Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
March 2
aircraft of the future. Aircraft would weigh 500,000 lbs and cruise at
six times the speed of sound. (AP, NYT, 3/2/67)
* It was essential to have a system of international law to protect health
of extraterrestrial life, Soviet scientist Gennadi Zhukov told Tass in an
interview. The space law treaty signed Jan. 27 was only the beginning
of space law as a science, Zhukov said; additional legal controls would
be needed to ban potentially harmful experiments, prevent man’s
thoughtless use of planetary mineral resources, protect any existing forms
of extraterrestrial life, and establish permanent orbital inspection
stations around earth. (Reuters, NYT, 3/2/67,20)
* US. should develop a 5,000-mph commercial aircraft and a 8,000-mph
bomber, Dr. Antonio Ferri, Director of New York Univ.’s Guggenheim
Aerospace Laboratories, told AIAA luncheon meeting in Washington,
D.C. “Civilization has grown with the speed of moving around. The
history of civilization shows that gradually you want to get in contact
with people further away.” Dr. Ferri noted that jet aircraft had made
Europe accessible, and the next generation of aircraft would bring
other parts of the world within equally easy reach. He concluded that
the technology and the “tremendous opportunities” of hypersonic air-
craft were near at hand, but that necessary decisions and funds were
still lacking. (Clark, NYT, 3/3/67,16)
AEC-NASA Space Nuclear Propulsion Office awarded $64.5-million con-
tract extension through September 1967 to Aerojet Corp. to continue
technology research being performed for SNPO. (AEC Proj Off)
March 3: U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CXLV into orbit with 2,135-km (1,327-
mi) apogee, 220-km (137-mi) perigee, 108.6-min period, and 48.4O incli-
nation. Equipment was functioning normally. (Tech Wk, 3/20/67, 13)
NASA would delay scheduled 1967 launch of second Orbiting Astronomical
Observatory (OAO) until late 1968 to incorporate changes made neces-
sary after failure of Octo I, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Sci-
ence and Applications Dr. Homer E. Newell said in testimony before
the House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on
Space Science and Applications. Third OAO would be launched in 1969
and fourth in 1970 to continue studies in ultraviolet, x-ray, and gamma-
ray spectral regions.
Dr. Newell explained that “the intensive investigations by NASA of
Om-Z program development, test, and operations history have resulted
in design and program modifications directed toward increasing the
reliability and the operating efficiency of the OAO system in order to in-
sure the success of the second OAO missions. . . . Although the re-
maining three approved missions have been delayed . . . the scientific
goals of these missions will be accomplished . . . [and OAO] will con-
tinue to be the backbone of the NASA space astronomy program. . . .’,
(Testimony)
* Successful 15-sec captive firing of ground test version of Saturn V 1st stage
(S-IC) was conducted at MTF by Boeing Co., prime contractor, to prove
operational readiness of nzw S-IC test stand and support facilities and
of the Boeing test team. Stage was powered by five Rocketdyne F-1
kerosene- and liquid-oxygen-fueled engines capable of developing 7.5
million lbs thrust. (Marshall Star, 3/8/67,1)
* Lockheed Aircraft corp. was evaluating under a $65,000 NASA contract the
usefulness of slush hydrogen for three proposed long-distance vehicles:
Uprated Saturn I 2nd stage (S-IVB) as a lunar logistics vehicle to land
61