Nov 4 1969
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CCCVIII into orbit with 408-km (253.5-mi) apogee, 270-km (167.8-mi) perigee, 91.2-min period, and 71.0° inclination. Satellite reentered Jan. 5, 1970. (GSFC SSR, 11/15/69; 1/15/70)
NASA launched two sounding rockets from WSMR with VAM-20 boosters. Aerobee 150 carried Naval Research Laboratory payload to 124.0-mi (199.6-km) altitude to photograph images of sun and part of corona in 150-400 A and 400-650 A region. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily and excellent spectroheliograms were obtained. Aerobee 150 MI carried American Science and Engineering, Inc." payload to 112.5-mi (181-km) altitude to obtain high-resolution pictures of time development of solar flare in x-ray region of spectrum. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily, photographing 1B limb flare with appreciable x-ray emission that lasted throughout flight. (NASA Rpts SRL)
Plans for launch of first of two Jupiter probes from KSC between Feb. 26 and March 15, 1972, were outlined by Charles F. Hall, manager of Pioneer F and G projects at ARC, during meeting of scientists, engineers, and contractors at Mountain View, Calif. Launched by Atlas-Centaur booster, Pioneer F would take 610-770 days to reach Jupiter on voyage through planet's heavy radiation belt to within 90,000 mi of Jupiter surface. It would carry 60 lbs of instruments and photo- graphic equipment to conduct 13 experiments to measure solar wind and space dust and analyze Jupiter's radiation and atmosphere. Probe would be first to travel to asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and eventually would leave solar system. Pioneer G Jupiter probe would be launched in early 1973. (UPI, P Bull, 11/5/69)
House and Senate conferees, in executive session, agreed to file conference report on differences between Senate-passed [see Sept. 19] and House-passed [see June 10] versions of H.R. 11271, FY 1970 NASA authorization. Report would retain Senate-passed authorization of $3.716 billion. (CR, 11/4/69, D1023)
At televised news conference in Moscow on Soyuz VI, VII, and VIII mission [see Oct. 12-18], Mstislav V. Keldysh, President of Soviet Academy of Sciences, said U.S.S.R. hoped to have permanent space station in earth orbit "certainly" within 10 yrs "and I think less than five years." Station plans did not rule out manned lunar exploration but, he said, "I can only say such operations are not planned for the coming months. Shall we study the universe with the help of automatic (unmanned) spacecraft? We shall. Shall we fly to the moon and the other planets of the solar system in the future? I think we shall because such travel is one of the further aims of mankind in conquering outer space." (Gwertzman, NYT, 11/5/69, 16)
AEC-NASA Nuclear Rocket Development Station in Jackass Flats, Nev." was "scaling down operations, laying off workers, husbanding the facilities it already has-and waiting," New York Times reported. Like many U.S. space research and test centers, "their futures uncertain amid an increasing emphasis on defense and domestic matters at the expense of space," station's scientists and engineers were "waiting for President Nixon to decide on the direction and pace of the national space effort in the next decade." (Wilford, NYT, 11/4/69, 20)
Apollo 11 astronauts on world tour arrived in Tokyo. Tight security measures prompted by fears of possible attack by radical students protesting Japan's defense treaty with U.S. permitted public exposure for only half hour. Police estimated 120,000 people watched brief parade down Ginza, Tokyo's main street. Later astronauts and wives were received by Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako. Astronauts were presented cultural medal by Prime Minister Eisaku Sato-first time medal had been presented to foreigners.. (Pepper, B Sun, 11/5/69, A2)
Visiting Soviet Cosmonauts Konstantin P. Feoktistov and Georgy T. Beregovoy left New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport for Moscow after two-week U.S. visit. During airport interview Feoktistov said he liked U.S. astronauts, "sincerity and hopeful approach to life." Beregovoy said, "Friendship is a force which will help the world to conquer space." Apollo 8 Astronaut Frank Borman was at airport to see them off. (NYT, 11/5/69, 52)
National Transportation Safety Board opened hearings in Washington, D.C., on midair collisions. In last 31 yrs of recorded aviation history there had been only 12 midair collisions with passenger fatalities, Clifton F. von Kann, Vice President for Operations and Engineering of Air Transport Assn., testified. "Even with the explosive growth of airline service during the last ten years, there have been just four collisions with airline passenger fatalities." (Sehlstedt, B Sun, 11/5/69, A9)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
