METEOROLOGICAL PROGRAM
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN CY 1963

• ONE YEAR LIFETIME EXCEEDED.

•CONTINUOUS COVERAGE SINCE JUNE 19, 1962.

•FIRST DEMONSTRATION OF LOCAL READOUT PICTURE SYSTEM.

• 80,000 USEFUL PICTURES

• DISCOVERY OF FIVE HURRICANES.

• OBSERVATION OF EIGHT HURRICANES AND TEN TYPHOONS.

LAUNCH OF 165 SOUNDING ROCKETS.

NASA SF64-223

FIGURE 150

In addition to the satellite projects described above, data obtained from the small meteorological sounding rockets have been used both independently and with data from the cooperative efforts of the meteorological rocket network in atmospheric research.

Future

Figure 151 depicts the future milestones in the NASA meteorological program.

The first flight test of the experimental APT camera for direct local readout is going on now, using TIROS VIII. Then we show the first NIMBUS, to be launched this spring. Following that is the "wheel" TIROS, a new development in that series to obtain Earth-oriented pictures from a spin-stabilized satellite. Then there will be two launches of TIROS spacecraft into eccentric orbits. These will obtain cloud cover data at various resolutions and altitudes from the first launch, and provide continuous viewing for several hours of a particular area from the second launch. NIMBUS-B will incorporate advanced sensors as well as redundancy techniques in order to significantly lengthen the spacecraft operating lifetime in orbit. The operational TIROS spacecraft are funded by the Weather Bureau to obtain the additional data needed by that agency for weather analysis and forecasting. NASA will provide the necessary services for these purposes.

NASA's principal objective in the communications area is to conduct the necessary research and development to insure timely availability of technology needed for operational communication systems. A second objective is to meet NASA's responsibilities under the Communications Satellite Act.

While the early operational systems will probably establish high capacity communications between a rather limited number of very large expensive ground stations, future systems will have to provide service to large numbers of users requiring various degrees of capacity. Satellites will have to be larger and more powerful and, since they will be expensive, must be made to live for many years to be economical. These larger satellites will permit the use of more and smaller, less expensive ground stations; thus, many more users will be accommodated, and greater geographical coverage of the Earth I will be achieved.

Looking further to the future, satellites will make possible better communications with aircraft, ships at sea, and moving land vehicles. This will require significantly greater satellite power but may make realistic the use of satellites for such vital needs as air and sea traffic control and navigation. Also, with higher powered satellites, direct satellite-to-home-receiver TV broadcasts may be achieved.

Thus, full exploitation of communication satellite potential requires that NASA continuously study and assess the applicability of satellites to communications needs other than those normally provided by common carriers.

In executing a program to meet these objectives NASA must maintain technical competence in order to fulfill its responsibilities prescribed in the Communications Satellite Act of 1962-an important one of which is to advise the Federal Communications Commission on the technical characteristics of operational systems.

NASA will continue its close cooperation with, and support of, the Department of Defense. Coordination with the DOD has been carried out through such media as the Aeronautics and Astronautics Coordination Board, the Unmanned Spacecraft Panel, and the Technical Committee on Communications Satellites. An example of a truly cooperative effort between NASA and DOD is SYNCOM, a joint project in which DOD supplied the communications ground stations, and NASA the spacecraft.

Progress

The year 1963 was a particularly exciting year in communications. satellite achievements. Representative accomplishments are: 1. Operation of RELAY I through designed lifetime.

2. Placing of first satellite in a nearly synchronous orbit— SYNCOM I.

3. Successful launch and operation of TELSTAR II. 4. Successful launch and operation of SYNCOM II.

RELAY I was successfully operated for its designed goal of 1 year. TELSTAR II, having been modified as a result of the experience with TELSTAR I, added to the list of accomplishments. SYNCOM I, while not successful as a communications satellite, became the world's first satellite placed in nearly synchronous orbit.

Of greatest success was SYNCOM II which demonstrated that a communications satellite in synchronous orbit is feasible. The list of SYNCOM's achievements includes:

First satellite to be maneuvered to a preselected station in synchronous orbit.

First demonstrations from synchronous altitude of:

(a) Multichannel voice communications.

(b) Multichannel teletype.

(c) Simultaneous voice and teletype.

(d) Facsimile.

(e) Television (picture only).

Record satellite communication "on" time of approximately 2,000 hours involving more than 1,000 experiments and special tests.

Last year we reported that TELSTAR I (fig. 152) had experimentally linked Europe and North America; since then RELAY has linked North America with South America, and North America with Asia. SYNCOM has carried voice between Africa and North America, further transmitted via RELAY to South America.

Thus, during the last year Africa, South America, and Asia were added to the areas experimentally linked to the United States by means of communications satellites. These experiments were dramatically brought to the attention of the peoples of the world via numerous public demonstrations of this new communications medium involving the transmission of voice, teletype, facsimile, and television. Information services throughout the world have not only begun to learn how to use this new medium, but they have recognized its tremendous value to their industry, and, when events of interna

tional import have occurred, they have rushed to request and use the experimental satellites now in orbit. For instance, TV coverage of events surrounding President Kennedy's assassination and funeral included eight transmissions to Europe and three to Japan via RELAY. Additional progress is evidenced by the fact that radio frequency allocations for operational communications satellites were internationally negotiated at an Extraordinary Administrative Radio Conference of the International Telecommunications Union concluded in November 1963. The strength of the U.S. technology and experimental program assisted greatly in receiving international support for the U.S. position in these negotiations.

During the last year, the responsibility for navigation satellite research was combined with that for communications satellites because of the related nature of the technology involved. Studies were initiated with fiscal year 1963 funds to investigate the feasibility of a satellite system to serve as an aid to air-sea navigation, traffic control, and air-sea rescue activities in conjunction with inexpensive, reliable, and simple surface equipment. These studies have been closely coordinated with other Government agencies having responsibilities in these areas, and they are scheduled for completion in fiscal year 1964. We plan during the coming year to participate with the potential user agencies, such as the Federal Aviation Agency, Commerce, Interior, and DOD, in developing a national program plan which will set forth the required future effort.

Status of flight projects.-The specific status of our flight projects is shown in the following illustrations.

The 135-foot balloon ECHO II spacecraft (fig. 153) was launched on January 25, 1964. It is being used in cooperative experiments with the U.S.S.R.

The first RELAY spacecraft (fig. 154) was launched and has operated successfully with the exception of 25 days, for over a year. Its success has confirmed that the technology exists for medium altitude operational systems.

The first SYNCOM spacecraft (fig. 155) weighing 146 pounds at launch on February 14, 1963, achieved a nearly synchronous orbit but its communications system was damaged at injection. A second satellite launched on July 26, 1963, has been completely successful. This satellite, because of the inclination of its launch, traces a figure 8 path ranging from 33° N. to 33° S. latitude.

Future

The schedule for future launches is shown in figure 156.

A second and improved RELAY satellite will be launched early in 1964 to take up where RELAY I left off to acquire further information at intermediate altitudes.

The launch of SYNCOM III is planned for early 1964. It will be placed in a near-equatorial orbit and stationed over the Pacific Ocean.