Nov 24 1971
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched Molniya II-I comsat from Plesetsk to ensure "functioning of the remote telephone-telegraph radio communications systems in the Soviet Union, for relaying central television programs to stations" in Orbita network and participating international networks. Satellite was new comsat and part of further development of Soviet satellite communications system. Orbital parameters: 39 553-km (24 577.1-mi) apogee, 516-km (320.6-mi) perigee, 712.0-min period, and 65.0° inclination. (FBIS- Sov-71-228-3, 11/26/71, Ll; GSFC SSR, 11/30/71; UN Gen'l Assembly, A/AC.105/INF.243; SF, 5/72, 179)
Tass announced that French equipment on Mars 3 (launched May 28) for investigating solar radio emission in one-meter-waveband experiment was functioning successfully. French instrumentation was manufactured by French specialists under French-Soviet cooperative pro-gram. (FBIS-Sov-71-228-3, 11/26/71, Ll)
MSFC announced selection of Itek Corp. to perform large space telescope definition study under $400 000, 12-mo contract. High-resolution optical telescope 3 m (120 in) in diameter would be placed in 630- to 810-km (391- to 503-mi) orbit aboard research and applications module (RAM) by reusable shuttle vehicle or Titan III launch vehicle in late 1970s as national facility for operation by many astronomers. (MSFC Release 71-219)
Merrill H. Mead, Chief of ARC Programs and Resources Office, had been named ARC Deputy Director of Administration, ARC Astrogram reported. (ARC Astrogram, 11/24/71, 1)
Mariner 9 and Soviet Mars 2 and 3 race to Mars was "exciting race for knowledge and the fame of exploration, exemplifying the kind of peaceful competition the world needs," Washington Evening Star editorial commented. "If Mariner 9 reveals half of what it was sent out to find, it will be worth much more than the $150 million it is costing." (W Star, 11/24/71)
Boris Sergievsky, World War I aviator with Imperial Russian Air Force and later leading test pilot in U.S., died in New York at age 83. He had set seaplane records with Pan American World Airways' Brazilian Clipper, flown Sikorsky amphibian aircraft to Chile in 1931, and been vice president of Helicopter Corp. of America. (NYT, 11/26/71, 38)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
