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Story
August 30, 1956
Atlanta Daily World
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
What is this article about?
Detroit's Brooks and Perkins, Inc. discloses plans for magnesium artificial satellites under Project Vanguard, to launch late next year from Cocoa, Fla., orbiting Earth to gather unprecedented atmospheric and cosmic data.
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Step Forward In Space Travel
BY GERALD SHIAPPETTA
DETROIT (INS)-Man took a giant step forward Wednesday toward space travel with the disclosure of details of "man-made moons" which will be built by a Detroit firm as part of project vanguard.
E. Howard Perkins, president and chairman of the board of Brooks and Perkins, Inc. and J. P. Walsh, deputy director of the satellite project, announced details of the satellite and the launching plans.
Perkins, who described the science fiction-like plans, said the earth-circling magnesium "moons" will serve as the earth's listening posts for information that man has never before been able to gather.
The 20-inch in diameter artificial satellites will weigh between 21 and 22 pounds and will be packed with radio equipment. He said:
"We will launch the first satellite from Cocoa, Fla., by three-stage rockets of great power late next year. Once the rockets fire the satellite up to about 300 miles above the earth where it will be free of the pull of heavy gravity, the power rockets drop off in stages.
"The satellite is expected to stay aloft by balancing the earthward gravity with the centrifugal force created by its speed."
Perkins estimated the "moon" will "rise and set" more than 15 times in 25 hours as it goes about its globe-girdling, while the real moon comes into view only once a day. It will circle the earth once about every 90 minutes and will be seen by people around the world as it flashed across the skies.
Once the smooth-skinned basketball satellite begins its tour of the earth outer space, tiny built-in radio and electronic equipment will begin the job of broadcasting the information resulting from what is called the greatest scientific experiment in history." Perkins asserted:
"This most important data will include the density of the outer atmosphere, composition of the earth's crust, shape of the earth (it is thought it may bulge), including precise determinations of latitude and longitude; temperatures inside and outside the satellite; pressures within it, to determine penetration by meteoric particles and measurements of ultraviolet and cosmic radiations."
BY GERALD SHIAPPETTA
DETROIT (INS)-Man took a giant step forward Wednesday toward space travel with the disclosure of details of "man-made moons" which will be built by a Detroit firm as part of project vanguard.
E. Howard Perkins, president and chairman of the board of Brooks and Perkins, Inc. and J. P. Walsh, deputy director of the satellite project, announced details of the satellite and the launching plans.
Perkins, who described the science fiction-like plans, said the earth-circling magnesium "moons" will serve as the earth's listening posts for information that man has never before been able to gather.
The 20-inch in diameter artificial satellites will weigh between 21 and 22 pounds and will be packed with radio equipment. He said:
"We will launch the first satellite from Cocoa, Fla., by three-stage rockets of great power late next year. Once the rockets fire the satellite up to about 300 miles above the earth where it will be free of the pull of heavy gravity, the power rockets drop off in stages.
"The satellite is expected to stay aloft by balancing the earthward gravity with the centrifugal force created by its speed."
Perkins estimated the "moon" will "rise and set" more than 15 times in 25 hours as it goes about its globe-girdling, while the real moon comes into view only once a day. It will circle the earth once about every 90 minutes and will be seen by people around the world as it flashed across the skies.
Once the smooth-skinned basketball satellite begins its tour of the earth outer space, tiny built-in radio and electronic equipment will begin the job of broadcasting the information resulting from what is called the greatest scientific experiment in history." Perkins asserted:
"This most important data will include the density of the outer atmosphere, composition of the earth's crust, shape of the earth (it is thought it may bulge), including precise determinations of latitude and longitude; temperatures inside and outside the satellite; pressures within it, to determine penetration by meteoric particles and measurements of ultraviolet and cosmic radiations."
What sub-type of article is it?
Extraordinary Event
Historical Event
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Exploration
Triumph
What keywords are associated?
Space Travel
Artificial Satellites
Project Vanguard
Man Made Moons
Rocket Launch
Scientific Experiment
What entities or persons were involved?
E. Howard Perkins
J. P. Walsh
Gerald Shiappetta
Where did it happen?
Detroit, Cocoa, Fla.
Story Details
Key Persons
E. Howard Perkins
J. P. Walsh
Gerald Shiappetta
Location
Detroit, Cocoa, Fla.
Event Date
Wednesday, Late Next Year
Story Details
E. Howard Perkins and J. P. Walsh announce details of 20-inch magnesium artificial satellites built by Brooks and Perkins, Inc. for Project Vanguard. Satellites will orbit Earth at 300 miles, weigh 21-22 pounds, and collect data on atmosphere, Earth's shape, temperatures, pressures, and radiations. Launch from Cocoa, Fla., by three-stage rockets.