Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-08

Gdlkd, W1llCLl Sl1lCc 1dSt OuIlu
the earth in the second Soviet
satellite. These reports in
dicated an announcement
might be imminent.
Other reports reaching Lon
don today from usually reliable
sources said Russia soon will
fire aloft a third satellite twice
as big as the half-ton Sputnik
II and with another live dog
aboard. These reports said the
third satellite will be aimed at
penetrating farther into space
than the two Sputniks now
hurting around the earth.
Western scientists have been
on the alert for what some Of
them believed might be a new
Russian space venture to dram
atize the anniversary of the
Red Revolution.
Moon Rocket Envisaged
There has been some specu-
lation the Russians might try
to send a rocket to the moon,
on top of their achievement in
launching the worlds first two
earth satellites.
In Cambridge, Mass, officials
Of the Smithsonian Astrophysi-
cal Observatory said last night
they had received no word from
any observers indicating any
unusual activity on the moon
yesterday. DR.. j. Allen Hynek,
associate director of the OBJ
servatory, said there have been
"rumors only" that the Rus
slams would try to fire a rocket
to the moon at this time.
Moscow sources said the
launching of a moon rocket was
envisaged by the Soviets. but
not in the immediate future.
One informant said I'VE have
the technical capability for
launching such a rocket, but it
is not part of our immediate
program"
In London, Britain's chief
atomic expert said last night it
would give a push to Western
collaboration If the Russians
reach the moon on their next
space expedition.
Sees Shock as Beneficial
Sir John Cockcroft, director
of the Harwell Atomic Research
Establishment, said: THE shock
of Sputnik has brought. par
ticularly in the United States,
a feeling for collaboration in
the Western World I think
what is now required is for the
Russians to hit the moon with
Sputnik III and this will help
us very considerably"
Meanwhile, Smithsonian OBJ
servatory officials backed away
last night from an earlier COM
ment that the 1,120-pound
Sputnik II may have come
apart. That earlier statement
was made on the basis Of I'M
confirmed reports from various
sources.
Today, a scientist there re-
ported sighting a faint object
about 10 to IS seconds ahead OF
Sputnik II.
DR.. John S. Rinehart. assist
ant director, said he saw an
object resembling a faint star
moving in advance of the
much-more brilliant satellite
rocket.
Has Something Gone Wrong?
No speculation was imme-
diately available on the ques-
tion-whether a mechanism
set to return a chamber carry
ing the dog. Laika. back to
earth might have gone wrong.
Such a mechanism might
have been designed to eject the
dogs chamber in a direction
opposite to the satellites flight
and thus slow it down for a
return to earth. On the other
hand, If tumbling motion of
the rocket caused such a por-
ton Of the rocket to be thrust
forward, it would become a
satellite itself-traveling even
faster than Sputnik II.
DR.. Hynek and DR.. Fred l..
Whipple, the observatory's di-
rector, said last night they
don't think Sputnik II is break
ing up. DR.. Hynek said he
watched the dog carrying satel-