to complete with the United States or Russia over the whole field of space research, but I believe thatunless we start to play a practical part in military space develop- ment we shall never gain a proper insight into its possibilities, letalone be able to start to make our national contribution to the Western military space programme.... 1 do not think that we have to seek very far for projects which areboth urgent and within our capabilities. First it is predicted that in about five years' time we shall be entering a period of intensesunspot activity, when long-range radio commitments will become highly unreliable. In view of our world-wide civil and military Whether or not the RAF introduces "space wings," as discussed above, Capt Virgil Grissom, USAF (left), and Cdr Alan Shepard, USN, received theirs at the Pentagon on December 6. Next to the photographs of the respective wings below is a drawing of the Soviet pilot-cosmonaut badge 943 This "Ballute" coated fabric drag balloon for re-entry decelera- tion of spacecraft has been developed for the Aeronautical Systems Division of the USAF Systems Command by Goodyear Aircraft Corporation interests, should we not now be making every effort to introduce asatellite communication system in time to meet this emergency? Secondly, the number of objects in space is increasing rapidly andby the end of the decade thousands may be in orbit, some of which will remain there over a number of years. If we are ever to contem-plate a defence from attacks from space, should we not start now keeping track of the objects in space before the picture becomes tooconfused ? Because our resources and our practical experience are limited Ido not think it would be sensible for us to start from scratch on an independent programme in these fields. Rather, we should seekcollaboration with other countries on military projects as we are seeking to do in the ELDO programme. ... I hope that the consideration now being given to our spaceresearch programme by Her Majesty's Government will recognize and give full weight to the military aspect. I believe it demandsthe attention of a Services Ministry and the support of a research programme directed to military ends; and I suggest that the RoyalAir Force would seem the Service best fitted by role and techno- logical experience to be charged with this responsibility. . . . I should like to finish my remarks by asking Her Majesty'sGovernment three questions. First, does Her Majesty's Govern- ment recognize both the importance and urgency of a military spaceprogramme? Secondly, recognizing the limits of our resources and background knowledge, will Her Majesty's Governmentseek every opportunity of promoting and collaborating with the West in a joint military space programme, both long-term andshort-term ? Thirdly, will Her Majesty's Government immediately put in hand a military communications satellite to give us our firstfooting in space and to ensure reliable communications during the next period of sunspot activity? MERCURY TWO-SEATER FOR RENDEZVOUS TESTS A larger, two-man version of the Mercury spacecraft is to be builtby McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and used by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration in tests of orbital rendezvousand docking manoeuvres. Titan 2. produced by Martin Marietta, will launch the two-man craft, which will endeavour to rendezvouswith an Agena stage launched by Atlas. Cost of the programme, including approximately 12 spacecraft, Atlas-Agena and Titan 2vehicles, is estimated at about $500m. Two-man flights are expected to begin in 1963-64, starting withseveral unmanned ballistic flights from Cape Canaveral and con- tinuing with conventional manned orbits and, finally, "rendezvousfly-bys and actual docking missions." In addition to the rendezvous mission, the craft will be capable of Earth orbital flights of a week ormore, thereby providing pilot training for future long-duration cir- cumlunar and lunar landing flights. Initially, the seven Mercuryastronauts will serve as pilots in the programme.
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