U.S. ROCKET SUCCESS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28747, 19 November 1958, Page 15

U.S. ROCKET SUCCESS

Atlas Missile Launched (N.Z Press .Association—Cop;jr:p'iti • Rcc. 9 p.m.) CAPE. CANAVERAL 'Florida'. The United States A:: - Farce t •- day shot an Atlas intet-contir.cn-tai missile into space, aiming thr great 100-ton rocket at a tar.gr" 3900 miles away, according to the American Associated Pre?.' The Atlas, with its three powerful engines generating more than 350.000’b of thrust, roared off its launching pad at 11 p.m on Tues day. The Florida night sky was with such a brilliant white flani: that reporters watching from’ three miles away were temporarily dazzled. After climbing vertically for a minute, the 85ft long Atlas curved gracefully toward the south-east.! Two minutes after it was tired the twin booster rocket dropnrd away, and u sustaincr engine, set to propel the missile up to a speed of 15.000 miles an hour, apparently ignited on schedule. Four minutes after the At'ai left the ground it still could be seen in the <ky to the south-east like a star. Some .30 seconds later it blinked out of view. The thunderous launching was! jin marked contrast to the last Atlas tiring on September 18. When one of the 100-ton rocket.' 1 blew up 80 seconds after it was ! fired. Today's was the sixth effort to I fire a fully powered three-engined! In the five previous tests, three of the rockets “landed in the' pickle barrel.” as missile men; describe a direct hit on a pre-: | selected target. Two others blew up shortly after tiring.