86 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1958 
moon could account for their observed distribution over the earth’s 
surface. 
A metallographic study of the structure of meteorites is being 
made by Mrs. Lynne Farrell. 
Satellite Tracking Program.—This program, under the direction 
of Dr. J. Allen Hynek, began operating on a 24-hour basis immediately 
after the launching of the first sputnik. By the end of the fiscal year, 
the 12 stations for the optical tracking of artificial earth satellites 
were completed. The Baker-Nunn cameras for the precision photo- 
graphic program had been installed, and 20 observers and their fami- 
lies had reached their posts. Pending the installation of the cameras, 
an interim observational program was carried out, under the super- 
vision of Dr. Richard E. McCrosky, in Hawaii, and Kenneth Morrison, 
in Argentina. Since the cameras began operation they have produced 
many successful observations of the satellites, serving as the basis for 
scientific research and analysis. 
The Moonwatch program, under the supervision of Leon Campbell, 
Jr., was activated within a few hours of the first launching. As of the 
end of the year, 230 registered teams working all over the world have 
contributed valuable data on the various satellites. Since the begin- 
ning of the program on October 4, 1957, they have sent more than 
4,000 observations to the computations center at the Astrophysical 
Observatory. 
The reduction and analysis of the optical observations proceeded 
under the supervision of Richard Adams. From calculations based on 
the computational methods devised by Drs. L. E. Cunningham, T. E. 
Sterne, L. G. Jacchia, C. A. Whitney, and D. Lautman, the Astro- 
physical Obervatory has been able regularly to provide orbital predic- 
tions of satellite passages, vital for the successful optical tracking of 
the satellites, and subsequent evaluation of telemetered readings of 
on-board instrumentation. 
Scientific analyses of data obtained by the Satellite Tracking Pro- 
gram were carried out by various members of the staff. From prelimi- 
nary determinations of upper atmosphere parameters, basic new 
knowledge was gained of the density and temperature of the upper 
atmosphere above an altitude of 150 kilometers, which will apply to 
the design of future satellites and of rocket-powered glide and skip 
aircraft and to problems of reentry of objects in ballistic orbits. Other 
new information obtained to date includes an improved value of the 
coefficient “J” of gravitational flattening. 
In partial fulfillment of its contractual obligations to the Inter- 
national Geophysical Year, through the National Science Foundation, 
the Observatory issued a series of special reports on the results 
of satellite data analysis, at intervals of roughly two weeks. Under 
