SOVIET ROCKETS IN ANTARCTIC

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28685, 8 September 1958, Page 11

SOVIET ROCKETS IN ANTARCTIC

Total Of 22 Fired By Research Ship (N.Z. Press Association —Copyrtoht> (Rec. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 7. The Soviet research ship Ob had launched 11 rockets off the coast of Antarctica and 11 more in nearby waters, two being launched almost within sight of Australia, said a report in the “New York Times” today. It said these and other details of Soviet Antarctic operations had been revealed by recent Moscow publications.

The rockets fired were of the “Meteo” type, thought to reach elevations of 70 miles or more.

They carried instruments to measure the temperature and density of the atmosphere, as well as other phenomena.

The first was launched from the Ob off the main Soviet base at Mirny on New Year’s Eve. Three more were fired as the ship sailed eastward, toward the Ross Sea. On February 16 a rocket was fired near the Snares Islands, off the southern tip of New Zealand. On March 9 two were launched at a point 40 miles off the Australian coast and 170 miles south-west of Melbourne. One rocket was fired in the Tasman Sea, five along the northern edge of the Ross Sea ice pack, one off Marie Byrd Land, one in the Bellinghausen Sea area and seven between there and Easter Island. The Soviet rockets were fired as part of the programme of the International Geophysical Year. Planes of the Soviet Antarctic expedition had carried out aerial mapping along roughly one-third of the coast of the Antarctic Continent New Island The Soviet reports seemed to clarify, the location of the new island whose discovery by the Russians stirred considerable excitement in Australia. A preliminary Soviet report had led the Australians to believe that it lay in the open sea between Australia and Antarctica. Recent accounts from Moscow described in detail what seemed to be the island referred to. Its position was so close to the Antarctic Coast that it had little strategic importance to Australia. It lay off Denman glacier, only about 37 miles north-east of Oazis, the Soviet camp, in what was called “Bunger's Oasis.” A landing made Xhere early in April by a plane from Mirny disclosed that the upper part ol the island, 3000 feet above set level, was made up of ancien crystalline rocks, boulders , anc gravel. ’ <.' The area of the island Wai given as 11 square miles. Its nam< was given as “Bezymyanny,' which in Russian meant “name' less.”