Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-18

Muy Lounch
2O-Inch Ball
In January
b. the Associated Press

b the Associated Press
The Navy announced today
that II it is successful in
launching o small six-inch sat-
elite next month it will then
try to launch q fully instru-
mented 20-inch satellite ahead
of the original March target
date.
Original plans called for
launching three test vehicles"
containing six-inch. 3.4-pound
satellite spheres. The FIRST
would be sent up some time
during December.
But a spokesman said today
that II the Navy was successful
in launching the small sphere
into an orbit on the first test,
the other two preliminary tests
might be foregone and an at
tempt made to put a 20-inch
sphere into orbit. The original
plan as announced by Presi-
dent Eisenhower some weeks
ago was that the month Of
March was the objective for
putting the larger sphere into
orbit.
May Come in January
IF we are successful with
the first small sphere) it would
probably mean launching a big
20-inch one. in January" q
spokesman for the Nays Prof.
ect Vanguard said.
The possibility of q two
month speedup was disclosed as
the spokesman discussed with
a newsman remarks Of the
project director. DR.. John p.
Hagen, at a news conference.
Vanguard is the original
United States satellite program.
undertaken as part Of this
country's participation in the
international GeophysicaI
Year. But on November 8, a
week after the second Soviet
satellite was placed in orbit,
the Army was authorized to 60
ahead independently Of Project
Vanguard and try to put q
satellite up by using one of its
big Jupiter-C rockets. Army
scientists had been saying that
II they had to go-ahead. they
could have launched a satellite
ahead of the Russians.
There has been no official
when the Army satel-
lite might be launched. but
there have been hints it could
be before March.
Priority Now Higher
DR.. Hagen said at the news
conference that Project VAN
guard nov possesses a higher
priority than 1t did in the past"
and that the Improvement" in
priority took place within the
past week or so"
DR.. Hagen said he could not
amplify on the priority matter.
He told reporter after the
news conference that there was
a possibility of getting a full.
f1edged satellite with instru.
ments into orbit ION or before
and he added I'm not
we will. We are aiming
at March"
But he AIDED the sooner the
better"
1t was then that the spokes.
man for Project Vanguard told
about the possibility of an at.
tempt to launch the larger type
satellite prior to March If the
Navy was successful in launch.
ing the small test sphere in De-
cember.
Asked at the news confer
ence whether the Army would
launch its satellite If the Navy
gets up a 20-inch one. DR..
replied Il can't answer
that don't know"
He said, The Army was
brought in merely to cover the
bets"
IF you have the possibility
Of second way to do some-
thing" he said. tits a good
idea to use the second way"
Or. Hagen said that the pos
ility Of the Army also
unching a satellite would pro-
vide opportunity for "a bonus
in the satellite
field, and that I'VE tat the
Naval Research laboratory
are in the throes Of preparing
that will be used
by the Army"
DR.. Hagen indicated that it
takes about month to prepare
for a launching OF satellite
rocket once the rocket itself is
delivered to the launching site.