Oct 15 1972
From The Space Library
NOAA 2 (ITOS-D) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorological satellite was successfully launched by NASA from Western Test Range at 10:19 am PDT by two-stage, long-tank, thrust augumented Thor-Delta 0300 booster with three strap-on rockets. Orbital parameters: apogee, 1453.9 km (903.4 mi) ; perigee, 1448.2 km (899.9 mi) ; period, 114.9 min; and inclination, 101.8°.
Primary objectives were to place 345-kg (760-1b) spacecraft in sun-synchronous orbit with local equator-crossing time between 9:00 and 9:20 am and conduct in-orbit engineering evaluation, before turning operational control of spacecraft over to moan's National Environment Satellite Service (NESS). Orbit would permit regular, dependable day-time and nighttime temperature soundings of earth's atmosphere and cloud-cover observations by both direct readout and onboard storage in support of National Operational Meteorological Satellite System (NOMSS). First flight to implement operational atmospheric sounding and very-high-resolution infrared cloud-cover viewing, Now 2 carried two new sensors: redundant very-high- resolution radiometer (VHRR) and vertical-temperature-profile radiometer (VTPR) . Equipment also included scanning radiometers (SRS) and single solar proton monitor (SPM) as secondary sensor. Oscar 6 (Oscar C) Orbital Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio, carried pickaback on 2nd stage for Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. (AMSAT), was successfully ejected and entered orbit with 1456-km (904.7-mi) apogee, 1451-km (901.6-mi) perigee, 114.9-min period, and 101.7° inclination. Oscar 6 was sixth in Oscar series; previous spacecraft was launched by NASA as secondary payload with Itas 1 (Tiros-M) mission Jan. 23, 1970. Satellite, to conduct experimental program of multi-access communication techniques using low-powered earth terminals, had been developed by U.S., Australian, and German amateur groups working through AMSAT. The 18-kg (40-lb) satellite would receive at 145.9 mhz and transmit at 29.5 mhz.
Tiros Operational Satellite (TOS) program was joint effort of NASA and Dept. of Commerce under Jan. 30, 1964, agreement. Goddard Space Flight Center was responsible for design and development of spacecraft and ground systems, for launch, and for checkout and evaluation. NESS was responsible for operating spacecraft and processing data. First series of spacecraft included nine satellites-Essa 1 through Essa 9-of which 8 and 9 were still in routine use and 2, 6, and 7 still functional and available for backup coverage. In second series-Improved Tos (ITOS) -prototype had been Itos 1 and first No-funded spacecraft, NOAA 1, had been launched Dec. 11, 1970, to observe globe twice daily. (NASA proj off; GSFC SSR, 10/31/72; NOAH Release 72-135; A&A 1970)
Delegation of Soviet scientists headed by Soviet Academy of Sciences President Mstislav V. Keldysh flew from Moscow to New York. Scientists would participate in general meeting of U.S. National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., and visit U.S. scientific institutes. (Tass, FEIS-Sov, 10/17/72, L1)
Prediction that deep-space probes would be launched by combination rockets propelled by chemical, nuclear, and electric engines by 1980 had been made by Soviet aerospace designer Valentin P. Glushko in interview by Moskavsky Komsamolets, New York Times reported. Rockets would be launched with liquid or solid chemical fuel. Nuclear engine would take over when spacecraft penetrated earth's atmosphere. Times also reported that color film "The Taming of the Fire" had been released in Moscow. Film, based on life of Sergey P. Korolev, head of Soviet space program until his death in 1966, raised philosophical questions of use of scientific advances for military purposes. Film showed Soviet dictator Josef Stalin at end of World War II calling for Soviet development of military rockets to counter weapons he expected Dr. Wernher von Braun to develop in U.S. Dr. von Braun, while not actually portrayed in film, was "frequently mentioned by name." (Shabad, NYT, 10/16/72, C17)
NASA launched Strypi 4 sounding rocket from Kauai, Hawaii, carrying National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration artificial aurora experiment. Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily, (SR list)
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