Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967 April 13
Bank for “special operations” such as construction of comsat earth
stations; (3) exploring possibility of temporary preferential tariff; (4)
offering agricultural and educational assistance; (5) increasing food
program for preschool and school-age children and operating a nutri-
tion demonstration project; (6) establishing Alliance for Progress
centers at US. colleges and universities; and (7) aiding development of
science and technology, especially in areas of educational broadcast-
ing, marine science, and atomic energy. (PD, 4/%/67,636)
* USAF launched unidentified satellite from WTR using Scout booster. (Pres
Rep 1967)
Japan’s third attempt to orbit a satellite was unsuccessful when 3rd stage of
Lambda 4s-3 failed to ignite at Uchinoura Range. In first attempt, Sept.
26, 1966, rocket went off course and missed orbital trajectory. Second
attempt, Dec. 21, 1966, was unsuccessful because of 4th-stage ignition
failure. (W Post, 4/13/67, A17; SBD, 4/14/67, 264)
* Second of three phases of tests to evaluate use of heavy-lift helicopters for
Apollo crew and spacecraft recovery in KSC launch areas was being
conducted by NASA and DOD at Eglin AFB. Tests would develop operational
equipment, techniques, and procedures to be used at KSC where standard
recovery equipment would be ineffective in case of a launch escape sys-
tem abort during liftoff because of the surrounding marsh, beach, and
surf. (MSC Release 67-16)
USAF and USN issued statements supporting development of F-111 fighter
aircraft as an all-purpose military aircraft.
Secretary of the Air Force Harold Brown: ‘‘ne F-111A is designed
to provide an all-weather strike potential superior to that of any tactical
aircraft in the world today. It will fly faster, farther and carry a greater
payload, nuclear or conventional, with an unexcelled capability to pene-
trate sophisticated enemy defenses. . . . We are confident from the
level of performance already displayed in the very extensive flight tests
performed on development aircraft that the operational F-111A will
provide these vitally needed capabilities, and will meet the military re-
quirements established for the aircraft at the inception of the program.”
Secretary of the Navy Paul H. Nitze: “. . . development of a system
as complex as the F-lllB/Phoenix has produced sizeable engineering
problems. I continue to be impressed with the manner in which they
have been met and overcome. I have confidence that changes proposed
by the Navy, approved by the Secretary of Defense and now being imple-
mented, will make the F-111B suitable for operation from our first-line
attack carriers and will give it the capabilities to perform its mission.”
(CR, 4/17/67, S5300)
* U.S. bombers were being guided to targets in North Vietnam by daily
meteorological photos received from Essa and Nimbus satellites, USAF
announced. Detailed photos, monitored by USAF’S weather stations in
Saigon and Ugon, Thailand, permitted USAF to divert aircraft to areas
that were unexpectedly free from clouds. Since equipment for reception
was relatively inexpensive, USAF officials speculated that North Viet-
namese might also be receiving the photos and using them for defense
planning. (AP, NYT, 4/14/67,3)
A 2,000-mph USAF SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft on routine training flight
from Beale AFB, Calif., crashed and burned near Las Vegas, N. Mex.-60
mi from site af Jan. 25, 1966, crash of another SR-71. Crew escaped
major injury. Aircraft had been built for USAF by Lockheed as successor
111