Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

November 20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
nual NASA issue, and it entered “a new era, a stirring period of explora-
tion and adventure comparable to the Age of Discovery in the 14th and
15th Centuries.” Benefits from our mastery of space, he said, “are open-
ing to us and others new sources of national power and new arenas in
which to seek international cooperation as important to our future and
the future of the world as sea power and air power have been in the past.”
He challenged: “Unless we are prepared to move ahead with new pro-
grams of [planetary exploration, and work with useful machines and
systems in earth orbit] . . . we will be backing out of the Space Age
almost before we enter it.” (Webb, Aero Tech, 11/20/67, 244)
* Karl Ham, president of Ae~ospace Industries Assn., spoke before Metro-
politan Baltimore Chamber of Commerce on impact of US. space effort
and risk that it would be weighed and evaluated in “oversimplified
terms.” A huge and complex effort should not be judged by superficial
aspects alone, forgetting that concentration of “our best industrial, eco-
nomic, scientific and intellectual resources, organized to an unprece-
dented degree . . ., has an impact on every aspect of our national life.”
Harr noted the strangeness of the unknown medium of space, “for
which our ultimate capabilities are yet to be determined.” “Today we
find ourselves both in midstream in our national space effort and at a
crossroads as to future efforts. . . . It is essential that we delay no
longer in sorting out that which is valid and enduring, in terms of your
total interest and mine, from that which is superficial or transitory.”
(Text)
November 20-21 : Since X-15 No. 3 crash Nov. 15, research missions in
X-15 No. 1 and No. 2 had been suspended by FRC until review of flight
operating procedures was completed. X-15 No. 1 was awaiting captive
flight checkout under wing of B-52 carrier plane. X-15 No. 2 was under
repair at North American Rockwell plant following damage to lower
stub fin on its tail, but was expected to be flying by February 1968.
Cause of X-15 No. 3 crash was unknown. The pilot, Maj. Michael J.
Adams, had difficulty with control booster system; X-15 failed to recover
from a dive from extremely high altitude, the pilot losing control above
200,000 ft and regaining it briefly at about 80,000 ft.
Setting unofficial world speed and altitude records, the three X-15s
had flown 191 times; No. 3 having had 65 flights. The aircraft were built
by North American Rockwell (formerly NAA) under a cooperative pro-
gram by WAF, USN, and NASA. ( NASA Proj Off)
November 21: U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CXCI into orbit with 518-km
(322-mi) apogee, 281-km (174-mi) perigee, 92.2-min. period, and 71’
inclination. Equipment and instruments functioned satisfactorily.
(Aero Tech, 12/4/67,17)
NASA Fy’ 1!X8 operating plan was presented by Administrator James E.
Webb to House Committee on Science and Astronautics, reflecting
accommodation of fund reductions by Congress during recent months-
20% for R&D programs other than Apollo, 50% €or construction of
facilities, and 7 % for administrative operations. He reviewed decisions
restructuring NASA effort at least through FY 1969.
The first scheduled Apoll~ Applications flights of 1970-a “limited
number with limited objectives”-would begin with a “precursor
training mission for scientists-astronauts with certain orbital experi-
ments, and then proceed with dual launch missions with the Orbital
Workshop and the Apollo Telescope Mount.” Launch vehicle/spacecraft
352