Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-08
U. 5. Satellites
Ready Except
ForlauncIlers


The United States has more
than q helf-dozen completed
space satellites ct the Naval
Research Laboratory here but
they cannot be launched Until
next spring because The rocket
iaunchers have not heenafully
tested for the final effort, the
Navy disclosed today.
The United States satellites.
which have been completed
for . year are In two, sizes.
IA Navy spokesman said this
Nation has ct least two and
probably several more magne-
stun alloy satellites 20 inches
in diameter and Weighing ala
pounds.
There are three smaller sat-
elites fully equipped and ready
to penetrate outer space, the
Navy said. These are 81
inches IN diameter and weigh
three and one-quarter pounds.
A dozen more smaller models
are undergoing tests now.
In addition. the Navy has
completed Is to IS. test models
exactly like the 20-inch satel-
lites. These. however, are made
with an aluminium shell in
stead OF magnesium.
No Change In Timetable
The Navy, which has charge
of the United States space sat-
elite program. has announced
no change In the launching
timetable. This is set for next
spring. The Glenn l.. Martin
Co. Of Baltimore has the prime
contract for building the three
stage intercontinental rocket
which will eventually bear the
United States satellite beyond
the pull Of the earth's gravity.
Several other companies have
subsidiary contracts.
The Defense Department said
today the Navy plans to launch
the third in its Vanguard test
series within a few days at
Cape Canaveral. Fla.-the Air
Force Missile Test Center.
Russian Satellite Tracked
Meanwhile. Walter McDon-
aid. information ofIicer for
Operation Vanguard--Amer-
ica's satellite program--said all
nine Minitrack Test Stations in
the Western Hemisphere are
now functioning. He said the
electronic tracking equipment
and the IBM computers now
have such an accurate nix on.
Sputnik. the Soviet satellite.
that It's position. course. speed
and orbit can be plotted into.
infinity.
The Russian satellite passed
directly over Washington at
1853 am. today--the FIRST time
the little Red moon has been
right over the Nations Capital.
Its other passes have been
either TO the west or east of
Washington at 400 miles alti-
tude. Last night. the scientists
recorded another transit at
ll:32 o'clock several hundred
miles west Of this city.
The scientists last night dis
covered an interruption in the
20 and 40 megacycle radio sig
mails being emitted by the
moonlet as it whirls around the
earth at $4,000 miles per hour.
The trip takes about 90 min.
utes. a.
Navy Research Laboratory
and ofiicials Of the Smithson-
ian Astrophysical Laboratory in
CAMBRIDGE. Mass, agreed that
this could have been caused
either by atmospheric condi-
tons or by some preset device
inside the 23-inch Russian orb.
New visual sightings were
reported in Alaska and Aus
tralia last night by persons CO.
operating in ''moonwatch," a
visual system originally set up
to observe United States satel-
lites when they are fired. All
moonwatch data is being
assembled at the Cambridge
Observatory. A spokesman said
the sightings were significant
because they conceded with the
position plotted In advance at
Vanguard headquarters.
The latest Alaskan sightings
were made first by a group of
20 naval officers. and Q hours
later by three weather OBJ
servers.
The naval officers reported