Jun 16 1969
From The Space Library
Apollo 11 preparations were proceeding well toward launch to moon at 9:32 am EDT July 16, Apollo Mission Director George H. Hage told Washington, D.C." press conference. Hypergolic propellant loading would begin June 18, wet phase of countdown demonstration test (CDDT) would begin July 1, and crew participation in CDDT without propellants would begin July 2. After landing on moon astronauts would descend ladder to lunar surface. When Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong reached second rung of ladder, he would pull D-ring to activate camera for TV coverage of descent to lunar surface. Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., would descend about 15 min after Armstrong. Entire 21/2-hr period during which astronauts explored lunar surface, set up experiments, and collected lunar samples within 100 ft of landing site would be telecast live to TV viewers on earth. (Transcript)
President Nixon sent message to Congress urging approval of 5-million, 10-yr program for expanding planning effort and construction and improvement of airports. He called for increased taxes on users to fund major part. Levies would include increase from 5% to 8% in tax on domestic flight tickets; new $3 tax on tickets for international flights originating in U.S.; new 5% tax on air freight waybills; and increase from two to nine cents per gallon on fuels used by general aviation. (PD, 6/23/69, 861-5)
First stage of Saturn V (SA-508) launch vehicle, to be used on Apollo 13, reached KSC. Second stage, scheduled to leave MTF June 25, would reach KSC June 30. Third stage had arrived at KSC June 13. Instrument unit would be flown from MTF to KSC July 7. (MSFC Release 69-148)
In Physical Review Letters, Univ. of Maryland physicist Dr. Joseph Weber described detection of gravity waves from unknown source but in two places simultaneously. Coincidences were observed on gravitational-radiation detectors over 1,000-km base line at Argonne National Laboratory and at Univ. of Maryland. Probability that coincidences were accidental was "incredibly small." NSF-supported study provided first real evidence of existence of gravity waves postulated by Prof. Albert Einstein more than 50 yrs ago. (Physical Review Letters, 6/16/69, 1320-24; Lannan, W Star, 6/15/69, A25)
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