Sep 18 1968

From The Space Library

NASA launch from ETR of Intelsat-III F-1, first of four Intel­sat III comsats scheduled for 1968-69, failed to reach orbit when three-stage Long-Tank Delta booster, on maiden flight, pitched back­ward and was exploded several thousand feet above Atlantic. NASA Launch Director Robert Gray said booster encountered trouble in gyro­scope system controlling pitch rate 20 sec after blastoff. Launch vehicle became erratic and uncontrollable, pitching backward 1 min 2 sec into flight, and 6 sec later ETR safety officer sent signal to destroy vehicle. Delta fuel tanks had already begun to tear apart and burst into flame. Pieces of booster and satellite fell into ocean 12 mi off Florida. Experts were studying radio data to determine cause of failure, which ComSat­Corp said would not have significant effect on 1968 revenue. Delay in completing cycle of four Intelsat Ills would be felt in 1969; ComSat­Corp officials termed it "major blow" to plans for early full-scale global system. To be owned by 63-nation INTELSAT consortium, each of satellites was designed to have 1,200-voice capacity or four TV channels; com­pleted series of four was to make coverage available around the world. First had been planned for synchronous equatorial orbit above Atlan­tic. (ComSatCorp Pm; ComSatCorp Release 68-46; AP, W Post, 9/19/68, A3; Dimond, W Star, 9/19/68, A21; CSM, 9/20/68)

USAF launched two unidentified satellites from Vandenberg AFB by Thor-Agena D booster. One entered orbit with 243-mi (391.1-km) ap­ogee, 111-mi (178.6-km) perigee, 90.1-min period, and 83° inclination and reentered Oct. 8. Second satellite entered orbit with 318-mi (511.8-km) apogee, 312-mi (502.1-km) perigee, 94.7-min period, and 83.2° inclination. (Pres Rpt 68)

Nike-Cajun sounding rocket launched by NASA from Churchill Research Range carried GSFC payload to 12-mi (19-km) altitude to obtain varia­tions in temperature profile and atmosphere structure. Launch was one of series scheduled for winter 1968-69 at Churchill, Point Barrow, Alaska, and NASA Wallops Station. Nineteen grenades deployed and ex­ploded as planned. Second stage failed to ignite causing low apogee, which prevented acquisition of useful data. (NASA Rpt SRL)

At international symposium in Washington, D.C., sponsored by NAS and GSFC, Univ. of California scientist Dr. W. Ian Axford explained new phenomenon, "polar wind," which was constantly blowing away small portions of earth's atmosphere and losing them in space. In polar re­gions, earth's magnetic lines of force plunged almost straight down, leaving considerable area "accessible to space." Charged particles moving rapidly could escape local entrapment by planet's field. U.S satel­lites had observed such particles rising toward space at supersonic speeds. They climbed vertical magnetic force lines and wound up in long tail which protruded from earth on side away from sun (distor­tion of earth's magnetic field by solar wind of charged particles flowing continuously from sun). Univ. of California scientist Peter M. Banks was credited with deducing existence of polar wind. (II W News, 9/18/68, 18)

Four NAVSATS (satellites resembling comsats) in synchronous equatorial orbit could control entire air traffic of U.S. and 18 could handle entire world's air traffic, according to TRW Systems Div., which demonstrated system during Air Force Assn, meeting in Washington, D.C. Satellites would serve as reference points for aircraft in flight, ships at sea, or mechanized ground equipment and could locate user's longitude and latitude to accuracy within 60 ft and his altitude to within 120 ft. They would operate like comsats but, instead of relaying messages from point to point, would beam signals to aircraft. By taking bearings on any two satellites, computerized unit in aircraft could pinpoint air­craft's location by radio. Militarily, system could lead to accurate all-weather bombing capability and armored column movements in poor terrain or weather, or help infantrymen in the field. For civilian air traffic control, it could overlap existing equipment and eventually phase it out. (Lannan, W Star, 9/18/68)

Boeing Co. confirmed it was most likely to submit conventional fixed-wing design resembling large F-4 Phantom fighter as design for U.S. SST when firm's final proposal became due at FAA, no later than Jan. 15. If approved, aircraft would start moving from paper to titanium, Boeing President T. A. Wilson told Air Force Assn. seminar. M/G Jew- ell C. Maxwell, FAA's SST Program Director, said aircraft could fly in first half of 1972 and be ready for passenger service as early as 1974 (1976 if Government decided to test prototype before starting produc­tion line) . A. H. C. Greenwood, Assistant Managing Director for Brit­ish Aircraft Corp., said Anglo-French Concorde would fly in 1968 and be in commercial operation by summer 1972. (Wilson, W Post, 9/19/68, Dl)

Prototype four-engine turboprop STOL aircraft built in France as Bre­guet III and in U S. as McDonnell Douglas 188 was demonstrated for press in flight over Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Eastern Air­lines, McDonnell Douglas, and FAA were testing aircraft as possible re­placement for jet aircraft on Eastern's crowded shuttle service between Washington, New York, and Boston. When fully developed, aircraft would carry 100 passengers at 400 mph with all-weather capability. It would take off and land on less than 800-ft runway and operate on more direct routes closed to conventional aircraft under noise-abate­ment rules. Airline spokesman had said aircraft could be operational in "early 1970." (Yarborough, W Star, 9/18/68, Al; Valentine, W Post, 9/19/68, B1)

AEC Chairman, Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, was named 1968 winner of Arches of Science Award presented annually by Pacific Science Center of Seat­tle, Wash., to American who had contributed to public understanding of science. Award of $25,000 would be presented Oct. 16 to Dr. Sea- borg, who won Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1951 and was codiscoverer of plutonium. (W Post, 9/18/68, B5; AP, NYT, 9/18/68, 12)

Washington Post commented on resignation of James E. Webb as NASA Administrator; "Virtually from scratch, with the country in a swivet over Soviet prowess, James E. Webb took over the Nation's feeble space program and drove the United States firmly into the space age. . . . he created-in the civilian space agency-the largest and most labryrinthine engineering organization in American history. . . . In his eight-year stewardship, NASA proceeded under presidential and Congressional flogging toward the goal of a manned lunar landing 'in this decade." It achieved repeated successes and but a single important failure-the fire that claimed the lives of three astro­nauts last year. "It is characteristic of this self-effacing, organization-minded man that he should choose to retire now at his 62nd birthday, practically on the eve of the Apollo launching-a career-capping event if ever there was one. His purpose is to hand NASA over to his lieutenants before the change of administration, on the theory that the agency will thereby have a better chance of riding out next year's power transfer. The country is fortunate that Mr. Webb is in good health and determined to apply himself vigorously to further the Nation's understanding of the space age. For him this is far more than a matter of projectiles and orbits; it goes to the heart of the necessities and the aspirations of a great modern society. "Whereas Mr. Webb leaves NASA with its current mission adequately funded and its capabilities well formed, he does not leave it with a set mission beyond landing on the moon. This is hardly his fault. The fad­ing American taste for competition with the Russians in space and the rising competition of other claimants for Federal funds explain NASA's uncertain estate; its budget has been cut $1.4 billion in four years. . . it will be up to the next Administration and the next Congress to chart America's future in space. That they have a choice is the singular achievement of Jim Webb." (W Post, 9/18/68, A22)

• September

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

• October