Telemetry Sounds
These are sounds of our times. Called telemetry, it is the way satellites
orbiting in space report to controllers on Earth. Each spacecraft has its own
signature, a unique tone. Engineers call it beta, you may see it later as a
weather report or a television picture from around the world.
Music
Space down-to-Earth with applications satellites. What they are, what they're
doing for you now and what will be happening in the decade of the 70s.
Weather, communications, Earth resources. These will be among the main topics for
dialogue in the 1970s. Each has its own type of impact on our lifestyles.
At times we will be more concerned about one than the other but always they will be there.
Music
Case in point, weather. Spacecraft like TIROS, Nimbus and the application
technology satellites. Satellites that return daily weather information over
the entire world. What do they report? A continuous watch of the Earth's moving
cloud cover, tracking storms, measuring winds, recording temperatures at
different heights and testing the moisture content of the atmosphere. As a
result computer systems are built that can receive and analyze vast amounts of
global information from many sources. Making forecasting more accurate.
(Hurricane high wind sounds)
Hurricanes with their devastating winds and flood causing rains, a perennial
threat. In 1969 Hurricane Camille was first observed and then tracked by
satellite. Because the storms arrival was predicted accurately enough in advance
it was possible to evacuate people from the Gulf Coast. Without this early
warning, the weather bureau estimated that 50,000 people might have been
killed. In contrast during Hurricane Laurie in November 1969, observations and
tracking by satellite enabled the weather forecasters to predict that
Laurie would not strike the coast. It is estimated that three million dollars was
saved from this satellite prompted decision not to evacuate and not to
protect property.
TIROS, Television Infrared Operational Satellite, over the past ten years twenty
of these hat box shaped satellites have been successfully launched for use by
NASA and the weather bureau. The television eyes of TIROS scanned the
entire globe daily reporting on cloud cover and warning of major storms. Since
the first operational weather satellites started clicking off pictures, roughly
600 severe storms have been detected. followed and predictions made about
their course. They have sent back more than a million pictures of weather
conditions around the globe. Cameras onboard the application's technology
satellite scan the Earth and return color images as often as every 20
minutes.
Music
Here's a view showing six hurricanes on one picture. This near-continuous
surveillance of 40% of the Earth's surface has proven so useful, that the
reports have been incorporated into routine weather forecasts. And have
pointed the way for even more sophisticated meteorological satellites.
Major airlines make use of satellite data in planning their flights. Pilots
routinely receive weather photos of their transoceanic routes. Before
satellite tracking of hurricanes US Navy Hurricane Hunters had to search out the
killer storms. Weather satellites now locate the storms and the Navy flies
directly to them to make their measurements.
(Ice breaking)
The Navy also uses weather satellite pictures for ice patrols. Remote stations
in the Antarctic benefit to, giant resupply ski planes can be safely
scheduled for landings in the icy outposts without worrying about being
trapped by snowstorms. Supply ships benefit from improved scheduling as well.
A recent satellite in the TIROS series does the work of two spacecraft. Carrying
twice as many cameras, it's capable of discerning cloud formations as small as
two miles across. The improved TIROS operational satellite carries a proton
monitoring instrument, that helps spot solar flares. The same instrument can
measure the amount of heat reflected from and absorbed by the Earth's
atmosphere. This is very important in weather forecasting.
In addition, radio frequencies affected by solar storms can be changed in
advance and man flights to the moon better planned.
Music
Nimbus, research and development craft studying advanced techniques and
concepts for meteorological Earth observations. Nimbus is measuring the
atmospheres temperature and moisture at various altitudes.
As well as making day and nighttime cloud photographs. These measurements are
considered the key to accurate long-range weather forecasts. By the end
of this decade forecasts made one week in advance will be as accurate as those
now made 24 or 48 hours ahead. Satellites and weather are global in nature. Every
nation in the world can benefit from the automatic picture transmissions of US
weather satellites. Over 50 countries are now using inexpensive automatic picture
readout equipment to view daily weather patterns over their own territory. These
same countries also benefit from cloud picture mosaics routinely made available
by the weather bureau to Europe, Asia, Australia and North and South America.
The weather mosaic is built up from individual weather photos and processed
by computer. It is then retransmitted by a satellite. There are three main
objectives for an effective meteorological program. The first global
cloud cover photography. Enabling us to identify and track storms and to observe
their formation and dissipation. This is valuable in the analysis of current
weather and the prediction of 24 to 36-hour changes. The second objective.
continuous viewing of the atmosphere. Needed to keep significant portions of
the Earth's cloud cover under constant surveillance and providing essential
early warning on rapidly developing weather phenomena, such as thunderstorms
and the formation growth and death of tornadoes. This information is valuable
for short period forecasts of less than 12 hours. The third objective. a global
atmospheric research program. It's goal long-range weather prediction on a
worldwide basis. In 1976 scientists from governments, industries and universities
in many countries will meet to work out the problems of International weather
forecasting. The global research program will use computers to design and test
theoretical models of atmospheric behavior. When the mathematical models
are combined with information returned from already operating satellites, it may
be possible to make forecasts two to three weeks in advance. Communications,
some of the greatest strides in putting space to work have taken place in this
field. In 1960 Americans made 100 billion telephone calls. In 1969 nearly 200
billion were made. New uses are continually being found for
telecommunications. Banks, stock exchanges, hotel reservations, cable TV, hospitals,
computer centers and other new customers are appearing at an increasing rate.
We are in the midst of a global communications explosion. Helping meet
this demand our communications satellites.
(Eisenhower) "This is President Eisenhower speaking. It is a great personal satisfaction
to participate in this experiment in communication involving the use of the satellite balloons known
as Echo." August 12, 1960, President Eisenhower took part in the historic
first transmission via Escho satellite. By bouncing radio waves off its shiny
surface it made possible long-distance telephone conversations and the
transmission of photographs and music. Other communication satellites followed
Telstar, Relay, SIMCom, each a research step leading to
commercial spacecraft capable of handling satellite communications. In
1964 television viewers around the world were able to watch the Olympics from
Tokyo. A visit to Mexico City by the Pope was also viewed globally. Over half a
billion people one-sixth of the world's population saw Man's first steps on the
moon.
Music
Color coverage of space recovery operations from mid-ocean is now routine.
At the manned spacecraft Center in Houston,
doctors discussed space medicine and early cancer detection. The proceedings
were telecast live by a communication satellite and provided two-way voice
circuits between the United States and three European countries. The closed
circuit telecast (end)