September 24, 1962

September 24, 1962

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SAFETY

Starling Ingestion Causes Electra Crash

MANAGEMENT

Defense Issues New Aircraft Designations

AVIONICS

Lack of Infrared Data Hampers Midas

By Philip J. Klass9 min

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SAFETY

Starling Ingestion Causes Electra Crash

On Oct. 4, 1960, at 1740 EDT, an Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Electra N 5533, crashed into Winthrop Bay immediately following takeoff from Runway 9 at Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts. Ten of the 72 persons aboard survived the crash.
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MANAGEMENT

Defense Issues New Aircraft Designations

Washington—New tri-service regulations adopted by the Department of Defense for the designating, redesignating and naming of military aircraft will force the Navy to make extensive changes while the Air Force and Army will have to make only minor alterations.
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AVIONICS

Lack of Infrared Data Hampers Midas

Washington—Troubles with the Midas early warning satellite which have been attributed to its infrared sensors actually result primarily from lack of data on infrared characteristics of the space environment rather than from basic shortcomings in the sensors themselves.

By Philip J. Klass9 min

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SPACE TECHNOLOGY

New Astronauts to Pilot Gemini, Apollo

Houston—First civilians to enter training as astronauts in National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s manned space flight program are among nine new astronauts announced here last week by NASA. New trainees will join the Mercury pilots to provide a pilot pool for Gemini and Apollo space missions.

By Erwin J. Bulban7 min

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Letters

You are to be commended for your editorial in your Aug. 20 issue, although I do not believe the recent Soviet shot was a full docking experiment but rather an ascent guidance experiment. Nevertheless, as you note, the message is clear and we must free our programs from the bulldog grip of a number of Presidential and DOD scientific advisors, or else we may jeopardize our very existence.
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AVIONICS

Thin-films Increase Computer Reliability

Santa Monica, Calif.—Small special-purpose spaceborne computer, which employs thin-film microcircuits extensively to increase over-all system reliability, will be completed and checked out here soon. Unit is destined for service in a quasi-operational Air Force space system, and as such will be among the first generation of actual flight hardware to use extensively one of the increasingly popular techniques of microcircuitry.

By Barry Miller6 min

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AIR TRANSPORT

Magnetic Theory Cited in Doppler Dispute

Navigators show scientific backing for claim that underwater fields can disrupt navigation device.

By Robert H. Cook6 min

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SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Pluto, Snap De-emphasized By Defense

Washington—Defense Department is moving to de-emphasize such nuclear programs as Pluto and Spur/Snap 50 in a major policy fight which pits civilian research chiefs against military leaders and the Joint Congressional Atomic Energy Committee.

By George C. Wilson5 min

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SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Mcnamara Reviews Usaf’s Space Plan

“Program package” requested after Vostok flights; public criticism of military space role continues.
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EDITORIAL

Space and National Security

Question: Is there a space gap like the missile gap we heard so much about a short time ago? Answer: First of all, I would point out that there was a missile gap, but it did not translate itself into the numbers previously predicted. Moreover, the threat of such a gap dissolved some of the lethargy in the U. S. and caused us to get busy and help upset the predictions.
September 171962 October 11962