WARNING BY RUSSIA

Press, Volume C, Issue 29616, 12 September 1961, Page 21

WARNING BY RUSSIA

Rocket Test Plan

(NZ.P. A.-Reuter —Copyright) MOSCOW, September 11. Russia has warned ships and aircraft to keep away from an area of the Pacific during the testing of her multi-stage rockets, starting next week. The tests, which will not include the final stage of the rockets, will be carried out in the central Pacific in an area about 1000 miles from Hawaii and Christmas Island. The statement said that Russia had asked Governments of other countries using sea and air lanes in the Pacific not to use the testing area during the launchings, which will continue up till October 15. Soviet ships equipped with special measuring devices will be stationed in the area during the tests. The last Soviet rocket tests in the Pacific were in July last year when Russia said the final stages of rockets fired travelled about 8000 miles. In Tokyo, the director of the Japan Bonito and Tuna Fishing Association (Mr Isao Koide' said yesterday that there were at least 100 large Japanese fishing boats now in the Soviet rocket test "impact” area, said the Associated Press. But he said it would not affect 'he fishermen very much "because there will not be ■ radiation contaminating the sea and fish,” The area of several hundred square miles announced by the Russians is near the Marshall Islands—one of the best tuna fishing regions in the Pacific. A Japanese rocket expert Professor Hideo Itokawa. told reporters he estimated the Soviet rockets would be capable of launching a 10ton space vehicle into orbit. “I think these tests indicate <he Soviet Union is now actually preparing for a moon shot,” Professor Itokawa said. ‘T don't want to believe that these carrier rockets are to be used to launch the 100 megaton nuclear bomb We will probably witness a new Soviet space ship within six months.”