Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

May 14-18 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
and suggested that $400-700 million more should have been spent an-
nually on exploratory and advanced development during the past four
or five years. He was particularly critical of the “arbitrary separation of
space activities into peaceful and military. . . . It simply serves to em-
phasize, by comparison, the straightforwardness of the Soviet program.
Their single-purpose program seeks only to attain a versatile tech-
nological superiority which, once attained, will serve the political pur-
pose they choose regardless of what kind of a space program we have
or how we categorize it. . . .” (Text)
Anglo-French Concorde supersonic aircraft, scheduled to enter com-
mercial service in 1971, would pioneer three markets, monopolizing the
first two until “pushed away” by US. SST, scheduled to enter passenger
service in 1974-5, W. J. Jakimiuk, president of Sud-Aviation, pre-
dicted. Concorde would dominate the North Atlantic market where SSTS
would first be used; however, “as soon as the US. SST penetration of the
North Atlantic pushes away the Concordes, they will be introduced on
the major other markets, where a position of monopoly again will be
found,” Jakimiuk said. When US. SST “pushes” Concorde away from
these routes, it would then move to a new series of routes where traffic
density would be so low that “there will be no SST competition.” (NYT,
5/21/67, 88)
Director of FAA SST Development B ~ J. G C. Maxwell, referring to report
by Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) which suggested that SST
program could seriously weaken the Nation’s balance of payments [see
May 161, said that “our balance of payments will continue to benefit if
American and foreign airlines continue to b2uy and operate American
aircraft in the upcoming supersonic area.” General Maxwell said FAA
estimated that 1990 market for SSTS, if operations were limited by sonic
boom considerations, would be 500 aircraft, improving balance of payments
position by $17 billion. If sonic boom did not limit operations,
1,200 aircraft would be sold, improving balance of payments position
by $32 billion. IText; Lardner, W Post, 5/17j67, C1)
Dr. John S. Foster, Jr., Director of Defense Research and Engineering,
responded to criticism that US. was losing its strategic superiority.
(6
For many years, the Soviet Union apparently had been following our
lead in every important strategic system technical development. . . . This
is still the case. We are following their activities with great care. We see
no evidence that our planned strategic capabilities will be endangered
by recent Soviet technological actions. . . .” Dr. Foster announced that
first MOL would be launched by USAF in 1970, confirming rumors that
program was two years behind schedule. (Av Wk, 5/22/67,11)
Awards presented included: (1) Monsanto Aviation Safetv Award
for the ‘Lmost significant and lasting contribution to air safety” in 1966
to FAA Deputy Administrator David D. Thomas, who was recognized
as “the principal architect of the US. air traffic control system”; and
(2) 1967 Robert S. Ball Memorial Award for distinguished and meritorious
aerospace writing to Howard Benedict, AP senior aerospace
writer, for series of articles from Aue. 8-Sept. 19, 1966, on Gemini XI
mission. (Editor & Publisher, 5/13/67; FAA Release 67-7)
Muy 15: Cosmos CLVIII was launched by U.S.S.R. into circular orbit with
with 850-km (528-mi) altitude, 100.7-min period, and 74’ inclination.
Equipment was functioning normally. (AP, NYT, 5/16/67)
NASA announced that Os0 III Orbiting Solar Observatory, launched from
154