Jul 19 1967
From The Space Library
First experimental tactical communications by satellite among USN, USAF, and USA units had been successful, DOD announced. Messages had been exchanged among airborne aircraft, a submarine, a ship, and fixed and mobile terminals via Lincoln Experimental Satellite (LES) V, one of six satellites launched by USAF July 1. (DOD Release 661-67; AP, NYT, 7/21/67,6)
USAF announced that first unit to be equipped with F-111 variable-sweep-wing aircraft would be activated at Nellis AFB, Nev., in summer 1967. (DOD Release 664-67)
Rep. John J. Rhodes (R-Ariz.), speaking in the House on behalf of the Republican Policy Committee, urged that House Senate Conference Committee on NASA FY 1968 authorization bill accept key Republican amendments adopted by the House. Amendments would reduce NASA's FY 1968 budget request by $201.4 million, establish an independent safety panel in NASA, and require NASA to keep Congress fully and currently informed of problems. (CR, 7/19/67, H9045)
President Johnson, in letter to Congress transmitting NSF's FY 1966 report on Federal activities in the area of weather modification, wrote: "This report provides clear evidence that progress is being made toward our goal of developing the capacity to modify the weather for the benefit of all mankind. "In the period covered by this Report, we found that: (1) Precipitation from some types of clouds may be increased by as much as ten per cent by seeding; (2) Seeding of thunderstorm clouds may reduce significantly the number of lightning strikes; (3) The incidence of hail may be reduced by heavy seeding; (4) Large bodies of cold ground fog may be dissipated through the use of dry ice or silver iodide; and (5) Mathematical models will be increasingly useful for experimentation with techniques for controlling hurricanes and tornadoes. . . .' (PD, 7/24/67,1035)
July 19-22: NASA successfully launched Explorer XXXV Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP-E) from ETR by three-stage Thrust-Augmented Delta booster on direct-ascent lunar-transfer trajectory. On July 21 retromotor burned 23 sec, decreasing spacecraft's velocity and permitting lunar capture; retromotor separated as planned two hours later and spacecraft entered elliptical orbit with 4,780-mi (7,692-km) apolune, 497-mi (800-km) perilune, 11.5-hr period, and 147° inclination. Sixth of 10 Interplanetary Explorers planned by NASA and second designed to collect data at lunar distances, Explorer XXXV carried eight experiments, seven scientific and one engineering-a solar cell damage study. Preliminary data indicated that all experiments were performing satisfactorily. Primary mission objective was "to place the spacecraft into either a captured lunar orbit or a geocentric orbit with apogee near or beyond the lunar distance, to investigate out to and at lunar distances and to obtain scientific data on the characteristics of the interplanetary plasma and the interplanetary magnetic field." Secondary objective, if spacecraft achieved lunar orbit, was collection of data on dust distribution around the moon, the lunar gravitational field, the weak lunar ionosphere, and the radiation environment. IMP series was managed by GSFC under OSSA direction; two of the five previously orbited satellites-Explorer XXXIII (launched July 1, 1966) and Explorer XXXIV (launched May 24, 1967) were still providing data. (NASA Releases 67-178, 67-193; NASA Proj W; NYT, 7/20/67, 14; 7/22/67, 3; 7/23/67, 63; AP, W Star, 7/19/67, 1; 7J20/67, A9; 7/21/67, 1; W Post, 7/25/67, A8)
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