Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

August 19 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
lishing Amazing Stories, one of the earliest magazines devoted entirely
to science fiction. In 1928 he sponsored New York’s first television
broadcasts: images only slightly larger than postage stamps were received
on crude scanners owned by 2,000 amateurs. (NYT, 8/21/67,29)
August 20: NASA published the first extensive chart of the far side of the
moon. Compiled by USAF Aeronautical Chart and Information Center
using NASA-supplied photos, map covered more than 75% of the moon’s
hidden side. Approximately 85% of the photos used were provided by
NASA Lunar Orbiters I, II, III, and IV; remaining 15% were provided
by Soviet Zond 111. Map was released to assist astronomers at the
International Astronomical Union, convening Aug. 22 in Prague, in
naming features on moon’s far side. (NASA Release 67-220)
0 USN successfully conducted first underwater launch of the Poseidon mis-
sile off the coast of San Clemente, Calif. Missile was expected to be
operational by 1970 aboard 30 of the 41 Polaris submarines. ( W Post,
8/21/67)
August 21: President Johnson signed $4.86-billion NASA FY 1968 authori-
zation bill (S. 1296) into law. Noting that on Aug. 18 House Committee
on Appropriations reported $4.6-billion NASA FY 1968 appropriation
bill, $516.6 million less than NASA had requested, the President said:
“Under other circumstances I would have opposed such a cut. However,
conditions have greatly changed since I submitted my January budget
request. . , .
6b I recognize-as also must the Congress-that the reduction in funds
recommended by the House Appropriations Committee will require the
deferral and reduction of some desirable space projects. Yet, in the face
of present circumstances, I join with the Congress and accept this reduction.’,
(PD, 8/28/67, 1192-3)
Two-stage Nike-Cajun sounding rocket launched from Natal, Brazil, failed
when rocket strayed from planned trajectory. Failure was first in Brazil’s
space program which opened Dec. 15, 1965, with the launch of a Nike-
Apache sounding rocket. (Reuters, W Post, 8/23/67)
NASA Arcas sounding rocket launched from Point Mugu, Calif., carried
Naval Ordnance Test Station experiment to 33-mi (53-km) altitude to
flight-test internally modified version of standard ROCOZ payload, designed
to measure ozone distribution for support data on Ogo IV satellite.
Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. Scientific data
were usable. (NASA Rpt SRL)
0 Charles W. McGuire, formerly an aerospace engineer in the test directorate
of NASA’s Gemini program, became Director of Safety for the Apollo
Program. He would be on the headquarters staff of and report directly
to the Apollo Program Director while being administratively assigned
to the Safety Office, OMSF. (NASA Ann, 8/7/67)
Maj. William J. Knight (USAF) flew X-15 No. 2 to 3,409 mph (mach 5.10)
and 90,000-ft altitude in first flight with a new ablative coating and
sealer designed to permit aircraft to fly at mach 7.4 without basic airframe
modification. Flight also tested: (1) stability and control with
dummy ramjet and ablative; (2) H.jcom phase-I1 camera (KA-51A) ;
(3) ramjet local flow; (4) ramjet separation characteristics; and (5)
wing tip accelerometer. (NASA Proj Off; Av Wk, 8/28/67, 33)
* Special NSF panel to screen radio astronomy proposals advised NSF Director
Leland J. Haworth to accept immediately only two of the six recommendations
presented to the panel during July hearings: (1) Cornel1
248