ROCKETS TO GO UP 120 MILES

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27733, 10 August 1955, Page 13

ROCKETS TO GO UP 120 MILES

British Experiments At Woomera (Rec. if p.m.) DARWIN, August 9. The United States had a long lead of nine years over Britain on rocket experiments, but the fact that Britain planned to send the first rockets into the upper atmosphere in two years showed how sh: was advancing with space experiments, Professor H. S. W. Massey, chairman of the British Royal' Society’s upper atmosphere committee, said today. He is in Australia for two months to visit the Woomera rocket range. He will discuss Australia’s part in experiments there planned by the upper atmosphere research committee of the Australian Academy of Science.

Professor Massey said rockets shooting 120 miles into the atmosphere could be launched from Woomera in two years and could eventually play a big part in future space travel. “I am here to examine the possibility of shooting rockets from Woomera,” he added. “Britain and Australia have a combined programme to investigate the upper atmosphere through rockets, and we want to ensure that there is no overlapping.”

He said information from his work would be important in space travel. It would possibly be more convenient to launch the rockets from Britain, but the main problem was to get the tockets down “in the right area.” A tremendous amount of work was involved in this and similar safety questions.