P-NG Links In US Space Plans?

From our Canberra Correspondent

Papua-New Guinea may become an important link in American plans to set up a , 17r ._ij i • • L world-wide television system. • MtKICAN specialists are accompanying Australian teams from the Departments of Supply and k . s whMhlrTh 5 ,.,f nd Buk ,\f sla ? ds for satellite s . ultah e sltes The the Minister for SuppT/’ Mr Alan Hulme. in a formal sfatenZ' whicK was designed to give the project the minimum publicity J Mr. Hulme said that the area was of scientific interest because of its location in relation to the equator and to possible satellite trajectories. u admitted that the survey was ‘connected with important work associated with outer space research nd should be of considerable value”.

Lrovernment departments anted no announcement at all out the survey; others took the more realistic view that Americans

could not move around even isolated spots Eke Manus and Buka without att ™ cting f some notice .

The outcome was the Ministers bald statement.

The key t 0 what is happening is in his admission that the area is of interest because of its relation to the equator.

The us National Space Agency is planning to launch satellites to see whether it would be practica ble to mT V Programmes and radio lmkS ‘° ..

The a B enc V believes that world wide TV would be possible if a circle of satellites could be strun B around the equator moving at the same speed as Earth * Manus and Buka have been se lected because of their closeness to the equator.

The stations envisaged for them would not merely track the satellites.

They would have equipment to con trol the satellites and keep them in a constant position in relation to the earth.