Aug 14 1962
From The Space Library
Soviet Cosmonauts Nikolayev (VOSTOK III) and Popovich (VOSTOK IV) continued to orbit the earth, their flight paths reported by Sohio Research Center as ranging from 1,382 mi. to 1,793 mi. apart. Radio Moscow reported the cosmonauts were maintaining radio contact with earth and between themselves. By 4:10 PM Moscow time VOSTOK III completed 52 orbits; VOSTOK IV, 36 orbits. Soviet government remained silent on plans to land the pair. Cosmonaut Popovich, orbiting the earth in VOSTOK IV, passed the million-mile mark shortly after retiring, about 9:00 PM Moscow time.
X-15 No. 3 flown by NASA pilot Joseph A. Walker to 197,000-ft. altitude and 3,784 mph speed (mach 5.13), in 9-min. flight near Delamar Lake, Nev., to evaluate new re-entry technique. Automatic roll damper ceased operating at 100,000-ft. during descent, causing X-15 to go into a simultaneous rolling and yawing motion. Pilot Walker regained stability with manual control and landed safely.
Senate voted (63-27) to invoke cloture rule on communications satellite debate, cutting off the filibuster against the bill and limiting each Senator to an hour of speaking time.
Radiotelescope operators at Jodrell Bank Experimental Station, England, reported VOSTOK III and IV were orbiting within about 1,600 mi. of each other, as they continued their extended flight in space.
Reported from Moscow and confirmed by Goddard Space Flight Center that pilots of VOSTOK III and IV were using radio frequencies of 19,990 megacycles, 20,006 megacycles, and 143,625 megacycles.
Announced that U.S.S.R. Ministry of Communications had already issued postage stamp honoring double space flight of VOSTOK III and IV.
Five live telecasts of Cosmonauts Nikolayev (VOSTOK III) and Popovich (VOSTOK IV) reportedly were received and relayed by Moscow television when the spacecraft passed within range. Soviet heart specialist Prof. Alexander Myasnikov, speaking on Moscow television, said heart activity data received from Cosmonauts Nikolayev and Popovich gave no cause for apprehension. Pulse and breathing rates, accelerated during the launchings, were normal, and the cosmonauts had not complained of any disturbing cardiovascular activity.
British astronomer Zdenek Kopal of the University of Manchester said the gravitational pull of the earth might have heated the interior of the moon to nearly 2,000° C. He ascribed the moon's growing diameter and its rising temperature to constant push-and-pull action of the earth's gravitational force, causing tidal friction within the lunar interior. The friction generates heat faster than the heat can escape from the moon, thus contributing to the addition of tens of thousands of sq. mi. to the moon's surface and 1,832° of temperature over the last 4.5 billion years. Kopal was speaking before the Conference on Lunar Exploration, Blacksburg, Va.
Announced that 1962 Daniel Guggenheim Medal for achievement in aviation would be awarded posthumously to James H. Kindleberger, late board chairman of North American Aviation, Inc.
Soviet scientist A. Prokhorov, writing in Soviet labor organization's publication Trud, stated that study of structure of living organisms would provide great opportunities for their utilization in space exploration. He stated that the "general reliability of modern automation systems is less than the reliability of each of their components taken individually. Living organisms, on the other hand, having developed over millions of years, are much more reliable than their component organs."
August 14-17: Construction projects at NASA Marshall Space Flight and Army Missile Command, Huntsville, Ala., halted when 1,500 workers refused to cross picket lines of Local 588, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, protesting employment of nonunion electricians by Baroco Electrical Construction Co. District Court injunction ordered 5-day stop of strike, effective August 18, and set hearing for August 22.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
