Sep 18 1966
From The Space Library
Records set by GEMINI XI mission that had made “space history” were detailed in Chicago American editorial: “The greatest speed ever attained by man-18,129 mph-as well as the slowest yet flown by anyone in orbit . . . 15,402 mph; the greatest altitude ever reached, 850 miles; the first ‘direct ascent’ rendezvous with an orbiting satellite; the first multiple docking in space . . .; the first rendezvous using on-board equipment, with no help from the ground.” ‘‘(Chic. Am., 9/18/66)’’
Optimism about man’s ability to perform useful work in space was expressed by Dr. Charles Berry, MSC Director of Flight Research and Operations, in telephone interview with Washington Post writer J. V. Reistrup. Astronaut Richard F. Gordon, Jr., had demonstrated problems involved when he had left GEMINI XI spacecraft Sept. 13 to perform seemingly simple tasks and had exerted enough energy to raise his heart rate to peak 180 beats a minute. Berry said there was a “tremendous amount of effort involved in getting into position for performing basic tasks”; once “positioning” was solved, jobs could be done. The problem was to set up each activity to require minimum effort. ‘‘(Reistrup, Wash. Post, 9/18/66, A4)’’
USAF Aerospace Medical Div. chief scientist Dr. Hubertus Strughold stated in telephone interview with Washington Sunday Star’s William Hines that NASA had not given adequate attention to keeping astronaut’s vision unimpaired during Eva. He said that in normal earth gravity, man could orient himself by means of sight sense (eyes); balance sense (otoliths of inner ear); and pressure sense (Meissner corpuscles concentrated primarily in palms of hands and soles of feet). In space there was no gravity, so otoliths and Meissner corpuscles could not function. When vision was also lost or impaired, orientation was impossible. Strughold pointed out that vision impairment had been a factor in curtailment of three of four Eva missions to date. He said advances in training and in spacesuit design were urgently needed. USAF had been “working on the problem” but had not been asked by NASA for advice or assistance. ‘‘(Hines, Wash. Sun. Star, 9/18/66, A7)’’
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