Dec 12 1970
From The Space Library
Uhuru (Explorer XLII) (SAS-A) Small Astronomy Satellite was launched for NASA by Italy at 1:45 pm local time (5:45 am EST) from San Marco launch platform off coast of Kenya. Four-stage Scout launch vehicle boosted 142.9-kg (315-Ib) satellite into orbit with 572-km (355.4-mi) apogee, 531-km (330.0-mi) perigee, 95.7-min period, and 3.04° inclination. Primary objective was to develop catalog of celestial x-ray sources by systematic scanning of sky in 2- to 20-kev range. Satellite-first equipped with sensitive instruments to detect high-energy x-ray sources in space-would pinpoint location of xray sources; transmit data on intensity, frequency, and time variation; and map diffuse x-ray background. NASA controllers would maneuver satellite from ground by energizing electromagnet in attitude control system. Electrical energy caused electromagnet to act like compass needle, aligning itself to north-south lines of earth's magnetic field and permitting controllers to point spacecraft to any direction. During first day of operation Uhuru was expected to collect more data than had been obtained with sounding rockets in past eight years. Satellite's long observing time, rather than the few minutes for sounding rockets, would hermit observation of x-ray sources from 30 to 50 times fainter than those observed thus far, probably increasing number of observed x-ray sources from 540 to several hundred. Uhuru was first in series of three explorers in Small Astronomy Satellite program to survey sky above earth's atmosphere and identify x-ray, gamma-ray, UV, and infrared sources. It was first U.S. satellite launched by another country. Under NASA and Univ. of Rome agreement NASA provided booster and satellite; Italian team, trained at Wallops Station, conducted assembly, checkout, and launch services on cost-reimbursable basis. SAS-B would be launched in October 1971 and SAS-c in December 1972. (NASA Proj Off; NASA Release 70-203)
France successfully launched Peole (Preliminaire Eole) experimental meteorological satellite on Diamant-B booster from Kourou, French Guiana, into orbit with 749-km (463.4-mi) apogee, 635-km (394.6-mi) perigee, 98.6-min period, and 15.0° inclination. Peole-70-kg (154lb) octahedron with 711-mm (28-in) diameter-was preliminary to Eole (IAS-A) International Applications Satellite and carried interrogating system to collect data from balloon system to be utilized by Eole. Launch, originally scheduled for Aug. 24, had been postponed because of vibration problem in Diamant-B booster. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/70; SBD, 12/15/70, 181; Spacewarn, 12/29/70, 1; SF, 6/71,213, 5)
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CCCLXXXV from Plesetsk into orbit with 984-km (611.4-mi) apogee, 980-km (608.9-mi) perigee, 104.7min period, and 74.0° inclination. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/70; SBD, 12/15/ 70,181)
Nixon Administration was finding "no takers" in its efforts to replace Dr. Thomas O. Paine as NASA Administrator, New York Times said. Lack of NASA Administrator seemed "as much a reflection of the low level of attention that space commands among White House priorities as it is an indication of the unavailability of candidates." Since Br. Paine's Sept. 15 retirement, U.S.S.R. had successfully launched 33 space payloads. (Lyons, NYT, 12/13/70, 50)
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