Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967 March 5
like an orbital spacecraft and be maneuvered like an aircraft when it
reentered and traveled through the atmosphere. First SV-SD vehicle,
launched Dec. 21, 1966, performed successfully but was lost when para-
chute malfunctioned. (AFSSD Release 77.67; Av Wk, 3/13/67,23; Miles,
LA Times, 3/6/67)
Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences staff report re-
leased by Committee Chairman Sen. Clinton P. Anderson (D-N.Mex.)
disputed theory that any nation would have a military advantage with
orbiting nuclear weapons. Report, prepared “to provide information
for . . . legislative evaluationn on the space law treaty [see Dec. 8,
19661 submitted for Senate approval Feb. 7, noted: “Majority military
opinion holds that orbital bombardment is not an effective strategic
weapon as compared to land-based ballistic missiles. An effort to use
space-based nuclear weapons would have the effect of a strategic warn-
ing, thus placing an aggressor in the position of being open to retalia-
tion by strategic weapons.” (Text)
Two- to 12-day delivery time for letters between US. and Vietnam could
be appreciably shortened with Satellite Mail ( S-Mail) system, National
Environmental Satellite Center’s J. Gordon Vaeth suggested in letter to
New Yorlc Times editor. S-Mail letters would be electronically scanned
and converted to radio signals that would be sent by mid-Pacific comsat
relay to Vietnam where they would be reconverted and reproduced on
a recorder. (NYT, 3/5/67, E9)
March 6: Distance between earth and moon had been calculated at 250,000
mi with 20,500-mi variation by JPL scientis.ts Dr. J. Derral Mulholland
and William L. Sjogren. New lunar values, which had an accuracy of
less than 50 ft compared to previous discrepancy of one mile, were cal-
culated from theoretical work by astronomer Dr. W. J. Eckert from
spaceflight data; verified by ranging measurements of Lunar Orbiter I
and ZI spacecraft; and used to revise a 50-yr table of lunar motion re-
quired for plotting spacecraft trajectories, determining launch times,
and scientific research. ( JPL Release 436)
* Florida radio report that Apollo spacecraft 017 had so many manufactur-
ing defects that NASA was returning it to North American Aviation, Inc.’s
(NAA) Downey, Calif., plant was denied by NASA. HSC spokesman acknowledged
that about 1,000 bcsquawks77 bad been found in spacecraft-
40 of which would be corrected-but said that at the present time there
was no indication it would be returned to NAA. Spacecraft was scheduled
for unmanned suborbital flight in May. (W Star, 3/17/67, A4)
NASC Executive Secretary Dr. Edward C. Welsh stressed at AIAA meeting
in Baltimore the importance of space exploration as a contributor to
peace: “. . . space activities can be a substitute for aggression, a bridge
to understanding between the nations, and a major tool of arms control
and disarmament. Once man accepts the challenge of exploring the great
universe around us, he can more readily rise above the terrifying grip
of parochial hatreds and fears. Space exploration helps satisfy man’s
unquenchable thirst for knowledge-a basic characteristic which sets
him apart from other creatures. Compared to the business of coercing and
killing his own kind, the challenge posed by the prospect of crossing the
established frontiers of the normal physical world is not only infinitely
to be preferred, but its potential is limitless.” (Text)
Advanced solid rocket motor capable of being fired or pulsed on command
had been developed at the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory
63