C ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂÃÂ± 09 WEALTH PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY

FOR PRESS.

WOOMERA EXPERIMENT FOR U.K.

ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY.

(Statement by the Hon. Allen Fairhall,

Minister for Supply)

A Skylark research rocket fired from Woomera Rocket Range

(South Aust.) yesterday afternoon reached an altitude of 132 miles

carrying experiments for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to

investigate the solar corona.

This was the fourth successful firing in a series which is designed

to investigate the spectrum of the Sun in the ultra-violet range,

The trial was sponsored by the Royal Society, England, and was

conducted on its behalf by the Weapons Research Establishment of the

Department of Supply,

"A research laboratory of the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority is

studying the composition and temperature of charged particles of the

Sun to assist in the understanding of nuclear reactions.

"It is difficult and expensive to carry out research in the "

laboratory using man-made discharges, whereas the Sun provides a continÂ­

uous source for study, providing observations are made above the

Earth’s atmosphere".

"The Skylark rocket was fitted with an attitude control unit

which was designed to point the payload instruments accurately at the

Sun while the payload was outside the Earth's atmosphere. The

information from these experiments was recorded on film and recovered

by parachute.

"Information on the performance of the attitude control unit

was telemetered to Woomera Range and was recorded on magnetic tape.

"A more powerful motor was used in this rocket to achieve a

longer flight outside the atmosphere. The payload also contained an

experiment for Leicester University. The first three rounds in this

particular series were fired late in 1964 and earlier this year".

It was the second Skylark firing at Woomera this week. On

Monday night, a Skylark rocket rose to 127 miles above the desert in

another experiment sponsored by the Royal Society, England. The rocket

carried an experiment designed by Queen's University (Belfast) to

measure the faint glow (called air glow) that occurs in various layers

of the Earth's atmosphere.

Thursday, October 21, 1965.

CANBERRA. A.C.T.

