Local Firm And U-M Score In Rocketry

Local Firm And U-M Score In Rocketry

Harold F. Allen of the University’s High Altitude Laboratory who coordinated the simultaneous firing of 20 rockets from points in Alaska northern Canada, and Virginia Saturday and yesterday reported today that the experiment was a “success” with "very good data” received.

First coordinated scientific effort of its kind, the experiment was designed to obtain information on the composition of noctilucent clouds in the mesosphere 50 miles above the earth, and to get solar heating profiles.

Superior Engineering of Ann Arbor developed and built the 19-grenade payloads for rockets launched from Ft. Churchill, Manitoba, as part of the experiment.

Falling sphere payloads used in two of five rockets launched from Wallops Island, Va., were developed and built on the U-M campus by the High Altitude Laboratory, a branch of the department of aeronautical and astronautical engineering.

The other three rockets fired from Wallops Island, and four launched from Point Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost tip of land on the North American Continent, contained grenade type payloads built by a California engineering firm. U-M research engineers first developed the grenade-type rocket payload for taking atmospheric measurements during the International Geophysical Year (IGY).

Superior said the 19-grenade payload, used Saturday for the first time, was developed with the company’s own funds and offered to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in competitive bidding in April. Previously the local firm had developed and used 12-grenade payloads to obtain temperatures, wind profiles and other data.

John W. Peterson, U-M search engineer, assisted Allen in directing the launchings from the three launch sites across the continent.