N.Z. Committee For Space Research

Press, Volume C, Issue 29679, 24 November 1961, Page 12

N.Z. Committee For Space Research

A National Space Research Committee was set up this month by the Royal Society of New Zealand. It has been formally recognised by the Minister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research (Mr Tennant), who has asked that reports be made to him from time to time. The proposal was made, in the first instance, by the Royal Society, London, which suggested that some New Zealand group might wish to consider installing equipment in one or more nose cones of rockets to be fired from Woomera in Australia. The Australian Space Committee has since suggested that co-operation with New Zealand should, be considered. American Inquiry Now the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in America has asked formally whether there is any organisation in this country which could act quickly in obtaining information from satellites which will orbit over New Zealand more frequently in future. The New Zealand Space Research Committee had therefore been set up to watch space research overseas, particularly developments of interest to New Zealand, and it would be available to consider any action requested by overseas countries, said the president of the Royal Society of New Zealand (Dr. J. K. Dixon) yesterday. Members Initial ' members of the committee will be Dr. Dixon. Sir Ernest Marsden, nominated by the Royal Society of New Zealand; Dr. W. M. Hamilton, secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; Dr. F. J. Llewellyn, chairman of the new University Grants Committee; Rear-Admiral P. Phipps, Chief of Naval Staff; and Dr. C. Ellyett, reader in physics at the University of Canterbury, as secretary. Others may be added later and further armed services representation Is likely. Mr W. H. Ward, director of the Dominion Physical Laboratory, will attend as New Zealand correspondent on space research to the Royal Society, London. In addition, an initial working committee of 17 scientists, under the chairmanship of Dr. Ellyett, has been formed into a working group. A number of them are already engaged in upper atmosphere or space research. 50,000 Dollars Funds of 50,000 dollars a year are at present coming into New Zealand from the United States for research contracts on such work. Additional support is being given by the Universities and various Government departments. Satellite observations are now being made regularly by radio methods in New Zealand under contract to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of America. Other scientists are doing upper atmosphere studies by radio, radar, and optica! methods. This work is particularly heavy in Auckland and Canterbury. The findings very readily extend knowledge ot space phenomena Beyond al! these groups there are physicists, mathematicians. and engineers working on special aspects of space problems. No Interference It is not intended that the new committee should interfere in any way with any of these projects which. in each case, have been arranged by

the individuals involved. The committee will simply consider scientific and organisation matters and provide national liaison. Scientific manpower in New Zealand is such that it is unlikely that the Dominion will undertake any major rocket firings but this country is so placed in vast areas of ocean that its role as a strategic observation point is becoming important. The National Space Research Committee of New Zealand considers that it is in the national interest to watch these developments closely.