SECRETARY'S REPORT 73 



signed to the Smithsonian Institution by the National Academy of 

 Sciences and the National Science Foundation at the recommendation 

 of the United States National Committee of the International Geo- 

 physical Year. Dr. J. Allen Hynek, who became an Associate Direc- 

 tor of the Observatory on July 1, 1956, has been in charge of the 

 Optical Tracking Program. Major extension of staff in the tracking 

 project began in September 1956, and has grown steadily during the 

 course of the year as various specialists were invited to join the staff 

 under contract through funds furnished by the National Science 

 Foundation. As of June 30, 1957, the satellite-tracking staff con- 

 sisted of 32 persons 



The optical tracking program for the satellite has three main divi- 

 sions: The photographic tracking program under the supervision 

 of Dr. Karl G. Henize; the computational, analysis, and communica- 

 tions division under the supervision" of Dr. Don Lautman ; and the 

 visual search program, popularly termed Moonwatch, under the 

 direction of Leon Campbell, Jr. 



The precision photographic program will employ 12 Baker-Nunn 

 Schmidt cameras at strategic locations in a worldwide belt. The 

 sites will be located in Florida, New Mexico, Hawaii, Japan, Aus- 

 tralia, India, Iran, Spain, South Africa, Argentina, Peru, and the 

 Netherlands Antilles. 



The designs of the mechanical and optical parts of the telescopes 

 have been completed, and the instruments are under active construc- 

 tion. The mechanical portions of the telescope-cameras are being 

 constructed by the Boiler and Chivens Co. in South Pasadena, using 

 the designs of Joseph Nunn, while the optical components are being 

 constructed at the shops of the Perkin-Elmer Corp., according to 

 designs made by Dr. James G. Baker. Glass for the 30-inch mirrors 

 is being furnished by the Corning Glass Co. 



It is expected that the tracking stations will be in operation during 

 the latter part of 1958. Each station is to be equipped with precision 

 timing devices and all auxiliary apparatus necessary to the mainte- 

 nance of an essentially complete observatory. The stations are being 

 operated, wherever possible, as joint cooperative ventures with the 

 country concerned, and it is a pleasure to report that the highest 

 degree of cooperation has been found in all cases. This network of 

 observing stations, it might be pointed out, continues the long- 

 established Smithsonian tradition of operating various strategically 

 located observatories around the world. 



The telescopic cameras designed for satellite tracking have been 

 made as versatile as possible to allow for a wide variety of sizes and 

 shapes of satellites expected to be launched by this and other coun- 

 tries during the course of the IGY. Indeed, it should even be possible 



