Mar 2 1968
From The Space Library
Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket launched by NASA from Churchill Research Range carried Univ. of California payload to 161.9-mi (260.6-km) altitude to study flux-energy-spectrum pitch-angle distribution and time and space variation of mirroring and precipitating charged particles in auroral zone. Launch was one of series of four. Apogee was 11% below predicted; telemetry was satisfactory. Electro- static analyzers performed satisfactorily and good data were obtained. Plasma experiment on boom was 100% successful. Boom deployed late, providing satisfactory data from last 30% of flight. Electric field did not produce necessary data. (NASA Rpt SRL)
NASA Javelin sounding rocket launched from Churchill Research Range carried Rice Univ. payload to 500-mi (805-km) altitude to investigate auroral fluxes and backscattered particles. Rocket and instruments performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt SRL)
U.S.S.R. successfully launched Zond IV automatic research station, Tass announced. Station was placed in planned flight from parking orbit of artificial satellite and was flying on trajectory close to calculated one to study "outlying regions of near-earth space." Heinz Kaminski, Director of Institute for Satellite and Space Research at Bochum, West Germany, said mission "must be regarded as a preliminary phase for a planned flight to the moon." Sir Bernard Lovell, Director of Jodrell Bank Experimental Station, said he had "hunch" Zond IV was not intended to fly around moon. Apparently station made no attempt to orbit moon. One source said that after journey of about 31/2 days, station reached "apogee . . . comparable to lunar altitude." Zond I, launched April 2, 1964, failed in attempt to reach Venus, and Zond II, launched Nov. 30, 1964, suffered communications failure on route to Mars. Zond III, launched July 18, 1965, obtained photos of far side of moon. (W Post, 3/3/68, A17; 3/4/68, A14; 3/8/68, A12; AP, W Star, 3/4/68, A3)
President Johnson-watching world's largest aircraft, USAF C-5A Galaxy jet, roll off production line-called event "a long leap forward in the effective military might of America." President praised USAF, Lockheed-Georgia Co., and General Electric Co. for carrying out "a great new adventure" in aviation and completing the job "on time." (AP, NYT, 3/3/68, 1; AFSC Newsreview, 3/68, 1)
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