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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 1346.PDF
These illustrations depict the larger of the two types of rocket vehicle publicized by Egypt late last month, the "Al Kahir" (Conqueror). The firing shot is one of a sequence taken on July 21 at a range "some 50 miles west of Cairo"; the parade took place two days later through the heart of the city. The point is made in an accompanying news-item that the Egyptian rockets appear to have a propaganda, rather than military, value Missiles and Spaceflight cumstances, the time of encounter can be predicted to within 15 min. During the ten-hour period the CC&S will have switched out the engineering data sources, leaving on the interplanetary science experiments and switching on the two planetary experiments. During the fly-by, only scientific data will be collected and trans mitted. The radiometer will begin a fast-search wide scan until Venus is sensed and will then go into a slow scan. The planetary experi ments will collect data on Venus for half an hour as Mariner passes the planet. The transmission of scientific data will continue for 56.7 hours after the fly-by. At the end of this period, CC&S will switch on the engineering data sources and once more in the cruise mode, both engineering and interplanetary scientific data will be transmitted. EGYPTIAN ROCKETS Nasser, not NASA, was the name coupled with four successful test firings of rocket vehicles in the Western Desert on July 21. The Egyptian President, who witnessed the firings, announced that "successful tests" were first held 14 months ago, and that the devices concerned are now in mass production. In our December 28 issue we reported the economics minister for Baden-Wurtemberg as announcing that Prof Eugen Sanger, the German rocket pioneer, and three colleagues, were together promised DM2m (approxi mately £179,000) for their assistance to the Egyptians. Another German authority, Rolf Engel, has also been a leading figure in the UAR, and helped to found the Egyptian Astronautical Society in 1953. The rockets launched on July 21 were described as two Al Kahir (Conqueror) and two Al Zafir (Victor) missiles, the former travelling about 600km (370 miles) and the latter 370km (230 miles). On July 23, the tenth anniversaty of Neguib's overthrow of the monarchy, at least 20 rockets took part in a 3hr military parade. Careful study of many photographs taken during this parade suggests that these devices are not yet military weapons, although there is no reason to doubt that they are working rockets and a TV film shows a very convincing lift-off and climb. The Al Kahir is roughly 40ft in length, and almost certainly has an acid/aniline (certainly non-cryogenic) motor with a single chamber fitted with carbon vanes similar to those of the V-2. But there is no evidence of any form of guidance system, or even of simple telemetry. Even more surprising is the complete absence of any form of ground-handling system on the transporter, or pro vision for raising the weapon to its vertical firing position. At the same time, both the rockets and their transporter trailers must represent a considerable number of man-hours, which are pre sumably considered well spent in view of the considerable psycho logical and prestige impact of such hardware on the UAR. USAF Satellite Launched The US Air Force announced on July 28 that a satellite using a Thor Agena B vehicle had been launched "toward a possible polar orbit." Cosmos 7 in Orbit The seventh satellite in the Soviet Cosmos series was launched on July 28, according to the Tass news agency. Orbital period, apogee and perigee were quoted as 90.1min, 229 miles and 130 miles. Inclination is 65°. Telstar Progress Bell Telephone System reported on July 26 that the performance of Telstar 1 was "most encouraging." Data trans mitted by the satellite had confirmed that the pressure inside the canister containing the electronic equipment was being maintained; and that internal temperatures were averaging 75°F (within 5° of the expected value). External skin temperatures had varied from 18 to 48°F. An orbital lifetime of at least 200 years was predicted, and the initial spin rate of 177 r.p.m. was decreasing at 0.35 per cent per day, adequate to maintain the satellite's axial direction for at least two years. Quoted apogee and perigee on this occasion were 3,454 and 579 miles respectively. The interchange of US and European television programmes by means of Telstar on July 23 literally brought the effect of Telstar home to large numbers of the general public. General quality of the pictures transmitted in each direction was good. A more relevant demonstration of the satellite's function was given on July 26, when simultaneous telephone conversations were held via Telstar between cities in the USA and Europe on the satellite's 151st and 152nd orbits. For the Telstar Record In the House of Commons on July 17 the Postmaster General, Mr Bevins, stated: "The poor reception at Goonhilly Down of the first television signals from Telstar was due to the reversal of a small component in the aerial feed which determines the rotation of the radio waves received and transmit ted by the aerial. This reversal was corrected on July 11, and the excellent quality of reception and transmission since then has been acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic."
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