336 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 63 



it stated that "visual and optical data should be sent to the Smith- 

 sonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge," and radio data 

 to the Vanguard Control Center at Naval Research in Washing- 

 ton, D.C. The memorandum went on to say that "in general, the 

 above institutions should be allowed to make statements on the data 

 and the analysis, for these institutions have been assigned respectively 

 the optical and radio-tracking tasks. Statements by others in these 

 technical areas should be discussed with this office. Statements by 

 the above two institutions should also, if at all possible, be phoned 

 in prior to release." This gave the Observatory an IGY mandate 

 to issue tracking data and other information about the satellite. 



Sputnik I (1957 a 2) was a sphere approximately 22 inches in diam- 

 eter and weighing 184 pounds, made of aluminum alloys, with 4 

 spring-loaded whip antennas. The power supply for telemetering 

 information to ground stations was a chemical battery. The perigee 

 of the initial orbit was 142 miles, the apogee 158 miles, and the period 

 96.17 minutes; the inclination to the equator was 64.3°; speed at 

 perigee was 18,000 miles per hour, and at apogee, 16,200 miles per hour. 



Little information was immediately forthcoming from the Rus- 

 sians, who showed considerable reluctance to release data concerning 

 the satellite itself. The payload was probably painted black and 

 therefore not visible. The Baker-Nunn cameras never did acquire 

 it, although the Harvard super-Schmidt meteor cameras photo- 

 graphed it on Thanksgiving Day at both Organ Pass and Sacramento 

 Peak, N. Mex. 



What was, then, being tracked was the rocket (1957 a 1). On the 

 basis of the first sightings made at College, Alaska, by Dr. Gordon 

 Little and his group. Dr. Whipple called Dr. McCrosky of the Harvard 

 Meteor Program and asked whether it could possibly be a meteor. He 

 replied that he did not think so but rather believed that it was the 

 rocket of Sputnik I. This actually was the first time that anyone had 

 thought about the rocket stage, since all were primarily concerned 

 with the payload. 



There followed a policy discussion as to whether Dr. McCrosky's 

 speculation should be issued to the press before it was proved. The 

 decision was that he should be allowed to speak as an individual 

 scientist giving his personal view. This he did, and shortly there- 

 after the Russians made the same announcement. In an ironic sequel, 

 the Russians later claimed that one of their rocket bodies had fallen 

 in Alaska and that the Americans had it and would not give it to 

 them. A committee of three, consisting of Dr. Schilling, Dr. Whit- 

 ney, and Stuart Fergusson, determined from computations and all 

 other possible sources of information that the rocket had indeed not 

 landed in U.S. territory. 



