Jul 20 1966
From The Space Library
NASA Nike-Apache sounding rocket was launched from Churchill Research Range in engineering test preceding series of five GSFC launches to measure intensity and energy spectra of low-energy proton, helium nuclei, and heavier nuclei during Polar Cap Absorption event. Rocket performance was near predicted; however, nose cone did not retract because of override switch heating problem, and data were poor in quality. (NASA Rpt. SRL)
U.S.S.R. launched COSMOS CXXV carrying scientific instruments for continued study of outer space into circular orbit with 250-km. (155-mi.) altitude, 89.5-min. period, and 65ΓΈ inclination. Instruments were functioning normally. (Tass, 7/20/66)
28-member Legal Subcommittee of the U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space began article-by-article examination of drafts by US. and U.S.S.R. for proposed treaty governing exploration of space. US. Ambassador to U.N. Arthur J. Goldberg announced that U S . had agreed to extend negotiations beyond proposal for treaty to ban military use of moon and other celestial bodies to cover "space itself along the lines proposed by the Soviet Union." Agreed text would be presented to U.N. General Assembly in New York in September. (NYT, 7/22/66, 11)
NASA announced appointment of Maj. Michael J. Adams (USAF), pilot in USAF's Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program, to X-15 research program, replacing Capt. Joe H. Engle (USAF), who had transferred to MSC April 4 to become an astronaut. Following extensive training program, Major Adams would become 12th man to fly the rocket-powered aircraft. (FRC Release 15-66)
ARC's new Hypervelocity Free `Flight Facility would be fully operational by the end of July, NASA announced. "Light-gas guns" would fire free flying spacecraft models into three wind tunnels. Muzzle velocities up to 20,000 mph against an air stream flowing up to 10,000 mph in the opposite direction would enable models to achieve test speed of 30,000 mph, simulating atmosphere reentry flight from moon or planets. (NASA Release 66-189; ARC Release 66-10)
Flight plan for LUNAR ORBITER I, scheduled for launch between Aug. 9 and Aug. 13, had been changed to shift trajectory for mission so photographic spacecraft would pass over SURVEYOR I twice. Stereographic photos, with resolution down to three feet, could thus be obtained. First seven areas selected for Lunar Orbiter photography remained unchanged and included examples of all major types of lurain to permit assessment of suitability for Apollo manned landing missions. (NASA Release 66-193)
France exploded an atomic bomb, air-dropped over her test site at Mururoa Atoll in the Pacific, almost directly under flight path of GEMINI X one hour before the spacecraft passed. NASA, advised of the impending test, had warned Astronauts John W. Young and Michael Collins to "keep your heads down" and "not to look at the earth while flying over the atoll." (WSJ, 7/22/66, 1; Sullivan, NYT, 7/20/66, 22)
House passed $58.6 billion DOD FY 1967 appropriation bill (H.R. 15941) almost $1 billion more than the Administration had requested and largest since World War II -by 393 to 1 vote. Negative vote was cast by Rep. George E. Brown, Jr. (D-Calif.), who was registering opposition to Vietnam war. (CR, 7/20/66, 15516-51)
Achievements in space since first flight in Gemini series March 1965 had been "phenomenal," stated Washington Post editorial: ". . . the people of this country can feel pride in the officials of. . . [NASA] who have deliberately but confidently advanced the space program without catering to pressures for spectacular stunts. The total achievement, in and of itself, is spectacular beyond the wildest hopes of a few years ago." (Wash. Post, 7/20/66, A20)
Click here to listen to an interview with Gemini 10 crew Michael Collins and John W. Young broadcast on this day.
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