Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967 October 31
when it hit‘intercept point in sky after several planned sharp maneuvers.
Interception simulated actual one for incoming enemy missile and was
programmed into computer for 27-ft-long missile. Sprint tests had been
conducted since March 29,1965. (DOD Release 1040-67)
e Georgi Petrov, director of Soviet Academy of Sciences’ Space Exploration
Institute, claimed that docking of Cosmos CLXXXVI and Cosmos
CLXXXVIII, “for its technical perfection and the possibility it has
opened for space exploration, is of greater importance than the Ameri-
can experiment in manual docking . . . [of Gemini VI1 and GATV].
Since the completely automatic linkup, despite the difficulty of its reali-
zation, will always be more economical as regards the payload which is
so expensive on an orbit, this will make it possible to solve the tasks
of helping the crews of space vehicles and open up new prospects for
arranging experiments that demand a great weight on an orbit around
the earth.” (SBD, 11/1/67,3)
e Dr. Ludwig Roth, 58, McDonnell Douglas director of Saturn-Apollo ex-
tension program, died in Redondo Beach, Calif. Born in Gross-Gerau,
Germany, he had been an associate of Dr. Wernher von Braun in pio-
neering rocket engineering and space sciences. He had served as Assist-
ant Director of Army Ballistic Missile Agency. (AP, NYT, 11/3/67,43;
World Space Directory, Fall 1967,155)
During October: JPL Director Dr. William H. Pickering stressed importance
of unmanned space exploration in Astronautics and Aeronautics: “Dur-
ing the past decade of space exploration, unmanned spacecraft have
demonstrated a remarkable versatility in performing a wide variety of
scientific tasks. The success of these robots is due largely to the ingenu-
ity of the designers in building complex but reliable automated devices,
capable of withstanding the constraints imposed by the hostile space-
flight environment.
“It is clearly evident that many difficult engineering and scientific
problems remain to be solved. The experience of the past decade demon-
strates, however, that within the next decade unmanned spacecraft can
initiate a detailed surface exploration of our neighboring planets.
66
The unmanned exploration of the solar system is technically and
scientifically possible. It presents a unique opportunity to step boldly
forward into new areas of both technology and science.” (Pickering,
A&A, 10/67,804)
0 Congressional role in space program and possibilities for improved international
cooperation in space was discussed in General Electric Forum
interview by Rep. Olin E. Teague (D-Tex.) , Chairman of House Committee
on Science and Astronautics’ Manned Space Flight Subcommittee.
Congress’ role, Rep. Teague said, was “to examine periodically how well
the work is being done and what return we are gaining in new knowledge
and practical utility from the space program. . . . Each decision . . .
involves the setting of a relative order of priorities for the use of the
Nation’s resources for science and technology.” Expressing conviction
that international cooperation in space would increase, he noted that
there was “great potential in the use of space for human betterment. . . .
More than 60 per cent of the world’s people, for instance, are proteindeficient
today. If, by earth orbital surveys, in cooperation with the lessdeveloped
countries, we can improve that situation, our entire space program
will have paid for itself many times over.” (GE Forum, Autumn
1967, X/3, 11-12; CRY 10/19/67, H13719-20)
323