Apr 12 1991
From The Space Library
Atlantis landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base, California, one day late. It was to be flown to Cape Canaveral atop a modified Boeing 747. The astronauts appeared in excellent condition. (P Inq, Apr 12/91; B Sun, Apr 12/91; W Times, Apr 12/91; USA Today, Apr 12/91; NY Times, Apr 12/91; WSJ, Apr 12/91; W Post, Apr 12/91; LA Times, Apr 12/91; AP, Apr 12/91; UPI, Apr 12/91)
General Thomas S. Moorman, Jr., commander of Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, said orbiting satellites were integral to mid-air and ground operations in the Persian Gulf War. He spoke at a conference at Tufts University on "The United States Air Force: Aerospace Challenges and Missions in the 1990s." (CSM, Apr 12/91)
The Soviet Union observed Cosmonaut Day, marking the thirtieth anniversary of the space flight of Yuri A. Gagarin. (P Inq, Apr 12/91; USA Today, Apr 12/91; AP, Apr 12/91)
Orbital Sciences Corporation in Fairfax, Virginia, made a reputation for fast, frugal flights into space that won it a number of contracts with NASA and the Air Force. It developed the Pegasus rocket, which was launched from under the wing of a B-52 in 1990. Since then it has developed various other rockets designed to boost Shuttle payloads. (W Times, Apr 12/91)
An article on interactive computer graphics and the virtual reality system they involve stated that NASA's Visualization for Planetary Exploration project might use such technology. It would enable the creation of environments of the moon and planets that would use data gathered by space probes and satellites to allow users to feel they were visiting those bodies. (W Times, Apr 12/91)
Final approval was given for the construction of a new visitors' center at the Johnson Space Center, Houston. The Manned Space Flight Education Foundation helped raise funds for the $60 million structure. (AP, Apr 12/91)
Aviation Week and Space Technology reported that a Soviet spacecraft carrying supplies for the two cosmonauts aboard the Mir Space Station almost collided with the station during a docking attempt. (AP, Apr 12/91; C Trib, Apr 14/91)
The Marshall Islands commemorated the tenth anniversary of U.S. Space Shuttle flights by issuing a block of four stamps. (AP, Apr 12/91)
An editorial commended the Space Shuttle record as remarkably positive over the past 10 years. (Fla Today, Apr 12/91)
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