Aug 30 1966
From The Space Library
X-15 No. 2 was flown to 3,614 mph (mach 5) and 102,200-ft. altitude by Maj. William J. Knight (USAF) to conduct heat tests. Pilot conducted base-drag studies and checked out stability and control, ablative materials, and wing tip accelerometer. It was 170th flight of the X-15 and 7th during August. (FRC Release 16-66; X-15 Proj. Off.)
Tass announced that LUNA XI had become second U.S.S.R. satellite to circle moon when it entered lunar orbit Aug. 27 with 1,200-km. (745-mi.) apolune; 160-km. (99-mi.) perilune; 2 hr. 58-min. period; and 270ΓΈ inclination. In first official statement since Aug. 24 launch, agency reported that midcourse maneuver had been successfully executed Aug. 26 and that onboard equipment was functioning normally. LUNA X began orbiting moon April 3-first spacecraft to do so-but did not transmit photos to earth. (Tass, Pravda, 8/30/66, 1; AP, rush. Post, 8/25/66, A3)
First of series of high-altitude experiments to investigate parachute designs and techniques that might be incorporated into Voyager spacecraft scheduled for unmanned soft landing on Mars in 1973 was conducted by NASA from Walker AFB. The 15-ft.-diameter, 1,600-lb. disc-shaped flight unit containing packaged test parachute, instruments to record loads and parachute deployment, and ring of 12 small rockets for acceleration was carried by balloon to 120,000-to 125,000-ft. altitude then released on ground command. Acceleration rockets apparently ignited as planned, propelling unit upward at about 850 mph into arching trajectory. Parachute deployed; system descended in planned recovery area at WSMR. Test was apparent success; extensive performance analyses were being made. Balloon system had been tested July 18. Parachute project was managed by LaRC and coordinated with JPL, which managed Voyager program. (NASA Release 66-225; AP, Balt. Sun, 8/31/66)
House passed H.R. 15963, bill to establish Cabinet-level Dept. of Transportation. Amendments proposed by Reps. Benjamin J. Rosenthal (D-N.Y.) and John W. Wydler (R-N.Y.) that would have established an Office of Aircraft Noise Control and Abatement in the Department were defeated. (CR, 8/30/66, 20342-84)
New York Times editorial: "The Soviet-American race to the moon is heating up. Even as the United States-built satellite, Lunar Orbiter, finished photographing the moon, Moscow's huge Luna II also went into lunar orbit. The indicated success of the second unmanned flight of the Apollo moonship-another step toward putting the first Americans on the moon-undoubtedly will speed initial tests of a Soviet lunar vehicle." (NYT, 8/30/66)
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