Apr 26 1962
From The Space Library
A very eventful day in space exploration : launched into orbit were ARIEL Cosmos IV, and two unidentified USAF satellites; RANGER IV impacted the far side of the moon; and a U.S.-Japanese probe was launched from Wallops.
RANGER IV impacted on the moon at 7:40:53 AM EST, ending a 231,486-mi. journey from AMR that began with its launching on April 23. Goldstone Tracking Station maintained contact with the 50-milliwatt transmitter in the lunar landing capsule until it passed behind the left edge of the moon. Impact velocity was 5,963 mph, point of impact 229.3° E, 15.5° 8, on a part of the moon never seen by man. RANGER IV's instrumentation, which ceased useful operation some ten hours after launch, never functioned again. About the same time as the lunar impact, the Agena B 2nd stage passed to the right of the moon and went into orbit around the sun.
ARIEL I (S-51), the first international satellite, launched into orbit from Cape Canaveral by Thor-Delta booster. The 132-lb. spacecraft was built by GSFC of NASA and carried six British experiments to make integrated measurements in the ionosphere. Three experiments measured electron density, temperatures, and composition of positive ions in the ionosphere, while two experiments were designed to monitor the intensity of radiation from the sun in the ultraviolet and x-ray bands of the solar corona. The sixth experiment was designed to measure cosmic rays, supported by simultaneous experiments from ground and by aircraft and balloon flights.
U.S. and Japan launched a joint sounding rocket from Wallops Station, Va. NASA furnished the Nike-Cajun rocket, launch facilities, data acquisition, and a Langmuir probe to measure electron temperature. Japan furnished instrumentation, a device designed to measure electron temperature and density simultaneously, functions which up to now have required two separate instruments. Height of the flight was 75.6 mi.
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos IV, presumably another in the recent series of scientific satellites. Orbital data: apogee, 206 mi.; perigee, 186 mi.; period, 90.6 min.; and inclination, 65°. No other details were announced.
In address at Tulane University, Dr. James R. Killian, President of MIT, stated that the Soviet Union had placed "their first rate people" in their space program and thus weakened their high-energy physics program. "We must be very careful in space exploration that we do not tend to draw strength from other technological areas. We need balance," he said.
NASA deadline for proposals invited from 15 companies for detailed design, manufacturing, and test plan for the Nova concept.
X-15 flight was canceled because of an engine malfunction seconds before the research aircraft was to be dropped from the 13-52 mother aircraft. Pilot was Major Robert M. White (USAF).
NASA graduated first group of Project Mercury tracking personnel completing new course at Wallops Station, the seven graduates representing personnel from NAS and DOD contractors. Directed by GSFC, the Mercury Network Training Program consists of specialized courses to support the man in space mission, one requiring that the subsystems at all 18 sites in a global network are continuously monitored and provide precise data concerning the spacecraft's location, altitude, and operational status as well as the astronaut's condition. Real-time data must flow between the sites, the Computer Center at GSFC, and the Mercury Control Center at Cape Canaveral.
Reported that NASA had drafted for review by other Government agencies a policy statement on measures being studied for the prevention of rocket booster parts surviving re-entry, possibly injuring life and property on earth. Fragments of MA-6 booster had surprisingly survived re-entry. Measures, as reported, included programed booster destruction, perhaps at the cost of payload weight.
Maj. Gen. O. J. Ritland (USAF), formerly Commander of AFSC's Space Systems Division, was named Deputy to the Commander, AFSC, for Manned Space Flight. Gen. Ritland would be in charge of liaison with and USAF support of NASA’s manned space flight program.
The Senate Committee on Commerce concluded its hearings on S. 2814 to establish a commercial communications satellite system.
Separation of the disciplines of geology and geophysics in U.S. universities is "nothing short of an intellectual outrage," Dr. Lloyd V. Berliner told the American Geophysical Union in Washington when that organization presented him with its first John Adams Fleming Award. Only three American universities were moving toward broad programs in geophysical study, he said. He urged the NAS and universities to work toward programs that would recognize that geology and geophysics are now "intimately intertwined." USAF launched two unidentified satellites, one boosted by a four-stage Blue Scout, the other by an Atlas-Agena B, both from PMR U.N. Public Registry stated Blue Scout did not attain orbit.
USAF was awarded the Bendix Trophy for its record-breaking B-58 transcontinental flight in two hours and 56.8 seconds at average speed of 1,214.71 mph on March 5, 1962.
U.S.S.R. is encouraging "do-it-yourself" science in some 2,000 laboratories located in plants and factories, according to Yevgeny K. Fedorov, chief secretary of the Academy of Sciences, speaking in Moscow. Some 30,000 people with amateur scientific interests were making, use of the laboratories, he said, and more would use them as the Soviet work week was reduced in length.
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