Jun 25 1969
From The Space Library
NASA published Lunar Orbiter I Preliminary Results (SP-197), including assessment of lunar terrain and results of secondary experiments in selenodesy, micrometeoroids, and radiation. Launched Aug. 10, 1966, spacecraft had been first U.S. vehicle to orbit moon, first to obtain detailed photographic coverage of near and far sides of moon, and first to photograph earth from moon's vicinity. Photos showed fractured and faulted lunar crust with mass-wasting where large boulders had tumbled into craters. Moon appeared to have been highly dynamic and affected by volcanic activity, but despite overall roughness, some photos showed regions of relative smoothness. Surface of far side appeared much rougher than near side with higher terra-to-mare ratio. Meteoroid sensors registered no impacts during mission, indicating meteor activity near moon was no greater than that near earth. Radiation dose rate during transit to moon corresponded to that produced by galactic cosmic rays, but dose rates as high as 70 mrad per hr and 7 rad per hr were experienced during solar flares Aug. 26 and Sept. 2, 1966. (Text)
U.S. and Spain exchanged notes in Madrid confirming 10-yr extension-to Jan. 29, 1984-of 1964 agreement establishing NASA space tracking and acquisition facility near Madrid. Since June 1965, facility had supported all Surveyor and Lunar Orbiter flights to moon, four Mariner flights to Mars and Venus, four Pioneer interplanetary probes, and all manned Apollo flights. It would support Apollo 11 and passage of Mariners VI and VII near Mars during summer; 210-ft-dia parabolic antenna for tracking and communication in interplanetary space would be built during next three years. (NASA Release 69-97)
NASA announced appointment of Astronaut James A. McDivitt as Manager for Lunar Landing Operations in MSC's Apollo Spacecraft Program Office. McDivitt, who would remain in USAF, would be responsible for planning lunar landing missions subsequent to first landing and would no longer be candidate for space flight crew assignments. (NASA Release 69-96)
At Salzburg news conference preceding celebration of his 75th birthday, German rocketry pioneer Prof. Hermann Oberth proposed that man extract usable raw materials from moon and store them suspended in gravity-free zone between moon and earth. Materials could then be retrieved from area and brought to earth. He suggested erection of giant concave "space mirrors" to gather celestial light and reflect it on earth as heat to melt polar caps and improve earth's climate. He predicted development of electrically propelled spacecraft and electromagnetic catapults to launch spacecraft without consuming fuel. During celebration, sponsored by Hermann Oberth Society of Nuremberg, Dr. Wernher von Braun, MSFC Director, said Oberth's ideas on rocketry published in 1923 remained valid to date. (NYT, 6/29/69, 3)
FAA announced it had proposed rule establishing "area navigation routes" to relieve air congestion. Multiple flight paths had been made possible by increasing availability of computerized airborne navigation equipment. (FAA Release 69-70)
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