Jun 24 1969
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CCLXXXVII from Baikonur into orbit with 254-km (157.8-mi) apogee, 186-km (115.6-mi) perigee, 88.9-min period, and 51.7° inclination. Satellite reentered July 2. (GSFC SSR, 6/30/69; 7/15/69; SBD, 6/25/69, 244; W Star, 6/24/69, Al)
House passed by vote of 388 to 6 H.R. 12307, FY 1970 Independent Offices and HUD appropriations bill which provided NASA $3 billion for R&D, $53.233 million for new facilities, and $643.750 million for research and program management-to total $3.696 billion. Bill cut NSF budget request by $80 million to total $418 million. (Text; CR, 6/24/69, H5154-5; W Post, 6/27/69, A4)
Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences ordered favorably reported with amendment in form of substitute bill H.R. 11271, FY 1970 NASA authorization of $3.716 billion. Committee recommended $250.851 million reduction from amount authorized by House [see June 10], adjusting total to President's revised budget-$45 million less than authorization requested in his original budget. Recommended authorization would provide $3.020 billion for R&D, $58.2 million for construction of facilities, and $637.4 million for research and program management. Recommendation was lowest made by Committee since 1962-$435 million less than its FY 1969 recommendation. (CR, 6/24/69, D543; Committee Rpt 91-282)
With Apollo 11 launch "minus-23 days" MSFC Director, Dr. Wernher von Braun, visited 3,000-yr-old temple of Apollo at Delphi, Greece. After consultation with oracle, Dr. von Braun said, "I am convinced that we will succeed because no other space operation was ever so well prepared in advance." Oracle, he said, "was ambiguous, as usual." (Time, 7/4/69, 35; AP, W Post, 6/25/69)
MSFC issued RFPs on eight-month study of integration of Centaur and Saturn S-IVB stages for possible use for future unmanned high-velocity missions. Proposals for study, which would include six launch vehicle configurations, were due July 10. (Release 69-153)
Willy Ley, space author and rocket expert, died at age 62, apparently from a heart attack. Ley-also planning consultant to NASA-had been one of founders of German Rocket Society, fellow of British Interplanetary Society, and member of American Institute of Aeronautical Science. Among his last published books were Rockets, Missiles and Men in Space and Watchers of the Skies. (AP, W Star, 6/25/69, B5; NYT, 6/25/69, 41)
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