sa08-10 (AS-104,103,105)_v_bw_o_n (original 1963 press photo)
“In the immediate future, more and more manned space flights will be undertaken and a manned space station is destined to be launched to serve as a space laboratory. Scientists are concerned about the astronauts in these vehicles for they will be subject to a potentially serious hazard in the form of fast-moving space particles called meteoroids. It is imperative that the extent of this danger be known before astronauts spend protracted periods in space.
The precise origin of meteoroids is not too well understood. Astronomers know of at least two types – wholly dissimilar in nature. There is a type of dust ball of appreciable size but of exceedingly low mass which can float safely down through the earth’s atmosphere to settle on the surface.
It is this type which may find its way to the bottom of lakes where they can accumulate for literally millions of years. These are discovered in cores taken from the lake bottoms. The danger in space from these particles is negligible.
The other type of meteoroid is massive and relatively small. The mass and speed of these particles provide the energy to penetrate a space craft or space station to do significant damage. Some scientists believe these particles may be large enough to set up a shock wave on impacting a space craft which could kill the crew. Some of these are large enough to survive passage through the atmosphere and are picked up on earth as meteorites.
From this, it is seen that the hazard is a real one and scientists concerned with the danger are looking for ways to learn more about it so that the necessary counter – measures may be undertaken.
To determine the extent of this danger, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has awarded to the Fairchild Stratos Corp. a $6.5 million contract to build several Meteoroid Detection Satellites, weighing about 3,400 pounds each, to be launched by the Saturn I booster from Cape Canaveral before the end of 1964.
Scientists realize that knowledge of the mass and energy content of meteoroids in the intermediate range is needed most. There is fairly definitive data on the very small meteoroids, as well as the very few large ones, but the number of intermediate ones—the ones which represent the danger—is a mystery.”
Above per the accompanying caption/description, as written by Dr. I. M. Levitt, Director, Franklin Institute, Philadelphia.
Another damned nice piece of work by the enigmatic, yet ubiquitous John Gorsuch!
sa08-10 (AS-104,103,105)_v_bw_o_n (original 1963 press photo)
“In the immediate future, more and more manned space flights will be undertaken and a manned space station is destined to be launched to serve as a space laboratory. Scientists are concerned about the astronauts in these vehicles for they will be subject to a potentially serious hazard in the form of fast-moving space particles called meteoroids. It is imperative that the extent of this danger be known before astronauts spend protracted periods in space.
The precise origin of meteoroids is not too well understood. Astronomers know of at least two types – wholly dissimilar in nature. There is a type of dust ball of appreciable size but of exceedingly low mass which can float safely down through the earth’s atmosphere to settle on the surface.
It is this type which may find its way to the bottom of lakes where they can accumulate for literally millions of years. These are discovered in cores taken from the lake bottoms. The danger in space from these particles is negligible.
The other type of meteoroid is massive and relatively small. The mass and speed of these particles provide the energy to penetrate a space craft or space station to do significant damage. Some scientists believe these particles may be large enough to set up a shock wave on impacting a space craft which could kill the crew. Some of these are large enough to survive passage through the atmosphere and are picked up on earth as meteorites.
From this, it is seen that the hazard is a real one and scientists concerned with the danger are looking for ways to learn more about it so that the necessary counter – measures may be undertaken.
To determine the extent of this danger, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has awarded to the Fairchild Stratos Corp. a $6.5 million contract to build several Meteoroid Detection Satellites, weighing about 3,400 pounds each, to be launched by the Saturn I booster from Cape Canaveral before the end of 1964.
Scientists realize that knowledge of the mass and energy content of meteoroids in the intermediate range is needed most. There is fairly definitive data on the very small meteoroids, as well as the very few large ones, but the number of intermediate ones—the ones which represent the danger—is a mystery.”
Above per the accompanying caption/description, as written by Dr. I. M. Levitt, Director, Franklin Institute, Philadelphia.
Another damned nice piece of work by the enigmatic, yet ubiquitous John Gorsuch!