Feb 24 1969
From The Space Library
February 24-28: NASA'S Mariner VI (Mariner F) spacecraft was successfully launched from ETR by Atlas-Centaur (SLV-3C) booster on five-month, 226-million-mi, direct-ascent trajectory toward Mars-NASA's first of two attempts to conduct Mars flyby missions during 1969 launch window. Launch vehicle performance and spacecraft injection were nominal. Spacecraft separated from Centaur, deployed its four solar panels, locked its sensors on sun and star Canopus, and entered cruise mode, where it remained with all subsystems performing satisfactorily while trajectory was refined. Midcourse maneuver was successfully conducted Feb. 28 to ensure that spacecraft would fly within 2,200 mi (3,540.5 km) of Mars July 31. Primary mission objective was equatorial flyby mission for exploratory investigations of Mars to set basis for future experiments, particularly those relevant to search for extraterrestrial life. As secondary objective spacecraft would develop technology needed for succeeding Mars missions. The 840-lb spacecraft carried six complementary experiments to provide information about Martian surface and atmosphere. Mission offered first opportunity to make scientific measurements on night side of Mars. Two onboard TV cameras would take pictures of Mars disc during approach with 15-mi optimum resolution and of surface during flyby with 900-ft optimum resolution. Infrared spectrometer and uv spectrometer would probe Mars atmosphere, and occultation experiment would obtain data on atmospheric pressures and densities. Infrared radiometer would measure surface temperatures on both light and dark sides of Mars; celestial mechanics experiment would use tracking information to refine astronomical data. Sharp increase in data returns would be achieved over 1964 Mariner missions. Mariner VI TV pictures would contain 3.9-million bits of information; Mariner IV contained 240,000 bits in 1965. Mariner VI would transmit science data at basic rate of 270 bps and high rate of 16,200 bps before flyby; Mariner IV transmitted at 8 1/3 bps. Mariner VI was follow-on to 1964 Mariner/Mars missions and precursor to 1971 orbital and 1973 landing missions. First Mars probe, Mariner III (launched Nov. 4, 1964), had failed to achieve desired orbit when shroud remained attached to spacecraft. Mariner IV (launched Nov. 28, 1964) had transmitted first close-up photos of Mars in July 1965. [[Mariner VII ]] (Mariner G) would be launched March 24. Mariner program was directed by OSSA Lunar and Planetary Programs Div. Project management and responsibility for spacecraft, mission operations, and tracking and data acquisition were assigned to JPL. Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle was managed by LeRC. (NASA Proj Off; NASA Release 69-26)
February 24: At State Dept. meeting of more than 60 INTELSAT member nations, U.S. delegation chairman Leonard H. Marks said, "I can think of no more important step we can take towards reducing world tensions than that of broadening communications links between power nations representing different political systems"-as U.S.S.R. and 13 other observer nations listened. In written memorandum, France had questioned whether strong centralized system desired by U.S. could or Should be established and urged that any new agreement leave participating countries free to join other satellite systems. (Samuelson, W Post, 2/5/69, D5)
Federal Council for Science and Technology transmitted to NASA "Policy on Expanded Use of Federal Research Facilities by University Investigators" approved by President Nixon Feb. 21. (NASA Off of Policy Memo, 3/14/69)
Vice President Spiro T. Agnew told American Management Assn. briefing on oceanography in Washington, D.C." that Nixon Administration was not yet ready to endorse concept of "a wet NASA"-marine oriented Government agency. As Chairman of National Council on Marine Resources and Engineering Development he was studying opinions of advocates of such an agency, as well as [Jan. 11] report by Commission on Marine Science, Engineering and Resources. (Smith, NYT, 2/25/69, 53)
February 24-March 3: First documented pulsar acceleration was discovered in Pulsar PSR 0833-45 in Vela constellation in southern sky by JPL radio-astronomers Paul Reichley and Dr. George S. Downs, using 85-foot dish antenna at Goldstone, Calif. While pulsars normally showed moderate but steady slowing in pulse rate, Vela's rate accelerated, then slowed at slightly faster rate than before, during week's observation. Findings in NASA-sponsored research were confirmed by Parkes Observatory astronomers in Australia. (JPL Release BB-513, 4/16/69)
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