Jun 1 1967
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CLXII into orbit with 280-km (174-mi) apogee, 201-km (125-mi) perigee, 89.2-min period, and 51.8° inclination. Equipment functioned normally. Satellite reentered June 9. (AP, W Star, 6/1/67,1; GSFC SSR, 6/15/67)
NASA Aerobee 150 sounding rocket launched from WSMR carried GSFC-instrumented payload to 111.5-mi (179-km) altitude to measure and record spectra of Spica and Zeta Ophiuchi in extreme ultraviolet range. Rocket and instrumentation performed well. (NASA Rpt SRL)
NASA reported success of Lunar Orbiter IV, launched May 4, noted that final readout of all photographs had been completed. Photographs would provide photo coverage of 99% of the moon's front face and show high resolution photos of polar and limb areas with extensive geological detail. Report said convergent stereoscopic coverage had been obtained of entire Apollo zone of interest; photographic coverage obtained of the back side of the moon was still under review (NASA Proj Off)
NASA's ATS II mission had been adjudged a failure "based upon review of the [spacecraft's] assessed performance . . . in its unplanned elliptical orbit," NASA announced. Satellite, launched from ETR April 5 on mission to evaluate gravity-gradient system for spacecraft stabilization, had remained in transfer orbit, tumbling uncontrollably, after Agena engines failed to ignite for second burn. All experiments were functioning, but possibility of obtaining useful data was poor. (NASA Proj Off)
NASA personnel changes: M/G James W. Humphreys (USAF) , recently returned from a Vietnam assignment as Chief of the Public Health Service Div., Agency for International Development (AID) , became Director of Space Medicine, OMSF, replacing B/G Jack Bollerud (USAF), who had been Acting Director since the December 1965 death of Dr. W. Randolph Lovelace II. General Bollerud returned to duty with USAF. Jerome Lederer, vice president and technical director of Flight Safety Foundation, Inc., and director of Cornell-Guggenheim Aviation Safety Center, was appointed Director of Safety, OMSF. Lederer would develop policies and procedures related to manned spaceflight systems safety; act as focal point for consideration of and decisions on matters related to system and flight safety; and provide continuing review and evaluation of safety provisions. M/G Charles R. Roderick, who retired May 31 from USAF where he was serving as Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, was named Special Assistant to NASA Administrator James E. Webb. Harold Sims, retired career foreign service officer currently serving as mayor of Sparta, Tenn., and Gerald J. Lynch, president and chairman of the board of Menasco Manufacturing Go., were sworn in as consultants to NASA Administrator James E. Webb. (NASA Release 67-84, 67-138, 67-139, 67-140, 67-141)
NASA turned on the last of 11 experiments onboard Explorer XXXIV satellite, launched from WTR May 24. Data from experiments, designed to measure solar and galactic rays, were being transmitted, and equipment continued to operate satisfactorily. (NASA Release 67-144)
Dr. Albert J. Kelly's resignation as ERC Deputy Director became effective. Now dean of Boston College's School of Business Administration, he would continue to serve as a part-time consultant to NASA. (Tech Wk, 3/27/67,13)
First nonstop helicopter crossing of the Atlantic was successfully completed when two USAF HH-3E helicopters landed at Le Bourget Airport, opposite the U.S. pavilion at the Paris International Air and Space Show, following 30-hr 48-min flight from New York [see May 26-31]. Helicopters, which followed the route taken by Charles Lindbergh in 1927 when he became first man to fly the Atlantic nonstop alone, traveled 4,160 mi and made nine refuelings in flight. First flight crew was commanded by Maj. Herbert B. Zehnder (USAF); second by Maj. Donald B. Maurras (USAF) . Both crews were submitting claims to Federation Astronautique Internationale for new speed records from New York to London and New York to Paris. (UPI, P EB, 6/1/67, 1; NYT, 6/2/67,17)
F-111B was "a very easy plane to fly" with outstanding low-speed qualities, V/Adm. T. F. Connolly, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air), said in April 18 testimony released by the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Dept. of Defense. Admiral Connolly's description of the F-111 (formerly TFX), subject of increasing criticism since April 21 crash of USN test model, was described by Rep. George Andrews (D-Ala.) as "the most complimentary statement [about the F-111] . . . which has been made before this committee." Basing his views on his personal inflight observations, Admiral Connolly conceded that there was "a lot of work to do on the airplane" including making configuration changes to improve pilot visibility. He asserted that when difficulties involving engine stall were overcome there should be no major problems and said that aircraft's anticipated weight satisfied USN requirements. (Transcript; AP, NYT, 6/2/67, 23)
Dr. Alexander H. Flax, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Research and Development, was awarded National Geographic Society's General Thomas D. White Space Trophy for outstanding contributions to U.S. aerospace progress. First civilian to receive the award since its establishment in 1961, Dr. Flax was cited for "his effective direction of Air Force aerospace research and development programs enhancing national security and advancing space technology." (NGS Release)
Robert F. Allnutt, assistant general counsel of NASA, was named NASA's Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs, effective June 15. (NASA Release 67-137)
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