Missile Program Research Articles

The Agena Satellite and The Discoverer Programme

The history of the Agena space vehicle starts in the years immediately following the Second World War, when the Rand Corporation under a contract with the U.S. Air Force examined the potential applications of satellites, recognising their technical feasibility as an additional bonus from an inter-continental ballistic missile development programme. The U.S. Air Force kept this concept alive throughout the development phase of the ICBM programme; the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation actually received its first contract, for detailed engineering studies, in 1955. The Agena space vehicle has grown from these beginnings and is now the vehicle selected for a large variety of U.S. space projects. Most of these are satellites, but they include a few space probes and moon explorers.

INFORMATION FOR DIRECTING SPACE AND MISSILE PROGRAM

Journal of the American Society for Naval EngineersVolume 72, Issue 4 p. 773-777 INFORMATION FOR DIRECTING SPACE AND MISSILE PROGRAM E. B. HINCKS, E. B. HINCKS Mr. E. B. Hincks is a Director of Research for the Industry Planning Service of the Aerospace Industries Association. Previous positions have been with the National Security Resources Board and the Bureau of the Budget.Search for more papers by this authorR. W. BRAGG, R. W. BRAGG Mr. R. W. Bragg is an industrial consultant specializing in Research and Development programs with prior Government experience in the Research and Development Board, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Naval Weapons Research and Development.Search for more papers by this author E. B. HINCKS, E. B. HINCKS Mr. E. B. Hincks is a Director of Research for the Industry Planning Service of the Aerospace Industries Association. Previous positions have been with the National Security Resources Board and the Bureau of the Budget.Search for more papers by this authorR. W. BRAGG, R. W. BRAGG Mr. R. W. Bragg is an industrial consultant specializing in Research and Development programs with prior Government experience in the Research and Development Board, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Naval Weapons Research and Development.Search for more papers by this author First published: November 1960 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-3584.1960.tb04089.x AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume72, Issue4November 1960Pages 773-777 RelatedInformation

Administrative Secrecy: A Congressional Dilemma

Attacks upon administrative secrecy are a commonplace of congressional politics. By resolution, investigation, and the threat of even more punitive sanctions, Congress has repeatedly asserted its belief that executive officials should not be allowed to withhold documents and testimony at their own discretion. The most graphic recent evidence of this legislative concern has been provided by a House Special Subcommittee on Government Information. Over the past three years, this group, headed by Representative Moss of California, has made far-ranging efforts to expose and dramatize the evils of executive secrecy.The long-standing congressional resentment against administrative efforts to conceal information has very visible roots in considerations of institutional self-interest, since the performance of legislative functions in central areas of policy-making and administrative oversight demands frequent access to facts that only executive officials can supply. In the field of defense policy, especially, congressional dependence upon executive information is acute, and bitter controversy has been sparked by executive refusals to release data bearing on such matters as the missile program, foreign-aid expenditures, and differences within the high command over the best way to spend the defense dollar.

Administrative Secrecy: A Congressional Dilemma

Attacks upon administrative secrecy are a commonplace of congressional politics. By resolution, investigation, and the threat of even more punitive sanctions, Congress has repeatedly asserted its belief that executive officials should not be allowed to withhold documents and testimony at their own discretion. The most graphic recent evidence of this legislative concern has been provided by a House Special Subcommittee on Government Information. Over the past three years, this group, headed by Representative Moss of California, has made far-ranging efforts to expose and dramatize the evils of executive secrecy.The long-standing congressional resentment against administrative efforts to conceal information has very visible roots in considerations of institutional self-interest, since the performance of legislative functions in central areas of policy-making and administrative oversight demands frequent access to facts that only executive officials can supply. In the field of defense policy, especially, congressional dependence upon executive information is acute, and bitter controversy has been sparked by executive refusals to release data bearing on such matters as the missile program, foreign-aid expenditures, and differences within the high command over the best way to spend the defense dollar.

France's missile programme

France's missile programme

Inertial-Guidance Limitations Imposed by Fluctuation Phenomena in Gyroscopes

Because of recent improvements, inertial guidance is becoming increasingly important to space and missile programs in connection with the navigation of mobile bases and the launching of vehicles. Gyroscopes are an important component of inertial systems. In order to see if much room remains for further improvement, the performance limitation imposed by thermal fluctuations in gyroscopes is examined. This is done because experience in electronics shows that thermal noise is the ultimate performance limitation in sensitive instruments such as radio receivers and galvanometers. It is found that a system limited only by thermal noise in its gyroscopes would have several orders of magnitude more precision than that indicated in published performance data. This must mean that other factors are limiting performance of gyroscopes, and investigation of several of these shows that bearing noise may be an important one. In conclusion, since gyroscopes do not yet come near to attaining the performance limits set by thermal noise, there may be much room left for their further improvement.

The Signal Corps Astro-Observation Center, Fort Monmouth, N. J

Many months of active participation in the satellite and missile observation program have resulted in a number of new and improved concepts which have been put to practical use in the establishment of the U.S. Army Signal Research and Development Laboratory's Astro-Observation Center, Fort Monmounth, N. J. This paper will describe the capabilities of the Research and Development station and several of the instrumentation techniques in use, including the use of phase-locked audio-frequency tracking filters, and high-speed digital readout equipment for precision Doppler measurements. The extreme flexibility of frequency coverage of the station has been of exceptional value in the rapid acquisition of signals transmitted from foreign satellites and space probes.

Army Activities in Space-A History

This paper presents an account of the Army's role in missile development and achievements. It begins by giving a short historical account of the Army's missile and space program. It then gives an explanation of the Army's present role in missiles and space. Finally it gives a few proposals for the future. Also included is a list of ``Firsts'' that are credited to the Army in its role of missile and space achievements. This paper also gives the achievements and capabilities of the Redstone, Jupiter and modified Jupiter (JUNO I and JUNO II) vehicles, and some of the capabilities of the Saturn vehicle.

Important Health Problems Experienced in the Army Missile Programs

Important Health Problems Experienced in the Army Missile Programs

Application of a Technique for Research and Development Program Evaluation

This paper describes the development and application of a technique for measuring and controlling development progress for the Polaris Fleet Ballistic Missile program, Special Projects Office, Bureau of Ordnance, U.S. Navy. Project PERT (Program Evaluation Research Task) was set up to develop, test, and implement a methodology for providing management with integrated and quantitative evaluation of (a) progress to date and the outlook for accomplishing the objectives of the FBM program, (b) validity of established plans and schedules for accomplishing the program objectives, and (c) effects of changes proposed in established plans. In the PERT model, the R and D program is characterized as a network of interrelated events to be achieved in proper ordered sequence. Basic data for the analysis consists of elapsed time estimates for activities which connect dependent events in the network. The time estimates are obtained from responsible technical persons and are subsequently expressed in probability terms. This model is described. Test of the model on a specific component, design of a management control system properly related to existing management systems, reduction to the NORC computer, difficulties in implementation and preliminary results to date are discussed. Limitations of the model, and possible refinements and use of the computer model for testing schedules and for management experimentation in resource and performance tradeoffs are described.

Exploratory research

Many military laboratories are today being subjected to increasingly severe requirements as this country seeks to emphasize its scientific effort. The immediate problems of defense, the missile program, and the now intense interest in the race for outer space, all call for trying to buy ten years time in two. The relatively calm environment of many military research laboratories is gradually being replaced by crash requirements, deadlines, and “budget hassles”. In such a situation research having generalized long-term objectives always seems to yield to the exigencies of the immediate.

New directions in government-sponsored research

Last November, Dr. John Chipman, testifying at the Senate Preparedness Subcommittee’s enquiry into the missile and satellite program, said, “… basic research needs more support than it is getting at the present time … the sort of research that has been sponsored in a very laudable manner by the Office of Naval Research, which has been very intelligent in placing fundamental research contracts with the universities.” Here, the Head of the Metallurgy Branch of ONR tells which fields are likely to receive emphasis through Government support.

Ballistic missile telemetry

The record-breaking attendance at this 1956 National Telemetering Conference is, I think, indicative of the rapidly increasing importance of the telemetering field. I suspect that the recent ballistic missile programs have been and will be in no small part responsible for a rapid acceleration in the telemetering field.

Telemetering system for the X-17 missile

This paper describes the circuits, components and packaging of a high performance airborne six-channel FM/FM telemetering system developed by the Lockheed Missile Systems Division for use in the Air Force X-17 Missile Program. The package, weighing 31–1/2 pounds and measuring 8 inches in diameter by 14 inches long obtains highly accurate information under the severe environmental conditions encountered by a hypersonic ballistic missile. By utilizing time division multiplexing on four channels, 79 quantities are measured. A bridge-modulated subcarrier oscillator permits the use of variable reluctance transducers on commutated channels. Where possible, plug-in components were reduced in size by transistorization, printed wiring boards, and encapsulation techniques. The antenna coupling device is a radial folded cavity which carries the full structural load, and permits excitation of longitudinal r-f currents on the surface of the vehicle. The philosophy and techniques associated with the development and application of this system resulted in many useful features providing exceptionally high information capacity, accuracy, reliability, and versatility.

A Look at England's Missile Program

Heavy security regulations combined with a general policy of not committing industry to production of any weapon until the political and military situation absolutely requires it has opened Britain to charges that it is doing 'practically nothing in the way of missile development. Leonard Berlin, science correspondent of London's The Daily Telegraph and Morning Post, refutes these charges. He has toured the major missile facilities on the British Isles and traveled to his country's long-range weapons establishment in Woomera, Australia. This is his report:

Optical Tracking Instruments

AS GUIDED missiles and rockets are developed, tested, improved, and retested, the tracking equipment which records their trajectory through space must undergo the same pattern of change and improvement. This equipment is highly specialized and its design requires an intimate knowledge of three fields: optics, electronics, and mechanics. At the Perkin-Elmer Corporation we have brought together a group of engineers skilled in all three of these basic and important fields. As a group they have developed astronomical telescopes, advanced bombsights, periscopes, long focal length telephoto lenses, servo and computor control systems. Working from this background, this group has, in recent years, made significant contributions to the guided missile and rocket programs of the United States and several other NATO countries. We would like to describe for you some of the optical tracking instruments already produced or under development by Perkin-Elmer—both at our home plant in Norwalk, Conn., and at our subsidiary Bodenseewerk plant in Ueberlingen, West Germany.

Hydraulic Helium Booster Compressor Produces Large Quantities of Contamination-Free High Pressure Gas

W the step-up in the guided missile program, there has developed an increasing need for larger quantities of high pressure gas free from oil or other contamination for servicing missiles and for tests related to their development,. ... The gas usually used is helium or nitrogen and is obtained originally in commercial cylinders pressurized at approximately 2000 psi. Staff engineers of Haskel Engineering and Supply Company, Glendale, Calif., have come up with the answer to this problem in the form of a multiple stage hydraulic booster compressor for helium which incorporates simplicity of design and operation. The end result is gas produced at desired pressures in desired quantities and free from contamination. Prior to development of the Haskel booster compressor, two methods of compressing have been used in the program. One is the accumulator and the other is the single stage booster. In the accumulator method, oil placed under pressure and separated from the gas by a diaphragm is used to boost the gas pressure. The other method used is the single stage, double acting boost cylinder driven by either air or hydraulic power. I t is relatively efficient and simple in operation. Like the accumulator, however, it must work under limited compression ratios in boosting gas pressure with the maximum ratio at about 4 : 1 . In approaching the problem our engineers determined that a method utilizing several stages of compression within the pump would prove to be an effective solution. A conventional type multiple stage compressor could have been used. This, however, would have presented the disadvantage of wasting energy in that high pressure gas in the cylinders would have required reduction to a low fixed inlet pressure at the compressor. This type of compressor also adds considerable foreign matter to the gas that must later be removed. After further designing and testing, the Haskel staff found they could adapt a double hydraulic booster to as many stages as needed. A method was devised of constructing a multiple stage compressor which is self-regulating for maximum output at any inlet pressure between minimum and maximum available. The over-all performance of such a booster when operating over a wide range of inlet pressures is a considerable improvement over any of the methods that have been discussed previously. 400—1

Motion Pictures in the Guided-Missile Program

Methods of obtaining ballistic data on long-range and guided missiles in the Army Ordnance Department's missile program at White Sands Proving Ground are described. The use of motion pictures for obtaining trajectory measurements and information on detailed flight performance of missiles launched at the White Sands range has produced a significant wealth of data for use of ballisticians and design engineers engaged in the development of long-range guided missiles.