May 5 1971
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
USAF launched unidentified satellite from AFETR on Titan INC booster into eccentric orbit with 35 787-km (22 237-mi) apogee, 295-km (183.3-mi) perigee, 631-min period, and 26.4ΓΈ inclination. Ac-cording to press reports satellite was reconnaissance mission to monitor Soviet and Communist Chinese missile tests and provide 30-min warning of long-range rocket attack. The 800-kg (1800-1b) satellite would be transferred to synchronous orbit and stationed over Asia at 36 000-km (22 300-mi) altitude. (GSFC SSR, 5/31/71; World Data Center A; SBD, 5/6/71, 28; AP, B Sun, 5/6/71, A8)
Tenth anniversary of first U.S. manned space flight. Freedom 7-Mercury spacecraft launched May 5, 1961-had achieved objective of putting man into suborbital flight when Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr., went to 185-km (115-mi) altitude during 15-min flight. Anniversary was observed at KSC with exhibition of Mercury spacecraft and Redstone launch vehicle in main auditorium, motion pictures on Freedom 7 and Apollo 14, and guided tours. Following commemorative ceremony, Shepard visited Freedom 7 Elementary School in Cocoa Beach, Fla., where he told students he had made his last venture into space and would step aside to give younger astronauts a chance. (MSC Release 71- 28; MSC PAO; W Star, 5/6/71)
Click here to listen to "Long Way from Pad 5", Alan Shepard 10th anniversary
U.S.S.R.'s Salyut 1 orbital scientific station launched April 19 had completed 425 orbits of earth by 1:00 pm Moscow time (6:00 am EDT). All systems were functioning normally. (FBIs-Sov-71-95, 5/10/71, L11)
NASA and DOT released information given in Joint DOT-NASA Civil Aviation Research and Development Policy Study Report dated March 1971. Study had been recommended by Congress and made by NASA,
Dedication ceremonies for the historic launch site at Kennedy Space Center marked the 10th anniversary of the first U.S. manned space flight, flown on the Freedom 7 Mercury spacecraft. The first American to go into space, Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr.-who also was commander of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission Jan. 31-Feb. 9 this year-stood by the plaque marking the site at Launch Complex 5/6 during ceremonies attended by 3000 guests. The site had been restored to its original condition.
DoT, and FAA, with assistance from DOD, CAB, and eight other Federal agencies. Report concluded that aircraft noise abatement deserved highest priority because of widespread concern for environment and because noise abatement program's success would affect solution to other aviation problems. Study recommended reductions of at least 10 decibels every 10 yrs until aircraft noise was suppressed into community background noise. Continued Federal support at high level of aeronautical R&D was necessary to ensure strong technical base. Continued R&D was essential if current and future problems of civil aviation were to be solved and if civil aviation was to contribute to such future areas as regional development. Study recommended Government evaluate its regulatory role to be certain that policies were not inhibiting innovations by industry and that NASC develop permanent mechanism to review and recommend policies affecting civil aviation that embraced several agencies. Study called for exchange of middle management personnel between aviation-related agencies like NASA, DOT, DOD, and CAB. (NASA Release 71-82; Text; Av Wk, 5/10/71, 20-1)
Eastern Airlines signed conditional agreement with Lockheed Aircraft Corp. to purchase 50 L-1011 TriStar jet aircraft which it had previously ordered. Eastern thus became first of nine companies with L-1011 orders to reaffirm purchase agreement since February bankruptcy of Rolls-Royce, Ltd., manufacturer of aircraft's R8-211 engines. (Bedingfield, NYT, 5/6/71, 63)
Soviet pilots in Egypt were testing "superjets," probably MiG-23s, according to diplomatic sources quoted by UPI in Boston Globe. Aircraft were understood to be capable of reaching altitudes to 24 000 m (80 000 ft) and speeds up to three times speed of sound. They out-matched U.S. F-4 Phantoms used by Israeli air force. (B Globe, 5/5/71, 6)
USN was concerned that F-14 fighter aircraft might go into potentially dangerous flat, fast spin, Capt. Lionel E. Ames, Jr. (USN), F-14 Project Manager, said in testimony before Senate Committee on Armed Services. (Transcript)
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