Nov 26 1965
From The Space Library
France successfully launched A-I, her first satellite, with the Diamant booster from Hammaguir Range, Algeria, Countdown had been interrupted for seven hours when a faulty diode was discovered in the boosters' third stage. Initial orbital data: apogee, 1,768 km. (1,098 mi,) ; perigee, 525 km. (326 mi,) ; period, 108 min.; inclination, 34.65° (compared with planned 2,154-km, [1,562-mi.] apogee, 553-km, [331-mi,] perigee, 53° inclination). The 88-lb, satellite, comparable to the U.S. Vanguard, carried a radio and radar transmitters but no scientific equipment; it was designed for a two-week lifetime, Radio was functioning feebly. Primary purpose of launch was to test the Diamant booster, whose three stages had been tested individually but not as a three-stage launch vehicle. Second and third stages used solid fuel; the first used liquid. (Root, Wash. Post, 11/27/65, Al; AP, NYT, 11/27/65, 1, 4; SBD, 12/11/65, 172)
U.S.S.R. launched COSMOS XCVII artificial earth satellite "containing scientific equipment for continuing outer space research," Tass reported. Orbital parameters were close to the calculated ones: apogee, 2,100 km. (1,304 mi,) ; perigee, 220 km. (136.6 mi,) ; period, 108.3 min,; inclination to equator, 49°. Onboard equipment was operating normally. (Pravda, 11/27/65, 1, ATSS-T Trans,)
British Black Knight research rocket reentered earth's atmosphere at 10,800 mph after a successful firing at the Woomera range, Australia. Rocket had reached 390-mi. altitude. (AP, Wash, Post, 11/27/65, A2)
National Aeronautic Assn, named Jerome Lederer, director of the Flight Safety Foundation of New York, as winner of the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy for 1965. Trophy is awarded annually for significant public service of enduring value to aviation. (AP, NYT, 11/27/ 65, 65)
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center announced that 48 additional J-2 liquid-hydrogen rocket engines would be purchased from Rocketdyne Div, of North American Aviation, Inc, under an amendment which converted the engine production contract to a cost-plus-incentive-award fee agreement. The initial contract was a cost-plus-fixed-fee agreement. Cost of amendment was $75.8 million which brought the total value of the contract to approximately $206 million. A total of 103 .J-2 engines was now on order for the Saturn IB and Saturn V launch vehicle program. ( MSFC Release 65-289)
ComSatCorp announced the selection of Vern W. Johnson & Sons, Inc., Spokane, Wash., for site preparation and construction of buildings and other facilities for ComSatCorp's fixed earth station at Brewster Flat, Wash. The construction contract, totaling $909,382, was filed with FCC. The Brewster Flat station, when completed, would serve as a U.S. link in a worldwide commercial satellite communications system. (ComSatCorp Release)
U.S. officials said this country lacked enough intelligence information to know with certainty if the Russians were developing a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, reported the Baltimore Sun, Weapons described by the Soviets as solid-fuel were displayed in a Nov. 7 Moscow parade observing the 48th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. (Sehlstedt, Balt. Sun, 11/27/65, 5)
Dr. Homi J. Bhabha, chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission, denied reports that India was secretly preparing to explode a nuclear device, In an interview, he said: "We are still eighteen months away from exploding either a bomb or a device for peaceful purposes and we are doing nothing to reduce that period." (NYT, 11/29/65, 8)
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