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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0039.PDF
34 FLIGHT International, 2 January 1964 sv OXN View of the Saturn SA-5 space vehicle on the newly constructed Launch Complex 37 at Cape Kennedy, Florida. Height of the rocket is 163ft 7in Missiles and Spaceflight ESRO ACCELERATES The European Preparatory Commission for Space Research, pre- decessor of the European Space Research Organization, is recruit- ing engineers, physicists and mathematicians and is letting contracts for a variety of rocket and satellite projects. In particular, project engineers are being sought for sounding rocket and satellite work at the European Space Technology Centre, Delft. Preliminary design study contracts for an astronomical satellite have been placed by the Commission with the West German government research establishment DVL, with the French National Centre for Space Studies, and with the UK Ministry of Aviation. In each case part of the work is being subcontracted to industry. Other design study contracts for small satellites, such as could be launched by Scout, have been placed, or are being negotiated, in Belgium, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland. Further study contracts have been placed or are under discussion in Spain, Austria and Denmark. In these preliminary studies, prior to the formation of ESRO, the Preparatory Commission is attempting to involve all its member-States, partly in order to make contact with industrial firms in the various countries. In the future the method of working will be directly with industry in the member-States on the basis of tenders. This process has already begun with possible contractors in connection with a design study for a large vacuum chamber with solar simulator for heat- balance studies; and with consultant engineers and architects for planning the ESRO sounding rocket range at Kiruna and the European Space Technology Centre in Delft. TIROS 8 TESTS NEW CAMERA SYSTEM Initial results from the automatic picture transmission (APT) system aboard NASA's Tiros 8 meteorological satellite, launched from Cape Kennedy on December 21, were reported to be good. Cloud pictures were received directly from the satellite at Wallops Island, Virginia; Princeton, New Jersey; and the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. The launching marked the eighth consecutive success in the Tiros series of satellites and the 21st consecutive orbital success for the Delta vehicle. The 2651b satellite was reported to be in orbit at 436-468 miles, with an orbital period of 99min. Unlike the television subsystem carried in the earlier Tiros satellites, the APT system transmits pictures on a slow-scan principle similar to that used to transmit radio photographs. Meteorologists can observe cloud-cover photographs of their areas as images form on the facsimile machines at their stations. Each APT station can receive up to three photographs during one pass by the satellite, each complete photo cycle taking 208sec. The 108° lens used in the APT system is a 5-7mm fl.8Tegea Kinoptic which can photograph an area 820 miles square when the satellite is lcoking directly towards the Earth. A three-millisecond exposure of the electromagnetic shutter produces an 800-line picture on the photo-sensitive surface of a special lin dia. vidicon. A timer is used to programme the equipment for continuous cycles of prepare, expose, develop, and direct readout for approxi- mately 30min of each orbit. Preparation, exposure and developing account for the first 8sec of each 208sec cycle; the remaining 200sec is used to read out the photograph at a scan rate of 4 lines/sec. Among the ground stations to be used in connection with Tiros 8 are the main Tiros stations at Wallops Island, Point Magu and Fairbanks, Alaska; and a large number of APT stations including one which is to be set up by the USAF at High Wycombe, Bucks. The Alaska station became operational last September. Explorer 19 Observed First sighting of NASA's Explorer 19 air-density satellite in orbit was made by members of the Baker- Nunn camera station at Woomera, using binoculars, on December 20. The satellite was launched from Point Arguello by Scout the previous day. Two objects were observed, the second trailing the first by about 150 miles. The leading object, the satellite, appeared at a steady brightness of sixth magnitude. The second, identified as the instrument package and satellite canister, was tumbling and appeared as an object of seventh magnitude brightness. Orbital elements were quoted by NASA as: apogee, 1,490 miles; perigee, 365 miles; inclination, 78-6°; period, 116min. (Photograph of satellite, opposite page.)
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