Sep 1 1972
From The Space Library
Air Force launched unidentified reconnaissance satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Titan IIIB-Agena booster into orbit with 381-km (237-mi) apogee, 142-km (88-mi) perigee, 89.7- min period, and 110.4° inclination. Satellite reentered Sept. 30. (Pres Rpt 73; SBD, 9/6/72, 3)
NASA's Pioneer 10 Jupiter probe (launched March 2) was 320 million km (200 million mi) from earth and had traveled 450 million km (280 million mi) on 1-billion-km (620-million-mi) flight path to Jupiter. Spacecraft was traveling 80 000 km (50 000 mi) per hr and round- trip communication time at speed of light was 43 min. All space-craft systems were functioning satisfactorily and 10 of 11 experiments were operating as planned. The 11th-infrared radiometer-would be turned on during flyby of Jupiter Dec. 3, 1973. Spacecraft was transmitting data at 2048 bits per sec to Deep Space Network's 64-m (210-ft) dish antenna, and 512-1024 bits per sec to 26-m (85-ft) dish antennas. Gas reserves for course changes were about twice the amount needed. Pioneer 10 had been traveling in Asteroid Belt since July 15 and had encountered no problems. (NASA Release 72-184)
NASA announced that Pioneer 7 flight directors had located and revived Pioneer 7 after one month of radio silence. Spacecraft was on far side of sun, more than 312 million km (194 million mi) away-so far away that round trip time for radio communication to spacecraft and back to earth was 35 min at speed of light. Controllers had reacquired Pioneer 7 "in the blind" without knowing spacecraft's exact position or radio receiver's exact frequency and had set long- distance record for finding and reviving spacecraft that had turned itself off. Scientists had theorized that at Pioneer 7's farthest distance from sun electrical power from spacecraft's solar cells had fallen below level required to operate spacecraft and scientific instruments. By leaving instruments off temporarily and thus reducing power requirements, turn-on of radio transmitter had been possible. (NASA Special Release)
Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, in letter to staff congratulated NASA, contractor teams, and participating scientists for successful performance of OAO 3 Orbiting Astronomical Observatory launched Aug. 21, 1972. To date, performance indicated "we have given the world a wonderful new window on the universe and a magnificent new tool of science worthy of the illustrious name it now bears [Copernicus]." Copernicus, father of modern astronomy, had changed world's thinking about nature of solar system and earth's place in it. "I believe we are going to see advances of comparable magnitude in our understanding of the universe, thanks to the new technology brought into being in our OAO program." (NASA Activities, 9/15/72, 180-1)
Approval by NASA and Soviet Academy of Sciences of report of May 8- 12, 1972, joint meeting of experts on lunar cartography in Washington, D.C., was announced by NASA. Experts had exchanged documents on lunar coordinating systems and map making and agreed on joint development of principles for compiling lunar maps, on joint program to compile complete lunar map on scale of 1 to 5 000 000, and on development of common basic system of selendetic coordinates. Experts would exchange drafts and proposals for review, then meet to make recommendations for submission to cochairmen of Joint Working Group on the Exploration of Near- Earth Space, the Moon and the Planets. (NASA Release 72-186)
Results of Apollo 16 far-ultraviolet camera and spectrograph experiment on lunar surface were described in Science by Naval Research Laboratory scientists Dr. George R. Carruthers and Dr. Thornton L. Page. A major objective of experiment had been to obtain spectra and imagery of terrestrial atmosphere and geocorona in 500 to 1600 A range. Among data obtained were images and spectra in wavelength below 1600 A. These had provided spatial distributions and relative intensities of emissions due to atomic hydrogen, atomic oxygen, molecular nitrogen, and other species-some observed by spectrograph for first time. (Science, 9/1/72, 788-91)
President Nixon and Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka issued joint statement following their meetings in Hawaii. Statement described subjects covered in talks. They had "discussed cooperation in space exploration including Japan's goal of launching geo-stationary communications and other applications satellites. The President welcomed Japan's active interest in and study of the launching of a meteorological satellite in support of the global atmospheric research program." (PD, 9/11/72, 1333-4)
NASA launched Aerobee 170 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range, carrying Johns Hopkins Univ. aeronomy experiment. Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. '(SR list)
Wall Street Journal article asked if U.S. supersonic transport revival was imminent: "Administration planners insist the U.S. will eventually build a supersonic transport. NASA researchers work up advanced `second generation' designs, differing from the downed Boeing version. Backers claim progress against the sonic boom problem, plus the promise of developing a more profitable plane." (WSJ, 9/1/72, 1)
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