Sep 12 1966
From The Space Library
Balloonist Tracy Barnes landed at Rio Grande, N.J., completing first hot-air balloon flight across the continental US. Barnes left San Diego April 10. ‘‘(Wash. Post, 9/12/66, D11)’’
Shift of management of NASA’s Apollo Telescope Mount mission from GSFC to MSFC was evidence of NASA’s effort “toward in house development of major space projects” to “offset threatened loss of personnel” at NASA manned space flight centers as Apollo program passed its personnel peak, Aviation Week reported. ‘‘(Av. Wk., 9/12/66, 80)’’
U.S.S.R. was developing booster with 7.5-to 10-million-lbs. thrust-enough to send a man to the moon or past Mars, unnamed sources reported. Evidence presumably had been gathered by U.S. reconnaissance satellites. ‘‘(Clark, NYT, 9/13/66, 28; Simons, Wash. Post, 9/11/66, A1)’’
September 12-15: Three-day GEMINI XI mission-ninth manned flight in NASA’s Gemini series-began with launch of Gemini Agena Target Vehicle (GATV) by Atlas booster from ETR’s Complex 14, followed 97 min. later by launch of GEMINI XI by Titan II booster from Complex 19. Astronauts were Charles Conrad, Jr., command pilot, and Richard F. Gordon, Jr., pilot. GATV entered near-circular, 185-mi.-altitude orbit; GEMINI XI entered elliptical orbit with 175-mi. (280-km.) apogee; 100-mi. (161-km.) perigee; 90-min. period; and 33° inclination. GEMINI XI docked with GATV 94 min. after liftoff to become first manned spacecraft to achieve first-revolution rendezvous and docking-mission’s primary objective. Other accomplishments included extravehicular activity (Eva), maneuvering of docked GEMINI XI-GATV configuration to record 851-mi. altitude, station-keeping using tether to link two spacecraft, computer-controlled reentry, and completion of several experiments. After initial docking, crew executed four practice docks and spent sleep period attached to GATV. Gordon began planned 107-min. Eva on schedule at 23:58 GET, but ten minutes later, after setting up movie camera, retrieving micrometeoroid experiment, and attaching Agena’s 100-ft. tether to GEMINI XI’s docking bar, had to rest astride GATV. When blinded in his right eye by perspiration, Gordon was ordered by Conrad at 24:02 GET to cancel power-tool evaluation experiment and return to cabin. At 40:58 GET, following crew’s second sleep period, mated spacecraft used GATV’s primary propulsion system (pps) to attain orbit with 851-mi. apogee-record altitude for manned space flight. After two revolutions, second pps burn restored docked configuration to approximately 185mi.-altitude circular orbit. At 46:58 GET Gordon opened hatch to begin 2 hr. 8 min. standup Eva during which several photographic experiments were conducted. Tether dynamics exercise followed: GEMINI XI undocked from GATV and moved to end of 100-ft. tether which was supposed to hold two spacecraft on vertical line pointing earthward, proving that two objects could fly in formation for long duration without using maneuvering fuel. When vehicles began to drift, Conrad initiated slow rotation with appropriate spacecraft maneuvers, creating slight centrifugal force which kept tether taut and spacecraft at controlled distance. After separation from Agena during sleep period, Conrad executed successful re-rendezvous-added to flight plan because of GEMINI XI’s -favorable fuel supply. Reentry Sept. 15 in 45th revolution after 71 hrs. 17 min. of flight was first in U.S. space program to be guided automatically by computer which fed commands directly to thrusters. Splashdown of GEMINI XI in the Atlantic 700 mi. from Cape Kennedy-within two miles of target and recovery operations by crew of U.S.S. Guam were carried on live television via EARLY BIRD 1 comsat. USN pararescue team, dropped from helicopters, attached flotation collar to spacecraft. Astronauts were flown by helicopter to recovery ship. ‘‘(NASA Proj. Off.; NASA Release 66-226; Hines, Wash. Eve. Star, 9/13/66, A1, A6; 9/14/66, A1, ‘‘A14; 9/15/66, A1, A6; Reistrup, Wash. Post, 9/13/66, A1, A3; 9/14/66, A1, A3; 9/15/66, A1, A6; 9/16/66, A1, A5; Wilford, NYT, 9/13/66,1, 28; 9/14/66, 1, 32; 9/15/66, 1, 26; 9/16/66, 1, 24)’’
Gemini Titan 11 Commentary flight transcript
Gemini Titan 11 Composite flight transcript
September 12-16: Joint Royal Aeronautical Society (RAS) Centenary Congress and Fifth Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) held in London. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and honorary RAS president, said in a centenary address that “. . . making the right selection in research programmes and development projects has become crucial to the whole of aeronautical evolution. . . .” Risks involved in the total investment necessary for success, he said, had led European nations to “the obvious answer”-international cooperation: “If it is important to see that aviation is fitted into the national economy in such a way as to enable it to function most efficiently, it is even more important to work out an international structure which will enhance and encourage the chances of success rather than frustrate and defeat them.” ‘‘(Hersey, A&A, 11/66, 126-30; Text, A&A, 12/66, 32-4)’’
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