The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1963-04-12
The Allen-Scott Report
Leaving Spaceship Protection During Orbit
Scheduled For u S. Astronaut Early Next Year

| WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE
U. S. is preparing to match
Russia's latest space "spectacu-
lar" with one Of its own.
An aStronaut will attempt to
walk in space"
He will open a trap-door III an
DRIFTING spacecraft and step out
into space more than $50 miles
above the earth.
For the astronaut's safety, he
will be attached to the space
craft by a special 2O-foot life
line" and also will be equipped
with one-haH hours supply Of
oxygen.
Approval of this daring space
experiment has been given Ma
tional Aeronautics Space Ad-
mimstration scientists by Di-
rector James Webb. When the
extraordinary project is an
noumced later this month, the
aStronaut who undertakes it will
be selected.
NASA's flight plan" for the
thrilling feat calls for the astro-
naut to attempt the space
walk" early next year from
two-man Genuni spaceship. The
other astronaut will control the
craft.
During the experiment, the
Gemini spacecraft will be travel
ing at some 5000 miles an
hour. The space walking" as
tronaut will wear pressurHed
suit under coveran garment
that will protect him from heat,
cold. and meteoroid puncture.
Probably no aStronaut =
American or Soviet-has so far
taken the risk this daring pio-
neer will face in leaving his
spacecraft.
Still very much in the realm
OF the unknown is the exact
rate OF speed the astronaut will
travel once outside his capsule.
On the basis Of calculations,
NASA scientists estimate the as
tronaut will travel at the same
speed as his spacecraft. This
INFESTED theory is challenged by
the aStrOnauts who have actual
~ flown in space.
They believe that the space
walking astronaut, like the fire
fly particles knocked off their
spaceships during flight, will
travel at a slower rate than his
craft.
If this theory is correct, the
astronaut being pulled along by
his Genini could face new and
unknown menaces.
PROBING THE UNKNOWN
In his Space-Walking mission, the
astronaut will not be affected by
gravity nor will he be able
to control his attitude. The lat
ter will be in the hands of the
astronaut who remains in the
cabin.
Should the 2O-foot life line"
break, the astronaut confronts
virtually certain death as the
Gemini spacecraft is not de-
signed to pick up a person float
ing in space.
The aStronaut would be able
to stay alive only as long as his
oxygen lasted. After that ran
out, his dead body would be in
cinerated when his orbit brought
him into the earth's ahnos-
phere.
TO keep the astronaut from
exploding in space, special pro-
tecnve clothing is being de-
signed. This space suit will be
the prototype for moon landing
missions.
The Gemini spacecraft used in
this dramatic experiment is
similar in shape but about so
per cent larger than the Mere
ury capsule in which astronaut
Leroy Gordon Cooper is slated
TO make a 22-orbit flight next
month.
The two-man Gemim space
craft, to be hurled into orbit by a
modified Titan missile will per-
NIT rendezvous in space with an
other craft. The plan is for the
aStronautS to attach their craft
TO a satellite previously sent
aloft.
Designed for use in orbits for
up to two weeks at time, the
Gemini- is the next step in the
development Of the Apollo space
vehicle to be used in rendezvous
and moon landings.
Space scientists belive Russia
Will soon put two-nlan astro
naut team in orbit possibly for
the Communists May Day cele-
bration.
Vice President Lyndon John
son. chairman of the National
Space Council. limited at this in
a little-noticed paragraph in. his
speech before the National
Rocket Club, as follows:
In this year of 1863 it
IS possible that our efforts may
be overShadoWed by Soviet
space shots. l urge, therefore,
that We not be discouraged by
publicized events but rather be
stimulated to even greater eff