Jul 20 1972
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
U.S.S.R. launched eight Cosmos satellites from Plesetsk with single booster. Cosmos 504 entered orbit with 1497-km (930.2-mi) apogee, 1323-(822.1-mi) perigee, 113.9-min period, and 74° inclination, Cosmos 505 entered orbit with 1498-km (930.8-mi) apogee, 1354-km (841.4-mi) perigee, 114.3-min period, and 74° inclination. Cosmos 506 entered orbit with 1498-km (930.8-mi) apogee, 1384- km (860-mi) perigee, 114.6-nun period, and 74° inclination. Cosmos 507 entered orbit with 1497-km (930.2-mi) apogee, 1414-km (878.6-mi) perigee, 114.9-min period, and 74° inclination. Cosmos 508 entered orbit with 1497-km (930.2-mi) apogee, 1445-km (897.9-mi) perigee, 115.3-min period, and 74° inclination. Cosmos 509 entered orbit with 1500-km (932.1-mi) apogee, 1475-km (916.5-mi) perigee, 115.6-min period, and 74° inclination. Cosmos 510 entered orbit with 1512-km (939.5-mi) apogee, 1496- km (929.6-mi) perigee, 116-min period, and 74° inclination. Cosmos 511 entered orbit with 1547-km (961.3-mi) apogee, 1496-km (929.6-mi) perigee, 116.4-min period, and 74° inclination. (GSFC SSR, 7/31/72; Sov Aero, 7/24/72, 30)
Third anniversary of first manned landing on moon. NASA's Apollo 11 mission had proved that man could carry out scientific and techno- logical work on another planet and had fulfilled U.S. goal established in 1961 of developing technology to transport man to moon and return him safely to earth within 1960s. Since Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., spent 2 hrs 31 min on moon's Sea of Tranquility July 20, 1969, NASA had launched five more Apollo missions. Eight men had explored moon at four different sites for 55 hrs 34 min. Four geophysical stations placed on moon were transmitting scientific data, 272 kg (600 lbs) of lunar samples had been brought to earth, 16 different scientific experiments had been con-ducted on lunar surface 48 times, and 17 different experiments had been conducted in lunar orbit 41 times. Apollo 17, last mission in program, was scheduled for launch Dec. 6. Manned Spacecraft Center expanded regular public open house activities with special Mission Control Center program re-creating radio transmissions between Apollo 11 crew and Mission Control Center during lunar landing, duplicating flight controller displays, and showing motion pictures taken during mission. Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio, home of Apollo 11 astronaut who was first man on moon, held informal opening to mark anniversary. President Nixon's daughter, Tricia N. Cox, presented moon rocks to museum, which would be formally dedicated in early autumn when all exhibits had been completed. (NASA Release 72-144; MSC Release 72-151; Wapakoneta Daily News, 6/16/72; H Post, 7/21/72)
NASA and National Science Teachers Assn. (NSTA) announced approval of experiments proposed by 19 high school students from 16 states for Skylab space station. Experimenters were from 25 finalists selected from 3409 proposals submitted to NASA by U.S. secondary school students as part of Skylab Student Project. Six other finalists could not be accommodated because of Skylab performance requirements and schedule constraints. Medallions would be awarded to finalists, sponsors, and schools during Skylab Educational Conference at Kennedy Space Center at Skylab launch time. (NASA Release 72-146)
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations unanimously approved agreements on strategic arms control concluded by U.S. and U.S.S.R. in Moscow May 26. (CR, 7/20/72, D796; Finney, NYT, 7/21/72, 2)
Apollo 16 Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II received Distinguished Service Medal and astronaut wings from Secretary of the Navy John W. Warner in Washington, D.C., ceremony. Mattingly was Navy commander. (non Release 526-72)
Manned Spacecraft Center announced three contract awards. Grumman Aerospace Corp. had been awarded 15-mo, $200 000 fixed-price, research and development contract to continue to design, build, and test space shuttle orbiter heating systems. Singer Co. had been awarded $135 530 firm-fixed-price contract to study and define simulator requirements for space shuttle mission simulator. McDonnell Douglas Corp. Astronautics Co. had received $181 000 contract for design study of orbital maneuvering system (OMS) to maneuver space shuttle orbiter in space. (MSC Releases 72-157, 72-158, 72-159)
Syndicated columnist William Hines criticized NASA earth resources survey program in Chicago Sun-Times. Program's rationale "leaps from an insupportable assumption (namely, that everything can be viewed better from space than close up) to an unjustifiable conclusion (that even if this is true the multi-purpose, multi- disciplinary satellite is the best way to do it)." (C Sun-Times, 7/20/72)
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