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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0624.PDF
FUGHT international, 5 March 1964 367 Missiles and Spaceflight This table showing the United States space activities budget for 1963, 1964 and 1965 is taken from the report to Congress by President Johnson discussed in the accompanying news item. Figures are in millions of dollars satellites and counting the West Ford dipoles as one object) and 11 NASA craft (including the small balloon released by Gordon Cooper from Faith 7), In addition, it is stated that 11 unsuccessful satellite launching attempts were made during the year. The success- ful firings quoted are as follows:— 42A, October 29, Thor Agena D (+ 42B) 48A, November 27, Thor Agon a D 49B, December 5, Thor AbleStar ( + 49C) 5IA, December 18, Atlas Agena D S5A, December 21, Thor Agena D (-f- 55B and 55C). Dates and designations not stated, two satellites each described as "pick- aback carried on the principal pay- load already reported," one launched Federal Space Programmes NASA Department of DefenceAtomic Energy Commission Weather BureauNational Science Foundation Total NASA Programme Manned spaceflight Space applications Unmanned investigations in spaceSpace research and technology Aircraft technology Supporting operations and other Adjustment to NOA basis Total New Ob 1943 (actual) 3,626.0 1,579.3 213.9 43.2 1.5 5,463.9 2,244.8 106.8 588.3492.1 47.0 216.9 -22.9 3,673.0 igational Authority 1964 (est.) 5,189.5 1,615.8227.6 2.72.4 7,038.0 3,535.1 116.6 687.6491.6 51.5 375.0 -16.4 5,241.0 1965 (est.) 5,230.8 1,474.1212.7 20.82.9 6,941.3 3,580.4 98.0 732.5457.8 73.2 362.1 5,304.0 Expenditures 1963 (actual) 2,515.3 1,367.5 181.0 12.2 I.I 4,077.1 1,533.4 89.7 484.1 272.5 37.0 135.7 -0.1 2,552.3 1964 (est.) 4,354.8 1,583.0 217.7 19.0 1.5 6,176.0 2,898.3 105.0 645.2 443.6 45.2 262.7 4,400.0 1945 (est.) 4,939.1 1,548.0 220.4 21.7 1.8 6,731.0 3,369.6 97.3 670.4 453.9 50.9 347.9 4,990.0 Defense Deportment Satellites I963-02A, January 7, Thor Agena D 03A, January 16, Thor Agena D 05A, February 19, Blue Scout 07A, April I, Thor Agena D I4A, May 9, Atlas Agena B (4- I4B and I4C, two TRSI satellites; and West Ford dipoles) I6A, May 18, Thor Agena D I9A, June 12, Thor Agena D 2ID, 2IE and 2IF, June IS, Thor Agena D (+ 21B, Lofti 2A; and 2IC, Solarad 4) X2A, June 16, Blue Scout 25A, June 27, Thor Agena D (+ 25B, Hitchhiker radiation monitor) 24A (geophysics research), June 28, Scout J7A, June 29, Thor Agena B ISA, July 12, Atlas Agena D 29A, July 18, Thor Agena D 30A, July 18, Atlas Agena B (+ 30B, TRSI; and 30D) 32A, July 31, Thor Agena D 34A, August 25, Thor Agena D 35A, August 29, Thor Agena D (+ 35B) 34A, September 6, Atlas Agena D 37A, September 24, Thor Agena D MB, September 28, Thor AbleStar (+ 38C) 3*A, October 17, Atlas Agena D (+ 39B, TRS2; and 39C) 4IA, October 25, Atlas Agena D (+ 41B) by Thor Agena D and the other by Atlas Agena B. NASA Satellites I963-04A, Syncom I, February 14, Thor Delta 09A, Explorer 17, April 3, Thor Delta I3A, Telstar 2, May 7, Thor Delta I5A, Mercury-Atlas 9 (Faith 7), May 15, Atlas D (+ flashing-light balloon released by L. G. Cooper from "Faith 7") MA, Tiros 7, June 19, Thor Delta 31 A, Syncom 2, July 26, Thor Delta 4«A, Explorer 18, November 27, Thor Delta 47A, Centaur 2, November 27, Atlas Centaur S3A, Explorer 19, December 19. Scout 54A, Tiros 8, Delta December 21, Thor Probes (objective stated) February 11, Argo D-8, total payload weight 1041b, to return data on the Van Allen natural radiation belts and on the after-effects of nuclear tests in space. Reached 990 miles altitude, returned 27mm of useful data. March 28, Saturn I (SA-4) vehicle test, to develop Saturn I booster. First stage live, second and third stages inert; one of eight engines deliberately cut off after lOOsec; reached 80 miles altitude, fell 232 miles downrange. May 22, Scout re-entry test, total payload weight 4801b, to place mock-up nuclear reactor into suborbital trajectory and re-entry to test whether reactor would disintegrate on re-entry. Designated RFD-1 (re-entry flight demonstration 1), first of series of AEC- NAS A flight tests of space reactor design and flight safety. Launched from Wallops Island on 800-mile suborbital trajectory; payload (including SNAP-10A reactor mock-up) not recovered but tele- metry received for 90 per cent of flight and optical viewing indicated break-up of reactor components on schedule. July 2, Argo D-4, total payload weight 501b, to calibrate and verify data being returned by Alouette satellite on ion and electron temperatures and densities. Launched vertically 590 miles into vicinity of Alouette; established that Alouette data interpretations were valid. July 20, Scout re-entry test, total payload weight 1751b, to test charring ablator heat-shield material in re-entry at 18,600 m.p.h. Scout launch vehicle veered off course and was destroyed. July 30, Blue Scout Jr, total payload weight 501b, to measure extraterrestrial radio noise and total radio energy input. Reached 8,000 miles altitude, fell 9,000 miles downrange, returned 3hr 30min of data. August 2, Shotput 2, total weight 1781b, to test Italian San Marco satellite instrumentation, and the de-spin mechanism of Shotput. Reached 183 miles altitude. August 28, Little Joe 2, to verify performance of Little Joe 2 carrying boilerplate Apollo capsule. Reached five miles altitude, fell nine miles away, achieved five of the six test objectives. September 18, Thor (Asset re-entry test), total payload weight 1,1001b, to test gliding re-entry from space. Reached 35 miles altitude, fell 1,150 miles away, attained 10,900 m.p.h. and 4,000°F. Probes (objectives not stated) February 1, Blue Scout Jr; March 13, Blue Scout Jr; May 17, Blue Scout Jr; December 17, Blue Scout. World Comsat System Planned Following the discussion of the US Communications Satellite Corporation's proposals at the European conference on satellite communications in Rome last month (February 10-13), the Euro- pean nations are moving towards participation in a worldwide communication satellite system sponsored by the USA. A further meeting of the European conference is expected to be held this month. The subject was raised in the House of Commons on February 26 by Mr Roy Mason, who asked the Postmaster-General if his Department had now fully considered the Lighthill report, and if he would make a statement on his future intentions regarding Britain's role in the development of a satellite communication system. Mr Bevins replied: "The Government's objective is the creation of a world system for satellite communications, in partnership with the United States, the Commonwealth and European and other countries, on conditions which will give countries investing in the system a share in settling its design and character, and in its manage- ment and control, and an opportunity to provide some of the equipment. International discussions to this end are proceeding. In regard to design, full account is being taken of the technical analysis given in the report mentioned by the hon Member..." A number of supplementary questions were put to Mr Bevins in the following exchange:— Mr Mason Is the right hon Gentleman aware that we hope that there will be no deal with Comsat and the United States Govern- ment before there has been previous discussion in the House? Is he further aware that many hon Members on both sides of the House and the whole of the telecommunication industry are disturbed that Britain is not playing a more positive and prominent part in space communication? Is he aware that there is now a growing feeling that, according to the trend of present talks, we shall finally end by starving the transatlantic cable of telegraphic com- munications from America and assisting Comsat to get off the ground, and that Britain will merely end up by renting a line from the Americans ? Can the right hon Gentlemen assure us that none
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