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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 0065.PDF
FLIGHT International, 11 January 1962 65 regulatory role: (1) to conduct and encourage research to advance the system; (2) supervise international agreements and negotia tions; (3) control all launching of US spacecraft; (4) establish separate communication satellite systems if the commercial ones did not fulfil unique government needs; (5) assure the effective use of the radio frequency spectrum; (6) be able to switch off the satel lites; (7) help newly developed countries to get into the global communications system; and (8) study with other countries the most constructive role for the United Nations to play in the system. International Co-operation Until last month there was no indica tion that the two major powers were likely to co-operate to any degree in the major peaceful applications of space research and exploration, although the USA had expressed a willingness to do this and was directing a generous portion of NASA's programmes into co-operative international activities with countries other than the Soviet Union. The most hopeful sign for a long time was the United Nations resolution on international co-operation in the peaceful uses of outer space, drafted by the UN outer-space com mittee, adopted by the main political committee on December 11 last and accepted unanimously by the General Assembly. If the national governments whose delegates at the UN voted for this historic resolution (fully reported in last week's and this week's issues) decide to allow the outer-space committee to function effectively in carrying out the tasks now assigned to it, the long- term global effects of spaceflight will be much more beneficial to mankind than will otherwise be the case. Instead of Mr Gardner's orbital thermonuclear bombs we may have a world meteorological satellite system, a world communication satellite system, a world registry of space launchings, and outer-space exploration on the only rational basis, that of world co-operation. While it is clear to the scientists and engineers involved that all this is possible, it is equally clear that the decision to bring about this co-operative future must come not from the scientists but from the governments of the USA and the Soviet Union. Although such US experts as Mr Oskar Morgenstern of Princeton University remain frankly pessimistic (or perhaps realistic) on the chances of solving the international political problems—"If the two powers are hostile, how can you have agreement?"—it is generally accepted that the need for agreement is vital, even if the means to achieve it are extremely difficult. The recent UN resolution may be the first step in proving the "realists" wrong. One of the features of the Dassault Mirage IIIC emphasized in last week's issue is its versatility. Arranged here are (from the left): Nord AS.20 air-to-surface missile; Nord AS.30 heavy air-to-surface missile; Matra R.5II air-to-air missile; Matra R.530 air-to-air missile (primary Mirage III armament); two Matra JL-100 rocket/fuel pods; twin-30mm DEFA gun pack; two fuel tanks; and two Sidewinders SOVIET SPACE PROSPECTS Writing in Pravda on December 31, 1961, Prof K. Sergeyev suggests that the Soviet Union may proceed fairly soon to launch a highly mancevrable spaceship-satellite, probably capable of supporting a number of men for 15-30 days. Majors Gagarin and Titov, writing in the same publication the following day, confirm that 1962 will see major new successes. • Prof Sergeyev states: "We may expect before long the creation of a system of satellite stations for purposes of communications and re-transmission of radio and television broadcasts, for effecting the navigation of ships and aircraft, for systematic observation of the weather, and. in the future perhaps, for some degree of active influence on the weather. "With the aid of satellites and piloted orbital craft scientific investigations of the Earth as a planet of the solar system will be carried out; cosmic space in the vicinity of the Earth's atmosphere will be studied, as will phenomena connected with the activity of the Sun and phenomena dependent on processes occurring in the distant spaces of the Universe. And finally will come the practical solution of the problem of super-fast postal communications, freight and passenger transport on rocket spaceship-satellites . . . "One of the most important problems is that of rendezvous with other spaceship-satellites or with orbital stations, and the system of their approach and connection in orbit. . . Connection and, in the future, assembly of interplanetary ships in orbit in conditions of weightlessness will permit the use of new possibilities for perfect ing construction, and also the accumulation of the necessary resources of fuel for launch from orbit, as was achieved in the launch of the Soviet automatic interplanetary station to Venus from a heavy satellite ... "For this, future orbital craft and spaceship-satellites must possess the necessary manoeuvrability while moving in space and while joining up in orbit, and must be able to stay in cosmic flight for a comparatively long period, of the order of 15 to 30 days." New Saturn Stage for Lunar Flights A modified Saturn S-4 stage, known as the S-4B and powered by a single 200,0001b thrust Rocket- dyne J-2 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engine, is to be developed and produced for the US National Aeronautics and Space Adminis tration by the Douglas Aircraft Company. Approximately 18ift in diameter and 75ft long, the S-4B will be used as the third stage of advanced Saturn vehicles which are intended for manned circum- lunar flights. The existing S-4 design already under development by Douglas at Santa Monica has six Pratt & Whitney 15,0001b thrust hydrogen oxygen engines. The design concept and much of the tooling and test equipment will be common to both the S-4 and S-4B stages. Six flight stages and four ground-test stages will be involved in the S-4B contract, which is estimated to amount to more than $50m and should be completed in 1966. Ground testing will take place at the Douglas site in Sacramento. Swiss Bloodhounds Bought Following ratification by both houses of the Swiss Parliament, the contract to purchase Bristol/Ferranti Bloodhound 2 as a standard surface-to-air missile of the Swiss army was signed in Berne on January 4. Discussed in Flight for July 20 last, the deal is worth approximately £24.5m, and is the largest British missile export order and the largest Swiss foreign purchase of any weapon.
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