USE OF SOLAR ENERGY

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28371, 2 September 1957, Page 14

USE OF SOLAR ENERGY

Claims By U.S. Scientists (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) BEDFORD (Massachusetts), August 30. Air Force scientists reported today that high-altitude “vehicles” would be able to fly through the upper atmosphere using unlimited solar energy, stored high above the earth, as fuel. They said their tests showed the chemicallystored power was there—only waiting for man to develop a vehicle which could use it. The Air Force Cambridge Research Centre said that a 120-miles-high rocket test had confirmed the existence of this vast reservoir of solar energy 50 to 250 miles above the earth. It could be tapped by properlydesigned rocket engines for practically unlimited high altitude flight.

The scientists, whose headquarters are at Hanscom Field, in Bedford, reported that a rocket test on August 20 furnished conclusive proof of huge amounts of energy chemically stored in the upper atmosphere. This energy in the ionosphere, approximately 50 to 250 miles above the earth was at much higher altitude than previously believed possible. Rockets or other high altitude vehicles could obtain their propulsion energy from the stored sunlight around them, the scientists said.

‘‘A rocket engine made of the right material would produce an internal release of energy by reaction with atomic oxygen in the upper atmosphere. “The released energy, although relatively small, would be sufficient to propel a rocket through extremely thin air at such high altitudes,” the scientists said.