July 26, 1965

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SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Mariner 4 Photos, Data Reducing Unknowns About Mars

Pasadena—Low level of fogging complicated enhancement and evaluation last week of the first photographs relaved by the Mariner 4 Mars spacecraft, but scientists at Jet Propulsion Laboratory here believe that both the pictures and scientific data are of good quality.

By Harold D. Watkins13 min

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

U. S. Pilots Try Out Russian Helicopters

Los Angeles—U. S. pilots who tried out Russian helicopters displayed at the Paris Air Show were impressed with improvements over the past few years in Russian helicopter technology. Two U. S. pilots, Donald P. Segner, Lockheed-California Co. and Joseph Mashman, Bell Helicopter Co., felt the Russian’s Mi-8 helicopter was roughly comparable to the Sikorsky S-61 in flying qualities, passenger comfort and general design.

By C. M. Plattner9 min

EDITORIAL

Dogfighting with Migs

Lt. Cdr. Greathouse acted as spokesman for the group and related the following information: We launched a four-plane flight from the USS Midway late in the afternoon for an armed route reconnaissance mission to North Vietnam. We were proceeding on our mission west of Thanh Hoa when we were advised that there were MiGs in the area.

SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Improved Solar Cells Planned for Imp-d

Significantly improved solar cells will supply electric power for the fourth interplanetary monitoring platform, IMP-D, to be launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the third quarter of 1966. The advances in solar cell design are evolving in NASA and industry efforts to improve solar cells sufficiently for their incorporation in future programs such as the Pioneer sun probe, the radio astronomy Explorer and the applications technology satellites.

By Roderick D. Hibben7 min

SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Complex System Produced Mars Photos

First close-up Mars photos resulted from the successful functioning of a number of complex avionic subsystems interrelated with each other and the Mariner 4 spacecraft by ground commands and onboard sequencing equipment. Each picture frame of Mars taken by the Mariner 4 camera designed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory is made up of 200 horizontal lines, each line containing 200 spots or elements.

BUSINESS FLYING

Firm’s Use of Hs-125 Exceeds Estimate

New York—Britain’s first and, so far, its only corporately-owned turbojet aircraft—a Hawker Siddeley HS-125 operated by BSR Limited—has been operating at about twice the utilization rate predicted before it entered service in March and at a slightly lower operating cost.

By David A. Brown5 min

Letters

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the very timely and accurate editorial on American participation in the recent Paris Air Show which appeared in the June 21 AW&ST (p. 13). I cannot believe that, with the vast aeronautical background, technology, ingenuity and resources of the United States, we could not have dominated the entire show with one or more products to cover every possible aviation market that exists in the world.

AIR TRANSPORT

Sears Relying on Dc-8f Honolulu Service

Chicago—Hawaii’s largest department store has increased its reliance on scheduled air transport to keep its shelves stocked and fill customers’ orders quickly with goods from the mainland. The merchandise air lift by United Air Lines to the Honolulu retail outlet of Sears, Roebuck & Co. began in March, with the store and mail-order chain using space on the two Douglas DC-8F flights a week from Los Angeles to the islands.

By Joseph W. Carter5 min

July 191965

August 21965

July 26, 1965

July 26, 1965