roswell

PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94
Q: The early nylon line, would it have degraded, such as
the balloon material degraded, and maybe fused in the hot sun?
14
A: I doubt it. If we had any it would have been white,
which would have been a high (inaudible), would not have absorbed
a lot of sunlight.
Q: There were discussions about what appeared to be
unbraided or unstranded fiber type lines. It's been alluded to
that was the precursors to what we use for fiber optics today.
The materials that were found. That's why I asked about the
monofilament line.
A: A lot of what we used early was a linen cord, not
twisted, and it was indeed, a brown, a dull brown color. But
because it was designed just for radiosonde balloons, and we
rapidly exceeded its strength. So very quickly, and I don't know
when, but we very quickly went over to this twisted lobster
twine.
To answer your question, there are three flights that are
missing here -- two, three, and four. I've identified Flight 4.
Flight 4 was a flight we made, and you don't have it there, but
Flight 4 we made in Alamagordo something like June 2nd or Jrd of
1947. The reason I have it identified is I have Albert Crary's
diary. The scientific end of the group was heavily based from
Columbia University. It was Dr. James Peoples who was an
employee of Watson Laboratory, and there was an Albert Crary who
had been a graduate student under Dr. Ewing.
Q: Who later also was an employee of •••
A: Who was then an employee of Watson Laboratory. I have
Crary's diary. Here is a translation •••
(END OF SIDE)
A: ... Here is the diary starting May 24, '47, and on May
28 he has "B-17 from Watson with Mirs, Hackman, NYU and Alden,
they plan to test fly balloons tomorrow. Other gang with
recording equipment due to leave Watson Laboratories Saturday.
Got everything ready for Hermes Rocket today."
May 29th. "Mirs and Hackman got balloon ascension off at
1:00 p.m. today without plane to follow it. Don and Godby out to
Donyo. Bill and I out to E. White Sands to record Hermes."
I've marked the key things here with red, and then I've
given you a page without my red if you have any need for that.
June 1st, "C-47 with Moore, Schneider and others from NYU,
also Irewin, Minton, Olson, NYU men worked on balloons, north
hangar."