Apr 7 1966
From The Space Library
NASA Atlas-Centaur AC-8 launch vehicle was launched from ETR with dummy Surveyor payload. Centaur stage's failure to achieve. successful double ignition in space caused 1,730-lb. dummy Surveyor payload to remain in earth orbit with the Centaur stage rather than enter simulated lunar trajectory as programmed. Orbital parameters: apogee, 208 mi. (335 km.); perigee, 113 mi. (182 km.); period, 90 min.; inclination, 31ΓΈ. Eighty minutes after launch NASA officials at KSC announced that only one of booster's two hydrogen-fueled RL-10 rocket engines had fired the second time. Both engines were to have ignited for approximate 107-sec. burn and inserted payload into lunar trajectory. Later analysis of data indicated the failure was because of a malfunction in Centaur's attitude control system [see May 3]. Purpose of AC-8 mission was to demonstrate Centaur's capability to restart its high-energy engines in the space environment following coast period in earth orbit. Success of this mission was vital to NASA's first operational mission which would attempt to land Surveyor spacecraft on the moon. Centaur program was directed by NASA OSSA and managed by LRC. (NASA Releases 66-58, 66-92; NASA Proj. Off.; Wash. Post, 4/8/66, A9; AP, Balt. Sun)
USAF launched unidentified satellite with Thor-Agena D booster from WTR. (US. Aeron. & Space Act., 1966, 149)
New USA OH-6A helicopter, developed by Hughes Aircraft Co., completed a 2,230-mi. flight-longest nonstop helicopter flight in history-from Culver City, Calif., to Ormand Beach, Fla., in 15 hrs. 13 min. Flight broke record set by USN Sikorsky SA3A helicopter, which flew 2,105 mi. nonstop on March 5, 1965. (NYT, 4/11/66, 70; Hughes Aircraft Corp.)
NASA Apollo Service Module (SM) propulsion engine test phase was completed at Arnold Engineering Development Center. (AEDC)
NASA Administrator James E. Webb was elected to National Geographic Society's board of trustees. (NYT, 4/8/66, 3)
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