Manned Satellite Predicted

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28540, 20 March 1958, Page 11

Manned Satellite Predicted

(Rec. 8 p.m.) DALLAS (Texas), March 19.

Men could be flying around the earth aboard a satellite within two to five years, Dr. Wernher yon Braun said last night.

The rocket scientist said that flights in rocket planes above most of the earth’s atmosphere would come soon. Then the next step would be flights in space satellites going into orbit and returning the human occupants safely Dr. von Braun was a leading expert in the development of 1958 Alpha, the first United States satellite. Dr. von Braun called the success of 1958 Beta, the Vanguard satellite, “an unprecedented victory in rocketry.” The Navy’s Vanguard project had started from scratch only two years ago. "To build such a complicated rocket in such a short time has never, never been done before.” he said.

In Los Angeles yesterday, an electronics expert said the Vanguard’s solar battery radio probably would qperate for years—or as long as- the satellite was in orbit.

Mr K. J. Karr, vice-president of the Hoffman Electronics Corporation, makers of the solar batteries which operate a tiny transmitter in the Vanguard satellite, said that theoretically the batteries could generate current forever. And since the transmitter used transistors, which also did not wear out. the little set could operate indefinitely. The satellite’s second radio had conventional mercury batteries. They were expected to last for two months.