Mar 31 1967
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (2MB PDF)
Langley Research Center engineers at JPL, after repeated efforts to reactivate Lunar Orbiter III's photo system which failed March 2, had concluded there was virtually no hope for transmission of further photos from the spacecraft. Analysis of events indicated failure had originated with momentary fluctuation in spacecraft's electrical power which disturbed photo system logic by turning the film advance motor memory to forward mode. Cause of fluctuation had not been identified. Motor, following incorrect logic, stalled as it attempted to move film which was being mechanically held in a fixed position while readout was in progress. During stalled condition, motor overheated to failure point. Despite termination of photo transmission, Lunar Orbiter III continued to serve as a tracking target, providing practice for NASA Manned Space Flight Network stations, and to record information on radiation and meteoroids in moon's vicinity. (NASA Release 67-76)
Explorer XXXII (AE-E) aeronomy satellite, launched May 25, 1966, had ground support terminated; satellite had suffered complete depressurization [see Jan. 171. As direct result of loss of internal pressure, battery failure had caused disablement of one electron temperature probe on March 3; ion mass spectrometer and the other electron temperature probe had remained operational and continued to produce quality data until March 22. Last radio frequency contact had been made on March 26. Explorer XXXII mission objectives had been achieved and mission had been declared a success in December 1966. Scientific papers on initial results would be presented at American Geophysical Union meetings April 17-20 in Washington, D.C., and additional results would be reported to COSPAR meetings in London during July. (NASA SP4007,192; NASA Proj Off)
First two of series of 20 Japanese and US. sounding rockets were launched from NASA Wallops Station as part of Japanese-US. meteorological rocket project to conduct comparative meteorological research between 12-mi (20-km) and 37-mi (60-km) altitudes. Japanese rocket was an MT-135; US. rocket was an Arcas. Payloads were ejected at programmed altitudes and descended on parachutes: wind measurements were obtained from radar tracking data; temperature measurements were radioed to ground receiving stations. Objectives of the mission were to compare and cross-calibrate data from various payloads; verify flight and operating characteristics; obtain new information on operation of each rocket system as a whole; and obtain additional data on diurnal cycles of wind and temperature in the stratosphere. Flights were conducted under a Dec. 26, 1966, agreement between NASA, Japanese Science and Technology Agency, and Japanese Meteorological Agency. Results of experiments would be made available to world scientific community. (NASA Release 67-73)
France's Sahara Missile Proving Grounds at Hammaguir Range closed after 20 yrs, signaling end of operational use of Diamant 1 booster which had launched four French, satellites from Hammaguir since Nov. 26, 1965. Next French satellite, 200-lb D-2, would be launched from French Guiana in 1969 with Super Diamant booster. (NYT, 2/11/67; Av Wk, 3/27/67,50)
ComSatCorp requested FCC permission to substantially reduce television and telephone rates between US. and Europe effective April 6 when Intelsat II-C comsat was scheduled to enter commercial service. New rates, which would cover only the leasing of channels to authorized communications common carriers operating in the Atlantic, would apply both to EARLY BIRD 1 and Intelsat II-C. (ComSatCorp Release)
U.K.'s Royal Artillery Institution donated two 19th-century rockets to the astronautics collection of Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. One rocket was made by Sir William Congreve in 1815 and used on the Woolwich Ranges; the other, William Hale's 24-lb rotary rocket, was constructed in 1863. Congreve rockets were used in the US. in 1814 while Hale rockets were used in the Mexican War in 1846 and the Civil War. (Smithsonian Release)
Soviet Defense Minister Rodion Malinovsky, credited with having led Soviet military into the missile age, died in Moscow at age 68, apparently of cancer. (Rosenfeld, W Post, 4/1/67, B6)
U.K. had agreed to buy 40 more F-111 supersonic military aircraft from US. at total cost of $785 million, Anthony Lewis reported in New York Times. Ten F-111's had been ordered March 31, 1966, with a one-year option to purchase 40 more. Deliveries were expected to begin in 1969. To offset impact on U.K.'s balance of payments, US. had agreed to buy $785 million worth of British equipment during the next 10 yrs or help U.K. get orders elsewhere. (Lewis, NYT, 4/1/67, 1)
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