| Description | Present;
Dr R LFBoyd attended by invitation
1. Terms of Reference and Membership
It was reported that the British National Committee on Space Research at its meeting on 10 February 1961 had set up a Working Group on Lunar and Planetary Astronomy of the Design of Experiments Subcommittee with the following;
(a) Terms of reference
(i) To advance physical studies of the moon and planets of the solar system using ground-based and space-borne instruments.
(ii) To report to the Design of Experiments Subcommittee of the British National Committee on Space Research
(b) Membership
Professor Z Kopal, Chairman; Mr J Allen; Dr R d'E Atkinson; Professor D E Blackwell; Dr J G Davies; Dr E B Dorling; Dr P Fellgett; Dr A H Gebbie; Dr J SHey; Professor H Lipson; Professor J D McGee; Dr J Ring; Mr M O Robins; Dr A E Roy
2. US Lunar Investigation Plans
2a Ranger
2b Surveyor
2c Prospector
2d Orbiter
3. US Planetary Investigation Plans
3a Mars
The Chairman stated that it was planned to send a space probe weighing abut 4 tons close to Mars using a Saturn booster. An instrument capsule weighing 400 pounds would th4n be ejected and be parachuted down to the MArtian surface. During its descent, information about the temperature, pressure and density f the Martian atmosphere would be relayed to the parent probe, and re-transmitted to Earth. After the capsule had landed some more information about the Martian surface would be gained, but this would be limited, for the parent space probe would rapidly pass out of range of the capsule transmitter. The instrumented capsule was under construction at present.
3b Venus
A space probe would be sent to the neighbourhood of Venus in 1962, when it was hoped to make measurements similar to those planned for the 1961 USSR probe. Dr Roy suggested that valuable information concerning the atmosphere of Venus might be obtained by ejecting sodium clouds from such a probe and the Chairman stated that some such experiment would probably be carried out.
In connexion with the programme of lunar and planetary studies, NASA is considering setting up a global chain of astronomical observatories to carry out a continuous lunar and planetary survey. Whenever possible these would be sited at existing observatories ,but some new station would be set up eg in New Mexico. As the proposed observatories would be situated in an equatorial belt,Commonwealth countries were likely to be involved. A budget of 5 million dollars was being considered for this project which was in an advanced stage of planning, but a final decision had not yet been made. The Chairman suggested that UK scientists might consider undertaking the design work for any special telescopes which might be required for this work. NASA also proposed to set up a data reduction centre with 8 computers,and a communication system linking all the observatories.
4. Proposals for UK Lunar and Planetary Studies
5. Date of next meeting
It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the Working Group in May 1961. |