Aug 10 1987
From The Space Library
NASA announced that Dr. Noel Hinners would replace Dr. Frank McDonald as Chief Scientist, effective August 24, 1987. At the same time, Dr. Hinners would retain his position as NASA's Associate Deputy Administrator (Institutions). NASA also announced Dr. Frank McDonald would return to the Goddard Space Flight Center as Associate Director/Chief Scientist. (NASA Release 87-121)
The 10-ton Soviet satellite Cosmos-1871 plunged harmlessly into the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii. Soviet news agency Tass reported that the satellite, launched into a polar orbit on August 1, 1987, carried scientific equipment for space exploration. (B Sun, Aug 11/87; W Post, Aug 11/87; W Times, Aug 10/87)
The Transportation Department announced that it has granted approval for Martin Marietta Corporation to launch private communications satellites. Within hours of the announcement, Martin Marietta signed an agreement with the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization to launch two INTELSAT-6 satellites into orbit on Martin Marietta's Titan 3 rockets. Launchings were scheduled for 1989 and 1990. The agreement between two private companies to launch private communications satellites was the first instance of the implementation of the Reagan administration's space commercialization policy. (B Sun, Aug 11/87; W Times, Aug 11/87)
American and Soviet scientists agreed to joint effort in a wide range of space research. Their first joint project called for a launch of a Soviet “space zoo" satellite containing monkeys, rats, fish, and other living organisms. The 14-day flight of this satellite was to provide Soviet and American scientists an opportunity to study the impact of weightlessness on the vital functions of animals. Some 26 other experiments were approved by working groups from the United States and the Soviet Union meeting for a week-long scientific conference in Moscow. The joint project was the first to be conducted under the terms of a five-year space cooperation agreement signed on April 15, 1987, by Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze and U.S. Secretary of State George P. Shultz. (C Trib, Aug 11/87; LA Times, Aug 11/87; P Inq, Aug 11/87)
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 31
