Oct 25 1965
From The Space Library
Gemini VI, scheduled to be launched from Eastern Test Range, with Astronauts Walter M. Schirra (Capt., USN) and Thomas P. Stafford (Maj., USAF) , was canceled by failure of the Agena rocket, vehicle with which Gemini spacecraft was to rendezvous and dock. The mission was to have been the fourth manned flight and the first rendezvous and docking mission in the Gemini program, Simultaneous countdown of both the Titan II-GEMINI VI and the Atlas-Agena had been developed to maximize launch reliability for a "same day" launch. Atlas-Agena liftoff was at 10:00:04 EST. The Agena Target Vehicle separated from the Atlas at 10:05:12 with all sequences and parameters nominal at separation. Following a nominal Agena coast period, loss of Agena telemetry and radar beacon track occurred at 10:06:20 after initiation of primary propulsion system burn. Attempt to establish radar or telemetry track by the Canary Islands tracking station and subsequently by the Carnarvon station was unsuccessful. A hold was called at T-42 in the GEMINI VI countdown to determine the status of the Agena Target Vehicle. Mission was terminated at 10:54 a.m. because the Agena Target Vehicle had failed to achieve orbit, Formal Gemini VI mission failure investigation was immediately initiated. (NASA Release 65-237; Marshall Star, 11/3/65, 1; Hines, Wash. Eve, Star, 10/25/65, 1; Clark, NYT, 10/26/65, 1)
Dr. Michel Bader, NASA Ames Research Center scientist, reported that comet Ikeya-Seki had apparently suffered no structural deformation as a result of its close passage to the sun October 20. The tail of the comet now appeared to be about 12° (25 million miles) in length. (ARC Astrogram, 10/28/65, 1)
ComSatCorp announced agreement on a $4,512,772 contract with Page Communications Engineers, Inc, for three transportable earth stations to be used as links in providing communication services for Project Apollo, Contract was filed with the Federal Communications Commission in conformity with FCC rules requiring 10 days notice for such awards. ComSatCorp also had filed with the Commission a related application seeking authority to construct the stations and asking FCC approval of their technical characteristics. (ComSatCorp Release)
Command Module of Apollo spacecraft 009 was delivered to KSC from North American Aviation's Downey, Calif., plant aboard a C-133B aircraft. (KSC Historical Office)
Sir William Hildred, Director General of the International Air Transport Association, said in an address at the Association's 21st annual meeting that proposed supersonic jet airliners would face stiff competition from giant subsonic jets expected on international airways by 1967. Sir William said the airlines favored supersonic airliners, such as the planned British-French Concorde, if they could provide faster transportation "without insuperable financial, technical or operational problems," He said the Concorde was likely to be available in 1971-72, and its American counterpart in 1973-74, But before that, Sir William continued, giant air buses, "stretched" subsonic jets seating up to 250 passengers, would be available. (NYT, 10/25/65, 66)
During week of October 25: First two H-1 rocket engines uprated to 205,000 lbs, thrust were delivered from Rocketdyne's Neosho, Mo, plant to Chrysler Corp.'s Space Division in New Orleans, Later, at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, H-1 engines would be installed in Saturn IB vehicles to be used in the early stages of the Apollo program. The uprated engines would add a total of about 40,000 lbs, thrust to NASA's Saturn IB booster, increasing the total thrust of the eight-engine cluster to 1,640,000 lbs. (MSFC Release 65-269)
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