Jul 14 1966
From The Space Library
Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from NASA Wallops Station carried 52-lb. variable frequency impedance probe to 121-mi. (195-km.) altitude in cooperative West German-US. experiment to measure electron density in the ionosphere. NASA furnished two radio propagation experiments and sounding rocket; West Germany furnished probe. There was no exchange of funds between cooperating agencies -NASA and West German Federal Ministry for Scientific Research. Results would be made available to world scientific community. (NASA Release 66-188; Wallops Release 66-40)
USAF's OV1-VIIIT satellite was launched with Atlas D booster from Vandenberg AFB into near-circular retrograde orbit: apogee, 627 mi. (1,009 km.); perigee, 619 mi. (996 km.); period, 105 min.; inclination, 144ø. Balloon-shaped satellite-made of soft aluminum wire mesh covered with a plastic "skin" which disintegrated after inflation-would act as a passive comsat to reflect signals transmitted to it between earth stations, determine whether wire would be rigid enough to maintain spherical shape, and test theory that "open-mesh" structure would reduce drag and solar pressure in space environment. (AFSC Release 140.66)
COSMOS CXXIV was launched into earth orbit by U.S.S.R. for continued space research. Orbital parameters: apogee, 303 km. (188 mi.); perigee, 208 km. (129 mi.); period, 89.4 min.; inclination, 51.8ø. Instruments were functioning normally. (Tass, 7/14/66)
NIMBUS II meteorological satellite, launched by NASA May 15, completed primary test objective of two months (800 orbits) continuous operation; all subsystems were operating according to plan. The 912-lb., l9-ft.-tall satellite had traveled more than 20 million mi., taken more than 150,000 pictures, and received more than 23,000 commands from ground controllers. NIMBUS II was now being readied for extensive infrared photo coverage of hurricane breeding areas in Atlantic Ocean. (NASA Proj. Off.; NASA Release 66-187; Marshall Star, 7/27/66, 3)
First anniversary of first close-up photos of Mars taken by NASA's MARINER IV from distance of 134 million mi. Spacecraft was launched Nov. 28, 1964. (NYT, 7/26/66,49)
All participants in the Gemini X mission rehearsed their parts in preparation for July 18 flight. Astronauts John Young and Michael Collins went over flight plan from liftoff to splashdown and conducted review of all spacecraft systems. (Wilford, NYT, 7/15/66, 11)
New program to disseminate information to industry was initiated by NASA and AEC's Argonne National Laboratory. Purpose was to identify technological innovations resulting from Argonne's research and development projects; prepare brief, business-oriented summaries of innovations; and distribute them to industry. Summaries-to be known as AEC-NASA Tech Briefs-would contain information not customarily reported in scientific literature such as descriptions of devices, processes, and techniques developed to meet specific or engineering needs at Argonne and would be combined with similar information currently published by NASA. (NASA Release 66-183)
Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., NASA Deputy Administrator, told World Affairs Council in Los Angeles US. civil space program "affords perhaps the most effective global projection of the American personality and the American achievement today . . . "The elements of this favorable projection are the openness with which the program is conducted, the direct benefits to others through space communications and weather systems, the willingness to share both research and results in projects of mutual interest, the energetic forward thrust toward technological and managerial pre-eminence, and . . . the evidence of high national purpose." (Text)
If MSFC Director Dr. Wernher von Braun should obtain assignment to develop an orbital payload capability between Uprated Saturn I 's 35,000-40,000 lbs. and Saturn V's 250,000-275,000 lbs., "the art of rocketry will take a step backward, a promising branch of space technology will suffer another reversal, and the American taxpayer will be several hundred million dollars poorer," wrote William Hines in the Washington Evening Star. Hines contended that both von Braun's suggestions-increasing the thrust of the Uprated Saturn I at cost of $1.5 billion or reducing the capability of the Saturn V at cost of $3.25 billion -would be "fantastically expensive." He suggested that, "assuming that there actually is need for an 80,000-100,000-pound orbital capability, this requirement could be filled more cheaply, and sooner, by pushing development of the solid [propellant] rocket. . . ." (Hines, Wash. Eve. Star, 7/14/66, A14)
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