and the missile and space program. In keeping with its general mission, USAERDL is presently engaged in many projects of direct concern to the missile and space program. In almost every instance, its twentyfour fields of endeavor have direct application to space research. USAERDL's extensive physical facilities and nucleus of scientifically trained personnel is capable of expanding to encompass major segments of the national space program as may be required.

The Waterways Experiment Station, specializing in hydraulics, concrete, soil mechanics, ground mobility, and flexible pavement design, is well equipped to conduct specific projects relative to space and missile research.

The remaining Corps of Engineers research facilities -- Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Research Establishment; Arctic Construction and Frost Effects Laboratory; Rigid Pavements Laboratory; and the Marine Division -- currently have specific specialized missions, certain of which have direct application to space exploration.

The Corps has a long record of major achievements. Its existing facilities and body of trained engineers and scientists are capable of handling many space projects in-house or by contract, and are also capable of expanding to meet more complex requirements. The Corps of Engineers can lend invaluable support to future national space programs.

CHAPTER IV: SIGNAL CORPS

ROLE OF THE SIGNAL CORPS

The historic mission of the Signal Corps is to provide command control for the Army. This mission has continued from 1860 to the present day, when the Signal Corps plans, directs and supervises signal communications and cryptologistic activities of the Army and operates the Army's world-wide communications net. The Signal Corps also trains Army personnel for their duties as communicators and electronic repairmen and specialists in the Army in the field and develops, procures, stores, issues and maintains communications equipment for the Army in the field and for the world-wide communications net.

In addition to communications, the Signal Corps has numerous other assigned missions. Some of these, such as pictorial, meterological and communications security include sizeable operational responsibilities, described later in detail. Other areas involve only research, development, logistic and training functions. The Signal Corps has been assigned Army logistic responsibility for some 58 Federal Stock Catalog classes. These largely include all communications equipment, electrical and electronic equipment, piece parts, energy converters, electronic instruments, automatic pilot mechanisms, photographic equipment and supplies and automatic data processing systems (except for fire control). Primary Army R&D cognizance assignments to the Signal Corps are generally in the same areas as the logistics assignments and in addition, include transistors, ECM equipment, meteorology, radar (except fire control) and television equipment. These assignments generally may be considered as covering major areas of experience, competence and facilities in the fields of communications, combat surveillance, ECM, ADPS equipment, avionics, and electronic piece parts, tubes and transistors, and energy converters.

Recent Projects Related to Missile and Space Field

The Signal Corps is currently conducting eleven missile and space projects for NASA, ARPA, and other DOD Agencies. These programs have a projected gross value of $70,000,000, exclusive of cost of the missiles and include:

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1. Contributions to the satellite payloads of several of the successful U. S. satellite launchings.

a. The U. S. Army Signal Research and Development Laboratory (USASRDL) designed and fabricated the first solar power sup-, ply converter ever flown in a satellite, the 6.4 in Vanguard 1958 Beta. The continuing successful operation of this equipment indicates that electronics can survive for considerable periods of time in the space environment.

b. Project SCORE: Signal Communications Orbiting Relay Equipment. This ARPA-sponsored payload was launched in December 1958. The main concept of this first satellite communications system was that of a delayed repeater. Messages were transmitted to the satellite when over a ground station, recorded, and then transmitted upon interrogation while satellite was over another ground station. A real time repeater was included as an alternate mode of operation.

c. Albedo Satellite: Launched as the first full size Vanguard payload under IGY, NASA sponsorship, the rather complex electronics of this first surveillance type satellite designed to observe cloud cover operated satisfactorily.

d. Contributions have been made to almost all the other U. S. satellite and space probe efforts in some aspects of electronics or components such as transistors, frequency control crystals, energy sources, and other special components.

2. Tracking and Communications. The prime stations of the IGY Minitrack Net have been operated and maintained by the Signal Corps which has also provided the world-wide communications and data transmission facility. As a natural out-growth of wave propagation and ionospheric research work, the USASRDL has been extremely active in satellite and space probe observations using large 65 ft. diameter parabolic dishes (Diana), and direction finding equipment.

3. Energy Sources. USASRDL is conducting under ARPA sponsorship a program for the investigation of specific energy sources for use in missiles, satellites, and space probes.

4. The Signal Corps and Ordnance Corps are jointly sponsoring a contract with RCA to prove the feasibility of placing a TV camera and transmitter in rockets and thus provide additional surveillance capabilities to ground commanders.