Count-down Starts For U.S. Orbital Flight

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29747, 14 February 1962, Page 13

Count-down Starts For U.S. Orbital Flight

( ( N.Z. Press Association) CAPE CANAVERAL, February 13.

Banks of searchlights bathed the vast spaceport at Cape Canaveral today as the preliminary count-down began on tomorrow’s attempt to hurl a man into orbit round the earth. But a pair of storms lashing the central Atlantic continued to cast doubt on whether Lieutenant-Colonel John Glenn would take off as planned.

Space Agency officials decided. however, that although the weather was “marginal.” they would go ahead with olans to start the count-down in the hope the weather would clear Everything except the weather was reported ready for tomorrow's attempt to out Colonel Glenn and his one-ton space capsule Friend ,-hip Seven Into orbital fligh’ •hree Hmes around the world

Storm-tossed waves towering more than 10 feet and •earing winds of more than 95 knots in an area east of Bermuda —directly in the oath of where Colonel Glenn would land afer completing one orbit—n-ovided the latest headaehe for the Vatrnna’ Aeronautics and Snace Admmistra'’ A n which has been trving with no success since last December to vet America's first man into orh’t

There were also long-range foreca c *s that conditions In the other recovery areas—-

south of Bermuda and northeast of Puerto Rico—where Colonel Glenn would drop after completing two or three orbits might become increasingly rough later in the week. All indications, however were that preparations would continue right up until the last moment on Wednesday morning in a desperate attempt to beat he weather and seize the chance of several hours’ comparative calm in the Atlantic. Launching Time

Colonel Glenn is to shoot into space for his planned four hours and three-quarters triple vovage around the earth shortly after dawn tomorrow

The coun’-down—an exhaustive and inch-by-inch check of the rocket, its space capsule and their tens of •housands of elec’rontc and electrical parts —was tc last for five hours today and be resumed one hour aPer midnight. six hours and a half before launching time.

The huge, silver-coloured Atlas will be pumped full of its kerosene-type fuel during today’s preparations. Liquid oxygen. which sparks and accelerates the burning of the fuel, will not be pumped into the tanks until a couple of hours before launching time

While the count proceeded Colonel Glenn was undergoing the second half of bis head-to-toes medical examination. He passed the first part, which included testing his heart, lungs, eyes. ears, nose and throat, at nearby Patrick Air Force base yesterday. The 40-vear-old marine was. tn the language of space, “go” So were the recovery planes and ship l strung nut across the Atlantic and the world-wide tracking ne’work

Everything hinged on the Wes'ern Atlantic weather which, after weeks of ideal conditions. has suddenly turned a belligerent face on America's space hopes.