January 10, 1966

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SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Fr-1 Bolsters French Civil Space Ambition

Bretigny-sur-Orge, France—Successful launch and operation of France’s Fr-1 ionospheric research satellite last month is the latest project in the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s international cooperative satellite launch program after the Canadian Alouettes, the British UK series and the Italian San Marco.

By Warren C. Wetmore18 min

The War in Vietnam

Airmobile Concept Proves Effectiveness in Guerrilla Fight

An Khe, Vietnam—Successful battlefield test of Army’s 1st Cavalry Div. (Airmobile) during a month-long deployment in the central highlands against regular North Vietnamese troops has established the airmobile concept as an effective technique in defeating guerrilla forces in their own environment.

By C. M. Plattner13 min

AIR TRANSPORT

Lockheed Begins Freezing Sst Features

Washington—Lockheed Aircraft Corp. currently is freezing a number of structural and aerodynamic features of its L-2000 supersonic transport design and appears to be making progress in solving such problems as effective cooling and in the use of titanium as the principal structural material.

By James R. Ashlock10 min

SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Aec Doubles Space Radioisotope Efforts

Germantown, Md.—Atomic Energy Commission has more than doubled its space-oriented radioisotope efforts to meet the rapidly growing requirements of spacecraft and mission planners who are now willing to use or at least consider these compact packages of nuclear power.

By Michael L. Yaffee8 min

114

AVIONICS

Rca, Ge Study TV Broadcast Satellites

Washington—Synchronous-orbit television broadcast satellite, capable of providing direct service to home receivers, could be in operation before the end of this decade according to preliminary design studies conducted by Radio Corp. of America and General Electric Co.

By Philip J. Klass8 min

106

AVIONICS

Abort Backup for Lem Near Production

Redondo Beach, Calif.—A multi-million dollar guidance system which the space agency and its designers hope will never have to be used to control a space vehicle, but must still be ready to play a vital role in insuring crew safety in the Apollo program, is about to go into production.

By Barry Miller7 min

SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Gemini Shows Apollo Medically Feasible

Berkeley, Calif.—Medical results of the three U. S. long-duration space flights have been so encouraging that “we feel man has demonstrated his ability to equal the machine” in space flight, Dr. Charles A. Berry told the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science (AW&ST Jan. 3, p. 21).

By Richard G. O’Lone6 min

AIR TRANSPORT

American Bids for Tokyo Routes in Wake of U.s.-japan Bilateral

New York—American Airlines made its long-expected bid for routes to Tokyo via Hawaii last week in the wake of the U.S.-Japan bilateral air transport agreement (AW&ST Jan. 3, p. 26). Marion Sadler, American president, estimated that if the Civil Aeronautics Board approved the application, his company’s revenue from the first year of transpacific operation would be $80 million to $100 million, with cargo traffic accounting for 30% of the total.

By Joseph W. Carter6 min

SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Lem Radar Value Shown By Gemini Flight

Washington—Gemini 6 commander Walter M. Schirra wants rendezvous radar in the Apollo lunar excursion module despite a National Aeronautics and Space Administration decision to rely on optics for the LEM rendezvous maneuver. Schirra said:

By William J. Normyle5 min

January 31966

January 171966

January 10, 1966

January 10, 1966