Feb 7 1967
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CXL into orbit with 241-km (150-mi) apogee, 170-km (106-mi) perigee, 88.48-min period, and 51.7ΓΈ inclination. All equipment functioned satisfactorily. Satellite reentered Feb. 9. (Tech Wk, 2/13/67,10; GSFC SSR, 2/15/67)
NASA's SURVEYOR I spacecraft, which soft-landed on the moon June 2, 1966, was still functioning after transmitting over 11,000 photos to earth, JPL's scientist Leonard Jaffe said in Cal Tech lecture. SURVEYOR I mission had been officially terminated July 21, 1966, after spacecraft's battery suffered a sudden dip in voltage. (LA Herald-Examiner, 2/7/67)
President Johnson submitted space law treaty (see Dec. 8, 1966) to Senate and urged that it be ratified promptly "in appropriate commemoration of the Senate's own role in charting the course that the world now seems willing to follow. . . . "The resources of this planet are already taxed to support human existence. Now and even more each day, as the family of man increases so rapidly, fertile soil, clear water, clean air and a safe atmosphere all become more precious to men and nations than the metals and jewels of ages past. . . . The future leaves no option. Responsible men must push forward in the exploration of space, near and far. Their voyages must be made in peace for purposes of peace on earth. This Treaty is a step a first step, but a long step toward assuring the peace essential for the longer journey." (PD, 2/13/67,196-9)
Charges that haste to meet 1970 deadline to land first man on the moon had contributed to Jan. 27 Apollo tragedy were completely "unfounded," Dr. George E. Mueller, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, told closed hearing of Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences in testimony released Feb. 11. ". . . the Apollo program is . . . the longest R.&D. program that we have undertaken in this Nation. . . . It has been paced at a deliberate pace so that it would in fact reasonably economically, but certainly safely, arrive at a set of equipment capable of carrying out the mission. . . ." Dr. Charles A. Berry, MSC Director of Medical Research and Operations, said that a total of 20,756 hrs had been accumulated testing the use of 100% oxygen in NASA-sponsored spacecraft and spacesuit evaluation programs. Before Jan. 27 accident, three fires had occurred in pure-oxygen ground simulators: in all cases fires had been traced to electrical systems not used in spacecraft and crew members had recovered from burns. NASA witnesses recounted long history of precautions to avoid spacecraft fires, including insulation, circuit design and circuit protection for electrical wires, and fire-testing of over 400 materials. NASA Deputy Administrator Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., suggested that exact source of ignition might never be pinpointed: "It is therefore possible that we may fly the Apollo without having been able to establish the cause of the fire. Even in that case, I believe that the care and skill with which the board and program office are conducting their investigations and review will provide the necessary assurance that such an accident cannot be repeated. . . ." (Testimony)
Board chaired by KSC Director Dr. Kurt H. Debus convened at MSFC to investigate Jan. 20 explosion of Saturn V 3rd stage at Douglas Aircraft Co.'s Sacramento plant. (Birmingham News, 2/7/67)
Edward H. White II, one of the three Apollo astronauts who died in Jan. 27 flash fire at KSC, was named to receive AIAA's 1967 Haley Astronautics Award. Selection had been made in early January. AIAA cited White for his historic walk in space and other contributions, undertaken "at great personal risk in the advancement of space flight" during June 3-7,1965, Gemini IV mission. Award would be presented to his widow. (AP, W Post, 2/8/67, A6; UPI, NYT, 2/9/67,9)
US. and U.S.S.R. had begun talks aimed at mutual agreement not to deploy antimissile missile systems, Deputy Secretary of Defense Cyrus Vance told Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Disarmament Subcommittee. (AP, P Inq, 2/8/67,3)
First live global telecast linking North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa would be carried on National Educational Television (NET) June 25, NET Vice President William Kobin announced. Designed as a live documentary to enable man to see earth as a single entity in space and time, two-hour telecast would examine such major problems as hunger and overpopulation. It would be transmitted to more than 30 nations via four comsats: ComSatCorp's EARLY BIRD 1 and lntelsat ZI-B and two of U.S.S.R.'s Molniya I comsats. (Gent, NY T, 2/8/67, 63)
Eleven cosmonauts had been killed in accidents since first Soviet space flight in 1960 according to CIA report prepared for the White House several weeks before Jan. 27 Apollo tragedy, Northern Virginia Sun reported. CIA claimed five had been killed when their spacecraft failed to enter orbit and six had died in series of mishaps ranging from boosters exploding during countdowns to training incidents involving helicopter crashes. (Allen, Scott, Northern Virginia Sun, 2/7/67)
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