Feb 26 1971
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
Cosmos 398 was launched by U.S.S.R. into orbit with 232-km (144.2-mi) apogee, 191-km (118.7-mi) perigee, 89.0-min period, and 51.6° inclination, (GSFC SSR, 2/28/71)
NASA's M2-F3 lifting-body vehicle, piloted by test pilot William H. Dana, completed sixth flight after air launch from B-52 aircraft over FRC. Objectives were to obtain M2-F3 and B-52 adapter compatibility by captive flight at 9000-m (30 000-ft) altitude and mach 0.46 to 0.67, expand flight envelope to mach 0.85 by climbing to 13 700 m (45 000 ft) and releasing M2-F3, obtain stability and control data at mach 0.8, investigate lateral phugoid, and obtain performance data at mach 0.8. Alternate flight plan was flown after one of three engine chambers malfunctioned, but vehicle reached mach 0.8 and most objectives were achieved. (NASA Proj Off)
LeRC announced it was accurately producing and measuring surface contamination to spacecraft by harsh elements in outer space under simulated space vacuum conditions in liquid-helium-cooled space tank linked to computer. Facility could achieve and maintain very high vacuum. LeRC Aerospace Environment Branch also would study effect of exhaust from small reactor control thruster-like those used for Apollo attitude control-on optical properties of nearby surfaces in space, such as Skylab surface. (LeRC Release 71-6)
UPI released rare photo of sun in which silhouette of jet aircraft created optical illusion that sun was only five times wider than aircraft. Photo, showing sun spots as black patches and large white areas described as possible incipient solar flares, was taken by Pennsylvania State Univ. astronomers using special filters on automatic camera. (UPI Photo Ed)
NASA announced availability to general-aviation manufacturers of A Study of NACA and NASA Published Information of Pertinence in the Design of Light Aircraft, Volumes I, II, and III. Information on structural design, propulsion subsystems, landing-gear loads, flutter, refined performance calculation procedures, and high-horsepower propellers was obtained from 10 000 aeronautical documents that NASA had organized, cataloged, and evaluated. (NASA Release 71- 27)
The Supersonic Transport, study by George N. Chatham and Franklin P. Huddle, was released by Science Policy Research Div. of Library of Congress Congressional Research Service. Study found many uncertainties concerning SST: "as to the verity of the competition from foreign SST developments; as to whether the Boeing SST will produce the economic gains claimed for it; as to the extent of engineering risk this vehicle represents; and as to whether it can stand alone, without other supporting elements of a complete system of air transportation." SST's environmental aspects had received bulk of critical attention but "most of postulated effects are found to be non-existent or of a scale making detection difficult." Most uncertainties were in field of economics. "It is likely that these can be resolved only by actual experience with the product in use." (Text)
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