Feb 9 1966
From The Space Library
NASA launched 210-lb. Reentry E payload by Scout booster from NASA Wallops Station to evaluate char integrity of low-density phenolic nylon heat-shield material and test its effectiveness in withstanding actual reentry conditions. In addition to four stages of Scout launch vehicle, 17-in. spherical rocket was attached to instrumented payload as velocity package. First two Scout stages lofted payload to 54-mi. (87km.) altitude. Remainder of vehicle coasted upward to 110-mi. (177-km.) altitude and at peak of trajectory, during 3rd-stage burn, guidance system began positioning vehicle for desired reentry angle. Fourth stage fired during descent, and then velocity package motor ignited, driving reentry payload to a velocity of more than 18,000 mph through earth‘s atmosphere. Payload impacted 1,150 mi. downrange in the Atlantic; recovery was not attempted. Throughout flight, continuous telemetry channel furnished data before and after the one-minute communications blackout caused by reentry, and aircraft photographed visible portion of reentry. Delayed telemetry system, used successfully on previous flights to transmit during blackout period, failed to operate because of a transmitter malfunction, but data furnished by continuous channel on post-blackout conditions would permit evaluation of total performance and correlation with previous ground tests. Flight, fifth in series of experiments in Scout Reentry Heating Project designed to investigate heating environment of a body reentering earth‘s atmosphere at 18,400 mph, was directed by LaRC . ‘‘(NASA Proj. Off.; NASA Release 66-18; Wallops Release 66-8)’’
NASA Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from Churchill Research Range reached 111-mi. (178-km.) altitude. GSFC experiment, first in series of three, successfully measured number and energy distribution of electrons in energy range of 1-300 kev, which produce visual aurora. ‘‘(NASA Rpt. SRL)’’
USAF launched unidentified satellite with Thor-Agena D booster from WTR. ‘‘(US. Aeron. & Space Act., 1966, 147)’’
Soviet aircraft designer Oleg K. Antonov, interviewed in Kiev by five Western European journalists, said U.S.S.R. was developing An-154, a double-decked, 724-passenger aircraft. It would be larger version early 50 ft. longer-of An-22 and would use four turboprop motors. Two preproduction models of An-22 were undergoing flight tests, Antonov said, and Aeroflot expected it to be in cargo service by 1968. ‘‘(Flying Review International, 5/66,544)’’
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