Feb 23 1992
From The Space Library
After two failed launch attempts, the Earthwinds around-the world balloon flight was postponed until November. The captain, airline pilot Larry Newman of Scottsdale, Arizona, and his crew, Don Moses and Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov, need near-calm conditions on the ground and the right trajectory to launch the trip, expected to last from 12 to 21 days at an altitude of about 35,000 feet. It would be the first balloon to circle the world. (LA Times, Feb 23/92;)
Yuri P. Semenov, general director of NPO Energia, the Russians' civilian manned space program, invited U.S. officials to lease room aboard the Mir Space Station, orbiting 240 miles above Earth, to conduct experiments. In addition, Semenov also proposed selling Russians' most powerful rocket, the Energia, which exceeds the lifting capacity of any U.S. launch vehicle. (W Post, Feb 23/92; NY Times, Feb 23/92)
It was reported that a Delta 2 rocket carrying a $65 million military navigation satellite was launched into space. The Global Positioning System "NAVSTAR" satellite is the 12th in a globe-spanning network of such space-craft that allow military forces on the ground, at sea, and in the air to determine their location and altitude to within 53 feet anywhere in the world. After a flawless boost into space, the satellite was released into a preliminary orbit about 25 minutes after liftoff. On-board rockets were scheduled to fire later to put the satellite in a circular 12-hour orbit 12,500 miles up. (UPI, Feb 23/92; B Sun, Feb 24/92; W Times, Feb 24/92; USA Today, Feb 24/92)
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