Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

September 16
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
explained. By providing accurate position fixes, a system of such satel-
lites also could reduce the separation distances between aircraft; auto-
matically steer ships across oceans; warn high-flying supersonic jets of
radiation dangers; guide craft around bad weather; monitor airplane
systems for possible trouble; and pinpoint ditched planes or ships in
distress. “The navigation satellite of 1970-1980 will be an entirely
different spacecraft from the presently operational navigation satellites
of the United States Navy.” The Navy orbited its first Transit navigation
satellite in 1960. Attention had focused on the Navy system recently
when the US. announced that the previously classified network would
be made available to America’s civilian ships. The Navy satellites orbit
at 700 miles. NASA envisioned a network of evenly spaced synchronous
satellites 22,300 miles above the earth. A ground craft could be in touch
with as many as six of them simultaneously for extremely accurate
positioning. Mr. Ehrlich said advanced satellites “will contain a position
determination capability, communications service, weather relay service
and scientific sensors.” He said the Maritime Administration and ad-
vanced thinkers in the shipping field had been looking to the day of the
automated ship. “The satellite-derived position information would be
fed directly into the ship’s computer to keep the ship on a preset path.”
Mr. Ehrlich also had said that the reduction of the present widely spaced
separation standards for aircraft was estimated to be capable of saving
some $46.5 million annually for the North Atlantic region alone.
(B Szm, 9/18/67)
* The 20,000 concerns that work for NASA under contract have laid off
employees at the rate of 4,000 a month, largely because of cutbacks in
funds, James E. Webb, NASA Administrator, told an audience at the
dedication of the Olin E. Teague Research Center, Texas A&M Univ.,
College Station, Texas. He said about 100,000 persons had been laid
off and the figure might reach 200,000. Rep. Olin E. Teague (D-Tex.) ,
in a short conference following the dedication, said lack of money would
be the biggest detriment to US. space programs. (UPI, NYT, 9/18/67;
Bryan Daily Eagle, 9/17/67)
* Cosmos CLXXVII was launched into orbit with 267-km (166-mi) apogee,
201-km (125-mi) perigee, 89.1-min period, and 51.7” inclination.
Satellite, announced as part of a program of space research, reentered
Sept. a. (GSFC SSR, 9/30/67; Krasnaya Zvezda, 9/19/67, 1)
September 17: NASA Arcas sounding rocket was launched from Barking
Sands, Hawaii, to 35-mi (56-km) altitude as second in NOTS series to
measure incident solar ultraviolet irradiance in support of Ogo lVs
mission. Rocket and payload performed satisfactorily, and achieved all
experimental objectives. (NASA Rpt SRL)
September 18: NASA Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from NASA Wal-
lops Station carried GSFC payload containing Pitot-static probe to measure
atmospheric density, pressure, and temperature in observing diurnal
variation in the fine structure of the region from 15 to 110 km. Probe was
launched in conjunction with thermosphere probe experiments. The
2nd stage of the sounding rocket did not ignite because of low current ap-
plication. (NASA Rpt SRL)
NASA Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from NASA Wallops Station
carried Univ. of Michigan payload to 178-mi (286-km) altitude on
flight to measure simultaneously density and temperature of neutral N2
and of electron temperature and density; to compare day and night
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