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Advances in the astronautical sciences, volume 5
Dec., 196o.11
BOOK R E V I E W S
construction of a piece of equipment intended as a tool in nuclear research. The chapters are alike, however, in their clear presentation of the fundamental principles involved and their adequate references for further reading. " T h e Storage and Handling of Cryogenic Liquids" by G. H. Zenner fails to fit into the pattern set by the other chapters. The article is a wholly descriptive and somewhat repetitions account of the products manufactured by the company with which its author is associated. If the reader is left with the impression that cryogenic engineering is a black art:, the paucity of references to published material, other than U. S. and other patents, will do little to alter his opinion. JAMESNICOL Arthur D. Little, Inc. ADVANCES IN THE ASTRONAUTICAL SCIENCES, VOLUME 5, edited b y Horace Jacobs. 356 pages, diagrams, 6} X 10 ira. New York, Plenum Press, Inc., 1960. Price, $8.00. The current volume represents the proceedings of the American Astronautical Society's Second Western National Meeting held in August 1959 in Los Angeles. This country is most fortunate in having two national organizations whose interest lies in the field of astronautics. The American Rocket Society, through its two journals, makes available to its membership selected papers which may have been read at its meetings. The American Astronautical Society has for the past few years published its complete proceedings in book form. Thus, between the two organizations, the significant contributions by American authors in the field of astronautics find their way into print. Advances in the Astronautical Sciences, Volume 5, covers six sections of great divergence with, perhaps, the first section on Human Factor the most significant one. Here is found a brilliant exposition on the " H u m a n Factors in Spacecraft Technology" authored by Lt. Commander Richard N. de Callies of ONR. [n a concise paper, he sets down the requirementsIphysiological, psychological and man-machine--which require a thorough investigation to help scientists and engineers in the design of the space craft. In the second section on Space Mechanics, Control and Guidance, again there is an excellent paper by E. T. Benedikt who writes
5,35
on the "Scientific Significance of Deep Space Penetration." He shows how deep space probes or "artificial comets" as he calls them can provide answers to fundamental scientific questions on a planetary scale. " T h e Magnetic Pinch Engine for Space Flight" by Alfred E, Kunen and W. Mcllroy ira Section three is a novel paper in which the authors investigate space propulsion and satellite control by adapting the electromagnetic pinch effect to accelerate ionized gas. Section four deals with Astronautical Systems and Space Vehicle Design while Section five covers Space Communication and Instrumentation. In the latter Section, A. J. Viterbi sets down the "Design Techniques for Space Television." The significant point made iu this paper is the design of a TV system to relay a picture from Venus when it is but 26,000,000 miles from the Earth. With a 200-line scan and with 200 elements per tubc, the 40,000 bits will take 1.85 hours to be received on the Earth. The last section deals with Lunar aml Planetary Environment. In this section l)r. Robert Jastrow discusses the " L u n a r alld Terrestrial Atmospheres" in light of the latest results from satellites and probes. Advances in Astronautical Sciences is recommended to those scientists and engineers who would keep abreast of a fast changing field. I. M. LEVITT The Fels Planetarium DYNAMICS OF THE PATENT SYSTEM, edited by William B. Ball. 449 pages, 6 X 9 in. New York, Central Book Co., Inc., 1960. Price, $12.00. This book takes the form of discussions of ten critical areas of contemporary patent law which are regarded by 170 patent lawyers assembled in seminar at Villanova University School of Law over a period of ten weeks to be most in need of comprehensive analysis. Two of these discussions are based npon "the standard of invention in the Patent Office" and the "standard of invention in the courts." Strictly speaking, one might well assmne t h a t the standard of invention in both instances is substantially the same. However, immediately we are thrown into two different auras. It is made clear that both tribunals are interested in the question
BOOK R E V I E W S
construction of a piece of equipment intended as a tool in nuclear research. The chapters are alike, however, in their clear presentation of the fundamental principles involved and their adequate references for further reading. " T h e Storage and Handling of Cryogenic Liquids" by G. H. Zenner fails to fit into the pattern set by the other chapters. The article is a wholly descriptive and somewhat repetitions account of the products manufactured by the company with which its author is associated. If the reader is left with the impression that cryogenic engineering is a black art:, the paucity of references to published material, other than U. S. and other patents, will do little to alter his opinion. JAMESNICOL Arthur D. Little, Inc. ADVANCES IN THE ASTRONAUTICAL SCIENCES, VOLUME 5, edited b y Horace Jacobs. 356 pages, diagrams, 6} X 10 ira. New York, Plenum Press, Inc., 1960. Price, $8.00. The current volume represents the proceedings of the American Astronautical Society's Second Western National Meeting held in August 1959 in Los Angeles. This country is most fortunate in having two national organizations whose interest lies in the field of astronautics. The American Rocket Society, through its two journals, makes available to its membership selected papers which may have been read at its meetings. The American Astronautical Society has for the past few years published its complete proceedings in book form. Thus, between the two organizations, the significant contributions by American authors in the field of astronautics find their way into print. Advances in the Astronautical Sciences, Volume 5, covers six sections of great divergence with, perhaps, the first section on Human Factor the most significant one. Here is found a brilliant exposition on the " H u m a n Factors in Spacecraft Technology" authored by Lt. Commander Richard N. de Callies of ONR. [n a concise paper, he sets down the requirementsIphysiological, psychological and man-machine--which require a thorough investigation to help scientists and engineers in the design of the space craft. In the second section on Space Mechanics, Control and Guidance, again there is an excellent paper by E. T. Benedikt who writes
5,35
on the "Scientific Significance of Deep Space Penetration." He shows how deep space probes or "artificial comets" as he calls them can provide answers to fundamental scientific questions on a planetary scale. " T h e Magnetic Pinch Engine for Space Flight" by Alfred E, Kunen and W. Mcllroy ira Section three is a novel paper in which the authors investigate space propulsion and satellite control by adapting the electromagnetic pinch effect to accelerate ionized gas. Section four deals with Astronautical Systems and Space Vehicle Design while Section five covers Space Communication and Instrumentation. In the latter Section, A. J. Viterbi sets down the "Design Techniques for Space Television." The significant point made iu this paper is the design of a TV system to relay a picture from Venus when it is but 26,000,000 miles from the Earth. With a 200-line scan and with 200 elements per tubc, the 40,000 bits will take 1.85 hours to be received on the Earth. The last section deals with Lunar aml Planetary Environment. In this section l)r. Robert Jastrow discusses the " L u n a r alld Terrestrial Atmospheres" in light of the latest results from satellites and probes. Advances in Astronautical Sciences is recommended to those scientists and engineers who would keep abreast of a fast changing field. I. M. LEVITT The Fels Planetarium DYNAMICS OF THE PATENT SYSTEM, edited by William B. Ball. 449 pages, 6 X 9 in. New York, Central Book Co., Inc., 1960. Price, $12.00. This book takes the form of discussions of ten critical areas of contemporary patent law which are regarded by 170 patent lawyers assembled in seminar at Villanova University School of Law over a period of ten weeks to be most in need of comprehensive analysis. Two of these discussions are based npon "the standard of invention in the Patent Office" and the "standard of invention in the courts." Strictly speaking, one might well assmne t h a t the standard of invention in both instances is substantially the same. However, immediately we are thrown into two different auras. It is made clear that both tribunals are interested in the question