Aug 15 1965
From The Space Library
ZOND III's lunar photography mission was announced by Tass: "Automatic station Zond III is continuing its flight along a heliocentric orbit. . . . Photography of the moon began on July 20, 36 hrs. after launch, at 0424 hrs, Moscow time, when the automatic station was at a distance of 11,600 km, from the lunar surface, and was concluded at 0532 hrs. at a distance of about 10,000 km. After the lunar flyby the station is continuing its motion in a heliocentric orbit, becoming increasingly more distant from the earth and the sun. Image transmission began in accordance with the program of July 29 at a distance of 2.2 million km., when the angular size of the earth was small enough for the precise tuning of the on-board parabolic antenna towards the earth, Zond III for the first time photographed a part of the moon that cannot be seen from the earth and which was not included in the photos made by the Soviet interplanetary station in October 1959. At the moment photography began the phase of the moon visible from Zond III was close to full moon, while when the photography ended almost half of the lunar disc was in shadow. The first frames show a considerable part of the moon visible from the earth, Later frames show the surface of the moon when there was considerable solar side illumination, when the relief formations cast distinct shadows. The images from Zond III are sent with a clarity of 1,100 lines. When photographing from a distance of the order of 10,000 km., images of a lunar surface area of about 5 million square km, are possible. The quality of the photographs obtained make it possible to see numerous details of the lunar relief, which are of considerable interest. The photo obtained from Zond III will be published in leading newspapers and scientific journals. To analyze the result obtained and to name the craters, ranges, and other formations on the newly photographed sections of the moon, the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. has set up a special commission, Scientific investigations are continuing on Zond III. For further testing of the radio line the transmission of photographs of the far side of the moon from the station will continue during subsequent communications sessions, right up to the greatest distance from the earth. Thirty-eight communications sessions have been conducted from Zond III. All on-board systems are functioning normally." (Izvestia, 8/15/65, 1)
ZOND III's photographs of the hidden side of the moon received editorial comment in the New York Times: "Scientists and laymen from all nations will look forward to the pictures of the dark side of the moon that Moscow reports its Zond III satellite took last month. Until then the only photographic intelligence on the area had come from the pictures an earlier Soviet satellite took in 1959, a time when the available equipment-and consequently the quality of the result-was primitive by present standards. Six years ago the marvel was that this feat could be accomplished at all, Now, in the wake of the photographic knowledge of the moon and of Mars obtained by this country's Ranger and Mariner vehicles, world judgment of the importance of the Soviet accomplishment will depend upon the quality and the quantity of the new knowledge it provides." (NYT, 8/16/65, E9)
Comparing LUNA III LUNIK III and ZOND III, H. Pfaffe said in an article in East Germany's Berliner Zeitung: "Owing to its trajectory, Zond III was able to photograph the moon under favorable illumination conditions for one hour and eight minutes, Luna III was able to photograph only 40 minutes, Zond III's trajectory was so chosen that the probe assumed a planetary orbit around the sun, Luna III, on the other hand, assumed an elliptical orbit with the earth as one focal point. While Luna III transmitted its photos of the moon from distances of 400,000 km. and 40,000 km, Zond III began to transmit from a distance of 2,200,000 km. This and the fact that the new photos were on a 1,100-line basis indicated the advances made in the Soviet radio and photographic systems." (Pfaffe, Berliner Zeitung, 8/15/65, 3)
Sonic boom damage claims during three months of supersonic training jet flights over Chicago had totaled $52,434 paid to 707 claimants, UPI reported, Some 1,434 claims had been filed. (AP, Wash, Eve. Star, 8/15/65, 17)
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