U.S. Plans For Rocket To The Moon

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28490, 21 January 1958, Page 13

U.S. Plans For Rocket To The Moon

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 20. The United States Air Force would try to send a rocket to the moon, probably within a few months, it was reported today. “Aviation Week” magazine said that the Air Force planned to use its Thor intermediate range ballistic missile for the moon attempt. It said the Thor would be given additional boost for the flight by adding the second and third stages of a Vanguard satellite rocket. An Air Force spokesman said the Air Force declined to comment on the report but he said that he “found no factual data to support it.” The magazine, which is regarded as a reliable source on Air Force information, said the Air Force had originally intended to try for the moon last April. This was abandoned because of uncertainty over the service’s “intentions and findings.” “Aviation Week” also said the United States Army would undertake this year to fire four Redstone rockets to 250,000 ft and above. Many of these proposals now

were being considered by MajorGeneral John Sessums, vice-com-mander of the Air Research and Development Command, “Aviation Week” said. The Douglas Aircraft Company, developer of the Thor missile, had put 20 experts in ballistic missiles to work on the use of the Thor for space research, and the company had been pursuing such studies for some time. The magazine said the rocket sent to the moon would, either orbit or land on the moon. Although the Vanguard second and third stage rockets were favoured as boosters for the lunar rocket, “Lockheed X-17 second and third stages still are in the running because of the reliability of their solid propellant motors.” It was disclosed last week that Major-General Bernard Schriever, the Air Force missile chief, believed that the United States could launch a programme immediately for unmanned flights to Mars and Venus; and a manned flight round the moon, using Thor missiles. “Aviation Week” said the Air Force had received approximately 250 proposals for moon shots and space travel from a great number of individuals and companies since the Russians sent up their first space satellite on October 5. These included five proposals from the Bell Aircraft Company to build “hypersonic glide bombers.”