ANTARCTIC PLAN

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32860, 8 March 1972, Page 19

ANTARCTIC PLAN

Scientific rockets

Scientific rockets capable of rising 32 miles could well be used in the Antarctic in the next few years for ionospheric study. Mr C. Shepherd, the National Science Foundation representative at McMurdo Station this summer, said in Christchurch that the particular area for study was too high for balloons and too low for satellites. The sort of information required was related to particle flux, solar wind, magnetic field measurements, and X-ray activity. Mr Shepherd said McMurdo Station could well be the most likely place for a launching device. With the United States Navy’s Hercules based there it was the best locality from the point of view of retrieving spent rockets, although it might not be the best location for looking at the auroral zone.

Mr Shepherd said that what would be needed was a portable launching device which might be fitted to a Hercules. He said that the type of rocket to be used might be similar to the Areas weather rockets fired at McMurdo Station seven years ago, although, to get the higher range, dual-stage rockets might be considered. Of the past summer’s scientific research practically everything had been accomplished except for two programmes, he said. The ice-sensing programme of the Scott Polar Research Institute, while successful, was only 70 per cent completed.