Astronautical and Aeronautical Events of 1962 - NASA's History Office

ASTRONAUTICAL AND AERONAUTICAL EVENTS OF 1962 7
January 19: At NASA press conference, scientists described preliminary
scientific results obtained by EXPLORER XII: based on study of
10 per cent of the data, it now appears that instead of the two
radiation belts (previously called the inner and outer Van Allen
belts) there is one magnetosphere extending roughly from 400
miles above the earth to 30,000 to 40,000 miles out. In this
magnetosphere there is only a handful of matter but a very
wide range of charged particles trapped by the earth’s magnetic
field. Density of electrons is now considered to be 108/cm2/sec
as o posed to the 10” derived from previous satellites. Radiation
leve P s of protons in the lower portion of the magnetosphere were
found to be the same as reported by previous satellites, so that
the magnetosphere still poses a formidable radiation problem to
extended manned flight. At about 10 earth radii the magnetosphere
ends abruptly. Above it is an extended area, about
20,000 km. across, of electromagnetic turbulence and featuring
very low ener particles on the order of 1 to 20 kilovolts.
Beyond this is T t ought to be true interplanetary space.
Ranger I11 lunar shot postponed because of technical difficulties
with Atlas booster rocket.
Dr. John P. Meehan of the University of Southern California
reported that “Enos,” 37-lb chimpanzee who orbited the earth
in MA-5 on November 29, 1961, developed temporary hyper-
tension during flight due to frustration and confusion caused by
equipment malfunction.
0 In speech before the Builders and Contractors Exchange, Thomas
F. Dixon, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator, pointed out
that one fourth of the total NASA appropriation for FY 1963 was
for construction of facilities. This construction does not include
that to be undertaken by other Government agencies or by the
thousands of private industries, educational mstitutions, and
others with a role in the space effort.
0 NASA received patent (3,016,693) for electrothermal rocket invented
by John R. Jack and Wolfgang E. Moeckel of Lewis Research
Center.
0 Department of Defense authorized USAF to proceed with develop-
ment of a mobile mid-range ballistic missile (MMRBM).
Unnamed Soviet scientist, called “chief designer of Soviet space-
ships,” reported by Tass as saying that U.S.S.R. planned to
establish an “industrial undertaking” on the moon.
January 21: NASA announced the launching of two Arcas meteor-
ological sounding rockets from Kindley AFB, Coopers Island,
Bermuda, the first of a series of tests to measure the structure
and denrihy of the atmosphere in support of an atmospheric
re-entry experiment utilizing a Scout rocket fired from Wallops.
January 22: Reported from AMR that MA-6 launch would be delayed
until January 27 at the earliest, due to difficulties in the oxygen
system of the Mercury spacecraft.
Fuel tank of the Atlas booster of Ranger I11 was repaired from
inside in 48 hours, first such repair while booster was upright on
the pad. Effort of General Dynamics/Astronautics crew was
necessitated by fuel leak.