Word: orbiter
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Pinpoint. Discoverer II, cruising on its elliptical pole-to-pole course at 17,000 m.p.h. (ranging from 220 miles to 152 miles from the earth), was to have launched its capsule over the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii on its 17th orbit. A retrorocket would slow it down to force its entry into the scorching atmosphere. Then an orange parachute (lined with aluminum for radar reflection) would pop at a preset speed, drop it gently toward the water. Eight Air Force C-119 flying boxcars, trailing 15-ft. by 30-ft. nylon harnesses, were to try snagging the package before...
This spectacular experiment is not scheduled, only talked about. But it should not be too difficult to perform. A powerful nuclear charge need only be blasted free of the earth and set in orbit around the sun. Since its speed will not be the same as the earth's, it will move steadily away. When it gets far enough, it can be exploded by a radio signal or a timing mechanism...
...Question. Then, as quickly as it went away, the peculiar daylight of space will return. Again there will be no twilight, just darkness-then light in the space cabin. And then, just before he completes the first orbit, a query will come from earth: Is the physical condition of the vehicle and his physiological condition adequate for another or possibly two more orbits? He will have to search the ship, his body, and his soul for the correct answer to this question. No doubt he will have every indication that his ship is adequate. He will know little about...
Then finally, before the last orbit is finished, a signal will come from the ground which will determine whether the vehicle is pointing correctly stern-first so the Astronaut can take the deceleration of re-entry with his back to the force. Following that, another signal from the ground will cause his small retrorockets to fire, thereby reducing the speed and causing the vehicle to plunge. It will crash into the earth's atmosphere like a stone into water, creating a sudden shock to both vehicle and man. The forward parts of the vehicle will be heated...
...papers will give the ledgers a real lift. As for the editorial side, Jim Knight plans to let each paper keep its individual character, with the News continuing as a folksy, locally oriented, feature-conscious paper, while the Observer moves on a somewhat more serious regional orbit. Jim Knight says he expects the papers to compete on the news side and disagree on the editorial pages...