Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-28
BY ALTON L. BLAKEsLEE

WOIlu 10 SOlLlS W Bcb IlCVCI'
before-seen idea of our lifegivine
sun.
Plus a count Of how many
meteors clutter up Space.
Five cents. or less, could bt
your share Of the cost of the frs,
man-made moon. and what II
will do. see and tell.
The United States plans tc
shoot up six satellites during the
international Geophysical year
Each will be geared to seek Out
specific new facts about thing:
in space that affect the way We
live, or may live.
The first one has q window tt
look at the sun. and microphone'
to heart and count the ping. ping
ping-or WHAM-of thousands
of meteors the size of dust speck.
or grains of sand. Or horribly
bigger, puncturing ones to en-
danger future space travellers.
Instruments for this first
satellite are about perfected, 9
visit the Naval Research Lab.
oratory shows. Here the com.
pleted satellite balls are being
assembled.
$50 Million Appropriated
First, about that nickel Of
Congress has granted $50 mil.
lion Of your money so far fol
the United States part of ICY
glohal studies. About half is go.
ing for satellites.
But that's not all. The De.
partment of Defense is in charge
Of developing and shooting the
rockets to raise the moon. Thi,
involves indirect costs for the
Navy. Air Force and Army. Uni.
versities also are sepnding funds
designing many satellite in.
struments.
Even If the total satellite cos
were $51 million. that still fig.
ures to a nickel for each of 81,
satellites for every one Of III
million Americans, or 80 cent,
for the set Of six.
Will it buy you anything
worth while?
Scientists are convinced Il
will. paying tremendous d.
vidends. 1t depends partly OF
how many little moons flyini
successfully. and how long.
Four Groups Planned
So far, four different groups
Of experiments are planned, ex'
plains DR.. Homer E. Newell, jr.
Of NRL. science program CO,
ordinator for Project Vanguard
Group /: Experiments vii
study rays from the sun
meteors, density of air in space
temperatures and pressure'
there, and shape of the earth.
Group 2: Cosmic rays anC
meteors.
Group 3: Magnetic field,
around the earth. and air den.
sity.
Group 4: How much energy
and heat come into and from
the earth: or else a study Of
clouds over the earth to aid ir
weather predictions. Which
study will be chosen is yet un.
decided.
Due to weight limits, each
satellite can be rugged only fol-
one group Of studies. II the frs
shot fails, an identical moor
will be fired again. If that fails
the third shot will be rugged fol
group 2 experiments. and SO on
If the first moon stays UP, tn,
second shot viii be a group
satellite. AL shots could possibl,
fail. Or the first four could al
succeed. If so. scientists will picI
other studies for the fifth ans
sixth moons.
Report on First Two
Here's the why and how anc
progress report on the first tive
satellite designs:
The Group satellite will hav,
a special window in its shell Il
look at the sun. It will measure
and report the intensity Of {
particular kind of ultraviolet o.
sun-tan rays which are al
soaked up by our own thicl
atmosphere and never reach tn,
earth.
These rays exert a controllinI
influence on long-range radi,
communications on earth, ant
probably on climate trends, too
They might be pretty lethal II
space travellers.
Space is full of tiny meteors
One estimates is that 1000 ton
Of dust from shooting stars
falls on earth daily. The dus
perhaps helps ionize or electrif,
our upper air, could provide seed
for raindrop formation.
-Four microphones inside tn
first moon win count these hits
broadcasting the interstella
score back to earth. Tiny one
won't puncture the shell.
This moon will have two her
metically sealed inner chamber
filled with gas or breath" unde
pressure. II a meteor belt
through. gas will escape. ant
measuring devices will indicat,
where and how serious a hit