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

242 ASTRONAUTICAL AND AERONAUTICAL EVENTS OF 1962
November 15: Venus-bound MARINER 11 spacecraft set new record for
communications, transmitting engineering and scientific data to
earth from nearly 18 million mi. in space. Previous transmission
record was set by PIONEER v space probe at distance of 17.7
million mi. June 14, 1960. (PIONEER v’s signal was tracked to
22.5 million mi., but no scientific data were obtained beyond 17.7
million mi.) Launched by NASA on Au . 27, MARINER 11 was
providing new information on nature of interplanetary space.
It would fly by Venus at distance of 20,900 mi. and measure
microwave and infrared emissions from the planet on Dec. 14.
0 NASA attempt to launch ionosphere experiment for Commonwealth
of Australia failed when Aerobee vehicle malfunctioned 38 sec.
after launch from NASA Wallops Station. However, Australian
payload electronics, including telemetry instrumentation and
lunar aspect sensor, was activated before liftoff and functioned
properly durin Launch of similar experiment would be
.
attempted in %Iflight ec. for Commonwealth of Australia Scientific
and Industrial Research Organization.
NASA Director of Manned Space Flight, D. Brainerd Holmes,
addressed National Industrial Conference Board, Chicago, on
economic implications of manned space flight program: ‘‘ . . . In
a significant, though incidental way, the space program is already
enriching and will continue to enrich our country, It is causing
a rapid advancement of industrial technology and the stimulation
of our economy. The billions of dollars required for the space
effort are not being spent on the moon; they are being spent in
our factories and laboratories-for salaries and for new materials
and supplies, which in turn represent income for others.
“Already the space industry is a major industry. It is creating
new job opportunities at all levels of skills and abilities. It is
improving standards of living.
‘[New economically beneficial breakthroughs will be made in
many fields. A successful space program will require major and
rapid advances in the uses of energy and the development of new
materials, fabrics, and lubricants-the very forces that are basic
to economic growth.
“Space research and development is already producing corollary
benefits in the form of new products, new methods, and new
industrial processes which can be employed in the manufacture
of countless articles for human use. The surface has probably
barelybeenscratched. . . .
“The development of space science and technology will undoubtedly
strengthen our whole industrial base and serve as effec-
tive insurance against technological obsolescence. . . . 11
NASA Administrator James E. Webb announced three- ear grant to
Graduate Research Center of the Southwest, Dalcs, Tex., for
development of advanced scientific experiments in lunar, plane-
tary, and space exploration. Major operating division of GRCSW
was Southwest Center for Advanced Studies (SCAS), which would
“provide research organization structured specifically to design
new space experiments and to provide the scientific guidelines
for engineering them.”
AEC announced Dr. Edward Teller would be awarded the Enrico
Fermi Award at ceremony on Dec. 3. Citation accompanying