Jul 2 1965
From The Space Library
TIROS X meteorological satellite was launched from Eastern Test Range by a Thrust-Augmented Delta booster into a near-perfect sun-synchronous orbit from which it would photograph tropical storm breeding areas. Orbital parameters: apogee, 517 mi. (832 km,) ; perigee, 458 mi. ( 737 km,) ; period, 100.6 min.; inclination to the equator, 814°. The spacecraft at first was spinning too fast for picture-taking because of inability to command activation of an automatic slowdown device. A more intense ground signal sent during the second orbit activated the device, slowing the satellite's spin rate from 138 rpm to about 13 rpm. TIROS X would photograph the hurricane-breeding area between 70° north and 30° south latitude, about 60 to 80 percent of the earth, Its two vidicon cameras would take more than 400 pictures daily. TIROS IX in its "cartwheel" movement in orbit had been able to provide about 100 percent coverage of the earth daily. The weather observation spacecraft was the 10th successful Tiros (Television Infrared Observation Satellite) to be launched by NASA in as many attempts. TIROS X was funded by the Weather Bureau, while the previous nine were NASA research and development spacecraft. It was one of three satellites purchased by Weather Bureau in 1963 "to be used to assure continuity of satellite observations for operational purposes." (NASA Release 65-229; NASA Release 65-197; AP, Wash. Eve, Star, 7/2/65, A3; KSC Spaceport News, 7/8/65, 4)
PEGASUS II meteoroid detection satellite, orbited May 25 from Kennedy Space Center, had reported "hits" on panels of all three thicknesses of aluminum target material, NASA reported. 14 penetrations had been recorded on the ,016-in.-thick detection panels; five on the .008-in, panels; and 34 on the .0015-in, panels, In the first month report on PEGASUS II, Milton B. Ames, Jr., Director of NASA Space Vehicle Research and Technology, said that al- though the number of penetrations varied slightly from earlier predictions, "the figures follow closely our statistical computations based on results from PEGASUS I and EXPLORERS XVI and XXIII. Continued successful operation of PEGASUS II will give us a good base for use by spacecraft designers in predicting the frequency and size of meteoroids which constitute a hazard to space flight." Ames referred to a new capacitor fusing arrangement which would enable project engineers to disconnect a single malfunctioning capacitor while leaving other capacitors in the same group of panels working, If a malfunction serious enough to warrant disconnection of the entire panel group occurred, this could be done by ground command, 36 capacitors on PEGASUS II were working improperly during the first four weeks and had been disconnected by ground command to prevent a drain on the spacecraft's power supply. (NASA Release 65-219; MSFC Release 65-168)
NASA's MARINER IV spacecraft was in its 216th day of flight and had only 12 more days before it would pass within 5,700 mi. of the planet Mars, MARINER IV would take and record up to 21 pictures of Mars on July 14 for playback to earth. (NASA Release 65-215)
U.S.S.R.'s COSMOS LXX artificial earth satellite was successfully launched containing scientific equipment "for continuing the outer space research in conformity with the program announced by Tass on March 16th, 1962," a radio system for precise measurement of the orbital elements, and a radio telemetry system for sending data to earth. Orbital parameters: apogee, 1,154 km. (716.7 mi,) ; perigee, 229 km. (142 mi,) ; period, 98.3 min,; inclination to the equator, 48.8°. Equipment was functioning normally, Bochum Observatory (W. Germany) had reported picking up signals different from those of the Cosmos series, Heinz Kaminski, head of the Institute for Satellite and Space Research at Bochum, West Germany, said he tracked two Soviet space satellites in orbit although the U.S.S.R. announced the launching of only one: "Apparently the Russians are preparing for a space rendezvous-perhaps between these two satellites or between a manned space ship and a satellite in parking orbit," No confirmation of the Bochum report was available from other sources. (Tass, Krasnaya Zvezda, 7/3/65, 1, ATSS-T Trans,; AP, Wash. Eve, Star, 7/2/65, 1; UPI, Cocoa Trib, 7/2/65)
NASA and the Univ. of Hawaii had signed a cost-sharing contract for design and installation of an 84-in. telescope at a site to be selected in Hawaii, NASA announced. An initial sum of $475,000 had been awarded to the University to initiate development and construction of the intermediate-size planetary telescope with fused-quartz optical system and coudé spectrograph. The University would assume costs for buildings, utilities, and supporting services. (NASA Release 65-220; Marshall Star, 7/14/65, 9)
A $3,200,000 contract had been let to the E. A. Hathaway Co. for construction of the new 93,000-sq.-ft. Advanced Flight Simulation Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center, ARC announced. It would contain the most advanced aircraft simulator known (for supersonic transport studies) ; the most powerful centrifuge yet built (up to 50 times the force of gravity) ; a mid-course navigation facility where stars and planets could be projected just as they would be seen by astronauts in spaceflight; and a "virtually frictionless" satellite attitude control facility. Total values of these facilities would be $10,068,000. (ARC Release 65-16)
FAA announced that in accordance with President Johnson's decision to move ahead with development of the U.S. supersonic transport, work under SST design contracts would be accelerated during the month of July. Contracts were with the Boeing Co. and Lockheed Aircraft Corp, for the airframe and with General Electric Co, and the Pratt & Whitney Div, of United Aircraft Corp. for the engine, Dollar total of the contracts in July, including a Government cost-share of 75% and a contractor cost-share of 25%, would be $5,670,000-an increase of $2 million above the monthly level of funding for the four design contractors during the period June 1, 1964, through June 30, 1965. (FAA Release 65-56)
NASA had awarded an $8,150,833 contract modification to General Electric Co. for supporting the Computation Laboratory at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. (MSFC Release 65-169)
Blount Brothers Corp, had been awarded a $6,745,000 fixed-price contract for modification of Saturn IB Launch Complex 37 at NASA Kennedy Space Center, DOD announced. (DOD Release 444-65)
Five Japanese-made research rockets had been shipped to Indonesia, Reuters reported. The Japanese Trade Ministry reportedly said it authorized export of the rockets for "purely cosmic observation use," The rockets were said to' have the capability for use as armed missiles. (Reuters, Wash, Post, 7/2/65)
Statistics on intercontinental ballistic missiles were given by Robert R. Brunn in an article in the Christian Science Monitor: "In the Soviet Union 270 to 300 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are in place. Underground and overseas the United States has more than 1,300. "Within five years the Soviets may have emplaced 500 to 600 of these great birds with nuclear warheads. But by then the American missile arsenal may have the destructive power of 3,000 1965-type ICBMs" A multiple warhead for the Minuteman had been developed, Brunn said, which could triple the effectiveness of this missile: "Approaching enemy territory, it could separate into three warheads, each with its own guidance system. It would be steered to the target and report if it was going to miss or hit." (Brunn, CSM, 7/2/65, 9)
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