Sep 30 1966
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (2MB PDF)
NASA’s Blossom Point, Md., tracking station, prototype station for Project Vanguard, was closed “because of technical progress in space communications.” Blossom Point Station, which had tracked every unmanned earth-orbiting NASA satellite since EXPLORER I was launched Jan. 31, 1958, would become part of STADAN Network Test and Training Facility at GSFC. Facility, to be operational by Jan. 1, 1967, would test equipment, modes, and procedures and train personnel for STADAN stations. ‘‘(NASA Release 66-117)’’
Three earth-orbiting objects not identified “with any launching or country of origin” were reported by GSFC Satellite Situation Report. Two had inclination of 85° and the third, 35°. ‘‘(GSFC SSR, 9/30/66; Clark, NYT, 11/1/66, 19)’’
September 30-October 2: Series of Nike-Cajun and one Nike-Apache sounding rocket were launched from NASA Wallops Station and Natal, Brazil, in GSFC experiment to obtain temperature, wind, pressure, and density data at intervals throughout 24-hr. periods near fall equinox. Using exploding grenade technique, experiment investigated thermally driven diurnal tide theory of upper atmosphere. Wind motion was studied by photographically tracking smoke puffs from upper grenade using Apache rocket motor. Rockets and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ‘‘(NASA Rpt. SRL)’’
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