Aug 9 1969
From The Space Library
August 9-15: NASA's OSO VI (OSO -G) Orbiting Solar Observatory was successfully launched from ETR at 3:52 am EDT by two-stage Thor-Delta N booster to study sun and its influence on earth's atmosphere. Orbital parameters: apogee, 348.0 mi (560 km); perigee, 307.6 mi (495 km) period, 95.2 min; and inclination, 32.96°. Primary mission objective was to obtain high-resolution spectral data from pointed experiments in 10- to 20-key range and 1 to 1,300 A range during one solar rotation and make raster scans of solar disc in selected wavelengths. Spacecraft would obtain data from nonpointed and pointed experiments for more than one solar rotation for extended observations of single lines and solar flares. Pac (Package Attitude Control) system, carried pickaback on Delta 2nd stage, was ejected into orbit with 340-mi (547.1-km) apogee, 300mi (482.7-km) perigee, 94.2-min period, and 32.9° inclination. Primary objective was to flight-test long-life, low-power, three-axis Pac earth-stabilized control system for Delta 2nd stage and to demonstrate feasibility of using stage as experimental platform. Oso VI was spin-stabilized, weighed 640 lbs, carried seven experiments, was designed with six-month lifetime, and had two main sections-wheel (lower), which carried nondirectional Scanning experiments and basic support equipment, and sail (upper), which carried pointed experiments. It was similar to previous OSOs but had unique capability which enabled two sun-pointing telescopes to study in detail uv and x-ray spectra at any point on solar disc and would provide greater knowledge of solar atmosphere (chromosphere) as well as outermost layer (corona) visible only through special instruments or during total solar eclipse. Experiments, designed to continue and extend work of preceding OSO spacecraft, were provided by Harvard College Observatory, Naval Research Laboratory, Rutgers Univ." Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories, Univ. of New Mexico, Univ. of Bologna, and University College (London). Both tape recorders were operating at liftoff and were still operating satisfactorily. Spacecraft stabilized and acquired sun as scheduled shortly after entering orbit. By Aug. 15 all experiments had been turned on and were operating satisfactorily. Two minor anomalies-higher than planned use of current by motor that provided fine elevation pointing and lower than expected spacecraft operating temperature -were not expected to affect spacecraft operation adversely. Oso VI was seventh in series of eight OSO spacecraft designed to provide direct observation of sun during most of 11-yr solar cycle. OSO I (launched March 7, 1962) and OSO II (launched Feb. 3, 1965) had surpassed their six-month design lifetimes and together provided more than 8,600 hrs of scientific information. OSOBC (launched Aug. 25, 1965) had failed to reach orbit when booster malfunctioned. OSO III (launched March 8, 1967) and OSO IV (launched Oct. 18, 1967) continued operating satisfactorily, each providing 71/2 hrs of real-time data daily. OSO V (launched Jan. 22, 1969) had both tape recorders and seven of eight experiments operating satisfactorily after six months in orbit. OSO program was managed by GSFC under OSSA direction. (NASA. Proj Off; NASA Releases 69-112, 69-112A, 69-123; Pres Rpt 70 [69])
August 9: "Scientists who have long felt that their role was secondary to that of engineers in the Apollo project" were complaining openly and trying to force greater emphasis on science in planning future lunar landing missions, John Noble Wilford reported in New York Times. "Their argument is that, with the success of Apollo 11, the project's goal should be to learn as much as possible about the moon and not merely to repeat the demonstration that moon landings are possible." Dr. Elbert A. King, curator of Lunar Receiving Laboratory, had said in interview that NASA administration did not have "enough sympathy with, or understanding of, scientific objectives." Casting science in "piggyback role" for first manned lunar landing was understandable, he said. "No one really criticizes that, because ... getting men to the moon and back had to be a massive engineering effort. But now that we have accomplished that goal, the justification for future lunar exploration is largely science. There has to be a shift of emphasis." Scientists were pressing for more active role in mission planning, return of larger amounts of lunar samples, selection of scientists for flight crews, and more time between missions in which to evaluate data for applications to future experiments. (NYT, 8/10/69, 44)
Soviet scientist Dr. Valery A. Krasheninnikev and academician Dr. Aleksandr P. Lisitzin had returned to San Diego from 55 days with U.S. Deep Sea Drilling Project aboard drilling ship Glomar Challenger convinced their findings were "more important to man than the samples from the moon," Associated Press reported. Concentrated drilling between Honolulu and Guam had produced rocks and sedimentary cores showing microorganisms in perfect state of preservation. They might provide history of earth's creation. Project was cooperative venture of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Lamont Geological Observatory of Columbia Univ., Univ. of Miami Institute of Marine Science, and Univ. of Washington. (NYT, 8/10/69, 45)
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