• • • • • •

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• . • " " • • " 'F. • • . • •".. ' *.“, : •

• -•••.-, '
Chief, 7

aistory Office

7,C:A

dude cz

ft

- r

DEP* 1? .OF THE AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS SPACE AND MISSILE SYSTEMS ORGANIZATION IMO

AF UNIT POST OFFICE, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90045

20 ;snow 1972

SUBJECT: leace.Uaneee Discoverer' liatorical Materiel

TO: 110/10 Nexwell APB AL 36112

1. Furnished herewith are five ' volumes et old Discoverer historical .

material that say be of use to researchers:

I. Doomoot notary of Discoverer, Volume One (Confidential/Group 3).

Document Ristocry of Disceverer, robe Two (Secret/Group 3)...

a. !Omit Draft History of Discoverer, Volume One (Smut/Group 3),

containing Rerratives Appendix Ao • Riceatroneatice-DIASOYETIEr Board. Report)

SS December 1959 sug- Appendix B, Launch Data Digest (a list of 78

Diseoierer lamiches).

d. Rough Draft Ristory.ar Discoverer, Volume Two (Unclassified),

croetaining. igpeadix C, Iliomedical Space Speeimiens Feat Meet; Appendix D,

Notierand Datoidoi Bockgroant for primate . leueshf Appendix •K • laws

Belies* (approved for lama of primate); Appendix 1, Photo History of

Discoverer in part,

a. • Bough Draft Risetcay of Discoverer, Volume Three (Unclassified),

containing Appendlic(Cont'd) Photo Ristory of Itiscaveres; Appendix 43,

Discoverer Am ur• crela (Presentation 'by 6594 Test Wing (Satellite);

.41ppendiu 11/ • IlizT401.TE of launch and recovery of Discoverer XII by Copt

Darold X. JeLtehelt.

This materiel, together with Decument listory at VS 117L (19116 to

3Watletinition), three volume; D•cvment History or Program 3i61, one volume;

Document History at MANCE, three volume; Document listem of Agana, six

volumes and Agee yulAst History as of 31 Decaliter 1,967, two volumes

comet/tit* a complete 4Sooullamtsz7 history or the eager stage It:kW* develegment, Including its various space program applications and launch

record.

• This letter is clagesssified -GatomintWoromp 3, as it reveals the title

of classified programs associated with thh VS 1171. Progress

h. Separate Ay yarns 33.ware being furnished for the two Secret volams.

REPLY TO/ new_

ATTN OF: vfaaf r • Piper

Dor/Nowa) EAR IKEA/AM NOT

. f a OECLAgtI 

- •

FJED:DOD 914 5 ma

1'

•

PRIDE IN THE PAWL? . .

& 

• • MITE IN TEE FUTURE

•
HISTORY OF DISCOVERER

Prepared under the provisions of Air Force Regulation 210-3 and

Air Force Systems Command Supplement No. 1 thereto as part of the

United States Air Force Historical Program.

This document contains information affecting the national defense of the

United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U. S. C.

Sections 793 `and794. Its transmission or the revelation of its contents

in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.

THIS DOCUMENT MAY NOT BE RELEASED TO ANY INDIVIDUAL OR

AGENCY OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE WITHOUT THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE ORIGINATING ORGANIZATION

OR A HIGHER AUTHORITY IN THE DIRECT LINE OF COMMAND.,

A

• )
DRAFT TABLE OF CONTENT--

FOR DRAFT HISTORY OF

DISCOVERER '

HISTORY OF DISCOVERER

TABLE OF CONTENTS'

Introduction i

History of Discoverer (General) 1

Man-in-Space Aspects 27

Bioastroneuiles Organization 33

Discoverer Vehicle No. 1025 . . . 54

'Discoverer Flights and Funding 61

Index 74

Appendix A, Bioastronautics-Discoverer Board Report, 22 Sep 59 . . 78

Appendix B, Launch Data Digest 151

. . . .

Appendix C„. Biomedical Space Specimens Fact Sheet

May be found in Volume 2

•

Appendix,D,,Notes.and..Editarial..Beek€41uutgl.f.o.r.P.rissiLs...Lasusb.;......

May be found in Volume 2

Appendix E, News Release (Approved for release after launch of primate)

May be found in Volume 2

Appendix F, Photo History of Discoverer (Photographs and Captions as

published. by Information Office) May be found in Volumes 2 and 3

Appendix G, Discoverer XIII Life Cycip (Presented by 6594 Test Wing

(Satellite) (A.R.D.C.) Sunnyvale, California) May be found in

Volume 3

:

Appendix H, Utatitled (Narrative of launch and recovery of Discoverer

XIV by Capt Harold E. Mitchell as told to Rdbert CahE7 May be.

found in Volume 3

11011G11 D FT
CONFIDENTIAL

HISTORY OF DISCOVERER

Discoverer was designed as a program to use a large satellite

Vehicle capable of carrying diverse payloads in.either satellite or _ .

space probe operationi. The discoverer is composed of the satellite

vehicle, the Thor booster (modified to function as the first stage.

thrust device for the Discoverer vehicle), launch facilities tracking

•

facilities, and a complex communication and data processing network

—with-reinted-reeT2Tt. tyre

* Discoverer Development Plan, 30 Jan 59, p 1-2-1.

Ge3.) (C4 On 1 April 1957, after AFBMD had launched the first Thor on

25 January 1957, the Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation proposed use of

UtBM (Thor) as first stage or booster for multi-stage vehicles.1'

*

%Study, Ramo-Wooldridge, 1 Apr 57, subj: Proposed Use of IRBM as

Booster for MUlti-stage Vehicles.

However, Russia had launched Sputnik 2 before Headquarters, USAF

be^ame interested in an early space vehicle capability and considered

Thor as a cheaper and more available booster. When the Air Force

-CONFP—riTIA -L
uuvirlut-A 11AL

presented the Advanced Reconnaissance System briefing to the Armed

•

Force Policy Council on 5 November 1957, the Mr Force recommended

•

use of three available Thor boosters. The immediate result was the

Able Program. RAND had undertaken a feasibility study or a reconnaissance satellite system that would provide as early and continuing

photographic ;reconnaisstuice capability in augmentation of the WS 117L

program which RAND published on 12 November 1957.

U. S. Air Force Project RAND Research Memorandum An Early Reconnaissance Satellite System, 12 Nov.-.... am 1957 (Rm-2012)--

system RAND proposed differed substantially from the WS 1171,

concept under development. The following is quoted from the RAND

Report:

The proposed systeti used a spin-stabliized payload stage.

It uses a transverse panoramic camera of essentially conventional

design, fixed to spin with the final stage, which scans across the

line of flight.

The entire payload stage is recovered.

The system uses a 12-inch camera, carrying 500 feet of 5-inch

wide film. The extremely-Short exposure time--1/4000 sec--eliminates the need of attaining a precise altitude, exact image speed

synchronization, difficultlerformance characteristics, and

related problems. It will provide sharp photographs of about

60-ft ground resolution. Each exposure, covering some 300 miles

, across the line of flight, will photograph some 18,000 sq mi. The 500-ft

2

CONFIDENTIAL

. e-
r p.1

6-11

s_

roll will cover some 4,0000 000 Kali (almost half the S.U.) and

show major targets, airfields, lines of communication, and urban

and industrial areas. This satellite could weigh about 30O

and be placed in a polar orbit at 160 2 35 miles altitude by'a .

combination of rockets such as Thor plus second stage Vanguard

plus a third stage small solid rocket similar to the Vanguard's

third stage. A one-day operation is envisaged, with recovery

by command firing of a braking rocket on the 16th pass, so

as to. impact in a predictable ocean area.

RAND proposed the booster combination would be the "Thor IRBM

and the second stage of Vanguard, with a small solid rocket, similar

in principle to the third stage of Vanguard, to provide a final orbital

increment.4

14c RAND Report, An Early Reconnaissance Satellite System, 12 Nov 57,

PX-2032 ) pp" ; (

&/Gr..9 Lockheed Aircraft Corporation incorporated the RAND' s concept for

early Thor-boosted reconnaissance flights in its. WS 117L Development

Plan for Program Acceleration published 6 January 1958. The development

plan ilaodiscussed the "problems of terminal re-entry and recovery of

photographic satellite."

•

Representatives from the WS 117L Program Office, the Director of the

Ballistic Missiles Center Project Office, add Lockheed Aircraft

•

rl!,-!7•0
Corporation met on 14 January 1958 to discuss plan for acceleration

-

_ 

of the WS 117L program. As a result of the meeting, AFBMD awarded

Contract No. AP 04(647)-181 to *he Lockheed Missile and Space Division

on 25 January 1958, calling for four flights scheduled for October,

November and December 1958, end February 1959.5

0 BI (MCPTA) Memorandum for the Record, 21 Jan 58, subj: Plan for

Acceleration of the WS 117L Program; Bioastronautics-Discoverer Board

Report, 22 Dec 59.

Mr. Roy Johnson, rdrector of Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA),

• cancelled the reconnaissance aspects of the Thor-booster phase of

WS 117L by memorandum on 28 February 1958 and authorized Secretary

of the Air Force to uae lthe -Thor booster with a eatable second stage

vehicle foi experimental flights and recovery of laboratory animals.45

AZ OSD Memorandum for. Secretary of the Air Force, 28 Feb 58, subj:

Reconnaissance Satellites and Manned Space Exploration.

On 19 March 1958, the Lockheed Missile and Space Division Contract

was re-oriented to include development of a recoverable capsule to

accommodate a biomedical package, later referred to as a "life support

system." The completed capsule was scheduled for readiness for flight

test no later than 30 November 1958.

Bioastronautics-Discoverer Board Report, 22 Dec 59.

14
1.

The New Horizon Development Plan, 1 July . 1958, provided for

ten Thor boosted flights, six of vhich were programmed for bio7medJoel flights. Early in August 1958, Mr. Johnson augmented the planned

Thor-WS 117L vehicles by adding nine vehicles. The new firing schedule

called for One each month beginning in November 1958 and two each

month beginning in April 1959. Johnson's basic intent for utilization

.

' •

of additional vehicles VAS for biomedical experimentation, although

not at that time limited to biomedical use.16

a Nag, AFCGM 541b1, 6 Aug 58.

---.4UMneweabmsen ,vsmeemVinwa—Mme.WW1111r.pregimmy4be,-***ft5A-ARPA

Order No. 48-59 on 16 December 1958 requesting the Secretary of the

Air Force continue the Discoverer prograa in behalf of ARPA, and to

submit a financial plan so that. a basis of division of funds could be •

•

(Cirt) Aii. FOrce s Ballistic Missile Division submitted the . 30 January 1959

Diecomerer DevelopmiaPlan together with the Sentry Development Plan

because the two programs were ind%endent programs and "partial approval

of either program will require reconsideration of both efforts." In

addition the MIDAS Development Plan-! was;based-on the assumption that

tr141

5
r.

the proposed Discoverer and Sentry programs were approved in their

entirety` The plan reflected the Air Force-ARPA agreed funding._

c

(

 Ltr, ABM) (WDZW) to Comdr ARDC,z111 Feb 59 ignibj: . WS 117L Program

levels and at the direction of Headquarters, USAF certain costs were

• . • , • V' • • • - • ^ • • - • • • • _

not identified• in the plan .149

_ • ^

0 Ibid.

The Discoverer Development Plan program structure based on

ARPA Order No. 17-59, ► September 1958 with subsequent amendments*

* The Development qalan specified that "As the result of the advanced

-ReseareirtProtjects-Ageney4APSA).-Order .Beffisedoer .1958

with three subsequent amendments, the program structure was established

to provide for fifteen . . ..ARPA fundeiflights." The writer cannot

interpret the order or amendments to have any bearing whatsoever on the

tdscoverer Program but as Colonel Frederic C. E. Oder stated in an

Interview with Dr. Alfred Rockefeller, Jr., AFBMD Historian, on

17 January 1959, when Secretary of Defense transferred Sentry to ARPA

a big period of confusion followed. Many decisions were made in conference that were never put into written policies.

provided for 15 ARPA flights, 13 of which AFBIID would specify payloads

and two of which ARPA would specify special payloads to.be determined

by APPA.

C

) .
pertaining to a revised plan on 27 April 1959, and one day later the

revised development plan, under date of 30 April 1959, and the cover

7

Y.

16 February 1959, ARPA approVed, in general, the program

objectives and related funding for the Discoverer program as presented

to ARPA on 4 February 1959 but particularly noted that the approVel'

pertained to a 13 vehicle program. 4 ARPA approved the Development

110 Amendment No. 1, ARPA Order No. 48-59, 16 Feb 59.

and Funding Plan, dated . 30 January 1959, for Discoverer program

on 24•Mareh 1959 but again the approval pertained to the 13 vehicle

program However, the Director of Advanced Technology, Headquarters,

NO

19m Amendment No. 2, ARPA Order No. 48-59, 24 Mar 59. n=n11,

USAF, notified the Commander, Air Force Ballistic Missile Division on

27 April 1559 that "In accordance with agreements reached at conference

held at Pentagon, 17 April 59, you are instructed to revise the

Discoverer Development Plan to provide for a total of 25 flights during

Calendar Years 1959 and 1960." The Director of Advanced Technology,

Headquarters, USAF, advised that the revised plan should be submitted

to Under Secretary of Air Force at earliest possible date.

a mss, AFDAT 59353, 27 Apr 59. 

The Air Force Ballistic Missile Division received the instructions
•letter were ready for dispatch to Under Secretary of the Air Force

Malcolm A. MacIntyre.

•

WDD Routing Slip,'R. W. Curtin to Gen Ritland, 29 APr 59; Ltr, APBMD,

of Richard D. Curtin for BrigGen 0. J. Ritland, 1 May 1959.

ARPA approved the plan on 20 ;4p.1959 . by Amendment . Number

ARPA Order No. 48-59, and at same time increased fund availability

from $104.3M to $121.9M. Amendment Number 5, ARPA Order No. 48-59,

23 June 1959, increased fund availability from $12.19M to $132.3M.

On 20 JUly 1959, when ARPA increased the Discoverer program to

a 25-vehicle program, AFBMD had already made one launch attempt and

had launched four Discoverer vehicles. Before the first attempt,

though still in the test stage, all sub-systems were considered .

workable, and launch and tracking facilities were ready for use.

The overall system developpent was divided into seven of the

(plus Subsystem L).

twelve sib-systems earlier identified with WS 3171),/ The first Discoverer

•

Development Plan (dated 30 January 1959) identified.DiscOverer sub-systems

as follows:

Subsystem

Subsystem

Subsystem

Subsystem

Subsystem

Subsystem

Subsystem

Subsystem

A - Airframe

Propulsion

C - Autiliary Power.

- Guidance and Control

- Ground-Space Communications

- Geophysical Environment

- Personnel

- Recovery System

•

8
tiUMILYEN 11AL

(E/4?-.3) Subsystems A, B, C, D, and H were melon to the Midas and

•

Sentry/Samos programs though modified to acccemodate the payload

subsystems perculier to the programs. Subsystem L was perc uliar to'

Discoverer.

Ca 4)Sibsistems J and K also common to Midas and Sentry/Samos programs.

Subsystem 47, *Geophysical Environment consisted of studies,

equipments, both rocket-borne and satellite-borne, required to provide

exvironmental data considered essential to insure and simplify the

design of a successful Advanced Reconnaissance System. WhAs-sus The

subsystem also included the ground equipment required to captain,

service, calibrate and checkout prior to flight, the equipments

described above. Insufficient data existed on geophysical environment

to insure successful design and test of the satellite vehicle in thefollovlug dream: (1) Atmospheric density; • (2) Cosmic radiation; (3) Thermal

environment; (4) Meteor physics; (5) Solar *ultraviolet radiation; and

(6) Atmospheric composition.15

x* Discoverer Development Plan, 15 .Jan 60.
Systems Requirement Number 5 dated 29 NoveMber 1954 directed

•

-

the Air Force Cambridge Research Center (AFCRC) provide enviranmetitaL

data which "effect design and test,. such as pressures, tetzpetures,

atmospheric composition, solar radiation and propagation characteristics."

. •

• --

.

Systems Requirement Number 5 also directed AFCBC "prepare and

implemint geophysical research program based on utilizing test vehicles."

Systems Requirement Number 5 dated 17 October 1955 superseded

the .earlier Systems Requirement and in December 1955, AFBMJ) requesteA

itircsc to codtinue the support previously accorded the Advanced

Reconnaissance System:• AFBND initiated Obligating Authority No. 57-16

on 25 January 1957 for transfer of $422,000. to Air Force Cambridge

Research Center for continued research in the Subsystem J area..4E6.

ft Management Report, ARS, 31 Jan 57.

Subsystem J, developed as Project l764 consisted ofthe• following

tasks as shown in MB Project Card, 2 April 1957:

* Document may be found in the WS 117L documents.

10
4.

39791 - Solar Radiation Program in Ultraviolet and x-ray

•

Region for ARS. The task was accomplished through a coabinatlon'sof

"in-house" and contractual effort. In April 1957 the contractual

effort was being accomplished by domstock and. Westcott, Inc., under

•

Contract AF 19(604)-1889. Other contractors contemplated at that

time were University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, and Radio

Corporation of America, New York, New York.

39792 - Interplanetary Matter and Meteor Physics in

—Relation .to,ARS. .Tha,taskiims accomplished thrglagh a combination of

o in-house" and contractual effort. la April 1957 the following named

contractors were working on the task:

Temple Uniyersity . under eontract AF 19(664)-1894 t- Oklahoma A and M under Contract AF 19(604)-1908

Smithsonian Observatory under Contract AF 19(604)1901

Stanford Research Institute under Contract AF 19(604)-1892

c. 39793 - Atmospheric Density Determination at Altitudes

of Artificial Earth Satellites. The task was being accomplished through

"in-house" and contractual effort... In April 1957 the following named
contractors were working on the task:

University of Michigan under Contract No. AF 15(604)-187]

University of richigan under Contract Vo l."AF 15(604)-189C

39794 - Thermal Radiation Program for ARS.. In April

1557 the task was being accomplished through a coMbination of "in-house"

and contractual effort. The only contractor was the University of

Colorado under Contract AF 15(604)-1855 although additional contracts

were contemplated.

39795 - Rocket and Instrumentation Support. In April

4430257--the.-task Aran beiDg. accomPlIshed-Abrawill-a erribi Pat on of 1111--hollete"

and contractual effort. The same type of effort was being carried on

by AFCRC under Geophysical Research Directorate Project 7659 with

contractors, some of whom were,being considered for this task. The

contractors being considered were:

Aerojet - General Corporation,.;

Wentworth Institute

Oklahoma A and M

New Mexico A. aalaM

Subsystem IC, Personnel - Air Research and Development Command

System Requirement No. 5, dated 17 October 1955, directed the Air

12
Force Personnel Training Research Center to support the Western

ts.

•

Development Division, ARDC, in preparation of a System Development

Plan. ARDC Systems Development Directive No. 117L, 17 August 1456

assigned responsibility for the implementation and execution of the

. development plan to Headquarters ARDC, Western Development Division.

Western Development Division, to the degree specified, and upon

•

request, had the support of all AMC Centers. Amendment No. 2,

SSD No. 117L, added Project No. 8728 - qualative Personnel Requirement

-"IttromatelotrTOr-the"Mtetteed-Recothelosoned-SSretem. Ir leMettstion of

Project No. 8728 was at the discretion of Western Development Division

WS 117L Program Office contingent upon availability of necessary resources.

WDD assigned derlopment of PrOject 8728 to Air Force Personnel and

Training Research Center, Lacklani Air Force Base, Texas, for the

"production of systematic information relevant to the personnel and

training requirements of the total weapon system 1171. development

plan." Initially the project required both inservice and contract

•

efforts. The contractor prepared information on subsystem development and equipment development and AFPTRC project officer provided

13
I • consultation and technical monitoring.*

R&D Project Card, Personnel Operations Subsystem for the ABS

I I (System 117L) (System 117L POSS), 2 Apr 57

As shown in Subsystem Report, Project 8728, 2 April 1957, the

tasks of the project were as follows:

a. Task 87151 - Implication of Design. The contractor was

primarily responsible for the task under consultative and technical

guidance of the AFPTRC Project Officer.

.4790&--.-41ratillriativeTers • * aloyakrements 5meerrmatian.

The contractor's responsibility was to collect and assemble data for

the production of reports "Which will be phased with equipment design

and development! The Object of the task was to "provide manning

document information position descriptions, and personnel selection

Information regarding the total personnel stibeyystiftod , WS 117L."

87152 - Training Programsand Procedures. The Project Officer's

responsibility was to "make recommendatiohs for the training program

-- and. tiaining'procedures. to be used to obtain skills required by -

operator and maintenance personnel of the system."

14
87153 - Training Equipment Characteristics. The Project

Officer's responsibility was to prepare report on training dharaCteristics of required'trainers and if applicáble previous contractual

effort could be used. The object of the task was to "identify the

special training devices required for the WS 111L training program

and define characteristics of the indivisual trainers." .

8710 - Proficiency Test Development. AVM considered

a. contractor but as of April 1957 a contractor had not been selected.

Anne's responsibility was to monitor partial in-service effort by

Personnel and Maintenance Laboratories, Lobkheed Aircraft Corporation.

•

The objective was to "provide valid tests of the job knowledge, skill,

and achievement verity for measuring the prpgreas and/or proficiency of

operating and maintenance personnel."

•

87155 - Handbooks and Job Aids. In April 1957 the WS 117L

. .

program had not progressed sufficiently to provide details`.*

87156 - Training Equipment Testing. Same as Task loo. 87155.

APPTHC established a liaison office at WDD for the purpose of
coordinating Qualative Personnel Requirements Information activities .3ti

x ARDC Weekly Activity Report, 4 Feb 57 .•

•

Major Stanley Valcik of AFPTRC was active as the WS 117L QPRI Project

Officer from July 1956 to August 1957. Major Harry L. Smith, QPRL

Project Officer and Major Ben F. Hicks, Project Officer, AFPTRC, reported

if

•

for duty as resident project Officers on 26 July 1957. x' Soon thereafter

ilx-Mmaorandum for Colonel Terhune from Colonel Frederic C. E. Oder,

23 July 57, subj: AFPTRC Support of WED System Development; Supplement

to Monthly Officers Roster as of 30 Oct 57; DOI, WDSSA, 24 Apr 57,

Organizational Symbols; List of WS 117L Project Office personnel,

17 Apr 58.

ARDC initiated action to eliminate AFPTRC as a separate ARDC Center.

..

Colonel.Harry L. Evans, Requirements and Equipment Office, Deputy

Commander, Weapon System, andpaptain Anthony A. Comes, Operations

and Training Procedures Analysis Division, Directorate of Manpower and

Training, Deputy Commander, Plans and Operationsp,attended . a conference

1 ►-15 November 1957, at Headquarters ARDC, on the elimination of the

AFPTRC, and distribution of the AFPTRC functions and manpower spaces

ir4hin. the ARDC structure. It vas agreed that ATM you'd provide

Headquarters ARDC an organizational structure or distribution of

•

16
46 human factor spaces into the existing AFBMD organization,.

together with manning information such as functional area descriptions,

--;

rank and civilian grade spread; job titles, and job descriptions:/,

4.6 ,, Memorandum for WILT and no, col Harry L. Evans and Capt Anthony

-A. Ganes 19 Nov 57, subj: Joint WDTN and WDOTA Staff Visit Report

to Hq ARDC on Elimination of AF'PTRC as a Separate Center of ARDC.

Four spaces, 1 major, 1 captain, 1 GS-13 and 1 Secretary-stenog-'

rapher were transferred to WS 1171, Directorate effective February 1958.

Major Harry L. Smith. became Human Factors Project Officer and Captain

Ben F. Hicks became Project Officer (QPRI). rSupplement to Monthly Officers Roster, AFBMD, as of 28 Apr 58; List

of Personnel WS 117L Project Office, 17 Apr 5Si Management File 3-4-6,

Human Factors Functions &Spaces asgd AFBMD frAFPTRC, 12 Jun 58

Effective 15 April 1958, Headquarters ARDC discontinued the Air

Force Personnel and Training Research Center at Lackland Air.Force

Base, San Antonio, Texas."'

f: SO No. 11, ARDC, 27 Feb 58 •

The first Discoverer Development Plan described Subsystem K -

Personnel as follows:

A. personnel sybsystem exists whenever any other subsystem,
or-the booster subsystem, requires the-interaotion of personnel.

A properly designed personnel subsystem consists of the following

components: • -•

Human engineering to insure optimum man-machine

compatability.

Determination of the kinds and numbers of personnel

required to operate and maintain the associated hardware subsystem.

Training and training equipment required to obtain

-.4A StAtablVlialdlietrallannel.

Appropriate personnel support in the form of

technical manuals and other job aids.

Subsystem L Recovery Subsystem:- Discoverer Development Plan,

30 January 1959, provided that Recovery Subsystem "consist of a

Satellite-borne capsule, suitable payloads ) and equipment that will

collect and transmit data by teletetering and that will insure sue-

,cessful re-entry and recovery from orbit."

Following the Director of Advanced Research Project Agency,

Roy Johnson's memorandum, of 28 February 1958 in which Mr. Johnson

.

.

• cancelled the reconnaissance aspects of the Thor-boosted phase of

•••••

•

WS 117L and directed the Air Force to uee the vehicles for biomedical •

experiments, AFBMD amended Contract No. AF 04(647)-181 to include the

development of a recoverable capsule to accommodate a biomedical package.
is

The Sentry Development Plan dated 15 September 1958, provided for a

Subsystem L. Biomedical Recovery Capsule as follows:

•

•

1. 1. Subsystem "L" Biomedical Recovery Capsule:

(1) The Biomedical Recovery Capsule program has three

primary objectives. These are:

To recover living specimens from orbital flight.

To study the psycho-physiologic response of

specimens to 9onditions of launch, orbit and recovery.

(c) To bUild experience and confidence in recovery

techniques. These objectives will be achieved by the launching of five

biomedical recovery capsules into orbit on WS-117L flights. The capsules

will be separated from the parent vehicle and be recovered on either the

18th or 32nd pass and will be recovered southwest of Hawaii. The

biopackage will be airsnatched by C119-L aircraft assisted by RC 121

aircraft and Navy surface vessels.

(2) Two basic configurations will'be used. These are:

Mark I Biomedical Recovery Capsule. The Mark

capsule wwighs 195 pounds at launch including the 15 lb. biopackage.

The biopackage itself includes the animals (four mice), their cage,

pressure shell, food, water and oxygen supplies, environment control

devices, sensors, amplifiers, batteries and recorders. The remaining

weight of the Mark I is made up of structure, ablation material,

retro-rocket, parachute, beacon and other recovery aids.

The iiformation gained from the Mark I

experiments include acceleration, noise, vibration, cosmic radiation

effects, total pressure and gas storage measurements, temperature and

animal viability.

(c) The Mark I capsule willim.on orbit for 18

passes (24 hrs) and will be recovered on the 18th paas.

(3) Mark II Biomedical Recovery Capsule. The Mark II

capsule will weigh approximately 279 lbs at launch, including the 57 lb.

primate) the restraint devices, psycho-operant devices, pressure shell,

food, water and oxygen supplies, environment control devices, sensors,

amplifiers, camera, batteries and recorder. The remaining 222 lbs. is

composed of structure, ablation, retro-rocket, parachutes and other

recovery aids.

(a) The information gained from the Mark II

experiments include all those mentioned for the Mark I, plus camera

r--
f.

coverage, additional environmental measurements, several physiological

measurements such as pulse, temperature, electro-cardiograph, etc. and

a reasonably sophisticated psycho-operant device. The telemetered

records of annual performance in conjunction with pre- and post-flight

testing should provide considerable information regarding the effects

of prolonged weightlessness.

(b) The Mark * II capsule will be in orbit for 32

passes (48 hrs) and vill be recovered on the 32nd pass.

See Figure I for a diagram showing the WS 117LBio Med Vehicle. Figure

2 shows a diagram► of Discoverer II.

On 25 November 1958, Mr. Johnson directed the Commander, ARM, to

revise "that portion of the Discoverer test series which deals with

biomedical payloads. Of the five originally programmed launchings,

it is now planned to eliminate two of the small primate shots. This

5

leaves two mouse containing payloads and one small primate psyload.14*

Msg, RDQGW-11-39-26 26 Nov 58.

ARDC reassigned two vehicles formerly assigned to the biomedical

payloads to the launching schedule requested in ARPA Order No. 17, as.

ii‘.1 . Ibid.

• On 5 December 1958, Mr. Johnson revised the biomedical payloads

for Discoverer to provide for one successful primate recovery up to a

20
1429 LB.-

EMPTY

7309 LB.-

THOR-PAYLOAD

195 L8.- J P4 •

279 LB.- UDMH

Figure No. 1
Disceverer 11 la orbit. The re-eatry vehicle 1

is outilsed by the dettud Mies.

itHatry vehicle after separaties from

Discoverer 11.

The after structure which cot*: the 3

waded retrorocket separates lest prier

to meets* the earth's atmosphere.

The re•eatri vehicle is sepperted by the

parachute during the final phase of its

descent.
is

total:et three attempts "with the 2 additional attempts if necessary

..

and desired to be in lieu of payloads in the series of 13 flight •

vehicles. You should therefore plan to have available internal

components for 2 primate backup payloads.h"-:-

2.

t- Meg IGM951903 5 Dec 58.

•

Under joint AFBMD/contractor effort an attempt to launch the

first Discoverer on 21 January 1959 failed. The Discoverer vehicle

was damaged. beyond repair but damage to the Thor Booster No. 160 was

. repaIrecaddIater usedlorlhe twarth launch on I2' June 1960. The •

launch attempt was not thereafter counted as one of the Discoverer

launches. The vehicle contained a simulated capsule. The bioastronautics

research centered about the d6elopment and flight testing of two types

of General.Electric spaceborne biomedical systems.

Appendixg,_ Biomedical Space Specimens iiat Sheet,, contains •

a history of the laboratory mice colony, four of which were destined

for a space flight in the MAKI Biomedical Recovery Capsule,

other biomedical systemWas the MARK II capsule under develop- ,

meat by General Electric. It was a life support capsule designed to

•

23

7'
carry a four to six pound Rhesus monkey into orbit. Appendix _to

Notes and Editorial Background for Primate L aunch, contains a history of

the bioestronautic animals AFBMD considered for orbit in the MARK II

space capsule._

AYSMDlatutched the first Discoverer on 28 February 1959 but the.

satellite containing a simulated capsule did not obtain orbit.

AFBMD launched Discoverer II on 13 April 1959. The satellite

carried a 'biomedical research capsule containing four mechanical mice

'Mae df a sensor or'Uet a gignals that appeared ai&lielmared as an

animal when picked up on telemetry, i.e. the aztimals had a pulse

,

Jailer to the heartbeat rate as live mice:: The satellite achieved

20 Military Satellite Program for Qtr ending 30 Jun 59

orbit but the67was no recovery.

AFBMD launched Discoverer III on 3 June 1959. The satellite carried

a biomedical research capsule containing four live nice. The satellite

vehicle did not obtain orbit:-

: Ibid.
The LOckheed Missiles and Space Division designated the General

Electric Company as the subcontractor !Or the life support ststeeon

•

6 May 1958.. Of thirteen tests beginning on 1 April 1959, only one

WAS considered to have met its objectives. As the testing program

progressed, it became. increasingly evident that the development was

beset by serious technical difficulties, although the primary technical

competence in the bioastronautics area was actually within *the Air Force.

The General Electric cost had gone over the $2.OM level by Fall of 1959.

...InAeptember,1959,..C4locellPrederic C. E. Oder made the technical

competence of the Air University School of Aviation Medicine, Randolph

Air Force Base, Texas, available to General Electric Company, through

the Bioastronautics Division, AFBMD, Headquarters, ARDC. In support

of Subsystem L, representatives of Headquarters Air Research and

Development Command, Headquarters United States Air Forte, Air University

(Headquarters School of Aviation Medicine), Air Force Missile Development

Center, and Wright Air Development Center, reached agreements that all

USAF biomedical resources concerning technical responsibilities be

assigned to the School of Aviation Medicine. In September 1958,

25

r-
i.

Colonel Frederic C. E. Oder mode the technical responsibilities assigned

•••n

to the Aviation School of Aviation available to the contractor through

the Bioastronautics Division at AFRO...4

giox Bioastronautics-Discoverer Board Report, 22 Dec 59...

Is •

Because the basic design of the biomedical recovery. capsule

was faulty and as configured would not support the biomedical mission

of the Discoverer series, the Commander, AFBMD, appointed an investigating

on • n-: %cc 'basit ""for the -purpose *ifif -rettetrizettre -management

and technical status of the biomedical project currently associated

with the DISCOVERER Program.'" . The board convened on 2 December 1959

.4-S0 Ro. 2X6 AFBND (ARDC), 27 Nov-59.

and met daily through 8 December 1959. The Board published its report

on 22 December 1959. The report contains backgrounefidortation..

pertaining to ARDC's designation and orgainization of the Office of

Special. Assistant for Bio-Astronautics to the Deputy Commander, ARDC,

and appointment of Brigadier General Don D. Flinckinger as Special
t.

Assistant to the Commander, AFBMD, for bioastronautics and as such

to be "responsible for the direction and coordination of

.

•

biomedical aspects of Projects assigned to" AFBMD:. The implications

5 o SO No. 18 ARDC 22 May 58.

of General Flickinger's assignment as stated is discussed in the board

•

report along with a discussion of early biomedical aspects of Discoverer

that need not be repeated in this historical report inasmuch as the

Bioastronautics-Discoverer Board Report may be found in Appendix A_ .

MAW-IN-SPACE ASPECTS .4,4.,or ClitexzAt ece

-4ildausitbeaseearkradetkrtise •davemlopmentief.a-Ufe•46vipport ..0apsule for

the Discoverer Program, the Air Force and Department of Defense initiated

a Man-in-Space program.

rt51

On 26 and 27 February,Geaeral Curtis E. Left. , Vice Chief of Staff,

USAF, issued a directive to Lieutenant General Donald L. Putt, Deputy

Chief of Staff, Development, USAF, to investigate%feasibility of putting ,

a man in orbit. On 28 February, ARDC representatives attended a meeting

held at office of Deputy Chief of Staff l .Developnent, Headquarters,. USAF.

Brigadier General Baler A. Bomber, Deputy Director, Research and
4

'Development, Headquarters; USAF, directed ARDC prepare and submit an

abbreviated development plan for a Man-In-Space Program as soon as

:&A USAF Manned Military Space Systems Development Flan, Vol I, 25 Apr 58,

pp 1-1-3,4.

.Wright Air Development Center made a Man-In-Space in-house study,

and submitted its proposal to ARDC on 3 March 1958. wArc developed the

study from review of • contractor presentations and general approaches

that were . under,study at NACA,LaborAtorie4, _and Ideas submitted by

industry. ARDC developed the proposed abbreviated development plan

from the WADC study. ARDC presented the proposed development plan to

Headquarters, USAF, on 14 March 1958. NACA and Air Force Ballistic

Missile Division representatives reviewed the plan prior to the presenta,.

31-

do n .w

• • :

314e Ibid.; OSD Memorandum, Mr. Roy Johnson, Director ARPA, 28 Feb 58:

On 31 March 1958, the Commander, Air Research and Development

Command directed that AMID prepare a development plan for a Manned

28
Military Space Systems Program with the goal of Manned Plight to the

Noon and Return.:4 APBMD prepared the development plan in two-volumes.

•

331r USAF Manned Military Space System Development Plan, Vol I, 25 Apr 58, pit.

Volume I contained two sections. Section I was a plan for Man-

. SpaceSoonest and Section II was a plan for Man-In-Space-Sophisticated. Volume

•

II Contained. Sections III and IV, Lunar Reconnaissance and Manned Lunar

Landing and Return, respectively. The plan vas not accepted but . AMID

prepared a new plan' in two volumes on 2 May 1958, titled Man-In-Space-

. -441comeate.--"Ille-mbtelywe winblevtolorewwwere-Vo pet 'a Man Idtti4v-rersolzdt

space at the earliest possible date and to recover him safely on earth

while determing functional capabilities and limitations of man operating

in-the space environment, especially the environment of weightlessness

for protracted periods."- 31To accomplish preliminary objectives the

34 USAF Manned. Military Space System Development Plan, 2 May 58, Man-In

Space-Soonest, Vol I, p2.

development plan also'provided that biomedical program activities

authorized by the ARPA Director for the WS 117L for launch and recovery
of biomedical capsules containing small primates would directly support

•

and early man-in-space capability. -

"is; Ibid. p I-1-10

.••••1•10•11.••

AFBMD submitted development plans dated 19 May, 28 May, 15 June and

2 July 1958x all of which were disapproved. But on 29 July 1958, after

Amp had submitted the 24 JUly development plan, the 85th Congress

approved the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, which established

a. civilian agency to exercise control over aeronautical and space

activities sponsored by the United States,

"except that activities peculiar to or primarily associated_

with the development of weapon systems, military operations,

or the defense of the United States (including the research

and development necessary to -make effective provision for

the defense of the United States) shall be the responsibility

of, and shall be directed by, the Department of Defense." `

The term "aeronautical and space activities" meant "aircraft, missiles,

satellites, and other space vehicles, manned and. Apmaann4, together with

related equipment, devices, components and parts"

36 National Aeronautics and Space Act of 195d.

--- --Another-development factor was that-the FT 1959 funds availablefor a man in space program was limited to 00.014 which caused "soonest"

30
to be removed. from the man in space program.

Mr. Johnson, AIWA, "suggested that the Air Force meet with

representatives of NASA so as to arrive at a common understanding

concerning the nature of the Air Force man in space development program

which would be acceptable to NASA."'-- The meeting was held at Headquarters

Man In Space Development Plan, 11 Sep 58.

Air Research and Development Command on 12 August 1938. Shortly thereafter, Headquarters ARDC, directed. AFBMD prepare a development 'plan

.,1.nogrpqratgg 7the golisctial characteristics discussed at the meeting

and in which the Fiscal Year 1959 funding requirements were within the

$40.0M limitYSAFBMD submitted the Mau in Space Development Plan, dated

'sr, Man in Space Development Plan, 11 Sep 58, p I-1

11 September 1958, to Commander, Air Research and Development Command,

on 15 September 1958. The plan was the final Air4orca-plan. On

21 October, Robert R. Gi3..iuth, Project Manager, NASA announced NASA, with

the assistance of AMA, of Department of Defense; was initiating a manned

satellite project. On 25 November .1958, NASA issued NASA Order No. .HS-24,
f.

requesting AMID construct and launch one Atlas di Ballistic Missile

booster..with its associated control and guidance equipment. The booster

was "required for launching a preliminary research of a nature that

required a ballistic trajectory. The order was followed by HS-36

requiring Amp to construct and launch nine Atlas D boosters with

associated guidance. The request was in addition to the request for one

Atlas C booster covered by NASA Ord BS-2i, and a part of a "continuing

program of research on manned satellites." NASA combined the two orders

-3A-1447-1149- AlaPmlinobre. iba. aber 1 :to JUISA_Order.115,-.36. Jalalle submitted .

a Space System Development Plan, Preliminary Research for Man-in; Space

on 2 February 1959, based on NASA Order HS-24. By 4 February 1959, the

Man-in-Space Program became known as Project Mercury. Hugh L. Dryden, '

Deputy Administrator of NASA and Robert R. Gilruth, Director of Project

m-311 Mercury gave the manned space system its name. 4h . :. Glannan chose

•

lit This New Ocean, NASA, 1966, p 132.

Wright Brothers Day, 17 'December 1958, to announce publicly in Washington,

- D. -C., that the manned satellite program would be called Project -Mercury.

* The Atlas C was to be used to check the aerodynamics of the spacecrart

scheduled about May 1959. It vas to be the launch vehicle for the Big

Joe reentry test shot, but plans were changed and an Atlas D vehicle was

used. (Project Mercury, a Chronoloper

2

, NASA 1963) .

3
i. 4

BIOASTONA17T1CS ORGANIZATION

. In the meantime the Vice Commander, Brigadier General 0:

Ritland„ Vice Commander,-AFBMD, announced the Organization of the

•

Deputy Commander Military Space Systems, APTIM, effective 12 September 1958,

by. separating the space effort from the Office of Deputy Commander,

•

Technical Operations. Ritland announced the establishment of the

Directorate Air Force Bio-Astronautics but did . not at the time name

the director.- Lieutenant Colonel Edward L. Cole became Director . of

1.feworepdoz.for.General3aiseirdar—iagiovaud.Peseennel,

A40640146.41,00511, subj: Organizational Announcement, Organization of

the Deputy Commander Military Space Systems, AFBMD, 16 Sep 58.

Directorate Air Force Bioastronautics in October 1958.and remained in

that position. until his retirement on 30 November 1963. Cole was promoted

to the rank of colonel in the Spring of 1961:4 The Directorate Air Force

OILiaborical Report, MMSCV Directorate, 1 Jul - 31 Dec:63.,

.

Bioastronautics vas renamed Directorate Bioastronautics Projects in

Mid-19559 and then beeame-Measikresast&es again renamed in 1960 when the

organization became Bioastronautics Office. The next change occurred

33
is 4

after the general reorganization of Air Research and Development Ccamand

and Air Materiel Command effective 1 April 1961 when Air. ForceBallistic

Missile Division became Space Systems Eiviiion. The Bioastronautics Office

became. Bioastronautics/Re-Entry Office. The office . became a Directorate

Again in August 1961 and on 15 December 1961, the Directorate became the

Manned Military Space Capability Vehicle (MMSCV) Directorate. The

Director was responsible for planning =damaging the Manned Military

Space Capability Vehicle and other space programs in the Bioastronautics

area for theSpace Systems Division, and program manager for the r#98.gut

*

41-

Program, formerly known as Bioastronautics Orbital Space System (BOSS).

41-1-Historical Report, MMSCV Directorate, 1 Jul - 31 Dec 63; Organization

and Functions Chart Book, SSD, Jan 62.

The final title of the bioastronautics office was Manned Environmental Systems Directorate acquired on Noveabir 1963. Colonel Charles

V. Craven became Director on 30 November 1963. In January 1964, the

Air Force Aerospace Medical Division, AFSC, began establishing its

Los Angeles Office Aerospace Medical Division, for support of the Manned
1.

Orbiting Laboratory Program that had been assigned to Spac • Systems

Division. Colonel Charles W. Craven, was relieved from hiedutfas

oximily Bulletin No. 134, SSD, 10 Jul 64; History Aerospace Medical

Division, Administration, 1 Jan - 30 Jun 64, p2.

Director Manned Environmental Systems and assigned primary duty as

Assistant Deputy Director Program 437. 1 Deputy for Systeks Management,

effective 16 April 1964.'7

PB-22, SSD, 22 Apr 64, pare 1.

...0n..31 August .1965 4 .the.S.acratary of the Air Force,, Eugene M. Zuckert,

•

announced the appointment of General Bernard A. Schriever as Director of

the Manned Orbiting Laboratory Program, an assignment in addition to his

. •

duties as Cosmander of AFSC. 7uckert directed that Schriever, as Director

..,

of MOL, report directly to Secretary of the Air Force..

1 1; News Release No. 65-149, 31 Aug 67. •

At the same time, Zuckert named Brigadier General Henry L. Evans,

who had been serving as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Air Force

35
1.

for MOL, Vice Director of the MOL Program, and Brigadier General

• • Russell A. Berg Deputy Director of the MOL Systems office It. There•was

no Change in the location of the MOL office.

441eIbid.,

Program sow, had its beginning when AFBMD awarded a study contract

with Lockheed Missiles and Space Division to determine feasibility of

supporting a 60 pound. primate for 48 hours on orbit. Lockheed completed the Advanced Biomedical Capsule Study, including preliminary

drawings and a full-scale mockup, on 17 June 1960. The study indicated

the feasibility of maintaining a chimpanzee in orbit for two days. The

.

-

capsule was to be integriMAd with the SAMOS recovery vehicleY The

Am Summary of AFBMD Division Activities in Space, Jun 60, p A-9; AFBMD

Chronology, Office of Bioastronamtics (no), 1 Jul-31 Dec 60

Directorate of Bioastronautics Projects accepted the full--scale mockup

of the advanced biomedicAl capsule on 15 August 1960, and became Phase II

—

of the Bioastronautics Orbital Space Systen:'

41;

 Preliminary work for

Agb* AFRO Chronology, Office of Bioastronautics (WDZB) 1 Jul - 31 Dec 60.

preparation of the BOSS Development Pla y started in December 1960. In

36
'1

April 1961 the plan was forwarded to Air Force Systems Command (AFSC)*

for approval. The program called for six orbital flights into the

' .

radiation belts to determine the effects of prolonged exposure to

weightlessness and space radiation. Champanzees were to be utilized as

Aq

the test subjects.• Phase I of a five year bioastronautic program

*1-

'Office of Bioastronautics (SSZB) Progress Report 1 Jul 60 - 1 Jul 60

development plan entitled "Biomedical Program," that described a four

launch, small primate series within the Discoverer Program had been

submitted by General Bernard A. Schriever, Commander, Air Research and •

Etvelopment Command,* in November 1960. It had become apparent that

the animal series scheduled in the Discoverer Program for 1959 and 1960

was to be canoe

5or Ltr, SSD (SSZ) to AFSC (MSF), subj: Air Force Support of Bioastronautics

Program 698AA, 2 Aug 63; Ltr AFSC (SCRBS) Schriever to Hq USAF (AFDDC),

subj: Bioastronautics Development Plan, 16 May 61,,;.

As of 16 May 1961, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Development, USAF,

had not approved Phase I plan and on tha • date General Schriever resubmitted

* Through general reorganization of the Air Force, Air Research and

Development Command had become Air Force Systems Command on 1 Apr 1961.

Air Force Ballistic Missile Division had become Space Systems Division,

AFSC.

37
the November plan together with the Phase II plan for an advanced

technology program "Bioastronautics-Orbital Space System (BOSS)

describing a series of six chimpanzee launches. The BOSS plan was for

Phase II of a five year Bioastronautic Program "providing for a series

Of live animal orbital and space probe launches."

j4x-Itr, AFSC (SCRBS), Schriever, to6Rci USAF (AFDDO, Bioastronautics

Development Plan, 16 May 61.

In October 1960 with approval of General Thomas D. White, Chief

of Staff, USAF, Lieutenant General Schriever, appointed the Air Force Space

Study Committee* with Trevor Gardner, former Special Assistant to

Secretary of the Air Force for Development, Chairman, to assist

Air Research and Development Command in formulating a space Development program which would best serve the national interest. The

- .

Committee recommended in its report dated 20 March 1961, "the immediate

accomplishment of a biological space flight research program.'

sloe Ltr USAF, General Thomas D. White to Lt Gen Bernard A.

Schriever, 10 Oct 60; Msg, ARDC, MP-12-10-2-E, 12 Oct 60

* - - See next page for footnote

38
• .•

•

•

• •

•

• . r. •

. •

.

•

•••

.•

•

. •

•

•

- • .

Miss—Air Force Space Study Committee tiPe=sbnyris a blend of airospace•

industry veterans and scientific talent drawn from the fields of nuclear physics and .

mathematics. Study conunittee members arm

'Trevor Cardna, chairman. Gardner was a member of the Wiesner task force

that reported recently to President Kennedy on space and missile programs iAW

Jan. 16, p. 26). He also is a trustee of Aerospace Corp. and president and board •

chairman of Hymn Manufacturing Co.

Dr. Charles C. Lauritsen, trustee of Aerospace Corp. and professor of physics

at California Institute of Technology.

Dr. Jerome B. Wham. Kamedy's White Horne science sdviser and one of the

• original trustees of Aerospace Corp.

William C. Poster, vice president of Olin•Mathieson Chanicid*Co. Foster headed

the Gaither Committee. • Dr• EdWin Land president of Polaroid Corp., who served with Wiesner and Gardner on the Kennedy space task group.

Dr. W. Randolph Lovelace U, head of the Lovelace Clinic and alarms% of

NASA's Special Committee on Life Sciences.

Dr. Arthur Kantrowitz director of Arco Corp.'s Everett Research Laboratory,.

Dr. W. 0, Baker, vice president-research, Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Dr. Frank T. McClure, chairman of the Research Center of Johns Hopkins Uni.

versity's Applied Physics Laboratory. '

Dr. Harold Brown, director of the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, operated by

University of California for the Ma nic Energy Commission.

Dr. Stanislaw M. Ulam of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, also operated

for AEC by the University of California. Work done by Ulan,. an internationally

known mathematician, played • kcy part in .development of the hydrogen bomb.

Ulam also proposed two methods for using small nuclear explosions to propel space

-41111p1. ' 411ire1ebeing• expkied*br &octal 'Atomics- Division -of -General .Dynamics

Corp. under Project Orion (AW Feb. 29, p. 26). This work, now funded by Air

Research and Development Command, has received a total of approximately $2

million to date. Wiesuer's report to Kennedy urged encouragement of "entirely

new ideas which might lead to real breakthroughs," and cited Orion as an example. •

The Mr Fora Space Study Committee was established in October. In November,

it was augmented by a group headed by Dr. Theodore Taylor, who is a vice president of General Atomics and is technical director of Project Orion. •

Dr. Conrad Longrnier, a theoretical physicist from Los Alamos.

Dr. Charles Townes, inventor of the Maser and. vice president and director of

research for the Institute for Defense Analyses.

Dr. John W. Tuekay, professor of mathematics at Princeton Univerity.

Dr. Mark Kw, of Cornell Univasity's mathematics deparbnent.

' • .

From Aviation Week, 23 Jan 1961

39
f.

C-j Immediately after the "Gardner Committee" submitted its report,

the Secretary of the . Air Force and the Chief of Staff, USAF, directed

the .Commander, asp (reorganization of ARDC occurred on 1 April 1961

and ARDC became AFSC) that a Five Year Air Force Space Plan based.

on a detailed study. of the "Gardner Committee" Report be prepared for

submission to the Secretary of Defense by 28 April 1961. Secretary of

Department of Defense McNamara- specifically desired recommendations for

changes in the space program current at that time. General Schriever

h3

.directed Lieutenant. General Howell M. Estes, Jr. Deputy Commander,.

Air Force Systems Command for Aerospace Systems, and Major General

Osmund (Ozzie) J. Ritland, Commander,•Space Syttems Command (newly formed

.

.

from AFRO and portions of Ballistic Missiles Center, Strategic Air Commend

on 1 April 1961) establish a Task Group under the chairmanship of Major

General Joseph R. Holzapple, Assistant Deputy Commander for Aerospace

•

.. •

Systems (newly formed to manage the Space Systems Division and the Ballistic •

Systems Division) and co-chaired by Colonel Harry S. Evans, Deputy Commander

Space Systems Division for Satellite Systems.
The Task Group completed its report, known as the "Holmapple Report"

. - •

and Air Force Secretary Eugene M. Zuckert submitted the USAF Proposed

AG' Jr' National Space Program to the Secretary of Defense on 1 May 1961.

_ g32c OSD Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense, subj: USAF Proposed

National Space Program, 1 May 61

Major General O. J. Ritland, Commander, Space Systems Division,

submitted the expanded Bioastronautics Orbital Space System (BOSS)

Development Plan to Lieutenant GeneralB. A. Schriever, Commander,

.3.3rateme.comsenC -moy .49111.. Tho...aew. was one of eight

development plans submitted on 31 May 1961 in honor of a request from

Schriever for detailed documentation in support of the five-year space

•

plan "recently submitted to the Secretary of Defense." m The plan included

eto Meg, SCG 10-5-27, 1022102 May 61; Ltr, SSP, subj: Development Plans in

support of Five-Year Space Plan, 31 May 61.

recommendations for the establishment -of a Manned Lunar Expedition as the

national space goal, beginning with the orbit of small primates up to four

days duration late 1961.
r.

The Deputy Chief of Staff, Development, USAF, notified AFSC

on 12 June 1961 that the "essential objectives of Phase I oft ie."

propOsed five year bioaStranautic program will be achieved through the

joint Air Force-NASA effort covered in the 8 June 1961 letter from this

Headquarters to AFSC and ATC, subject: Radiation Shielding." Phase II

'

of the program was approved but the title was changed to Bioastronautics

Orbital Space Program (BOSP).41 The Bioastronautics Orbital Space Program

.01(Ltr, USAF (AFDDC) to AFSC, subj: Bioastronautics Orbital Space Program

(BOSP), 12 Jun 61; Ltr, AFSC (SCABS) to SSD, ATC, subj: Bioastronautics

Orbital Space Program (BOSP), 22 'Jun 61.

vas updated ilk January 1962 and title was changed to Space Program

5

b

698AA.

66m, Development Plan, Space Program 698AA Updated, Jan 62.

' On 18 February 1962 the Director of Development Planning, Deputy

Chiei of Staff, Research and Technology, USAF, issued Advanced Development Objective No. 35 for a Bioastronautical Space Test Program. 'Action

required was that the Air Force Systems Command update as necessary the

Space Program 698AA (Jan 1962) Development Plan and keep National

Aeronautics. and Space Administration fully "appraised of the test.

42
•

r,

program objectives to assure correlation of NASA interests and elindnation

of unwarranted duplication f7

31x ADO No. 35, 18 Feb 62.

Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and Director of NASA, Mr.

James T. Webb, decided the fate of Program 698AA on 19 July 1962 and

that was:

The DO will not fund this program or any portion of

it.

If, it or some modification of it is to be supported,

NASA. will fund for it and assume program responsibility

''1."Thellebtlr113.-ttiZttle-Del-resturvec'especTelly

bioastronautics science resources to the maximum and will not

duplicate these in undertaking the program, and,

4. The Da will, in the event that NASA decides to go

forward with the program, charge NASA only the incremental costs

of DoD's effort not prorated overhead costs.

NASA assumed responsibility' for a modified and renamed version

of Program 698AA. A*rospegy furnished funds limited

to the supporting Applied Research Tasks documenteeinder Project 6770

during Fr 1963 and the first part of la 1964. Late in 1963, Aerospace

Medical Division did not concur in the continued use of funds from

Project 6770 for support of Program 698AA and recommended reorientation
I

of effort to other exploratory developments:15g

ovar Ltr SSD (SSZ), Funk to AFSC (Mar), 26=Nova6e subj: Air Force :Support of

Bioastronautics Program 698AA, 26 Nov 63.

Project 6770 was the Air Force Systems Command identification for

Department - of Defense Program Element.62465154,-BiOastronautics.

lead division responsible for management and organization was Research and

Technology Division, AMC, and the Project Office was Aerospace Medical

Division (AFSC), Brooks Air Force Base, Texas. The following is a

i*/

description of the Program Niemen

s ac DAF, USAF Force & Financial Program, Sec I: Program Element Summary

Data, VI: Research and Development, 8 Jan 65, p 6-18; AFSC (USAF)

& D Projects, Priorities & Program Elements, 31 Dec 64.

AND CONTENT: This program element includes the investigation

of biological effects of the atmosphere and methods for protecting the

human operator against envikommental and flight vehicle stresses.

It also includes the development of techniques and equipment to

sustain life or counteract the thermal, barometric, biomechanical,

and radiation extremes which are otherwise incompatible with life.

PURPOSE: Work in this program element includes projects devoted

to investigation of the biological effects of radiation,. prolonged •

acceleration, weightlessness and ccdfinement; development and

proof testing of techniques and equipment to sustain man in

closed cells and suits for a series of time periods; development

of methods for protecting the human operator. Life support efforts

include development of components to function in a weightless state,

regenerative gaseous systems, and waste re-cycling techniques. In

the area of weightlessness, studies are also conducted to determine

functional and chemical effects of long-term, zero-g exposure. This

effort has been re-oriented to specifically support approved or

planned advanced performance flight programs such as F-111, Advanced

Manned Strategic Aircraft (AMSA), and Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL).

-SECRET 44

•
•

I

J RELATED ACTIVITIES: This effort is applicable to all near-space and

advanced aero-dynamic flight programs. Currently, the NASA and the

Air Force are participating in bioastronautics planning for, an

orbital space station; and, the Air Force is working with , the VASA

in the identification of problems which are unique for the Manned

Orbiting Laboratory (NOL).

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT: Acceleration studies have been performed in

which flight profiles and stresses of emergency procedures have been

carefully simulated. A life support system of flyable hardware

has been developed, based on super-critical gas storage and supply...

A series of capsule (confinement) studies has been accomplished

and a space cabin simulator has been accomplished and a space cabin

simulator has been operated using a 2-gas (oicygen and nitrogen)

life suppqrt system.

The Director of Defense Research and Engineering, Department of

Defense approved the Manned Military Orbiting Laboratory Program in

December 1963, and assigned the program to the Air Force.4

04- DDR&E Memorandum for Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (R&D),

&A=Dea=69 subj: Manned Orbital Program, 11 Dec 63.

The Ccmmander, AFSC, notified SSD on 16 December 1963 that the

"lead division fror management of entire manned space effort,

including ASSET, is SSD. The full support of the other divisions and

centers is essential. ASSET was the short title for Amrothermcdynamic/ •

elastic Structural Systems Environmental Tests.

61*-Ltr, AFSC, Schriever to SSD, 16 Dec 63, subj: Manned Space Program.

The MDL system consisted of major elements already in a variety

115
CD

of stages of development. The management of the medical and biological

aspects of 141L was delegated to the. Aerospace Medical Division;`13rOOks

Air Force Base, Texas. The Commander, Aerospace Medical Division (AMD)

ordered Colonel Andres I. Karsten, Commander of the Division's Aerospace Medical Beseardh Laboratories at Aerospace Systems Division,

Dayton, Ohio, to Space Systems Division on temporary duty to establish

an operating location for the AMD. SSD maintained the already established bioastronautics office, the Manned Environmental Systems Directorate

•

...until the end .of-June,..1961k. ,.An ,extensive .nexiaion of .the budget during the

last halt of Fiscal Year 1964, enabled AM to fund the Los Angeles

Office beginning July 1964. The office was known as the Bioastronautics

and Aerospace Medicine Operatin& Location Office (BAMOLO) until'the

end of June 1964. On 20 July, Colonel Karsten's title became Assistant

for Bioastronautics and Aerospace Medicine and the Us Angeles Office,

:.

Aerospace Medical Division. Major Edward F. Westlake, Jr., who had

reported on 15 February 1960 and been assigned Chief, Bioengineering

--Division of the Manned Environmental Systems Directorate was transferred

to the AMD office as Project Officer, Bioastronautics (AMD) Special

46
- -J Projects Division for NM, Deputy Commander for Manned Systems, effective

' April 1964.

*L

0,1e SO PB-17, SSD, 1 Apr 64, pare 6; AFBMD Chronology, Directorate of

Bioastronautics (WECJB) 1 Jan - 30 Jun 60.

The assignment of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory' System to Space

Systems Division was the end result of years of planning in the Department

of Defense, Department of the Air Force, Air Force Systems Command and

Space Systems Division' and/or their predecessor offices, The assignment

of MOL to Space Systems Division had came about by Agreement between

the Department of Defense and the National AeronaUtics and Space Administration covering a possible new Manned Earth Orbital Research and

Development Project signed on 17 August 1963 by Robert S. McNamara,

•

Secretary of Defense and James E. Webb, Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space AdminiStration.

. The Man-in-Space route through the WS 3.171nevet . did materialize

for except the four live mice*that were launched in the MARK I life

•

* Three black mice, Sally, My and Moe, were launched piggy-back" on a

re-entry test of an RVX-2A nose cone atop an Atlas ICBM (Atlas 71D) fired

from-Cape Canaveral on 13 October 1960. The three mice, an . experiment

sponsored. by the Air Force School of Aviation Medicine Lad the BioAstronautics Directorate of AFBMD rocketed 650 miles into space and

survived an 18,000 mph plunge to a planned *pact area 5,000 miles down

range. (Astro-News, Ng AFBMD (ARDC), Wed 26 Oct 60; History of the

Command 6555 Test Wing-(Development) Patrick AFB, Fla, 1 Jul - 31 Dec 6o).

47

•

•
1.

support capsule aboard Discoverer III on 3 June 1961, no other animals

were launched in the Discoverer Progran.0:43

oim Prototype Biomedical Capsule - Exhaustion Test Final Report, prepared

by Lockheed Missiles and Space Compazo►, Jun 63. •

The development, fabrication, and preflight testing of the Subsystem

L KAM II Biomedical Recovery Capsule was completed and the first unit

was acCepted as a flight qualified item for launch on a Discoverer

satellite vehicle by November 1960.x The Office of Security Review,

....4,4460iii•etertiaa1-.Repet‘t, aloastmenanties,Jafritce OM) -1-1N1 3.141tent60. •

Department of Defense, approved a news release on 10 January 1961 for

a Discoverer Vehicle carrying a five week old American born monkey.4

x Ltr, SAFOI-3B, to AFBMD, subj: Bicmedical Release, 12 Jan 61

On 31 January 1961, NASA launched Ham, a 37 pound chimpanzee, a trainee

- of U. S. Air Force Medical Laboratory, Wright Air Development:Division,

Dayton, Ohio, by an Army Redstone rocket (MB.2); Han survived the

suborbital, 420 statute mile, down range flight from Atlantic Missile

(--

48
Range and was recovered. The spacecraft reached an altitude of 155 statute

' • • miles.

04X- Space Medicine in Project Mercury, NASA, by Mae Mills Link, p 115.

29 November 1961, NASA launched Enos, a 42 pound chimpanzee in

a Mercury Capsule, boosted by an Atlas (MA--5). Enos, a graduate of

University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, and Air Force Aeromedical

Field Laboratory, Rollamai Air Force Base, New Mexico, survived a three

orbital flight and was recovered.244

w, Animal Astronautics by Clyde R. Bergwin &William T. Coleman, PrenticeHall, Inc., pp 151-154.

Prior to 31 January 1961, NASA had launched small primates. On

3 December 1958, a South American squirrel monkey was launched from AMR

in the nose cone of an Army Jupiter missile and was carried 300 miles

into space. The monkey, Gordo, "the first monkey known to have traveled

:

through space" survived the flight but "vas' lost When a mishap occurred

to the vehicle on reentry." Officers of the U. S. At and Navy Medical

Corps conducted the biological experiment.

•

61,4"Ibid., pp 135-138

t.

tr
The next NASA primate flight, launched on 28 May 1959 from AMR by an

Army Jupiter booster, sent two female monkeys, Able, a seven p0611--

American born rhesus monkey, and Baker, a one pound squirrel monkey, to

an altitude of 300 miles. Both animals were recovered alive but Baker

died a few days later voile undergoing an "operation for removal of an

electrode" that "had. been implanted just under the skin in order to derive

.x./>

biomedical information during the course of the ... flight."

ft, Ibid., pp 138-140

NASA next launched a rhesus monkey in the MerCUry Amy Little Joe

• (147-2) series on k December 1959, from Wallops Island, Virginia. The

monkey named Sam in honor of the Air Force School of Aviation Medicine,

an organization that had become a unit of the Aerospace Medical Center,

Brooks Air Force Base, Texas, on 1 Actober 1959, traveled 55 miles into

space and, was recovered approximately two hours after laUndh.

p 143; History Aerospace Medical. Division, Administration,

1 Jan - 30 Jun 64, p Viii.

The last monkey NASA launched was Miss Sam, a rhesus monkey, in

another Mercury Little Joe series flight (LJ-10. Miss Sam also a

resident of the Air Force School of Aviation Medicine, survived a nihe

50
mile high, fifty-eight minute flight on 21 January 1960 7p .

/0* Ibid., p 1 3 ; MASA SP-45 Mercury Project Sum ►ary, including . Results of

the Fourth Manned Orbital Flight, May 15 and 16, 1963.

41,2 37

V.' 0' The Space Systems Division also launched two primates-- not as a

part of Discoverer Program but instead for reentry tests. The Bioastronautics Office, initiated Project SPURT (small primate unrestrained) with

General Electric Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in February 1961.

Six healthy monkeys selected at Nolloman Air Force Base, New Mexico,

( • )

and trained in a "central psychomotor task requiring response to light

signal activated every twn-and-amhalf minutes for 30 seconds denoting

the availability of water. . . The animals responded by drinki ng from

the water feeder approximately 85% of the time encompassed by the flight."

An Atlas 32E equipped with a life support capsule was launched from ETR

with a squirrel monkey on board, on 10 November 1961. Thirty seconds

after lift-off, the Atlas became erratic and had to be destroyed.. Three

days later the SPURT capsule was recovered from avant several hundred

yards off-shore. The autopsy showed that the animal suffered multiple

fractures of the skull believed to be the result of the impact rather than

-51

COriTjPENTIAL
the explosion. No other vehicle was readily available for another attempt

to fly a Project SPURT so the project vaeterminateeell

i ae Historical Report MMSCV Directorate, 1 Apr - 31 Dec 61.

(10) On 19 December 1961, a recoverable Scientific Passenger Pod carrying

a small primate was launched piggyback dboimmLlitiMS 36R from

the Atlantic Missile Range. Aniniature one-channel transmitter had

been implanted within the body of the primate which successfully sensed

and telemetered to ground stations the primate's electrocardiogram during

37 minutes of flight (from lift off to re-entry) including approximately

30 minutes of weightlessness. The objectives of the experiment were met

but the primate was not recovered. During flight, the primate was enclosed

in a sma.L1 cylindrical biomedical capsule, 28 inches in diameter and

30 inches in length, which was in turn placed in a bullet shaped seven-foot

recoverable pod that was attached to the outside and near the rear end of

,

the Atlas E booster. %See Figure 3) .

7 Ibid.
. A very somessful stay bas ham aroolidai deteoesiatiog the feasibility of leadlassa

trattneissioe of *se chased of data jam a sorties* implamed wastmeister throssgh the iota*

skits of a mookey. This tsete gives • mew mod easigoe tetho for timaserieg traositattheg

died recordist ettwww PhYthAtilicid dal! Jr*, *oat -44* A Yillut•I .$1114 wan lea se dr sorsieolly lathlmiod tooli-chateel ottamommea bio-traosesitter. upasestootat feasibility

will be dassomiated by lorechisse at atiosel with ihe deity betalled t at ATLAS "11* Pod

derby CY 1961. Photo above provides a eompaisoo of the 'she of the mishear. mite wasewitter

for me is the surgical iteShichoime. laadt shows pick op leatoral physiologkal stews* al

signals for irammissioe the primate's Wad shim. Left it the primate coottalthog the

tramotitter, on the pallet ' the restrakst harness is Amt. The atemectors on the pallet

carry lbe timed front tbe nuisoma to the ps payload efeipoteet for asisplifteatiou

mod sathotemettt iwantessios to sussed stations. Ai right it am Zroy Odor. showieg the minim.

tore itommelier implanted Avs a Kisumu amithey. Electrical loads pick top Areal eaucertensg physiological phenomena.

-CONFIDENTIAL- ••

53 Figure 3
DISCOVERER VEHICLE No. 1025

Sometime between 13 February and 6 April 1961 the Life Science

Aspects of the Discoverer development grogram was deleted. The" .

Discoverer Vehicle No. 1025 equipped with the MARK II Biomedical

Recovery Capsule, was put into storage and was never used in the

Discoverer Program. The Vehicle had arrived at Santa Cruz Test Base

UPI News Release 28 August 1961

on 24 April 1959 and was scheduled for hot firing tests and for testing

and checkout. By 23 July 1959, the vehicle along with Thor Booster No.

200 was in the Missile Assembly Building, Vandenberg Air Force Base,

.x 1 4/

ready to be transferred to Pad 4 after launch of Discoverer V.

libe Discoverer Monthly Program Progress Report, 8 May 59.

General Electric Corporation was proceeding on a crash basis to

improve the primate life support capsule. A test in May 1959 at Sunny-

• ' • m 7J -

vale had resulted in the death of the primate subjected to the test.

isA:Discoverer Monthly Program Progress Reports, 8 May 59, 8 Jun 59

and 7 Aug 59.

54
4

After Discoverer V was launched on 13 August 1959, the Discoverer

•

Vehicle No. 1025 was rescheduled for launch with Thor Booster No.:206

•

lr

as Discoverer VII. In September 1959, Discoverer Vehicle . No. 1025

1Lie Summary of AFBMD Activities in Space, Aug 59.

was again rescheduled for launch with Thor Booster No. 234 as Discoverer XI,

•

but again a designated Discoverer did not carry the MARK II capsule.

Biomedical testing with alive primate was discontinued to resume

late in January while awaiting modification of a capsule to correct an

air conditioning deficienW,41t171bLt in January resumption dr thetiomedical

11x Summary of AFBMD Activities in Space, Oct-Nov 59, pp A-6 and A-9.

• capsule testing was rescheduled to begin on 8 February in the Lockheed.

Missile and Space Division's high altitude temperature simulation chamber..

After successful completion of the testieries and fabrication of the

final flight capsule, Discoverer Vehicle No. 1025 witiescheduled for

launch as Discoverer XV.

sr

The first full-duration test of the capsule

is x'Summary of AFBMD ACtivities in Space, Dev 59-Jan 60, p A-7

containing a live primate was'completed on 12 February. The 55-hour test,

simulating a complete flight was initiated at Vandenberg AFB with the

55

r
primate sealed in the capsule A countdown was performed, and after

22 hours the capsule containing primate vas flown to the Sunnytale . Developmerit Center where it was placed in the High Altitude Temperature Simulator for a simulated orbital phase. It was then placed in temperatureregulated water for five hours to simulate the final five-hour recovery

phase: During the tests the primate properly responded to Stimnli and was

able to perform all' programmed taski. Appemd*m=444=4 Notes and editorial

background for primate launch may be found in Appendix D. . Appendix E

48.41—series_ cir_photograPlut. Ihat,.show test .4111illlia/3 and how they

are tested. School of Aviation Medicine had designed a new feeder

that worked properly. Electrocardiogram readouts were excellent and

all components of the air regeneration system functioned properly.m-7f

-nag Summary of AFB Activities in Space, Feb 60, p A-7

Intensive efforts were continued during March to Obtain additional data.

on which reliability studies and capsule recovery probability analyses

could be based. LMSD reliability engineers reviewed the problem with

General Electric Company: In April, another test capsule was scheduled

56
for delivery to LMSD in May at'abich time specialized biomedical environmental testing of flight componets would begin. The May delivery,

100.Summary of AFBMD Activities in Space, Mar 60, p A-8, and Apr 60 p A-8.

of-the test capsule for use in specialized environmental test of MARK II

„8/

flight components was rescheduled for delivery to LMSD in August. — A

completely successful orbital simulated test of the MARK II biomedical

Summary of AFBMD Activities in Space, Jun 60

•

capsule with a live female Rhesus monkey passenger was conducted in

October. The monkey was put into the life cell of the capsule on

21 October at Vandenberg AFB during a simulated launch countdown.

The sealed capsule was then flown to Sunnyvale and placed in the high

altitude simulator on 22 October. The monkey was removed from the

simulator on 24 October.. Throughout the 65-hour period the primate

was dependent upon the life cell for its existence and was in an exceptionally vigorous condition when she vas removed. w. The MARK II flighti

.70 1.4e Sunmtat7 AMMO Activities in Space, Oct 60

57
scheduled for Discoverer XV was postponed as Discoverer XV was

launched on 13 September 1960 without Vehicle No. 10e5 and its, •

passenger. The flight was rescheduled for Discoverer XXII (launched

30 March 1961 without Vehicle No. 1025) and the Department of Defense

approved a news release on 10 January. (See Appendix :gy7 •

In conjunction with an Aerospace Symposium, a press conference

was held for Air Force Secretary Eugene Zukert on 28 August 1961. General

Bernard Schriever "said that plans to fire a monkey into orbit in

----

--0Desseevaiess-XaLaexe—eallad..off..at the leat.mizaree." Lieutenant General

Howell M. Estes, Jr., who also attended added that the bioastronautics

program had been given to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

in general and that it was important that the Air Force and NASA not .

duplicate efforts .

our UPI Press Release 28 Aug 1961

On 13, 14, 22 and 23 March 1961 in Hearings" before the Committee on

Science and Astronautics and Subcommittees Nos 1, 3 and 4, U. S. House

•

of Representatives, 87th Congress, First Session, there was considerable

58
discussion

/about the duplication.of effort by both NASA and the Air Force. One

of the largest animal colonies in existence was at School of.Aviation

.

•

Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base, Austin Texas, and there was a facility

for handling animal colonies at Bellomen Air Force Base, New Mexico, and

MASA, had established its Office of Life Sciences on 1 March 1960. So

the matter of. "possible duplication of effort in the life sciences between

NASA and the Department of Defense, particularly the Air Force," had been

highlighted as a cause for concern by the congressional committees.x°

$41* Hearings before the Committee on Science and Astronautics and

.,.:Subcomiaittees..Nos.....1.,-3 7 .-sad.4:AL:S...Howse-of eitepreeentatiwee,..1MkeparSeventh Congress First Session on H.R. 3238 and H.R. 6029, Part 2

There was also, some international interest in the treatment and

use of animals from foreign countries, as indicated in the approval

USAF

of a Da news release, 10 January 1961. The/Office of Public Information

•

possibily anticipated questions or cements of foreign government inasmuch

as "The State Department expressed a desire to be advised of any forthcoming release dates on this subject." Figure 4 shows the biomedical

facilities at Vandenberg Air Force Base about the time that the life

science aspects of the Discoverer program was deleted.

59
co Figtwe

..... • ^• • • • ..... ••

Teas PO* alomodical facilities at

Vaaleaberg Air Force Base. This laboratory is

sued for Add check asl preparasiox of sodas*

prior to lama. &Wier view of Bionesdkal

vim (below) shoFiag sons of the instramesetagoo racks sued se asossitoriog the test animal.

-GONFIDENTIAL
J

DIUCOVEdiat 1111Glit'S AND 1 ULW.1210

Altoghther, there were 78 Discoverer launches--the first launch was on

28 February 1959 and the last launch was on 27 April 1964. 'Aimmdment No. 6,

•

20 July 1959, to ARFA Order No. 48-59, increased the 25-flight series

to a 29-flight series. After Secretary of Defense transferred Samos,

Nide* and Discoverer fray ARPA . management -to the Air Force, the Director

of Advanced Technology, Headquarters USAF notified AMID of the status

of funds for the threeprograms. Research, development, test and

engineering funds for Discoverer FY 1960 was 06.003M and for FY 1961

wasaillOAFBMD submitted new development plans for approval. Dissi t Nag, AFDAT 93212, 22 Dec 59.

coverer Development Plan, dated 15 January 1960, called for a 29-flight

series and the revised financial plan showed $111.15M for prior years,

$71.1M for FY 1960 amillpfor 1961. The Director of Defense,

Research and Engineering, approved the plan in principle on 20 April 1960:

%.;

Vox Ltr, AFDSD-AT, 1 Jun 60, subj: ftploitation of Initial SA MS. Data.

On 20 July 1960, Headquarters, USAF asked for a revised 15 January 1960

Development Plan to reflect an increase from 29 vehicles to 37 vehicles,

including two Discoverer radiometric launches for the Midas prograe.

bd
Headquarters USAF gave verbal instructions to include in revision

an increase to 41 vehicles rather than 37. Headquarters USAF •

had issued a message on 27 February 1960, in which it was reported that

OSD had approved the essential "R&D Program for FY 60 as included in

development plans as presented by AF- ." $71.1M had been approved

•

1 for Discoverer.41 on 1 September 1960, AFBMD submitted Change Number 1,

$10 Discoverer Program Chronology, 1 JUl 60 - 31 Dec 60, 24 Jan 61

dated 26 August 1960, to the 15 January 1960 plan to Headquarters

USAF thru ABM. Vitae plan reflected a ' 41-vehicle program and changes

in scheduling and funding.'1C6

AFABF and AFDDP 73993, 271712Z Feb 60.

On 14 October 1960, Disco;terer Program funds were increased by

$6.014 from $49.1M to $55.1M. This increase was a reinstatement of

a decrease in funds in the same amount made on 5 1.1.38usit:1960:*"

Ileetascoverer Program Chronology, 1 Jul 60 - 31 Dec 60, 24 Jan 61.

Change Number 2, calling for a 41 vehicle wogrem, superseded
Change Number 1 by updating the schedule and fUnding, was prepared

on 29 November 1960 and submitted to Headquarters ARDC on

•

27 December 1960. In January 1961, two vehicles were transferred to

another program leaving 39. Later in January 1961, six additional

0

vehicles were authorized and a new plan was reqiested.

Discoverer program Chronology, 1961

Change Number 3 to the 15 January 1960 Development Plan, calling

for a 45-vehicle program and additional funding was submitted on

2 Nay 1961. Headquarters USAF approved Change Number 3 on 7 September 1961.7* yJ

q/..0 Ibid.

On 4 December 1961, Secretary of the Air Force added ten vehicles

to the Discoverer Program. The schedule provided for 3 each in

September and October, and two each in November and December 1962.*-".

024* Nag, WS 83174, 0422062 Dec 61

Change Number 4, calling for a 60-vehicle program was submitted

for approval on 5 February 1962. Headquarters USAF approved the

63 ,.
change--it also included FY 1962 funds in the amount of and

.

FY 1963 funds in the amount of111116n 19 Meath 1962..

tpeRistory of Program 162 for CY 1962.

• Nor • • • .• n •

On 10 July 1962, Change Number 5.to the 15 January 1960 Development

Plan was submitted to Headquarters USAF. The plan called for a 65-vehicle.

program through calendar year 19631°4

qit Ibid.

The Director of Science and Technology, Headquarters USAF, made

Space Systems Division responsible for system preparation, launt4,

tracking, control and data recovery operation of a Special Radiation

Measuring Satellite Project known as STARAD I and assigned Thor booster

Nye' 356-to the Discoverer Program for a launch in•ctdber 1962. The

arf4 booster vas used on 5 November 1962.

c.x-Meg, AFRST 82769, 14 Sep 62; Discoverer launch Data.Digest .(Appendix B

In September 1962, Under iecretary of the Air Force directed that

C)
t,

the Discoverer Program be revised to provide for 22 vehicles scheduled

•

for launch through December 1963 as follows: September 1962, 3;

October 1962, 1; November 1962, none; December 1962, 1; January 1963, 1

and February - June 1963, 2 each month; July - December 1963, 1 each

month. Headquarters USAF also directed that financial and program

•

portions of the development plan be revised to correspond to the

schedule. In addition, Headquarters USAF requested immediate use of

Thor boosters (Model DSV-2C) with three solid propellant rocket motors

.--4Mmeaped-te-424s.watikae4Amel&Aar1hmmaWhAwase-raummstialsaalratanrms

fi TAT (Thrust Augmented Thor): The first TAT launch was accomplished

qt.:* Msg, AFRAE-S-4 82037, 12 Sep 62; History, The Space Systems Division -

Background (1957-1962) Vol I, p 29.

28 February 1963.

On 2 November 1962, a new Change Nomber 5 to the 15 January 1960

Development Plan was submitted to Headquarters USAF. The plan entirely

superseded the previous Change Number 5, dated 5 July 1962. The new

-change increased the number of vehicles to a 76-vehicle flight series

65
and required modification of the Discoverer vehicle and Vandenberg

ql Air Force launch ccuplexes.—

•

41 x Program 162 Chronology CY 1962.

On 4 • DeceMber 1962, the Under Secretary of the Air Force directed

Space Systems Division to proceed with the following launch schedule,

•

beginning January 1963: January, 1; February to December, 2 each

month; January to June 1964, 1 each month; July to December 1964,

401 2 each month.

que Bag, AFRAB-S-4 99514, 4 Dec 62.

dix'aaditional -flights were 'added to the Discoverer

Progrimn, caking a total of 45 flights scheduled. beginning July 1963.—

11 History Program 162, 1 Jan - 30 Jun 63.

However, only 12 of the 45 vehicles were launched. Sizty-seven*of the

76-flight series described in Change Number 5, 2 November 1962, to

15 January 1960 Development Plan, were launched prior.to 1 July 1963..

On 3 March 1964, the Under Secretary of the Air Force terminated

the Discoverer Program effective 30 April 1964. The decision was made

* This number included the attempted first launch on 21 January 1959.
after a careful evaluation of the results achieved versus the resources

expended. The program had made important contributions in advancing

knowledge of the space environment and in proof testing the standard

Thor booster'(DW21), and the Thrust Augmented Thor (TAT) and the

06

•

standard Discoverer vehicle:- All 'remaining resources were transferred

Msg, SMF 3-3-2, 03[2229Z Mar 64

to other Space Systems Division programs or to Secretary of Air Force

Special Projects organizations

1 01r Historical Report, Program 102, 1 Jan - 30 Apr 4

At the time, there were two programs, Programs 770 and

241, both quite new Air Force Programs that Were in the definition

stage and both had urgent requirements for the Thor booster and the

satellite vehicle. -200

1 0-4( Nag, SSG 6-3-7, 6 Mar 64.

Discoverer also had a program number designation. Program 162 was

,z,„ x 103 assigned to the program effective 6 August lyw. Prior to that time

103-x-Ltr, AFSC (AGFA), subj: Assignment of Identification Nomenclature of

Selected Military Space Programs, 19 Jul 62.
the number designation was 622A, that was assigned approximately

. ..

January 3-7%. •sq°

IA= AFSC FY 63 & FY 64 Consolidated Program Guidance, 10 Jan 62.

•

Besides the Mark I live passengers launched on Discoverer III,

there were other bicaiedical experiments designed to measure radiation

levels and effects of weightlessness conditions so that environmental

effects on biological systems could be determined. Experimental

packages including living cells, ampules of algae, bread mold, bacterial

spores, essential life substance such as gamma globulin and albumin.

.acao

Discoverers XVII and XVIII carried such biopacks.

AFRO Chronology, Office of Bioastronautics (W U) 1 Jul - 31 Dec 60.

Other Discoverer payload packages were generally as Yoliohts i .(1)

advanced engineering test package (AET); (.2-)-Resh7wediglat-Asivecneed

. . Emge&meer4ag-Treat-paekage4A1040; (2) Lightweight Advanced Engineering

Test (AET-L); or specialized equi

•

paent, such as a radiometer package.z.

f oLac IMSD Satellite Systems Data Book, Discoverer Program, Sec I, p 1.0.1,

15 .May 1961, as amended.
(04Discoverers XIX, XXI, =I, LII and LECIII carried radiometric PAYaro 7

load packages for the Midas program.

101A Program 461 Historical Monograph, LMSD, 15 Jun 65, Sec 4.

Discoverer XXXVII launched on 12 December 1961 carried OSCAR I

(Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio), a 10-pound robot, hand

built by a group of amateur radio enthusiasts, that returned a morse

,*101'

code "Hi" to radio hams around the world.

ice:a. AP and UPI News Report, 12 Dec 61.

IMiseammmrMV110 -launahed. on 12.41ameektez.4100.andfaweemeaped(on

14 November 1960, carried the first official satellite mail.* A

letter signed by Air Force Chief of Staff, General Thomas White and

addressed to Secretary of Defense Thomas Gates was in the recovery

mrf

capsule. In the space letter to Secret

is

ary Gates, General White wrote: - '

1011.4c Summary of AFBMD Activities in Space, Nov 60.

This is the first time that letters have been sent by a

satellite and is in the tradition of airmen who less than

30 years ago pioneered the first use of air mail.

* History, 1st Strategic Aerospace Division, VAFB, 1957-1961, dtd Apr 62

made note of messages of Jinxes and bad lush sent up in Discoverer III

by persons who estimated the odds against capsule recovery were 1000 to

one.
launched on 17 September 1961, carried Vela Hotel piggyback payload

equipment which consisted of scintillator X-ray detectors and solid

•

state spectrometers. Discoverer XXXII!, launched on 5 Novetbee•1961

and Discoverer XXXVI, launched on 12 December 1961, carried Vela Hotel

piggyback payload equipment X-ray detector plus a neutron and gamma

ray detector. The Vela Hotel Program was an ARPA program designed

to conduct space-based studies for verifying "the feasibility of X-ray

gamma ray, and neutron detector applications in far-earth radiation

detection systems which are intended to detect and identify high10°

altitude nuclear .explosion.phenomena.

•

1 0 Historical Report, Vela Hotel, 1 Apr-31 Dec 61.

•

A description of the recovery capsule used for other than life

ars" support was as follows:

The recovery capsule consists of ejection equipment for

oebit•release and trajectory modification, and recovery equipment

for recovery detection and pickup. Upon separation from the parent

vehicle, the reentry vehicle is placed in a spin mode through

the use of a cold gas spin system. A solid motor retrorocket

(about 120(* thrust) fires to supply the required de-orbit velocity.

Upon completion of retrofire, a cold gas de-spin system counteracts the previously imparted spin. The spent retrorocket thrust

cone is ejected. Gravity switches control the deployment of the

parachute (squib fired parachute cover) and the release-of an

ablative reentry heat shield. A drogue chute pulls out the

reefed 30 foot main chute and then is released. The main chute

deploys about 55,000D:seq.' Aboard the reentry capsule are

' telemetry and radio beacon tracking aids.

t o x 622A Program summary - Historical Repbet, 23 Jul
1. 4

Of the 78 Discoverer launches, 61 Discoverer Vehicles were

orbited, of which 40 vehicles were recovered, 34 by air recovery

and 6 by sea recovery. Five payloads, four of which were orbited

were nonrecoverable types 4C.

11 ,..X SUMMIT of Discoverer Launches (Appendix

The 6593d Test Squadron (Special), with the help of a RC-121D

(Aerospace Sentinel), a flying radar station, and a Ravy helicopter

made the'first recovery when it recovered the Discoverer XIII Capsule

lmalAngust'2960. *Major Fr is "O'Rop r(Seattle,lfeatEington,

commanded the RC-121D that gave the final directions for the capsule

recovery. First Lieutenant Joe B. Grace (Overton, Texas), Senior

Radar Director,, of the 964th Squadron (ADC) of the 552d Airborne

Early Warning and Control Wing (ADC), directed all aircraft and a

1,3 •

Davy vessel, Haiti Victory, to the vectoral positIOA of the capsule :36-

•

Ii3.x-Rews Release: 1-4. Office of Information, Eq 552nd Airborn Early

Warning and Control Wing (ADC).

By radar guidance, Captain L. W. Sb irn4 ck and his crew of'Pelican

Two signted the capsule in the water approximately two minutes after

71
the capsule had hit the water. Pelican One, Three and Four arrived

only a few minutes after Pelican Two. The C-119C crews marked the

impact area with sea dye marker and smoke bombs and circled overhead

until helicopters launched from the satellite recovery ship, the

United States Navy Ship "Haiti Victory" arrived. The ship, 100

nautical miles away from impact area, released its two helicopters

about 50 miles from target position. Helicopter Two dropped a frogman

into the water to secure the capsule to the hoist cable. The helicopter

delivered the capsule to the Haiti Victory as Helicopter One recovered

the frogman. On the following morning (Friday, 12 August) when the

Haiti Victory was about 50 miles south of Pearl Harbor, a courier

pain the 6594th Test Wing arrived aboard and took charge of the capsule'

for delivery to Hickam AFB. At Eickam AFB, the capsule was transferred

from the helicopter to a C-130 that delivered the,capsule to the.

Lockheed satellite test division at Sunnyvale,California, so that

certain instrumentation could be removed for evaluation. From Sunnyvale, the capsule was flown to Washington, D. C., where it was viewed

by General Thomas D. White, Air Force Chief of Staff, and General

70
Berrt nalA. Schriever, Cemmander, Air Research and Development Division,

• ,

on Saturday (13 August). The capsule was exhibited to President

Eisenhower, the Secretary of Defense and their top Air Force

Advisors, as well as military representatives from ARDC, AFBMD,.

.

. -

and the 6594th Test Wing. The capsule was placed on display throughout

the country until December when it was returned to Sunnyvale for final

cleanup and polish so that General White could present the capsule to

the Smithsonian Institution on 17 December 1960 at the Wright-Day

...Dinner-aeagasanias.,...-fitheretcat Park Hotel., da..Washingitaai •

1 14.x. History of 6594th TW (Satellite) (ARDC), 1 Jul-31 Dec 60; Summary

of AFBMD Activities in Space, Aug 60; Discoverer XIII Life Cycle,

presented by 6594th TW (Satellite) (ARDC); Meg, RDEI 8-12-19, 8 Dec 60.

On 16 December (Friday), for General Osmund (Ozzie) J. Ritland

presented Discoverer XIV capsule, the first air-snatch recovered

•

vehicle--recovered 18 September 1960--to the Air Force Museum at

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, during the Wright-Day

dinner ceremonies. The capsule had been placed on display at the Air

Force Academy during the Muth of Novedber.

73
DRAFT num%

• FOR

1: DRAFT HISTORY

Able Program, 2

Acceleration, 4 •

Advanced Development Objective (ADO) # 35, 42

Advanced Engeneering Test (Am), 68

Advanced Reconnaisance System (ARS), 2, 9p 11, 13

Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARRA) 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 29, 31, 61

Order 17-59, 6, 20, -

Order 1+e-59, 5; Amendments, 7, 8, 48-61

Aerospace Medical Division, 34, 44, 46

Aerospace Symposium, 57

Aerothermodynamic/elastic Structural System Environmental Tests (ASSET), 45

Agreement - Manned Earth Orbital Research and Development Project, 47

Aircraft - Genera, 19, 30; C-130, 72; Pelican One, 72, Pelican Two, 71

Pelican Three, 72; Pelican Four, 72; RC 121D, 71

Air Force Academy, 73

Air Force Cambridge Research Center, 10

Air Force Museum, 73

Air Force Personnel and Training Research Center (AFPTRC), 13-17

Air University,•25

Animals: Mice, 19, 20,.24,747; Se14, Amy and Moe, 47n, Appendix C - -

Primates: 19, 20, 23, 24, 30 37? 38; Chimpanzee, 48; Enos, 49; Monkeys:

Able, 50; Baker, 50; Gordo, 49; Ham, 48; Miss Sam, 50; Sam, 50; • -40qui;relvilienkey.,,.-4911,arAppeneix

Atlas ICBM, 32E; 51; 36E, 52, 71D, 47n

Atlas C booster, 32; Atlas D boosters, 32

Ballistic Missile Center, 3

Bioastronautics Aerospace Medicine Operating Location Office (BAMOLD), 46

Bioastronautics Office, 33, 34

Bioastronautics Orbital Space SystemOOSS), 34, 36, 38., 42

Bioastronautics Program, 42

Bioastronautics Program element,-44, 45

Biomedical capsule, 52

Biomedical. paCkage, A, 5, 18, 19, 20

Biomedical Space Specimens Fact,Sheets 23, Appendlx•9_

Biomedical vehicle, 21, 25, 26

Blopacks, 68

Brooks AFB, 

Boushey, General Homer A

44

l 27 

Camera, 2, 3, 19

Champanzees, 37

Cole, Colonel Edward L., 33

Congressional Hearings, 58

Contract AF 049647)-181, 4, 18

Contracts, general, 11, 12, 18
S.

Development Plan: Discoverer, 3, 5-8, 61-63; Man-in-space, 28, 31

Discoverer launches / 24, 48, 55, 58, 68.73

Discoverer Vehicle #1025, 54-59

DOD, 27, 62

Dryden, Hugh L., 32

Eisenhower, President Dwight D., 73

Estes, LtGen Howell M. Jr., 40, 58

Evans, Colonel Harry L., 16, 35, 40

Facilities, 8

Five Year Space Plan, 41

Flickinger, BrigGen Don D., 26, 27

Frogman, 70

FUnds/Funding,,,6, 7, 8, 9, 25, 30, 31, 46, 6 1, 62, 64

Gardner, Trevor,38; Committee, 40

Gates, Thomas, 69

General Electric Biomedical Recovery Capsule, 23 / 25, Appendix AT`:

General Electric Company, 51.

Gilruth, Robert R. 31, 32

Games, Capt Anthony A., 16

Grace, 1st Lt Joe B., 71

Haiti Victory, 71, 72

Ham radio, 69

Heavyweight Advanced Engineering Test (AET-H), 68

Helicopter, 72

Hiekam AFB, 72

Hicks, Msj Ben F., 16, 17

Hollaman AFB, 51

Hoizapple, Gen Joseph R., 4o; Report, 41

Investigation Board, 26; Report, 27, Appendix A. ._

Johnson, Roy, 4, 5, 20, 31

Jupiter Booster, 30

'Carstens, Col Andres I., 46

Lackland AFB, 15, 17

Launches, 23, 24, Appendixpt schedules, 8, 61, 63-66

Lemay, Gen Curtis E., 27

Life Support System/Capsule, 4, 191_24 23, 27, 51,- Appendix IL . .

Life Science, 54

Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, 3, 4; Missile and Space Division, 4, 25,

36, 56, 57 - Lockheed Satellite Test Division, 72

Lunar landing, 29
McIntyre, Malcolm A. (Under Secretary of Air Force), 8

Mail, 69, 69n

Man-in-Space, 27-30, 47; Man-in-Space Soonest, 29; Man-on-Space-.

Sophisticated, 29

Manned Military Space Capability Vehicle (MOSCV)r,

Manned Orbiting Laboratory, 34-36, 44-474

Mark I Biomedical Recovery Capsule, 19, 23, 68

Mark II Biomedical Recovery Capsule, 19, 23, 25, 47,- 54-59

McNamara, Secretary.of Defense, 40, 43, 47

Medical Research Laboratory, 46

Mercury Program, 32, 32n, 49

Midas, 5, 8, 9, 61

Moon, 29

Museum, Air Force, 73

National Accademy Committee for Aeronautics (MCA) Laboratories, 28

National Aeronautics & Space Act, 30,

National Aeronautics & Space Administration(NASA), - 30, 41, 42

Order HS-24, 31; ES-36, 32 _ _

Nev Horizon, 5

Notes and Editorial Background for Primate Launch, 234:, 55, ...ApPendii.cD12.

--"-ekrItgating-kathority, TO

Oder, Col Frederic C. E., 6, 25, 26

O'Hop, Major Francis P. 69,

Orbiting satellite carrying amateur radio (OSCAR), 67

Passenger pod, 52

Primates, 19, 20, 23, 24, 30, 37, 38, 54, 55,56, 58

Program 162, 67 .

Program 437, 35

Program 662A,.68

Program 698A, 34, 36

Program 770, 67

Project 1763, 10; Project 87e8, 13

Project Mercury, 32, 32n, 49

Putt, General Donald L., 27

Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation, 1

RAND, 2, 3

Recovery, 3, 4, 18, 19, 20, 71

Recovery capsule description, 70, 71

Redstone rocket, 48

Reentry, 3

Research and Technology Division, 44

Rhesus monkey, 24, 50, 57

Ritland, BrigGen Osmund (Ozzie) J., 33, 73

Rockefeller, Alfred, Jr., 6

Russia, 1 •
Banos, 8, 9, 36, 61, 69

.Santa Cruz Test Base, 53

Schedules (flight), 4., 6, 63,64,65,66,

School of Aviation Medicine, 25, 26

Schriever, Gen Bernard A., 35, 37, 38, 58, 72, 73

Secretary of Air Force, 4, 7

Sentry, 6, 8, 9

Shinnick, Capt 1. W. 71

Small primate unrestrained (SPURT), 51

Smith, Maj Harry L, 16, 17

Smithsonian Institution, 73

Special radiation measuring satellite (known as STARAD), 64

Sputnik, 1

Study Committee (Gardner Committee) 38; members 38n, 40

Subsystemstgeneral; 7, 8; Subsystem J, 10:12; Subsystem E4 12-18;

SubsystemLL, 19-26;18, Appendix A

Systems Development Directive (SDD), 13

Systems Requirement #5, 10, 12

Tasks, 11-15

Tracking stations, 8 •

Thor booster, 1-5, 23, 54, 55, 64,65; Thrust Augmented (TAT), 65, 67

Units: 552 Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing (ADC), 71;

964th Squadron (ADC), 71; 6593d Test Squadron (Special), 71;

6594.Test Wing, 72

UhiNwsitY..of:KettuckY,

Valcik, Maj Stanley, 16

Vanguard, 3 ...

Vehicles (bisCO4erer), 4-8, 20, 61-66

Vela Hotel, 68.

Weapon System 117L, 2-4, 29, 47

Webb, James T. (Director of NW), 43, 47

Westlake, Maj Edward F. jr.., 46

White, Gen . Thomas D., 38, 69, 72

Wright Air DeveloPplant Center, 25, 28

Wright Brothers-Day, 32, 71

Zukert, Eugene E., 35, 58
AP'PRIDDC A

BIOASTRONAUTIC13-003COVERRR

BOARD MORT

22 December 1959

CLASSIFICATION OF THIS DOCUMEII

WILL BE DOWN GRADED TO//

.

UPON REMOVAL OF ENCLOSURE&

-CONF1DENW
BOARD REPORT

•

W z _ _ 

7

BIOASTRONAUTICS-DISCOVERER

22 December 

1959

ei 3

DON141457NDED NT 12 •(E.P.R !WV C;V:..NTICra.t3

DE.CLAS5V1 

al) 

• COD Da. 5200.10
, CON riar.N. i 1AL

SUBJECT: Report of Proceedings of DISCOVERER-Biomedical Board Convened

..•••• Under Special Order Amber 20 Dated 27 November 1959 as Amended.

TO : Commander

Air Force ballistic Missile Division

Air Force Unit Post Office

Los Angeles 45, California

I. tUTHORITY AND BOARD ACTION:,

•••• On 2 December 1)59, a Board appointed under MD Special Orders

Number 20, Exhibit A, was convened at 0900 hours in Room 205, Building 4,

Hq, Air Force Ballistic .Missile . Division. The Board met in daily session

. to bear briefings and testimopy. from a list of witnesses, Exhibit B.

4

The following Board members were present on all days:

Colonel Paul E. Worthman HeaAFBMD

Colonel John B. Pickering Hq SAM

Lt. Colonel James B. Seay Hq BNC

Major William H. Weaver, Jr. HqAFBMD

Dr. Fred Berner VADC (Represents-

-- • tang Hq ARDC)

President Voting

Member Voting

Member Voting

Member Voting

Member Voting

The following Board member was absent on all days:

.••••

Lt. Colonel Raymond 2. Zelenka Hq AP= Member Voting

-WEN.

On 8 December 19,9, at 1430 hours, the Board recessed to begin

preparation of its findings and report. Verbatim testimony was taken

by the Board; when this testimony plus supporting documents are in

final form they will be Exhibit 0 of this report.

""

AiNGRADED AT 3 YEATZ

PECLASSIREU Ai I b.

DOD DIR 5200.10
CEFiDENTIAL

II. MATTERS INVESTIGATED:

•

Ia a directive, fthibit C, subject, "Investigating Committee',

to the Deputy Coanander/Spaca Systems, dated 29 October 1959, the

Commander AIMED outlined natters to be investigetod, as follows:

a. Determine the facts regarding specific allagetions

challenging the tedhnical adequacy and management of the biomedical

portion of the DISCOVERER system. .

B.- Make recommendations regarding the management structure

of the present biomedical program and possible future programs.

C. Make specific technical recommendations regarding the

biomedical shots within the DISCOVERER flight series.

•

. 1.`"

r•• n••• :. - • •

\.0 • * .1.i**

•

2
•

W_

•

III . nacostoun 11170/0KT/01:

A meeting was held at the Air Force ballistic Missile Division

om 14 January 1958 for the purposi of discussing Lockheed Proposal

.36899 dated 14 January 1958 which recomended acceleration of the

VS 1171 effort. The object of this acceleration was to obtain early

reconnaissance information, using THOR-boosted vehicles and a recover-

.

able capsule teohniquo. As a result of this meeting Contract No.

A4647)-181 vas issued to the Lockheed Missile and Space Division

on 25 January 1958 (work statement extracted as behibit D), calling

for four flights scheduled for October, November, December 1958, and

February 1959.

On 28 February 1958, see Exhibit 8, the Director of the.Advanced

Research Projects Agency cancelled the reconnaissance aspects of the

THOR-boosted phase of WS 1171 and directed the Air Force to use these

vehicles for biomedical experiments.

On 19 March 1958, the LMSD contract was re-oriented to include

development of a recoverable capsule to accommodate a biomedical peekage, Which is now referred to as & "life support system." The complated capsule was to be ready for flight test no later than 30 November 1956.

. On 22 May 1958, the Commander aRDC sent a letter, Exhibit F,.

subject, "Support of Bioastronautics Program," to the AFBWD. This

letter assigned Brigadier General Don Flickinger additional duty as

Special Assistant to the Commander AMID for Bioaetronaatics, stating

•

3

r. •

.k.AJ I. !L.' 111
1

that General Flickinger would "be responsible for the direction and

coordination of all the biomedical aspects of projects assigned to

your organisation." In addition, the letter assigned two biomedical

project officers to the 4WD, and directed the use of other competent

individuals and groups in AMC and elsewhere in an advisory role, as

needed.

-1 On 6 May 1958, see Exhibit 0, the LMOD designated the General

-mg Electric Company as the subcontractor for the life support system.

It was brought to the attention of all participating agencies that

primary technical competence in the bioastrousutics area was actually

within the Air Ebro., and special arrangements, see Exhibit 86 mode

the technical competence of the School of Aviation Medicine, the

Aerospace Medical Laboratory (MADC), and the Aeromedical Field Lehoratory (UMW) available to the contractor.

The 0.1. life support system development comprised two Model.;

the Mirk I version, designed to carry !Our mice into orbit, and the

Mark II version which was to hove a small primate as its passenger:.

The first Mark I life support system, originally scheduled to fly on

30 November 1958, flew with "mechanical" mice in DISCOVERER III an

11JUne 1959. The second Mark I was scheduled to fly. in December 1958

and flee with live mice aboard in DISCOVESER IV on 25 June 1959. Any

subsequent references in this report to the G.E. life support system

are specifically directed toward the Mark II version.

The *ark II life support system, see EXhibit I, contains the

:i..;DENTIAL

. .f
fallowing major qampomentes life cell, air conditioner, oxygen

item, elestrical system, camera, feeder, air remneration system,

and cloak.

The first testing of the life support ',stem as a unit begin

at LBO on 1 April 1959. Thirteen tests, i.e Betibit of this

general type have been run to date; only one of these can be consid-.

ered to have met its Objectives. As the testing program proceeded,

it beeline increasingly evident to all participants that the develoP'

meat vas encountering serious technical difficulties. These problems .

were reflected further in tiseal problems (roughly $2.3 million has

been spent on this project to date), and in schedule slippages wbidb

are now amounting to alput oas'year.

. Curia' the past several months INICISMCJI allegations regarding

the reasons for these tecbmieal,f1seal, and scheduling problems hive

'some to the attention of AIM staff member.. On 29 October 1959,

the Commander AMC directed the establishment of a Board of officers

to determine the facts with regard to the following allegations:

"The basic design of the biomedical recovery capsule is

faulty and as presently configured will not support the biomedical

mission of the DI2COVIBIR series."

Illamegament of the biomedical test program by ATM, USD,

and 0.B. is grossly insdequate."

C. "Biomedical program soots being incurred by O.S. are too

hub and are not being subjected to proper management control."

•wvri4

 ---"' •
1-14-',1r!ri;-f!, 

1AL

--

D. "There has been inadequate utilization of available milt-.

tary. talent within the USAF in the conduct of the biomedical program."

I. "Civilian corporations, specifically G.E. l are using their

particular positions in the biomedical program as a means of building

their competence in the biomedical area."

Additionally, the Commander A73)C directed the Board to mate .

recommendations regarding:*

The manageent structure of the present and future biomedical programs.

The technical course of action to be followed for the

present biomedical program shots within the DISCOVERER series.

•

to

•••IM

".

Igo

6
CONF1DEN i

TV. ITIMMIOS:

A. Technical Aspects of the Life Support System ► Development. 

Witnesses Appearing before the Board were in general wee-

.

sent that the life support system design and test performance have

been uatil very recently - grossly inadequate. An inordinate

amount of under-designed and•nom-qualified equipment has found its

vay into the system. Outstanding offenders in this category have

been such items as oxygen regulators, the air conditioning unit,

the cooling fan, the tape recorder, the camera, the timer, the feeder,

the sintered absorbing plates, the electrical circuitry, and the

outer housing or case.

Ironically, one of the most expensive items in this list

were probebly not required for successful mystem performance. For

example, School of Aviation Medicine witnesses testify that they

offered 0.B. a feeder vhieh had been built fOr less than $2.00 (cost

•

of materials). The General Blectrie Company spent in excess of

$78,000 re-involdtinsra feeder, eventually abandoned the effort, and

is now using the School of Aviation Medicines version.. The Board

noted that it is a clinical fact that the primate will not require

nutrition during the flight period; the feeder appears to be "goldplating" of the primary purpose of the life support 'ratan.

The camera is a second case in point: the Board was unable

to learn who bad specified the system's camera, which takes an oblique

picture of a portion of the exposed chin of the primate (the rest of

his face being covered by a mask). Over $190,000 has been spent in

•

V!‘; 1 1)i..ii 1 friA1.
Ni •

developing this special senora; it has been a difficult, time-consuning exercise, Vhich'has yet to be oompleted. It vas noted with

interest that the camera's operation requires a light to be burning

at all times in a capsule rich is already over-heated and under-povered.

While it is true that the adequacy of design vas hampered in

part by the absence of exact envircanantal data at flight altitude,

it is the opinion of the Board that other factors yore more important

oontributors to the life support system's inadequate design. Among

these are:

 Prom the very • beginning, a general lack, of appreciation

by the contractors - prime and and) - of the complexity of the task.

Total inexperience on the part of both the wine con-

) tractor and the subcontriator in a difficult technical area.

Leek of a proper, thorough researching of the basin

life support prates problem.

Bo singleness of purpose in keeping the life support

system as simple as possible;

Lack of application of scientific method in proceeding

from the simple to the complex in . building the life support mates.

A curious conviction, on the . part of the subcontractor's

projebt leader, that his responsibility terminated•v1th ground demonstration, rather than with actual flight test.

7.. Inadequate provisioning of spare parts:

8) Lack of quality contra of life support system equip:.

nen •

8-

•

CQI.IFIDENI
CUN D -1-11AL

„. . 9. Leek of dorreettve procedures for rectifying design

eqvipment errors and preventing identical recurrences of equipment

B. Manegerial Aspects of the Life Sumer% System Development. 

Baring examined the technical problems associated with the

life support system, the Board turned its attention to the management history of the project. Bereosgein, tbere was consensus among

the witnesses that the management of this program had been exceptionally unsatisfactory.

The evidence presented to the Board indicated that . a number

of primary management decisions vire either not made, or, if made,

vere not generally known to the project participants. Por example,

•

there is no clear indication of formal, official evaluation of the

importance of the project. Wei the lift support system as important -

in terms of national Objectives - as ballistic missile.work at the

Atli? Wes the recovery of the first living animal from satellite

orbit as important an objective, and to be accorded the memo all-out

emphasis, as the recovery of the early ICEBORBM re..entry bodies,?

While it is true that this project was considered to be 4

"crash", high-risk development, there is evidence before the Board

leading to the inference that this project was not considered to be

as important as other "Amrash", high-risk developments at the AFB D.

Taid'view is based on the consideration that mani of the key management principles applied to the ballistic missile program by the x7SID

; 

t./L..i it
I

=NW

No' I

vete mot used in this project.

A rigidly stipulated dollar ceiling was accepted in

conjunction. with a "crash% high-risk development to be performml

in a relatively unexplored technical area. The Board has no indica.;

tion thit this combination of factors was protested by anyone (other

than O.E.) as inherently contradictory and impractical.

The AFBMD's practice of deliberately establishing

competitive sub-system developments in difficult technical areas was

not invoked.

It is an accepted AMID practice to place officers in

send-permanent or permanent residence at those contractors' plants

where serious technical problems are envisioned or experienced. It

14 noteworthy that in spite of the alarming state'of the life support

system development program no such.action was taken with respect to

Oeneral Electric Company.

In undertaking "crash", high-risk ballistic missile

programs the AFBMD has coosidered the associate contractor system

to be necessary and.essential to maintaining tight technical, fiscal,

and management control. The DISCOVERER system, by contrast, vas

organised along traditional prime contractor lines, making the General

Blectric Company less accessible to the :.FEND for life support system

•

'pork than it is for re-entry body work.

A second basic decision vbich the Board has been unable

to identify in the project documentation or testimony is whether the

Ochool of hviation Medicine vas seriously considered as a possible

=OW •

=MO

. 1.

_

L./ 4%1 Wert I 1AL 
developer of the life Support System. The Board ,ens de4ply interested

in the development history of a life support mutes which the Wilms fabricatesifor the NASA. for use on experiments such as the recent

biomedical flight at Wallops Island, and took particular note of

--- testimony by the School witnesses that they had been eager to do

n

similar work for the OBBD. The School's witnesses estimated developsent costs of $120,000 vis-a-vis approximataby $2.3 millio already )

spent on the G.Z. effort; it this estimate should be in error by .41

factor of five, it still leads to the conclusion that it would have

been prudent to use the School as a second source.

The third major decision which is lacking in project history

is the development ors firm position as to vho at the ATM we in

charge of mat. The Borlaringehrono1ogy illustrates this observations

• '1. 22 )by 1958. In a letter to the AFRO, subject,.

*Support of Bioestronsutice Progren4 w see lzhibit 7, the Commander

ARDC stated that Brigadier General Don Flickinger . ans being "assigned

the additional duty of Special Assistant to the Comir mande AMID for

bioastronauties." The purpose of this assignment was to provide the

Commander AARE) with an "in-house primary biomedical technical competence

and authority." General: Flickinger was made "responsible for the direction

and coordination of all the biomedioal aspects 3f projects assigned to

s Ala?". The Commander AFIND vas assured that "control of all

aspects of this work will rest with your organization."

2. 6 June 1958. Dila D7 to the AMID, subject,

Aspects of the PallisticIllssile Pros " see Exhibit ICI this Assistant
INV ••• • • •••• •••• • • 0* ...CO

Deputy COmmander/m h D, 1 AMC, stated that "all research and developmeat efforts contemplating the use of biological payloads on board

missile or space vehicles mill obtain the coordination and approval

of the Special Assistant for Bio-Astronautics or his designated

represeitative." In addition it stated that a bigastronautical

organisation at the A7 vould "obtain aver -all approval and coordination of the life-seiences aspect ! of such projects. An unusual

administrative and command-jurisdictional feature of this letter is

that in it cos Deputy Commander (the'DC/Beseardb and Development)

at WARDC presumes to assign roles and functions to a subordinate

unit within the organisation of another Deputy Commander (the DC/

Nallistie Missiles) at ikfARDO.

3. 12 AugnSt 1918. The Assistant Deputy Commander/

Remora, Bg,AMEC, in a'letter, subject, !Responsibilities of School

Aviation Medicine in the AMMO Miosatellite Program, Subsystem L

VB 117L," see Isbibit L, advised the Commander APIND that representatives of MiqtVA7, NnAMMC, Air Oniveraity (School of Aviation

Medicine), Air Yore. Missile Developmemt Center, and Wright Air

DePelopment Center had reached agreement concerning the technical

respomeihdlities of the School of Aviation Midicinsin its support

of the biosatellits program, and enclosed a statement of policy for

the benefit of the AMID. The polio), statement was signed by

brigpaliter General Don Plicbinger as the Director of the Life Sciences

Directorate at pci ARDC and states that the School of hviation

Medicine will provide biomedical criteria to the General Electric

32
ru

Company, will consult on biouodical test programs and evaluate biomedical 'test results, and will provide continuous biomedical and

biophysical technical standard& liaison and consultation to the

contractor. "Ali other decisions relative to test responsibility

and conduct, engineering requirements, scheduling, time and costing

functions and general welter' of the program will remain with BAD

ffibe Bicestromauties organisation with the Antsp7 or their properly

designated representatives, and BAD decisions are final." In addi- .

%ion "directi eostact is authorised between 5AX sad contractor."

PIVIA a Jurisdictional viewpoint, this correspondence was even more

unorthodox than its predecessor, for now a Directorate Chief•in the

organisation of one Deputy Commander (the DC/Research) at Re ARDC

was issuing instruations regerding roles and functions of a sUbordinate unit within the organisation of another Deputy Counander (DC/

ballistic MIssiles) , at Eq,ARDC. It is also noteworthy, %bat the

Director of the BlosAstronantics Directorate at the MIND was not

aver, of the existence of this document until it was brought to his

attention Py the Board, early in Dem:Ober 1999.

4. The AMID'. tacit acceptance of these directives is

refloated in a letter from the ATM's Director for WS WI. to the

Loalbeed Aircraft Corporation, subdect, "Contract 04(644)-181, Internal Air Force Responsibilities Concerning Blosatellite Programs,"

doted 4 September 1958, see Exhibit 11, which quoted the essence of

General Flickinger's policy statement and informed I.MSD that "the

Bioastronautics Division (BAD) has bean given managerial responsibility

13

• . •
for all animal biosatellite programs and Mill ct as technical

dinette* to the contractor on biomedical aspects."

13 Avant 1959* On this date, the Deputy Commander/ .

Military Specs Systems published as series of Functional Statements,

see Exhibitld. Among these vas one for the Director of the DISCOVERER

Satellite System, which conta!ned the following key statement:

"Respoosible to the Assistant Deputy Commander, Spice Systems, for

the integratiaS of all research, development, and test aspects of

the DISCOVERER Satellite System.'

26 October 1959. The Assistant Deputy Commander/Space

Systems, in a letter to the Deputy Commander/Military Space Systems,

subject, "Management of DISCOVERER BiomedicalProgreso" see Exhibit X,

stated " . . . I must as a matter of policy support the view that the

Director, DISC Satellite Systole is basically responsible for

the quality of all aspects of the DISCOVERER Prograsiando accordingly,

must have the authority 'which is required to meet the responsibility

assigned to his"

In as attempt to clarify ment roles the Board queried

MCI

eaeb mitosis, regarding his concept of responsibility for conducting

MO the project. The following responses illustrate the diversity of

opinion in this important area:

1. The Director of the DISCOVERER system development -

Lt. Colonel Battle - believes that General Flickinger and the Director

of the Bioastronautics Directorate (presently Lt. Colonel Cole) were

• rirl t !• " ; • 

%.J.Ji.•.i
. •

11.

responsible for the life support gysteadAyelopment until 13 August io/

1959, then the new FUnctional Statement Book appeared. Lt. Colonel

Battle states that since that date' he has had overall responsibility

for all aspects of the DISOCURBR system. It is his opinion that

General Flickinger is still the Special Assistant to the Deputy

Commander AFEMD for Dioastronauties.

2. The Assistant Deputy Commendertor Space Systems -

Colonel Oder - agrees with Lt. Colonel Dattle's interpretation of

management responsibility, and testifies that be has no knowledge

Whidh would lead him to believe that GeneralFlicacingerbas vacated

the post of Special Assistant to the Commas's. MIND fOrlioastroi

nautics.

•

The Assistant Deputy O'ertor Military Space

Systems •-• Colonel &ens - also agrees with L. Colonel Battles

interpretation of his responsibilities. ails he has no definite

knowledge of a change in General. Fliekinger's role as Special Assistant

to the ftemmudier AFB for Bioastrcnamtics, be speculates that some

Change mayhem* occurred during the past few months as a result of

the reorganisation of the AMC. .

The Director of the Hioestronautios Directorate -

Lt. Colonel Cole - testifies that be is responsible to the Commander

AMID for the managerial and technical aspects of the 'biomedical

portion of the DISCOVERER program.

It is a matter of fact . that General 1111Ukingoes appointment

13

1..ot.i

: •

.11
&1 C.,

/ •

as Opeeial Assistant to the Commander AJ vas terminated by Departsent of the Air !brae Special Order A-1990 on 18 November 1938; however, this that is confusing, rather than elarifying, to the central

issue. Is the Commander of APEND still bound by the provisions of

the 6 JUN) 1958 BF, a document which has never had jurisdictional

legality, but which was not protested by the MOM Was it the intention of the Deputy Commander/Military Space Systems, in the 13 Aviust

!Unctions' Statements Book, to place the DISCOVERER Director in

charge of !la aspects of the DISCOVERER program? If so, that is the

meaning of the expressIca "responsible . . . for . the integration of

all . . . aspects?" What is the status of the 26 October 1959 letter

from the Assistant Deputy Coamander/Space Systeme to the Deputy

Commander/Military Space Systems regarding the interrelationships

of the DISCOVERER - Bioastronautics offices?

As would be expected, the absence of a strong, single, •

clearly designated, and universally-recognized Arm leader for the

life support system encouraged the development of now management

and technical difficulties, all of which were symptomatic of a central

problem. The jurisdictional sparring Which took place between LMSD

and 0.E. early in the program could and should have been stopped as

soon as it began. The over-willingness of 0.E. to respond to technical suggestions from's:woes except the prise, contractor could have

been eliminated by the most elementary exercise.of discipline. It

would haie been easy for a responsible agent to develop end enforce

an official document thich specified agency responsibilities, agency
I.. T._

. lutri

spokeeermi, and imternagsnsy °hennas. Test protocols - rigidly

enforced have dome on& to eliminate all-night wshall*ve-proceed"

sessionsidiere decisions vent nods Npr last-minute pleloiscites. Explieit

stunt-down procedures would have spared the tins support system test

prooedures from being eharacterised as "utter chaos" VI the DISMISSES.

test controller. A strong agent would have advised the MUD of any

dittioulties vhich were beyond his eapabil1V, to resolve; the Board

vould oertsin4 not have barn exposed to contractors' briefing charts

listing AMID and AFBAD (an old symbol for the Bioastronautics

Directorate) as two separate agencies, both of vhom must agree to a

matter before the contractor may proceed!

C. Present Status•of the Life Support System Development. 

In June 1959, While visiting Vandenberg Air Force Base to

observe eount4oen procedures, 'Dr. Vihliaa. E. Godell, of the Advanced

Belmar& Projects Agony, observed, the problems vere developing

in the life support system area. Upon his return to Washington,

Dr. Oodell contacted corporate-level G.Z. officials, advised them of

his desp.perional concern, and asked them to undertake immediate

remedial action.. In August 1959, G J. eionscred an intensive inshouse

review of the technical and ammagmrial problems associated with its

support of the DISCOVERER provimuithis.investigation resulted in.

sweeping changes•in the philosophy of, and actual conduct of, development and testing of the life support system. The • mard inquired • carefully into the details of this "new look" and was favorah4

. • .

•

17
, • •

;`i'li ClI

inpressed. by the riisults to Gate, as yell as plane for the future.

Principal vitnesses were • mmulmous in indorsing the technical

direction ahieh the new 0.11. management is giving to the program;

MD representatives stated that a aholesosm air of cooperation and

responsiveness now exists between themselves and the General Electric

Company. There is substantial wridenee to Justify, for the first

time, a feiiing of optimism regarding the possibility of G.E.'s

delivering a flight-worthy lift support system vithin the next few

months .

•
. • 1 : 

j•j D.Li 1 ill'

V. MC= 1113WING9t

Ihe COmmander AlID instrueted the DIMONRINdlossitisal

Board to semeider five spesifie allegetions end to nabs reeommemdstioms on three sdhjeets, i.e 1Whibit C. This portion of the report

deals with the loard's finding, in response to these instreetiome.

A. AllesetimsA. "The basic design of the biomedical recovery

capsuleis faulty and as presently configured will not support the

biomedical mission of the DISCOVERER series."

1. Discussion: The prime objective of the biomedical

portion of the DISCOVERER series is the suocessfUl launching, orbitin, re-entry, and recovery of a live specimen. Performanee to date

in the test evaluation of the life support system strongly suggests

Allegation A to be true. Testimogy bettors the Board reveals that

of thisteen evaluation and/or soceptence tests, only one could be

considered Ube,* reasonably demonstrated criteria tar supporting

the MCCOMB prograa properly. Additional evidence from technically

qualified scientific personnel leads to the sonslusion that there

has been as inordinate amount of faulty equipment integrated into

the life support eystem6 i.e. the omen regulatorspthe air conditioning unit, soolimg fan, tape reeorder, saassa, tinimg michanime, animal

feeder, sintered metal absorber holders, electrical sireuitry, eta.

It vas divious, imarlyin the prooeedings, that inexperience, coupled

with the usavailabilitcr of limiting physical (environmental) data,

-;) contributed to poor design.

19

5 i; EL
•.

For mach of its history the life support system devalopsent did not follow the basic principles of scientific method. It

is germane to the scientific method that clear-cut objectives be

'rigidly defined at the very beginning and throughout the project.

FUrthermore the absolute minimum DUST of pieces of datn-gmthering

equipment should be bench tested exhaustively before they are mpoorporated into the total system. As each. item passes its design criteria

tests, further sophistication and instrumentation nay be.

pursued logically, but only to the extent that systenobjectives are

enhenoed. Great care must be exercised tO avoid over-design and overcomplication in any system. Problem items of limited utility should

Ix( d""rued early in the program and deleted as soon as possible

Litany urgent piogram. These simple methods of procedure have not

been evidenced in this program - specifinclly in such items as camera

and feeder performance, viability sensing, and in some electrical

•ircuitry.

2be Board is vistaed to report that a osrifUl in-house

systems design review and critique were instituted at the General

Xleetrie Company between 27 August and 6 October 19,9. The findings

ere nowbeing integrated into the liffie support system design, to correct

deficieeeies and InproVe maintainability and accessibility. There has

boil Clear resogoitios of improper methodology and quality control;

.,restive 'modules are being instituted to avoid reeurremee of

equipment failures. It is the opimlon of qualified engineers that •

lheliSa s port gram sea be Wt to a fligNtmoverthy state in the
ne • • T• 

iAL

near Aston.

2. Omadmions Until a life support system bas been 

oonoteteb bonen checked and has successfully PAS204 • complete 

laboratory cot-ican to simulate s.. closely as possible the problems 

and resolve with thermal and

noise profiles superimposedk and all integrated into the expected 

time memo, of. realistic mission (5), hours), • scientific capability to support the biomedical mission of the DISCOVERER series 

less not been demeostrated. The Board believes that the tedbnical

and managerial re-orientation of the program at Q.B. is moving the 

develoment =overly in the direction of such. demonstration.

$. Allegatimale. .14snagenent of the biomedical test program

by Angelo UmD, end Q.Z. is grossly lesiequate."

1. Discussion: Baring determined that the overall managesent of the life support system vas under the superficial supervision

of Ng, AMDC persomeel from project inception to martin* between

November 19,8 and August 1959, and perhapsto tas present, the Board

believes that this allegation should be expanded to provide a share.

ansasement responsibility to this particular group (Ni AMC).

The Board's findings Mow three major factor' contributing

to the mismanagement of this project:

Representatives of the AMID, LIED, G.E., and Eel

ARDC did not research the assignmentcvghly enough to determine

the state of the art of the parameters inherent in the project.

As . a result, very unrealistic time schedules were

setup and agreed to'bi Bq ARDC, the AIIMD, LAD,'end C.B. Fiscal

21
UJI Ls:

planning exactly paralleled schedule planning.

• v. Despite attempts at non-conventional arreammenots,

the prime responsibility for the project, /tor all intents and purposes,

rested vith the The ATE failed to identify one personVho

mould be accountable for the projeets a nan Vthose decisioop wild

be irrevocable except by'the CtssmanWo•AAMD. Diflerenees of opinion

as to Vho is responsible for the projeat should have been resolved

as soon as they arose . The fact that this vas not done encouraged

irregOlar managerial prooesses and separated respcosibility from

authority.

the.f011oving teeters also contributed very definitely

to the unsatisfactory Mete of the prograa as it existed prior to •

August 19593

Lack of sonmunication

Leak of cooperation

e. Leek of coordination

lack of gualitreostrel palettes,

'allure to identify simaifleally the responsi•

bilities of sontributing species - is paritenlar, Air !brae eimmeles.

S. Peer iestpilmeettee es the last at

1. lastatility *taut.

ih. Is fire'peileyeaseerstas spere pars. •

i. Peliertet0.2. to tallow emoted loftetrial

preetle.oshieh eerevetee aseothetwiessai isepeetica reepoesdbilittae.

a. Comelnsion:• Altheuth the teatime, dhows Imedlegnti
11J17.11;ilittmanagement of the life support system by BeLABMO I the AMID IOW

and Q.B. practically _.__,_,project inception in February 1958 until

August 1959, the Board takes note of the recognition of en unsatis. 

rectory state of affairs by the principal/I•:ad believes that corrective

actions already taken by LSD and together with those recommended

to be taken by the MIND in Section V, Part F, 2a and b of this report

will result in an acceptably reneged project in the future. 

•

C. itllegation C. "Biomedical program costs being incurred by

G.E. are too high and are not being subjected to proper management

control."

1. Discussion: In reviewing the testimony before the Abend,

it was found that the allegatitml yme improperly stated. All costs

incurred are.Proper; however, it is believed that the original estimate

by G.E. was not great enough to do the work in question. •

The original contract, covering the period from February

1958 to projected completion in October 1959, was negotiated in the

amount of $14.3 million. This covered much more than the life support

system. • While G.E. was verbally directed to commence work in February •

1958, it was .August 1958 before-a Work Statement was prepared and a

Letter Contract issued to General Electric by Lockheed Missiles and

Space Division. sue cost to data on the total G.E. effort now amounts

to approximely $(1.5 million, of 'which .pproximately 41.5 million

has been Identified as overrun. Mere is an additiouul amount

reflected i% zt:rrent, propostato Lotkheed million

•

o.
I.

I 'I I 4 1 i L.

°hi& has not been negotiated to date. It is LMOWs-poeition that

see costsgenerally reflect work Whit& vas °entreated for under

the original contract and, as such, can be construed in the main to

udditional overrun. The principal costs related to the $3.0

million proposal are from Thiokol Corporation in the amount of

$335 thousand for retro-rockets, to the Burmite Company in the

amount of $17t thousand for spin rockets, and fOr prime equipment

and spares in the amount of $27b thousand. An item called 84pyurt

Engineering has been included in the amount of $1.295 million. The

General Electric Comm, agrees that it underestimated the scope

of the job to he done both from • standpoint of east and time required. This in itself 'would lead cos to think that the oasts being

incurred by General Ileetrie are too hi*.

There are two specific items: namely, a feeder and a

eanera, *ink reflect eoste pester then °neu . uulah ralgia have expected .

for items of their nature. The enure has been procured by 0.2. from

the Balms Watch Company at a cost of $192 thousand; the Bost of the .

feeder developed by General Electric amounts to $78 thousand. With

respect to the suers, the School of Aviation Medicine sitnesees state

that in their opinion this item is not needed and should not have

been included in the life support 'system. The feeder presently used

by the General Electric Com pany is not the feeder for vhidh the costs

have been incurred byG.E., but one Which we fhbricated by the

School of Aviation Medicine. School personnel believe that a feeder

could have been adequately designed and produced for less than $1,000.

24 ". • • — f " • - •

1 .
re

-7)

•

These two items, according to School of Aviation Medicine witnesses,

-

were good reasons for stating that the costs incurred by G.E. were

_exaessive l end they stated that it was their belief the., the entire

life support grates' could have been built by the Shodl for $1Z)

thousand. •

. .

.11

IMED stated that it believed that technical management

control of the biomedical program by the General Electric ComPaqi

was inadequate. This statement was based upon the inability of

General Electric: to meet the sehedule and further was reflected by

problems incurred in the lift support system equipment. USD did

believe the financial control of the program: to be adequate.

2. Conclusions: Costs incurred br General Electric *maw 4

in the development of the lite support errtoismveltr exceeded G.E. 

original estimates. Becauee of an un4.r-eetimite of the teehmiest

task to be accomplished. sweater costs were isourre4 than would have 

been the case its better appreciation Of the task to to perlorne4 

bad been realised !meth* beeinnine. ftriher. there use ireidecusto 

technical manememsnt control in the program bemuse of the inabilitY

of O.E. to remic4nise in the beginning the womaitud* and name of

thi task to be performed. 

•

D. Alleeatien D.. "There has been inadequate utilisatics of

available military talent within the A7 ic the eomtust of the Menaiad. program."

1. Discussion: There is mo doebt !meths Board review

: , •

.-.,•

r

23
LUir DEN i tAL

Is -••

of reeerds sad tostt that Mr hisinditaii lanai has bees noel

literally is the midget of the lid surosrd Votes derrawmant.

. Inv sigatagaz the inlet* ins "at Ina boom the,dealamiat oseoties.

Life rapport Agates deglos 'Worts tilos is !Bret

with the re-cartentatios of the U0001000013eugran. Woe *0 beginning

the A7IND tallaeol the AMMO'policy o pt sallia seg Air forae.blomedisal

talent, and eeiabliabed a working reUMAmmehip with the 84heol of

Aviation Medicine, the ADD; and the YAW for sepPort of this Prodrea•

Later in the proven, the 8 August 1958 AMC directive, see Akkibit

vos issued, defining the responsibilities di'lbe 8 ►001 of Aviation

Medicine.

In spits of this attempt to Mor gans, and sighasise the

blue-suit aomtributicia to the life support Eysteademelopmemt, it is

-

clear from teetimmly boilers the hoard that the aeinal use cemdlitary

biomedical talent left month to be desired. Some major factors eontribu-

,

ting to this situation are:

a. A leek °Sharman, amomg the orgmnisations in:raved.

LL. 1

Prig 

frialis04 the abeam °fa pocerfni, Central

directing agent; wooers ewer juriedieticmal prerootivesl Peglamali • ►

conflicts and clashes; and other complex reasons aistributed to •

rideteriorating vorkinelevel relationshii anomg the principals, and

inhibited the effective . use of available militery talent.

r i_ b. The overwriding consideration of meeting as ironclad schedule always stimulates friction, and this development vas

- no exception. In cases idler* design and testing methodologies

26
•

)

CO'iF1DENI AL

dive*Iled, it vas frequently felt that precious time could not be

diverted to building rapport among the contributing organisations.

- _ led to a cyclical, self-emumratiscprObLan situation 'ere it

•

became increasingly difficult fOr any of the participants to work

_ efficiently and harmonioutli:

. MisunderetumLUmWas to orgeminatiomal responsibilities and management relationshiPe, *dab &floated the oadivotlone of

the people involved.

• Serious vederestimatias of the teehnical talk on

the part adagio and teehnisal direetion emetraotors, *14h further

aggravated the alreedyreompliested test end deal environment.

e. 011ansisNi *balm criteria of the life owort.

aystenteemeee of newly diseowered onviroarontal eonditioes, angled

with a very twit development sdhednle, Shia eniomraged the use of

rhortaamt test plans end procedures, and often ignored the taLent

available ;Or oomdusties these tests.

2. Cosoluolons PjiffamsLOnammtUagellat

in the ilte sumartdevelomati howevert in mar eases and vartioularlr

in the 'see of School et/viatica Medicine pereemsel. the use has been

ties

.

ineffottivo and to • Ciao of the

should

to to ra-gotabltiit ragwort with the Moat of Aviation Matioina. 

11. Welgank %ULU" aorPoratisast

ore !slag their ;turtle:Ur positiens inthe blomodinal yrepein as a

nor ell benne; thaw senpotano tbil blimmelleed! ares.°. 

vitas Swine the efterms Amor dr, 4"... I
stx.wily wwitiukuus wino

DISPOSMON FORM

SWUM -

. Biomedical Aspecti of the Ballistic Missile Proram

FILE NO.

...i

made environments.

. . • ..

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Iv I

' 4. f--.....L14...............;:„..........„, . . ' • . . ' •

' Exs,//3/7-: . 1-::. .. •

I-.

. . ,

.: . 1...aa IIIMACZI; MI wasirm. I OLT M. slum ray • men 

WDTS FROM RDTHa • DATE 6 June 58 COMMENT NO.1

• • Lt Col Cain/k1/4145

•

. d/ 1

1. Special Orders . NUmber A-920, Department :le the Air Force, 9 May 1958,

assigned Brigadier General Donald D. Flickinger, ',Staff Surgeon and Director of

Human Factors, Headquarters RDC, to an additional duty, Special Assistant for.

Bio-Astronautics to the Deputy Commander for Ballistic Missiles, ARDC. i

' 2. All research and development efforts, contemplating the use of biological payloads on bOard missiles or space vehicles, Will •obtain the coordination

and approval of the Special Assistant for Bio-Astrtnautica or his designated ,,

representative.

'. .

. • 3. To provide the Ballistic Missile DiVisio4fith timely life sciences sup-

. •

port in the coordination of procurement data, monitorship of contractor efforts,

and supervision of inspection tests of components ok' life supporting and bio..

Performance measuring equipment, technically.qual4l: life sciences personnel

mill be placed on TDY or will be assigned to the stic Missile Division.

'These personnel will be authorised to render decisidns regarding the adequacy

of life supporting equipment and other technical problems Concerned with viable

payloads: This headquarters, LTTN: =Hp will be informed of all decisions in

this area. In addition, a monthly progress report oe the development, fabrication, testing, and scheduling of the life sciences portion of the progralavill

be provided. .::

'

4. A significant portion of the nation's life sciences capability in support of ;pace operations is contained in certain Air'Force medical and behavioral

sciences research and development organizations. Certain of these agencies are

hereby designated •as points of contact for the weapon:, systems management organisation and contractors concerned with development and! fahrication of ,life supporting equipment and life sciences experiments. The designat.ion of these units is

.,for the primary purpose of assuring that the contractor hasthe,latest information

. .:-...erisiIible.foranoorporation into his design, and secondly, to assure the fabricatedlinit meets the technical criteria as established by the Air Force. The •

.

•

 ..;,bligaietronattical !embers otthe Ballistic MisAile Division will obtain over-all

appeoval and coordination of the life sciencesiaspect of the project. -Emt, in •

soloingi.will consult freely and frequently :4th the designated units, assuring.

..the'k liaison is being maintained with the pr'l contractor and. subcontractors on

the.technieWbiomedical and bio,perkormencer6blimaassoolated with the projects.

'...! • .: tr • .- •: 4.- - • . • '

...... 7T

.

•

-..--..:ze A ,:*a. laremedioal Laboratory WO.

. ..

-11. .•

 •...

.-

' —• . ;

. - . , , . . •-..'•.• ... a. ' -:' • - ., •-:-

. 0

. .

••

..,

••• . - ,.-•

i' ' ::*';:!.','"..-.(1)...7Ditoaritiziation* of the- biOlogiO4 adecgieci apt subasimebliee:,..,'

, .t4,- itihiiieli..qeeifieetions Ur Vs .:Internal life el pport environment; and the .

•

.oriAl technical development program responsibilities of the laboratory for

311•1110114 * era, specomrst non,
•

r

the board vas savisellar easel ofrAVIatissiabdielas vlinesets that

-Tr.' • ----

this elloSitloo digit sot properio express the thought they had is

mind. It as pointed out that the Sihool does net object to the

growth etbdomedieal esspetence; its real objection is to the

exploitation of nosnbiamedloal personae' in attempting to achieve

sueh magetense. An exempla mould be the use of physicists and

enginseres rather than physicians sod physiologists, in designing

the life simpOrt eyeless .

2. Cemelosion: In the lint of this explanation. the 

astijklwgiedgathlagagdalmultazoosidered

pert of Anesstions I and Ds and save it no further separate trest-

•

7. andelAastiffsgmb" "Toe ere enjoined to wake mos- •

siddaticles the aeneseneet *trustee* of the present bicesidlieel

pompanos* op ► sugnsertleas fbr Admire fellowman biosmulleal Frers's.°

1. Dismission: As Board believes that the. primary reqpire•

left for inereastis the managerial effectiveness of the present bio,-

nedloal program is the desisnatios of a single project director. Awe

such an appointment has ben mode, the Alrecties sad he alone, should

be charged with the responsibility for establishing clear, formal

arrangements among all •project participants, including test protocols,

definite count-down procedures, the deslanation of single spokesmen

for all armies, end similar matters. The director should be charged

specifically with the responsibility for maintaining strict discipline

CONFIDE' L.

,

28
ts tLL1t 1

among the participants* sad shoad be enjoined to maksa special

I

effect toward re-esti:Ulla/ming rampart between technical. pommel

111

of '.the. AMID and the School of Aviation *dicing.

With regard to future bionsdieal program, the Board

roommosols staller imentypesent motions chick would prevent :any of

the pro*ms easountered is the.preeent progran. -

The 0011111110161' ANIS should desiolate • project

directAir st. the imitation of say Mature projects. The project

dinette 'bead besepovered to, and direeted to, make all Arne

decisions an the project.

All participating agonies *odd be reoutred to

.sits sob,ems the esereles the saw antral in their

•

osgpoissideos as the project direelor does fbr the AnIND.

e. Definite test protosele OM emit-dem procedures

should be setablialied far is atlases of the need date, and should be

regarded as Szonselad operating prose:lures VI all parttelpants.

2. Cassluslonr.end Elpesifie asoosmentlation: adialescAlkm

the Board shows theseed for (a) manna min= use of Air Faroe bioBdagligatkov in dreaming the Ws swanort system and (a) eliminating

ijurtsdletionsa sad functiocal dissgressients between the Director of

moon= sod the Director of Moastramautics. The board notes that

between 80 and 910i of the vork of the Dioastransutics Direetwata is,

ort ofDIOYD ProJart. Having considered these factors, 

ftlegsLaskes the specific recommendation that the following actions

be taken concurrently: 

.

•

29 ;Li f AL
L.

6 '

. 

14 -•

a. ZatamUlaidasitaallaidinamatacansterilt

be last mated immediatav as the single AFEMD avolossusnt i.e.. Proles%

Direcrtorh far the Mut n Life SuPoort System. 

b. 2911122g9mEalg

immediately to the Assistant Deeuty Commenier fer Somme *stem. 

0. Directed Consideration NS. *Specific reememendations as to

the technical aomrse of action to be followed Dar the present biased•

ical program shots 'within the DIM series are required."

1. Discuseion and Conclusions: . significant gain to

national prestige as well as an important scientific contribution will

result from the recovery of a live specimen frOm a polar orbiting

vehicle. Notwithstanding the fact that time is a most important

concern in conserving the prestige'of the occasion, certain limits 

must be imposed on firing dates. Specifically: 

The biomedical life Support system must demonstrate

reproducible evidence that it can in. feet Support a live specimen for

the total mission profile. 

...itsmipai Threovedesiandtechniacmustbe

adecuately demonstrated, based upon actual recovery from orbit. 

6. The competence of all participants must be demonstrated in count-down:proceduTem compatible with established launch

controller reenirements. •

•

tt-r.rai

•

• • •
••

.1.t !%1 

ii.;11k1-#1-11.

:014Eir.L Cr1CT...it-31.Cret!

A. Techatcal. 

1. s. lie support system cannot be considered to . have not

its ground test until it has been completely bench checked and has

successfully passed a complete laboratory oouat-dovn dtah sinulates

as closely as possible the problems of launching, orbiting, re-entry,

and recovery, with thermal and noise profiles superimposed, and all

integrated into the expected time sequence of a realistic mission.

'Ma =SCOUR= life support system has not met these criteria as yet,

but under 0.11.9 Nam look" design and testing philosophy is definitely

moving in this direction.

B.

1. "Crash", high-risk developments involving relattvaly

unexplored technical areas should be:

Piunnoed by requirements 'budgets rather than

ceiling budgets.

zp000riala to sponsor ealnetitire sUb-system develop- ..

meats in Rai difficult technical areas.

Organised so that all contractors vorkinein

difficult technical areas are as accessible as possible to AFEND

direction and control. -

-Supported by in-residence OW porecnnel at any

sontraetor's plant where the development item Is 'pasing * ore teebnieel4

difficult.

- e • **,"'

•

V1/4•174;1 A 164
-;

l iDE i in

' lees of these acedilicas hese been applied to the

1121 support wefts develOPmest.

1. Aetna& single vaiversallrversognised MIND leader

Should be appanted at the ineeption of all projeeta if the project

is to eas•eed. This has mot been dame tor the life support systole

develement.

3. lest protocols mast be developed far enough in advance

of a test series to assure their aeceptanse as doctrine at the test

itself. This has not been done far the life support ',stem develop.

'•13

I. Clear funational statements and designated single

spokesmen are required for all agencies involved in u development

or test if inefficiency, ineffectiveness, bickering, accusations,

and counternsecusations are to be prevented. Specific designations [

of responsibility, by names , do not exist in the life support system

development.

0

3 1 •io

C

. .F

• • •
•

-00i DEN

A.;

011114

A.

1. That the AIMED recognise the 0.2. "nem look' la design

gad testime . aS a Proper, albeit lone over-due, methodology for dmvelop•

tag a fildnIn•ImmnIMkr life support oyster.

2. That the sebedule lbr the flight of a life support

Mae* is based Upon a clear demonetration, in ground tests, that

the spiting Can stale a live specimen teribi total mission profile

and a clear demonstration, based upon actual recovery trom . orbit in

flight test, that the reovvery equipment meets its operating requiremats.

B•

That a strong, single, clearly-designated leader be

appointed at the ineeption of all development projects. This leader

most be bold responsible fon organising the participation of all

ageneles in a pellndisciplimed, harmonious manner.

ia the speeifle ease of the Nark II life support

system developient, this Project Leader should be the Director of

the lioeetromegitise Direetorate; Directorate itself should be the

transferred inibediately to the Assistant Deputy Commander for Space

Byelaw.

3. fosPrais naive iron-elad test pretooOls and sount-doma

prosedures abode be developed at case for the life support portion

of the DINCOTANIR program. .
L

♦. Clear fesetionsl statements and a list of of

Aesiimated single spekesnea should be developed ay tbe Project

Direetertor all agencies participating is the life support system

development. •

S. A special effort should be node, under the leadership

of the Project Director, to re-establiAb rapport between technical

personnel of the AMID and the Scbool of Aviation.

PAUL Z. WORTHMAN, President

Colossal, USAF

JOUR Z. PICKERING, Member JAMES S. SEAT, *Aber

Colonels IMF Lt. Colonel, USAF

•

L. FR= =RIM, Member WILLIAM R. WRAVIR, Recorder

Major, USAF

-;[.•

z

. • !
• Um/

. -

HEADQUARTERS

AIR FORCE BALLISTIC MISSILE DIVISION (ARDC)

UNITED STATES • .1R. FORCE

Air Force Unit Post Ctfices Los .Angeles 45, California

SPECIAL ORDERS) 27 November 1959

NUMBER. 20)

Under the provisions of AFBMDIR 11-6, AFR 14-6, AFR AFR 120-3,

and at the written direction of Commander, Air Force Ballistic Missile

Division,, the following named individuals are appointed to an Investigating

Board on an ad hoc basis, for the purpose pf reviewing the management and

technical status of the biomedical project currently associated with the

DISCOVERER Program. Upon submission of the Board report and approval by

the Commander/ • ir Force Ballistic Missile Division, the board is dissolved.

In the absence of the President the senior member present at the meeting

will act as President and: in the absence of the Recorder, the junior present

will perform the duties of the Recorder. The Recorder will notify the

Director of Administrative Services mhen the Board is disselved.

s00LjE0 P. GEARY, 8037A

COL PAUL1L IORTHMAN, 7324A

*COL JOBS E. PI( G, A0724350

*LTCOL JAMES S. SEAM, ,12319A

LTCOL RAYMOND E. HELENA / 12701A

.MAAT WILLIAM H. WEAVER, 14813/4.

HQ USAF

HQ AFBMD

SOHO:MOE AVIATION Ewan

IIQ ANCO3(C)

HQ AFBMD

HQ AFBMD

President Voting

M6mber Voting

(Alt. President)

Member Voting

Member Voting

Member Voting

Member Voting

(Recorder)

L I

USAF

strative Services

5.- ATC

2 IBMA

BSE1) (AU)

1 - MDAS

•

*DR. FRED BERNER

DISTRIBUTION:

2 - Ea Indiv (14)

50 - Recorder'

1 - WDCA

1 - WDAAO

1 - WOE

1 - WDGEM

5 - WDT 5 - WDZ 5 WDF

3 -

5 - MDC

5 - WDz

5 - AC (SAC.MIKE) •

WRIGHT AIR DEVELOPMENT

CENTER (BIONED LAB) Member Voting

With concurrence of respective Co: mender.

FOR THE COMMANDER:
HEADQUARTERS

AIR FORCE BALLISTIC MISSILE DIVISION (ARDC) .

UNITED STATES Alit FORCE

Air Force Unit Post Office, Los Angeles 45, California

SPECIAL ORDERS) 1 December 1959

NUMBER 31)

Under provisions of AFR 60-18, MAJ IVAN H DETHMAN, 14258A, HQ

AFBMD. Los Angeles, Calif is attached to Los Angeles Air Defense Sector,

Norton AFB, Calif for the purpose of maintaining flying proficiency.

The verbal order of the Commander on 25 Nov 59, authorizing A/1C

LARRY K WALKUP, AF13294151, 6592d USAF Dispensary v ARDC, Los Angeles,

California, BAS at the rate of $2.57 per day effective 1600 hours, 25 Nov

59, under the pro-visions of paragraph 20101D, AFM 173-20, is confirmed.

Exigencies of the service having been such as to preclude the issuance of

competent written orders in advance.

- 3. Special Orders Number 20, this Hq, dated 27 Nov 59, relating to

the establishment of an Investigating Board on an ad hoc basis for the

purpose of reviewing the management and technical status of the biomedical

project'currently associated with the DISCOVERER Program, is amended to

delete so much as pertains to COL LEO P GEARY, 8037A, HQ USAF, and is

further amended so much as reads: "COL PAUL E WORTHMAN, 73244 HQ AFBMD.

umEMembe_lattygeltLE&!itt3tin is amended to read: "COL PAUL E WORTHMAN,

HQ , Pres o ing":,

4. MAJ FRANK R DEAN, 3384641 (Expense Code 4591100), HQ AFBMD, ARDC,

Los Angeles, California, will proceed on or about 2 Dec 59 to USAR Hospital,

March AFB, California on TDY for approximately 1 day for the purpose of

medical consultation . and upon completion will return to Hq Air Force

Ballistic Missile Ditrision Los Angeles, California. TPA. This mode of

transportation has been determinedto be more advantageous to the Government.

TDN. 57x3600 047-9624 P690 S594200 0212. Authority: Chapter 16, AFM 35-11.

FOR THE COMMANDER:

DISTRIBUTION:

2

10

50

5

5

1

1

1

2

1

1

1

1

- Ea Indiv (pare 1,

- Maj Dean

- Recorder (Para 3)

- WDPMO.

- WDPMA

- WDCA

- WDCAF

- VIDAA0

- vim?

- wok

- WOGS

- WOE

- UIDOEH

2 & 3 USAF

istrative Services

T 5 - Commander

5 - WDZ IA Ada. Defense Sector

5 - WDF -Norton AFB, California

5 - WEC

5 - UTL

1 - WDAS

5 - AC (SAC MIKE)

5 - ATC

2 - LBMA

1 - BSED (AU)
—

[

1 r

rya

• I'

r

LIST 07 SCSICSSES

rit.12 AFFILIATIC31 SER.TAL i.1)" .7.TY2

John T. Scut

Stan3.ey Han

USD

LMSD

Parry A. GOMM SAM Colonel, MAP 19007A

Robert T. Clark SAM Dr.

3. A. Miller G.E.

E. S. Miller G.Z.

A. A. Little G.E.

Trod Parker G.Z.

Robert W. Anderson G.Z.

Robert W. Roy AMID F.O. VAR§ Captain, USAF 22332A

Jamas W. Plummer 1 ► D

Leonard C. Dangler u4sD ,

Ervin R. Archibald AMC Captain, USAF 2568*A

Clara= L. Battle AFRO Lt. Colonel, USAF 620)A

Albert W. Jokagon MIND. Captain, USAF 22226A

7-zederick C. I. Oder AFRO Colonel, USAF 7684A

Ilarry L. Evans AF223 Colonel, USAF 4619A

=lard L. Cole AMMO Lt. Colonel, USAF 6563A
REPLY TO

MTN OT: WDG

Adat FORM BALLISTIC MEM= DIVIb&ON

HEADQUARTERS

AIR RESEARCH AND DEVEL.OPM= COMMAND

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

Air Force Unit Post Office, Los Angeles 45, California

sus air : Investigating Committee 29 October 1959

TO: WDZ.(Colonel Curtin)

1. For several months I have been concerned with the progress of

the biomedical mission of the Discoverer series. In the past few

weeks, several complaints have been relayed to me from various

sources. Accordingly, I should like you to establish a board of

officers to thoroughly investigate the allegations. These allegations

are as follows:

The basic design of the biomedical recovery capsule is

faulty aid as presently configured will not support .the biomedical

mission of the Discoverer series.

Management of the biomedical test program by AFBMD,

LMSD, and GE is grossly inadequate.

c. Biomedical program coats being incurred by GE are too

high and are not being subjected to proper management control.

d.. There has been inadequate utilization of available military

talent within the USAF in the conduct. of the biomedical program.

e. Civilian corporations, iiecifically GE, are using their

particular positions in the biomedical program as a means of

building their competence in the biomedical area.

1 2. In addition to determining the truth of these allegations, you

are enjoined to make recommendations regarding the management

structure of the present biomedical program and any suggestions

for future follow-on biomedical programs. In addition, .specific

recommendations as to the technical course of action to te followed

for the present biomedical program shots within the Discoverer

series are required. The board of officers should be composed

of personnel from Hq USAF, Hq ARDC, SAM, BMC, and AFBMD.

The board should be constituted and convened at the earliest

possible date with recommendations • to be forwarded to me not

1 an 20 November 1959.

AND

M • /* General, . WAY .. •

•..

mander

Oa

•

_1

:2
•

Extract from-Jima:alma 0 to Letter Contract AF 04(647)-181 dated

16 May 1959..

Item 3 of Exhibit is revised to read:

"Pkveical Recovery System in accordance with Exhibit B attached

hereto and made apart hereof."

Subparagraph 6 of Exhibit B is revised to read: ,

"Develop a recoverable capsule to accommodate an aero-medical package

for use with the Pioneer vehicle. The complete capsule shall be

available for flight-test no later than 30 November 1958. .

(6.
L:]

&tract from Contract AT 04(647481) definitized 6 January 1959

pate Contract awarded: 25 January 1958

The Contractor shall be responsible for:

Ground and flight test data analysis and reduction.

The engineering evaluation of the overall reconnaissance

system and provision of the results to the appropriate

organization for use in future designs.

2.5.11 Biomedical Capsule (Subsystem L)

2.5.11.1 Item I - Research and Development 

2.5.11.1.1 Biomedical Data. This data shall be obtained by the

selection of suitable vertebrate specimens and environmental instrumentation, as permitted by the WS-117L payload we.ght limitations, with

the primary objectives of demonstrating specimen survival and cosmic

'radiation effects.

2.5..11.1.2 The WS-117L design modification shall be accomplished

as required to maintain the recovery capsule program current. • The

auxiliary poWer system shall be arranged to provide electrical power

required by the capsule during the ascent and orbiting flight phases.

2.5.11.1.3 Recovery Capsule. The Contractor shall design as required

by the conditions of re-entry and shall -include suitable equipment

for the survival of the biomedical specimen and for the recovery of •

cosmic radiation and biomedical environmental data. The capsule shall

be equipped with beacon, dye marker, and strobe lamp equipment as

considered feasible to facilitate the search and recovery operation.

•

2.5,11.1.3.1 The Contractor will develop and design the complete

Biomedical Recovery Capsule including the necessary components, sub-

.

assemblies, and retro-rocket system. Government technical agennies •

will provide available technical advice, biological specimen ,e-

'fbrmanee, environmental requirements, biological specimen tests, and

shall approve the environmental provisions of the capsule assembly.

DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEA„

gr1/111:1C, DECLALT.:F!ED AFTER . 12 '

DOD DM 5200.10

. ..
AFBM 58-25

2.5.11.1.3.2 The BBC shall be.designed, insofar as possible, to

-- assure the launch, orbit, and recovery of'the viable animal subjects

and instrument subassemblies. Conditions shall be provided so that

the animal subjects will have suffered no irreversible damage except

that damage ascribable to prolonged weightlessness and cosmic radiation.

2.5.11.1.3.3 The Biomedical Recovery Capsule assembly shall consist

of the following major assemblies:

Shell Assembly. A shell assembly shall be designed for

assurance of the structural integrity under the stress

conditions encountered during boost, orbit, and recovery,

and shall provide the necessary design' characteristics

to ensure thermal heat balance during flight.

The capsule shall include a recovery package complete

with radio beacons, strobe lights, radar chaff dispensers, dye markers, parachutes, and the auxiliary

equipment necessary to ensure the maximum opportunity

for location and recovery.

.Environmental Controls .. The environmental subassembly

shall include the necessary nutrients, water, atmospheric

conditions, temperature, , and pressure to assure adequate

lite conditions fOr the selected viable specimen.

Capsule Internal Structure» The capsule internal

structure shall be so designed that the acceleration

forces of boost, re-entry, and impact will be within

the tolerances of the viable specimen selected. This

internal structure shall also provide for acceptable

environmental temperature conditions.

e. Instrumentatim: Instrumentation shall be provided to'

include a minimum of the following data:

1) Ascent and Orbit Interval

a) Capsule air temperature

b0 Capsule air pressure

Oxygen pressure ,

Capsule humidity

Viability indication (desirable but not mandatory)

Camera coverage (desirable but not mandatory).

C- flitir°411411‘7.-3

1.
ATM 58-25

2) Re-entry Interval

Capsule air temperature

Acceleration in 3 orthogonal planes

Oxygen pressure •

Capsule pressure

Noise level

Viability indication (desirable but not mandatory)

g) Camera coverage (desirable but not mandatory).

Adequate instruientation for the recovery of data in

accordance with the flight test objectives of paragraph

2.5.11.3.3 •ball also Up provided.

f. Retro-rocket Equipment. The capsule assembly shall laclude.the necessary retro-rocket equipment for the initia-.

tion of re-entry.

Electrical ?over. Adequate electrical power shall be

included for the operation of internal capsule equipment.

2.5.11.1.4 Search and Recovery Operation. A program will be planned;

developed, and coordinated to initiate the recovery of the re-entry

capsule, with consideration being given to. primary "air match" operations as well as water and land recovery plans. To OXIMUIV a communi- .

cation system and arrange for the transmission of biomedical data by

means of the telemetering system and for the - initiation of the capsule

re-entry and recovery phase through' suitable command programmer arrangements, adequate coordination must be assured. Adequate coordination

must also be assured to plan Dor tracking the package over a sufficient

portion of the trajectory to permit recovery.•

2.5.11.1.5 Environmental Performance Specifications. The purpose of

this specification is to outline the environmental parameters necessary

to support life in the FRC. The maxima or minims values stated below►

scant usually be regarded as optimum for bOmmosSmde; therefore, when
4r

--. .ipossible, optimum values will be presented. The Contractor make

....Jevery reasonable effort to achieve . the optimum valUes during any phase •

of flight.and will not exceed maxima or minima at any time after launch.

AA 14.7 psi pressure schedule is acceptable prior to launch, and, if used,

will consist of approximately 730 mm Hg partial pressure oxygen, 10 mm

11.1_ mi ss partial pressure water, 10 mm Hg partial pressure inert gas, 8 mm Hg •

partial pressure carbon dioxide and 3 mm Hg partial pressure other gases.

MN/

a. Total Pressure. The pressure of the enclosed environment

will not be less than 5.0 psi (258 mm-Hg) nor More than

10.10 psi (522 mm Hg). The optimum value is 5.0 psi

unless contraindicated by engineering requirements.

Oxygen Partial.Fressure. The partial pressure of oxygen

will not be less than 150 min Hg nor more than 300 mm Hg.

Carbon Dioxide Partial Pressure. The partial pressure of

carbon dioxide will not exceed 8 mmHg at any time. Any

value less than this is optimal.

Water Partial Pressure. Partia1 pressure of water vapor

may vary between 5 mm Hg and 10 mm Hs. 10 mm Hg is optimal.

Biologically Inert Gas Partial Pressure. The inert gas

found in the enclosed environment may be either nitrogen

or helium. Partial pressure of the gad used will not be.

more than approximately 190 mi Hg. The optimal value is

10 mm Hg.

Other Gases. Other gases present such as hydrogen sulfide, •

indoles, skatoles, etc. will not exceed 3 mm Hg.

Toxins, Endogenously produced toxins (other than biological) such as battery gas, lithium hydroxide dust, etc.

will be excluded or filtered from the system. Other toxins

which may be produced by exogenous phenomena in .orbit,

e.g. l• ozone, need not be controlled.

h. Temperature. The air temperature of the enclosed environment will be maintained between 550 and 85° F; The optimum

temperature is 70° F. Temperature peaks during re-entry

will not exceed 120° F for 5 minutes nor 100° F for 30

minutes. Wall temperatures of the bio-pack may rise to

values higher than this for correspondingly briefer periods

of time, but should be •maintained at levels unlikely to

produce tissue damage on contact.

•

•

44
Oround Support Equipment. Ground support equipment shall

for . the preparation, checkout, and installation of the recovery

•••1

••

......•

-.. r I -.Li i 1 IriL .:4 1,-;::. ..-.,.. i -- %fin I.Yy..ar • .... - 1.. . ....

MN 58-25

i. Ilse, The environment described above will be maintained

for at least 84 hours for Missions A Bp C, and D and at

least 132 hours for Mission E.

Acceleration. All accelerative forces imposed on tbe,

animals will lie under a curve described by the folloWing

time-dwell versus 'g' coordinates: 70 g's for .1 sec;

35 g's ibr 1 see; 18 g's for 10 sec; 9.5 g's for 100 sec;*

5 g e e Dor 1000 sec.

•

%,...."

4.'04.

2.5.1101.8 Test Plan. A test plan outlining the acceleration, vihreatink ,

noise, environmental simulation, and•drop recovery tests to be perfarn16:!-It:'

on components, subassemblies, and full assemblies, will be maaatted'to

the Government tor approval. The test plan ;Ill also ' indicatatbe use

...

of animals and Contractor available test facilities, and the deeirs#

use of the Government. teat facilities needed to implement the test

Program.' •

2.5.11.1.9 Prior Approval. Sough drawings, "first approximation" •• data, specifications, plans, informal presentations, etc. vill be

submitted to the Government for approval prior to purchase, fabrication,

or assembly of components, subassemblies, and full•assemblies.

2.5.11.2 Item II - Hardware.

2.5.11,2.1 Biomedical subsystems shall be produced as:further Wised

in'thie paragrapli . to satisfy the reqUirements of the programa se

enumerated in Section 1.0 of the York Statement. Biomedical lbammamry

Capsule assemblies shall be fabricated with the necessary spar units

1 •

.1 •

2.5.11.1%6

be designed

capsule system.'

2.5.11.1.7 Date Reduction.

be performed.

•

Whine analysis of telemetered data will

i

\!..]
.; 11" I. .7.; •

Me111 51-2

'I •

and test articles to support a series of five flight experimental pro-

-grams indicated in the following tabulation.

SHOT •PURPOSE

A Survival and Recovery

Survival and Recovery

C Survival and Recovery

Survival and Recovery

Survival and Recovery

ANIMAL

(4) Mice

(4C-57)

(4) Mice

(4C-57)

(1) Rhesus

Monkey

(1) Rhesus

Monkey

(1) Rhesus

Monkey

INFORMATION AND INSTRIB4P2ITATION 

Temperature, total pressure,

oxygen bottle pressure, acceleration, noise level, humidity, viability, cosmic radiation

Same -as A

Same as A plus psycho-operant task

•

Same as C

Same as C

...I

2.5.11.2.2 Ground support equipment, as described in Paragraph 2.5.11.1.6

•

2.6 COORDINATION OF SUBSYSTEM A THROUGH H WITH SUBSYSTEM I, "DATA

PROCESSING" SUBSYSTEM

In order to ensure optimum design and development of the complete WS-117L

system and the proper meshing of applicable portions of Subsystems A

through H with Subsystem I, the Data Processing Subsystem, LMSD and the

Prime Contractor SS/I will collaborate to make arrangements for a suffi-

..

ciently full and timely flow of information from each project to the

other and from each set of subcontractors to the other, as their work

affects the interfacial areas. They will jointly arrange orderly means

to• bring to light any divergencies between the two parts of the total

program, to effect the best possible compromises as they'are needed, and

to refer to the Government Contracting Officers (THUD to RMO and Prime

.-

Contractor SS/I to RADC) for decision on any questions that cannot be

shall be produced.
.

•

2.2.2.6 Visual Surveillance Program 

2.2.2.6.1 The Visual Surveillance Program consists of the development

of a continuous surveillance system at ground resolutions equal to or

better than that obtained with the Advanced. Visual Reconnaissance Program.

2.2.2.7 Ferret Surveillance Program 

•

2.2.2.7.1 The Ferret Surveillance Programi consists of the development

of a surveillance:type ferret as well as a Quick Reaction Capability

(0c). It will be an integrated ferret system that provides the cepa-

.

bilaty of varying the frequency bands and other signal parameters of

interest by command through the ground-space communication* link.

2.2.2.8 Biomedical Recoverable Capsule Browse 

2.2.2.8.1 The Biomedical Recoverable Capsule Piogram shall have the

dual objectives of gathering biomedical data and establishing elooesafni:

re-entry and recovery from orbit of selected living specimens.

. 4

•
2.2.3.12 Biomedical Cnpaula (SUbsys q.es L)

2.2.3.12.1 The Biomedical PrOirma c• lists of a satellite borne capsule,

suitable vertebret=pecimeni and equipment that will collect and transsit biomedical data by teleaetsring and ensure successful specimen

AMINOMINIn

survival after re-entry and recovery from orbit.

ao, Amumnnnn

2.2.3.13 Personnel 94berstess. By definition, a personnel wUbsystem exists

*ever say of the above subsystems, or the booster subsystem, requires

the interaction of personnel. A properly designed personnel subsystem

consists of the following component,: (a) lumen engineering to insure

optimum men-machine compatibility. (b) Determination of.the kinds and

numbers of personnel required to operate and maintain the associatel haftvan sUbersten• (c) Training and training equipment rewired to obtain

suitabip trained personnel. (d) Appropriate personnel supports in the

toss of technical manuals and other Job aids.

71Ib distinguish betimmon per;onmel subsystems developed for COltrmetor

T

. personnel in contrast to Air Porcipersonnel, the terms "Contractor

I, Illierstimal Subsystems" end "Air Force Personnel Subsystems" are used.

L •
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON 25, D. C.

,28 February 1958

14ENORA1 I FOR: SECRETARY OF TM AIR FORCE

SUBJECT: RECOXIAISSANCX SATELLITES AND MANNED SPACE EXPLORATION

Reference is made to the Air Force Proposal for Accelerating military

reconnaissance satellites and outer space vehicle projects discussed in

your memorandum dated 12 November 1957, and your memorandum of 1 Febru- ary 1958 requesting that continuation of the Air Force military reconnaissance project be clarified.

I have reviewed your proposal in consultation with the Director of

Guided Missiles, The Special Assistant to the President for Science and

Technology, and the Director of Central Intelligence. In our review we

have been guided by the following general policy considerations:

Lirl

1 departments must be used with maximum effectiveness and efficiency. No

The scientific and engineering capabilities or each of the military

single military department should be'overloaded with too many high priority,

!Eil.11

crash programs.

 In addition to its missile programs, the Air Force is responsiblt

for the 117L Advanced Reconnaissance System and has a recognized long

term development responsibility for manned space flight capability with

the primary objective of accomplishing satellite flight as soon as

technology permits. It is important to achieve an adequate concentration

of effort and energy within the Air Force on these programs with a

. minimum diversion of • attention and of resources to lower priority projects.

3. On the basis of the foregoing general considerations as well as of

more specific technical judgments, I have arrived at the following con- .

elusions on the points raised in the two above referenced memoranda.

.a. The ATLAS 117L project should be accelerated and carried forward

under the highest national priority in order to attain an initial operational capability at the earliest possible date.

b. The proposed interim reconnaissance system made up of a Thor

booster combined with a second stage which carries.e.lightveight payload

in the form of a recoverable capsule, duplicates rather than complements

the ATLAS 117L capability. The interim system would give only a small

improveMent in time over the ATLAS 117L. Moreover, the successful and

a. The Department of Dtfense must be.alert to avoid within and

between the services any unnecessary duplication of military and scientific space projects. even though some degree- of risk is thereby involved,

in order that funds and other resources may be available for the large •

variety of Absolutely essential programs.
. continuous operation of a recoverable reconnaissance system, with the

attendant requirement for search, appears infeasible from a practical

and useable military point of view. Accordingly, the development of

the interim system should not be pursued.

In order to attain early flights'of the Lockheed vehicle to

be employed as the second stage in the 117L system, it maybe desirable

for the Air Force to plan for test firings of this vehicle utilizing a

THOR booster, since an adequate number of these less expensive boosters

can'be made available for this purpose sooner than the ATLAS booster

will be available.

I understand that a THOR booster with a suitable second stage

vehicle may be. the most promptly and readily available device for

experimental flights with laboratofy animals. The development of such

hardware is authorized, including provision•for the recovery of the

animals, in furtherance of the objective of manned satellite flight.

8/ Roy Johnson

DIRECTOR, ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY

•
MOONS WIT VO

COMMANDS'. MCC Anw

=Ca

NIA.DOUAITINS )

. AIR RESEARCH AND DEVEIARLIER! CO AND

•

UNITS" *TAM AO Keel

Awdsvms Ai hew Me

waldwove 0. C.

eCoi

2 MAY1958

SUBJECT: (U) Support of Bioaetronauties Program

Commander

Air Peres Vallistie Missile Diirisioe (AitOO)

P. 0. Box 262

/aglawood, California

In partial inplememtatima of the authority greeted under

paragraph 3d, Neuereadua for the Secretary of the Air ;Woe from

the Director, Advaneed Research Piojeets Amoy, 00D, 2$ ?shrew,'

1958, subjeet, iloomensissamos Satellites surd *mod Spies IMplorep.

ties," sad in the interests of an espaditious start to the investigation of the bionedisal ',meets of gemmed speed flight, it .1a

desired that stops be taken to include biesoteeesoties support as a

seeondary objective in fres three to Sive of the plasma TOORm

boosted W8-117L firs whisk are sebeimled to baste is Ihmembor

1958. (886RWYTo provide yoswithMa is-house primary biemedisil teen-.

sisal competes's* and authority, Rrig• Camera Doe Rlickinger is i‘ •

now assigned the additional duty et .epecial Ligstaitt to the Commender, A7 !Or biosatralauties and as soca will be sompossible

for the direction and oesedimation at all the biemedleal aspeOte

of projects assigned to year orgastaatios. Is Acidities, too hiemodisal predict Wiser* are being permanestly assigned to poor

Apses Ryetems Division to provide necessary technical sompObmase.

os a oontinning basis. It is &vested, of worse, that you will .

also make use of other competent ladividuals and groups in the Air

Research and t Command and elsewhere is an advisory role,,

as needed.

•

.3. In order that this biomedical work will interfere as

little as possible with 1184111.davelopnent and teatime, Genteel

of all aspects of this work will rest with your organisation.

It is further desired that is the interest of conservimg time and

resources, the AIBMD will, insofar as possible provide support to

this• work within the existing WS-117L contractual structure. (SIGRif4-

• DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR *:-.77,WitA

DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 .....",?'"1" YEARS. r,r1. '17%

-''

' ..:'00 DOD DIR 5200.10 N. ' • ......

' • t-f. , =41'14

....;;acALaitC8-120892

WD- 58 -03427

x elf go- f
11-Do.58.003,47 •

/1.11 ••• nnn

•

•

s: ',1, 1

a

Tioetore r

• 

lid • • ""

SA to AFBMD, Subject, "(1) Support of Bioestroneutice Mown,

T• •

4. I as directing the necessary anti= to provide an additioaal

budget authorisation and allotment of $449,000 of TX 1958 7.600 toads

to your orgamisatiom to cover the biomedical 'sports of LW efforts

already underway in the 113-117L Progrw la addition, $100,000 has

been transferred from the School at Aviation hidiaimee , mows..

(line 780A-?051) to your organisation. (INOLAWIT110 •

%

5. It mill be neoemmufor lr yi to take saltiest to Mears that

ark programs addltdomal rf3.9” lade at all types (P6600 Addig P6600

Operation and Ahnsipmeati and nos-P60600 flak) to me* the snot at

eastinuod effort is the W8-117L Blomedicil bow OapeOle esti*.

JAY. MS 7171909 P6600 MAD feeds to be progrommoVesr this purpose 'total $6 nillina and will cover the coot or &ovoi, God • ;

fabrioation at the reoevorahle vapodle, animal combehner lastrimenta- time and telemetry, amavelated roomer, squipmmet, somds:$ at the

recovery operatiok •to. The 711959reppillesemts far MOO Operstioa smd hhmagsmemt buds and aom41-600 fonds taw est tsamestshitishod so 1

J• AllialrY yet

--„1
Missile Systeme Division * Sunnyvale, California

6 May 1958

•

• In Reply Refer to:

LMSD/56969

VIS117L/32

Subject: Contract No. AF 04(647)-181

Biosatellite Flight Program Plan

To: Commander

Air Force Ballistic Missiles Division

Hdqtrs., Air Research and Development Command

Attn: Col. F.C.E. Oder (WDTSR)

P. 0. Box 262

Inglewood, California

Reference: (A) AFBMD NI to DOD, dtd. 11 March 1958, (L /3789b)

(B) Letter Contract AF 04(647)-181, dtd. 25 January 1958,

ILMSD/37125)

1. The TWZ of Ref. (1) from Ante to LMSD redirected the efforts of tbb

117L program under the letter contract Ref. (2) to include biosatelliti flights

as secondary objectives of the Ilk (Thor Boosted) portion of the program. This

redirection has eliminated the requirement for development of a system suitable

to the recovery of photographic film from an orbiting vehicle and replaced it

with the need for developing a modified recovery technique appropriate to the

support of the aeromedical explorations to be conducted in consonance with the

new secondary objectives of the program.

2. Prior to the redirection of Ref. (1) a division of responsibility

between prime and subcontractor had been established and a work plan approved

by the USAF for 'accomplishment of the film recovery prograa.. The change in the

recovery aspect of the program has required a redetennination of responsibilities

for the prime and subcontractors in accomplishing the redirected work and has

been defined by LMSD, based on discussion' with members of the •USAF, as follgos:

LMSD will assume over-all system responsibility for all biosatellite flights

incorporated into the flight program. As weapon system contractor 124SD.will

determine the general specifications for the subsystem, the general manner in

which the subsystem will be developed, the integration of the'subsystem into the

program, and will select for approval of USAF subcontractors to be used. Supporting studies and developmental investigations will be :We as necessary to establish

technical validity of design and feasibility of intended flights. All phases of

the program attendant to the operational-iiadbilWate.considereirtrfe—responsiibility

of USD. It is intended to augment the capability of I&D by the use of subconr

DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEA;; !NTEM•tv

DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 `r EARS, •

DOD DIR 5200.10

113311BIT-G
•

•

L

IN •

MI •

04.11,1

UiaskvaiWk•11 • '%

tractors so as to permit the most expeditious achievement of the program. Subcon•

tractor efforts will be:

Design and construction of the re-entry shell.

Design and construction of the biosatellite sealed

capsule including all necessary environment control

• and life-support components.

(o) Experimental animals fed training as approved by

the Air Force.

Biomedical data sensors, processors, and on-board

recorders as approved by the Air Force. •

Design and construction of recovery devices on or

in the biomedical capsule.

l (!) Teat program for proving satisfactory performance

of the biomedical capsule.

(g) 'Design and construction of ground support trailers

for biomedical capsule.

The weapon system contractor recognises General Electric's paramount

position in this field and concurs with the Air Force direction that General Elec.

tric be made Sole :source subcontractor to assist in accomplishment of tasks (a)

through (f) listed above. A separate subcontract will be established for accomplishment of task (g).

It has been requested by the USAF (meeting at LMSD between represent•

dirms of AFWD, HDBME, and LMSD) that the aeromedical payload be included Lathe

2nd flight of the IIA (Thor Booster) program scheduled for December 58. It La

recommended that the incorporation of this AM payload be withheld until the 3rd

flight scheduled for January 59. It is further recommended that the total number

of biosatellite flights be five with a possible sixth with a flight position as

shown by the following schedule..

[ • This recommendation is based on the indication by USAF that Thart

boosted flights in addition to the ten presently programmed will be required to

complete the USAF objectives and therefore would permit later scheduling of tdosatellite flights. This will permit better utilization of the early flights .n

the accomplishment of the program's primary objectives, namely "proof of the !

basic 117L vehiC10. The schedule. proposed would be as follows: !'

;

Flight . 1 2

Month 11/58 12/58

Obi. lin • 117L.

lin •

Engine ( JP4 UDE 4

3 4 5• 6 7 8 9 10 .

1/59 2/59 3/59 • 4/59 5/59 6/59 7/59 8/59

AM 117L 1171, Al'! or AM AM AM AM ;

Fuel

•

Ili
FUOINTT1311YrtitkL . • ...

•

•

5. On the basis of previous discussions with members of AFBMD and on

the assumption of your concurrence, LMSD is . proceeding to establish subcontracts

Ai accord with the definition of responsibilities as stated above. Early approva

of the schedule shown herein is requested to permit its immediate incorporation

into the program.

LOCKHEED AIRCRAFT CORPORATION

MISSILE SYSTEMS DIVISION

J. H. Carter, Manager

JHC:FW0 1 0:sg It Weapon System Branch

cc: Deputy Air Force Plant Representative

Sunnyvale, California •

•

geT-"Millnleasb ••••••..—
. COORDINATION SHEET

+re

•••n•••n•••

MILL ZrouriA.

!TOMMIE 114 THE

"TO" aunts sy

o •.= M NLE111110

OISATION

raw* cenantsAtrA

WILL ISM NAME

010 DATE IN

OTOOPRIATE lawn

•

.

411 wzrz2 SEP 4 1958

.hAml

ft

is:

salt •

^ 414: QI.A,c.

cannot Ott saiga4,81 intannal Air Faroe liespansibilitiee

jamming Edasetanita Provos.

Loaldisad Airoraft Jarparatian

Xiasite :Jyrtets Division DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERV

AITSI Hr. J. Z. ibtrtsr DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEAR

3251 Mame? Street DOD DIR 5200.10

Pao Alto• California

1. ma foliating Air farce intersal amounts covoterning the

Dioestollite Prevent teetedoel responsibilities to be sseiened to

the •abcol okr/atlas Mastro cod the Bleseteatenties ravisicia ere furnished fcet Aar infoostio: end geidenes.

Thy Bloaetrecautdoe Division (DAD) hem* bon giros

remagnial respaaalbilltr for all anima hicestoglite promosand

will oft as tedwdsel 4iaet to the sentometor an bionetieel upsets.

Iliosedinet eonsaltetion will be tided to the =UM

kt Ulmer oroe aansultenta• Use at ticerar ram bictediaal ofeasala•

tatian will be held to an sboolufat wird= and we at sash consultuatsi

ARM 1341oestary, will be spprood b ► Air Yams

0. The 3ehoel sat Aviation necklets will provide to the oce;.

tremors via the 9icastrointio Afrigictia eavircenental ardadvds,

Sirsisalool obleativet and Units, osporinesiel do , data to be

aollooted and technical appraeohem to be mad* Howaver, if them cri.

torte cam be providol In thee to art the contactor s ' deadline°,

Davila initiate action to some salt *Marie Pro other seallable

CIS.

d.. The or *Viatica nod:Wm will vomit at %Annaall test promos sad ~cite bloodiest test melte.

,

. Tba .thee! of Aristide itediaina will maids cantineasa

biciphysisai and biamediaal taabniaal atandarda, liaises and ecneults•

tics to the oantreeter as these 411re related to the biondiast seessee

of the eoporintot. Arc chow isealting tees this i114/Ms Wah WCRSig •

,selist eat of tine expandrdirir euitsemiter not see prier swami

IILD VG,* Will%

tenant War: • • ;Le nt! the

se, of oh: • i•;•ift

$uivtrrs
.0 11. g

I UNI ►.11 •wrice

l mailis r s THE

I•• •0.14.44

-• .ts

•

• 116

'COORDINATION SHEET

t. Dinsot contact it tr.lthorized tutimann.. 1:' nut contractors

intorlaticil or: lotsbe a- moviderz. to :IAD tr.T.

2. ttfe aboqc does not change, the Slot that U -0 11m Project

' ,Moo .t' :zee has rusiAmibilit7 for 3m'ge..oeots

at :lbs./at:33 L and its 'imuctleadin oontaat godat vtt the

. r WOO.

rait. .1.4 tfinlIlatNIfING

tl III•TIA

••• n • WT. 1/24

A./I 1113114I.'

SIGNED

FRSZ2110 c. t. Q.71

*AMA,

aopies fUrnished: Direatar for Una

AFPR, LMSD

ATTN: Mr. J. McLachlin

Sunnyvale, California

4DTSL/BAD

WWI OP

ties datukent e:• ains Wont-lien a!/:piny Iho Nelson?' D..Isns: e: Nat Una.f.1 eittsfti• 9 of nu: [:Aix .q, LsS,. Ti.la

U S.C., lectien 793 ehd 771. lis tsac ► issioas

at deo revelation of kik csaisids in any ammo • la On losuilsorised person is prohibited by lave

UIDPS

W

TWA Johnsaviassm,

ctr 4 .2

TVa►OILARy i Pm"

OAT! OF DiSFOSITION

OM FILE COPY•

: 

— 28 A

"1,1"2594
$

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4 a. :KZ 

k

riaLATiON 431

4 11'S CON- ' ;
CI:1%4;31T

1T'r. • runny TIP.,ATION FA.17A.M USE RE7411gC3-

M9 • tr.:1C0 5 3/2 Rra. 0

2

 Regulator 96 • Component 11..lora Test aborted to owe animal

_ __//1/59 BMW- 30- Air CCIII• 96 Animal died - LA did not function R. 11. 6 Temp

too

0. E. AfterPai2ure) stated A/C would not *falsetto

'vertical position. No mention of this limitation

tp. G. E. Rep. at tine of toot. .

/1.1159 PAT 23 lira. LA Leaks

& Air Coed.

Anisaa. died - A/C did not funetice even the 'snit

333 map horizontal - Cooler external test lino bras ► L/C Temp too high

'26/59 SAN . 27 We

•

133 022 Reg. bypassod after failure, no alt. or tow.

simulation - animal movited

33/59' MEC 21 lire. NOno 233 Sled R'n no failures

22M PAM 36 Bra. hone 133 • Alt. Chamber 330 failures

33/59 MC • 21a lire. Air Cond.

L/C Lemke

Animal died - Lib tonp. too high & CO2 too high -

133 Fan Opt on lar not adequate

3/59 11241. lions 133 Contriftge Toot an failures

T •

•

4-4

1S
1 litif If if

Page

SWIM OF LIFE CriL SYSTM TF$FS WITH ANIZUL (COMO

7 MIL= DORS.=

.0/59 WC 22 Um

L5/59 MIC 19 Hrs.

221/59 WL.DC 25 tIts.

1/59 '71713 21, tire.

25/59 Mt° 21 Rre.

COMPOMMT

FAITIMv trig RE AKS •

goo Ring &

Tygon Tubing

152 Teat aborted to save anima - Alt. Chcaper -

Lost L/C Press. •• 'Of Ring Ec Tyson Tubing leaks

a/B Valve Leak 152 Waal Died - &Lt. Chamber - nitrogen build up

due to failure to purge after air valve Leal: repair

3.33 &tad tbn - No Failures

•

Pyrosviteli • Alt. Chauber .• Teat aborted to save sniasol -

02 Neg. 152 Proas lov • Ayrogaritch blew on InatIn. ?artially

witching over to•rocovary node

air Cold.

Sintered Plates

15 Alt. Chamber - Test aborted to save anLual - CO2

& as D. Teri hi t - EEO did not rend out
5 Incls

1. Cy ltr to WADC,

subj as above

Cy ltr to AFNDC

subj as above

Cy ltr to AYCRC

subj as above

Cy ltr to Air Univ •

subj as above

Cy ltr to AFOSR.

subjs Announcement

of Desig & Org of

Off Sp Asst for BioAstr to D/C for

Ballistic Missiles,

ACC

4

3O1 R. V. DICKSON

...Colonel. USAF

last Deputy Commander.

DF, RDITECto WDTS, Subjects Biomedical Aspects of the Ballistic Miss:

(2) Ground support equipment and other unique requires:le:

logical specimens.

L-141 animals, and poet-mission biological studies.

Procurement, physical conditioning, maintenance, =este;

L 

•

5. Previous instructions in conflict with the above can be cor

ceded and no'longer applicable to the biomedical program.

(3) Behavior conditioning and'performance measuring req

USAF School of Aviation Medicine

Recommendations concerning instrumentation of the bioloE.

A4romedica1 Field Laboratory (linDa)

•

2
«AA-. ......

All iliallemtev • Y roare? rewmANO

UNIT::: • ; • •

i.1 l'ort.r r u‘Sli

WAShott ;J:i as. C. C.

MBA

BUBJECT i Dimeadieel. 'speote of the Ballistic Missile Program

?Os Commander

Air/Dniversitr ,

Maxwell Air Tome Base, Alabama

/. Special Orders limber A.920, Department of the Air Force,

9 Mir 1958, assigned Brigedier General Donald D. Yliekinger, Staff

Surgeon and lareotor of Hunan Pastors, qesdquarters ARC, as an

additional duty, Special Assistant for Bio.Astronauties to the

Dirpor Commander for Ballistic Missiles, A'WC.

All research and development efforts, contemplating the

use of biological payloads on board missiles or spouse vehicles,

will obtain the coordination and approval of the Special Assistant

for Bie-Axtronavtice or Bis designated representative.

To provide the Ballistic Missile Division with timely life

sciences support in the coordination of nroeurtment data, monitor.

ship of contractor efforts, and supervision of inspection tests of

.componente of life supporting and bio•performance measuring equip.

asst, technically qualified lift ssienses personnel will he placed

on ?DT or will be assigned to the Ballistic Missile Division. These

personnel will be authorised to render decisions regarding the adequacy of life supporting equipment and other technical problems

conesened with viable payloads. This headquarters, AM: lne, will

be informed of all decisions in this area. In addition, a monthly

progress report on the development, fabrication, testing, and sched.

tiling of the life sciences portion of the program will be provided.

4. A significant portion of the nation's life sciences capability in support of ipso. operations is contained in certain Air

Force medical and behavioral sciences research and development

organisations. Certain of thee. agencies Are hereby designated as

points of contact for. the weapons systems management organisation

and eontractnrs concerned with development and fabrication of life

supporting equipment and life sciences exreriments. The desicustiun

of those units is for the urinary purpose of assuring that the con.

tractor has the latest informstinn svailsble for ircornoration into

his design, and secondly, to assure the fshriected unit vets the

technical criteria as established by. the Air Tort*. T-Avhioastronautical . menhers co" the Biristic 'rails Division

•
Milo Mg ARM, Sobjesti Diemedisal Aspects of the Ballistic Missile

Programa

Overall approval and eserdinetion ef the life soleness aspeet of tbs.

projegt. Ent, in so doing, will sonsult freely and frequent17 with

the designated units, assuring that liaison is being maintained with

the prime contractor and subcontraetore on the technical biomedioal

and bi•uperformanee problems associated with the projeets.

a.Aeromedieal Laboratory (WADO)

(l) Determination of the biological adequacy of subasselblies, technical specifications for the internal life support

enviionment, and the normal technical development program responst.

bilities of the labor terry for such environments.

Ground support equipment and other unique requireRents for biological 'postmen'.

Behavior conditioning and performance measuring

requirements.

b. USAF Sebool of Aviation 'iodising

' Recommendations eoneerning instrumentation of the biological subjects.

. s. Aeronedioal Field Laboratory (Arm)

Proeurememt, physisal conditioning, maintenance, surfaoe

~weary of animas, and post..miscion biologioal studies. •

Previous iestruntions in conflict with this letter can be

considered superseded and no longer aprlioable to the biomedical

prognia•

tour eoeourresoe with the provisions of paragraph 4, above,

is requested.

PON THE COHHAIWas

1 Tad .

Cy ltr to AF 7s$

fr RDTHA

JOI3 R. V. WRNS

00100514 USAF

Asst Deput y Cozmender/RaD
OOOOO Ulinne

AIR WeleARCI4 F. OCVELO^.1 F117 COMMA/40

upwrr'l 7,TIO'rt: ••I lite`RCIE

SE

11'1

MBA 8 JUN 1958

Commandos. for Ballistic Missiles, ARDC

8113TECTs Annoonossent of Dosignstion and Organisation of Office

of Spacial Assistant for Bio.astrenautiss to Dainty

2E4 . Conisidsr

Air Form O► fiss of Salentine Research 1

Washington 25, D. C.

i 1. Referense is sods to ricravaph !I t denerel CHer . rulber 1119

IT"

. this headquarters, dated 22 Aly. 1918, subject as abovo.

2. The Spatial Assistant for Diarstrosisties. Sallistie Nis.

1 ) siles Division* or Us designated repreaesCative, m111 assume final

totholsol coord/natisoresponaibilitiy far all biolegioal payloads

platted en beard ballistis nissilos and space vehielse. In order

that all blaresdisal and behavioral mimeo exparlisante and %AS

be Iowa and appropriately ocordinsted sad integrated with Vag Sal.

listie Missiles Proves. it is requested that sn mean& projects

modes the eoguisease error office, sash as 'Piggy Bask,' (antes.

TI

plating biological payloads be coordinated into tbs oboes &flee.

g114

:On R. V. DICKSON

Colonel, u$4,

last Deputy commander/R&D

FOR THE COMHANDERs
ADONS5 EMT to

CONAANDfir AMC £TIM

ri- • • .' S-1:' • ''."11*.-:

iirtisT i.itfirs I 3

HEADOUARTER•S

AIR RESEARCH --AvirDEVEtOPMENT COMMAND

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

Andrews Al, ions eau

Washings's.' 2S, D. C.

•

RDTH 60r2 August 1958

SUBJECT: Responsibilities of School

ARDC Biosstellite Program,

TO: Commander

. Air University'

Maxwell Air Force Base

Alabama

of Aviation Medicine in the

Subsystem L WS-117L

Pursuant to the directive of the Commander, Air Research and

Development Command that all USAF biomedical lesources be used in support of subject program, agreements have been reached between representatives of Headquarters Air Research and Development Command, Headquarters United States Air Force, Air University (Headquarters School

of Aviation Medicine), Air Force Missile Development Center, and Wright

Air Development Center, concerning technical responsibilities to be

assigned to the School of Aviation Medicine.

As the result of the meeting referenced in paragraph 1, the

inclosed statement of pOlicy is hereby published as Supplement No. 1

to the letter from this headquarters, =TEA, dated 6 June 1958, subject:

Biomedical Aspects of the Ballistic Missile Program. Provisions of

paragraph 4, referenced letter, in conflict with policy letter for subsystem L, will be disregarded.

FOR THE COMMANDER:

•

/' /---

Z24/ /

1 Incl •

Supplement No. 1, Hq ARDC

Letter, 6 Jun 1958, subj:

Biomed Aspects of Ballistic

Missile Program, 8.Aug 1958

(S)

•

).

...

att.

.1. • - • • •

DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR IIVERVAL*

DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 ‘EARi.

DOD DIR 5200.10

I

I molly L •
\ _

•

:' •

1/41)

8 August 1958

SUPPLEMENT NO. 1 10 HQ AIR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMAND LETTER RDTHA,

DATED 6 JUNE 1958, SUBJECT: BIOMMICAL ASPECTS OF THE BALLISTIC MISSILE

PROGRAM

1. Policy:

1.1 The United States Air Force is responsible for establiahment

of biomedical criteria for subsystem L capsules and specimens. The

managerial responsibility for all animal biosatellite programs rests

within the Bioastronautics.Division (BAD), Air Force Ballistic Missile

Division, Hq ARDC. The United States Air Force will specify environmental standards, biomedical objectives and limits, experimental design,

data to be collected and technical approaches to be used.

1.2 Biomedical consultation will be provided to the maximum by

in Air Force consultants. Use of non-Air Farce biomedical consultation

will be held to an absolute minimum and use of such consultants, when

necessary, will be approved by Air Force.

1.3 Air Force will ept as technical director to the contractor on

biomedical aspects.

2. Function:

2.1 The School of Aviation Medicine will provide to the contractor,

via the Bioastronautics Division, criteria noted in paragraph 1.1, above.

2.2 The School of Aviation Medicine will consult on biomedical test

programs and evaluate biomedical test results.

2.3 The School of Aviation Medicine will provide continuous biophysical and biomedical technical standards, liaison and consultation to

the contractor as these are related to the biomedical success of the experiment. Any changes resulting from this liaison which would affect

cost or time expended by contractor must receive prior approval by

BAD.

274 All other decisions relative to test responsibility and conduct

engineering requirements, scheduling, time and costing functions and

general welfare of the program will remain with BAD or their properly

designated representatives, and BAD decisions are final.

2.5 Whereas contractor costs will. be supported by AFBMD (Hq ARDC),

those costs and manpower requirements such as TDY, materials, transportation, labor and parts, 'incurred by the School of Aviation Medicine

in the implementation of this policy will be borne by the $chool of

Aviation , Medicine, Air University.

C8-61,173
2.6 This policy becomes effective immediately. If the requirement

for criteria referred to in paragraph 2.1 cannot be provided in : -time to

meet contractors' deadlines, BAD will initiate action to secure such

criteria from other available sources.

2.7 Direct contact is authorised between SAM and contractor; information copies will be provided to BAD.

DON FLICKINGER

Brigadier General, USAF (NC)

Director•of Life Sciences

•

C8-61.172

WD - 58 -05560
FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

...I DIRECTORATE, DISOOMERER SATELLITE SYS= (WDZSD), OFFICE OF MR

ASSISTANT Muff UlftliNDIR, SPACE SISTEMB

•

1. Responsible to the Assistant Deputy Ocemender, E0ace *stems,

for the integration of all mem*, development, and test aspects

of the Discoverer Satellite Wotan. . Responsible for the determinetics of detailed performance specifications, pertinent physical

:11 charaateristies, and essential functional criteria necessary to meet

.developmental ar operational requirements. Monitors and/or co-ordinates

the actions of all other participating AFBND agenoies in the prepare.. .

.tin of detailed preliminary planning data, the productionof develop.

M•Aw. meat plans, and the formulation of vork statements essential to the

' integration ()fall elements of the Diem:rem Satellite System, to

1::: respond to specific Department of DefenseandAir Forma directives

and requirements pertaining to the Discoverer Syvrtem. Develops and

1 maintains' closely co-ordinated ties schedule' for all directorate -

*!t.... activity to insure that order/7 progress in the eystem is maintainedt

and to permit the most effective expenditure of rescuroes by identi-

)

eying those areas vbich'require tibial' attention. Evaluates contractor

.,L1 proposali as'apperopriate. Prepares and forwards reports as required.

Directs and co-ordinates all and Contractor activities as appro- A. prig% for and • pertaining to the development and test of the Disooverer

System to insure the orderly and timerimAlielnimweb of an operationally

suitable and reliable systea.

2. Coordinates thwactious' of all agencies participating in and

supporting the development and test of the Discoverer System, indluding

the AFDC, ARDO Centers, other AF Command, U. S. Navy, and U. S. A.

417--)(#16'ir

•
TYPIST tiIT1aa. PERMANENT

TEMPORARY

COORDINATION SHEET

ezaiockt odor/1522

tionegomsot of DISCOVER= tilarailIes1 Program

a

OCT 2 6 959

There have been a aeries of semoranda from various sources an

the above sub4set.

Ihe disagreement (as to viether or sot a certain test vas needed)

arose, I believe, largely became of niansdiseteoltimg and with twee

tiraelay oceseraed widely mattered about the country at the tins

the natterc up.

3. Oeuerally epeekiag, in Va aub,tect programservos es a sub.

wise =new saggartize WDZIM. The arrangsaimi)nie vorked fairly

veg-nintil the item cited la per 2 erode, and will, I believe comtlaue

to be effective.

b. sae this marrest problem by bona resalvet, I met as a natter

of policy auggvirt Va view that theDirector, =SCOUR= tletellite

Rotes is basically seepomeible for the guathy of all aspects of

us morn= Proms asi,•asecediagly, wet ban the authority

vkleh is miss to meet the reepameibility assigned to bin.

SIGNED

ERIC C. R. ODER CoPT tot

Colonel, MAP • wrap

Pasistsat Deputy Cariattier • 11DZEI

apseS6pneas WRZA.

•

.arok cooRDINATioN

)114.4 11.

ex/9/6/.7- Al •
lickBlum? P.srimaNy 7L; pyirini,ed

fi
FINE IX:COMMIT NO 167

for original

APPENDIX

This Launch Data Digest was Appendix D of several Lockheed

Aircraft Corporation reports, but they reflect corrections

made by Space and. Missile Systems Organization's . Historian, . •

and the addition of information on the two last launches.

C

CLASSIFICATION OF TI-!15 03CLIMENT

WILL BE DOWN GRADED Tol

UPON REMOVAL OF ENCLOSUALS.

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JEUnt.1 LMSC B030797

APPENDIX D, LAUNCH DATA DIGEST (Continued)

1/1111/01.1 LAWN • •.. • ,

rum to. AM MIAS TAD OATS 595 enrol MONA TM • , "-'rumirs ND

1100 11211111 110. LEW PO. 956 Arms991999 an aScorstv mums MAO incomeino n.ragr 01111:111917CM CAPITAL mama=

73 1.1714400 2 31-7-59 M. 1ar4.8 as Deentor ma-Thiptanderel losobed on nisi. attampt. Two

1112)0UT 1270511.$1 l0-Oil hslds tor trains - eight min.

PST but phone weashistsotery.

Deteritostinm of (Ueda control

state* at 2.112 noel ampleto Sae

it central at T wIlli see. Deterioration et aight ventral preceded by lose at main engine flea shield at littelf. 1spesore at

antral @yawn wiring to excessive

temperatures pretsbly tesponodble

tor deem in ountral mum per.

termonea. &operation deo to

strange/al failure. loth aingon Webbed WI revadvad teeisally

intact. &damse of damp in

forward end at SLIA.2 and yeginvd

separatism tram ms-ou„ SUMS

nhoptaw• normal until tlight

terdnatiang nominal in standby

stets after treat-opert.

w

111 •

IMMO 1199/406 P1W 1 11-12-Li Ten 11241 up

Similer to 1171 that lama/rot this esofisorstism

Pad 1 1115eb0.1) 'labials tree POW. Lanni* en tient

attempt. Ons held tot 12 gin -

romp clemrsane. Serer in count- down mender* resulted in amniaSLIM of bank pressurisation atter '

11-011 prspellant leading. Soma

phase satisfactory despite lower strectmral strammth et 61-0141. Trejsetarr *auditions near-nominal.

Longer than predicted ',gime Men &ration bosom" et Lou ttrust.

ilinelom *Vastly's and mear-nseinal

orbit attained. Lint 1 telemetry not

sultehed to orbital asstgarot otter

injection. Or►Atal porterwance reportedly entistasterri hammer.

attempted reassert as Slot pass

woomoscosalml.

altitedwo 99.6 as Telosity 25,729 fps

Ionisation' 0.29 awl tasentriaitys 0.01577 Periods 90.11 oda Misses 95.1 911

Apogees 211.5 sn

1114110191

1161/290 tad t 1241.43 Ins

1311541.7

.114•41

Yes; Au

WAWA .

. 99.2 I,

clarity 25.151 rod Alsatian 61.50 des

deity 0.01107

Porte. 119.16 min

Perigee 99.5 as►

*Pens 200.6 as

•

1

. I •

.}.--.26 ' - WIMP

, 55511 5-1.01

i Car 5•49999.9a

°Men lisport so.)

t1111 N-21/011•014

1331+1g 13. Mt swam *Mama

nit

•

.

Is 15-012

-v • :

UNN1601 first attempt. Sr bald Sit 101.1

ter toolmo. iltLott normal. tolCo Vol - $.213

'Pros gildsmen command. Stage II Zeal L ?Lye

soperofion ass esommls ►om000r. dna Immo 0.0203

in oslay inadson od tam stags 12 toned vo.16

. MOM 9011

 InJoectam volocial ono tors lel 09

greaten Inas rewired .

- 45 -
Progran 162 Vehicles Launched: 78

Vehicles Orbited: 61

Capsules Recovered:* 40

Air 35

Sei: 5

• * Four payioads,,three of which orbited, were

nonrecoverable types.

Vehicle

Orbital Changes Flight

Achievement Incorporated Description

No LY-2A/SS-01A First TAT

BTL Guidance in vehicle from

SS-01A PALC; Launch CT

lst'attempt; 3

holds - 20 min

total duration,

for LV-2A, gyro

heater cycling.

Beclycling BTL

loop checks and

for evaluation

indicated SS-01

fuel leak; Boos

performance sat

factory; electr

al power proble

in SS-01A at VD

resulted in complete loss

control during thrust interval; separation and ignitio:

normal; engine shutdown pre.

mature due to loss of contr.(

which coupled with mis-direc

tion of thrust, precluded

orbit attainment.

Capsule Type: Arf-L

No recovery

Vehicle

Flt Serial Pad Launch

Number . No Date

77 1175/396 PALC 1 3-24-64

Pad 1 1422:48.52

PST

1604/395 PALC 1 4-2764 Yes

Pad 4 1623:43.55

PDT

Capsule Type:

No recovery

16th TAT (IN- Launched on fir/

2A) attempt. Very

accurate orbit

was attained. I

SS-01A separatic

en electrical

overload of shor

duration within

the pyro distribution system, s

part of the pyro

bus power was •

permanently lost

This precluded

recovery, backup

system, and research payload operations.

The satellite was satisfactorily deactivated on orbit 7:

and reactivated on pass 246.

Power depletion occurred at

Orbit 359.