Nov 13 1968

From The Space Library

U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CCLIII from Plesetsk Cosmo­drome into orbit with 337-km (209.4-mi) apogee, 216-km (134.2-mi) perigee, 90-min period, and 65.4° inclination. Equipment functioned normally and satellite reentered Nov. 18. (SBD, 11/14/68, 53; GSFC SSR, 11/15/68; 11/30/68)

NASA's HL-10 lifting-body vehicle, flown by NASA test pilot John A. Manke, completed first powered flight after air launch from B-52 air­craft near Lancaster, Calif., to demonstrate successful operation of XLR-11 rocket engine and to investigate effects of engine operation on basic stability and control of wingless vehicle. Manke said craft climbed and maneuvered in "marvelous fashion." Increased perform­ance expected in successive flights would simulate lifting-body space­craft during terminal portion of flight. Manke ignited two of four chambers in HL-10's rocket engine and climbed from 35,000 to 43,250 ft, reaching top speed of 610 mph (mach 0.8) during 184-sec engine burn. Eventually speeds of 1,000 mph and altitudes to 80,000 ft were expected. Oct. 23 HL-10 flight had ended with early shutdown of rocket engine. (NASA Proj Off; NASA Release 68-198; FRC Release 26-68; AP, B Sun, 11/14/68, A10; LATNS, W Post, 11/14/68, A22)

NASA announced it had assigned Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, John W. Young, and Eugene A. Cernan as prime crew for Apollo 10 mis­sion, scheduled for second quarter of 1969 as second manned flight of lunar module. Backup crew would be Astronauts L. Gordon Cooper,

John A. Manke, NASA research pilot at FRC, stands before wingless HL-10 lifting-body vehicle which he flew in first powered flight, after air launch from B-52 aircraft. Manke reached 610 mph in NASA-USAF program to evaluate possible forerunners of reusable spacecraft. Eventual 1,000-mph speed was expected. Donn F. Eisele, and Edgar D. Mitchell. Flight crew support team was Astronauts Joseph H. Engle, James B. Irwin, and Charles M. Duke, Jr. Mission probabilities ranged from earth orbital operations to lunar or­bital flight, with separation and docking of command and service mod­ule and lunar module. (NASA Release 68-201; AP, W Star, 11/14/68, A7; W Post, 11/14/68, A12; AP, NYT, 11/14/68, 21; Sehlstedt, B Sun, 11/14/68, 1)

• Dr. John E. Naugle, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, addressed International Meeting of American Nuclear So­ciety in Washington, D.C. In past decade NASA had developed "impres­sive capability" in "competent and creative people who make up our government-university-industry team." It was "prepared to accomplish any goal in space exploration which the new administration may estab­lish." NASA future included "broad, balanced, Planetary Program" em­phasizing Mars but examining other planets like Mercury and Jupiter; major lunar exploration program in 1970's; astronomy program cover­ing optical astronomy, x-ray and gamma ray fields, and low-frequency radio astronomy; and increased emphasis on space applications pro­grams, with major efforts toward surveying earth's resources from space and continuing developments in meteorology and communications. (Text)

Dr. Abe Silverstein, Director of Lewis Research Center, was announced winner of Rockefeller Public Service Award in science category. He had supervised plans for rocket installation on Lunar Orbiter and Sur­veyor spacecraft. Dr. Silverstein had been first Director of Space Flight Programs in NASA Hq. in 1958. Under his leadership first U.S. man-in-space pro­gram, Project Mercury, had been planned and groundwork laid for Gemini and Apollo programs. He had joined NACA at Langley Aeronau­tical Laboratory in 1929 and helped design and later was in charge of Full-Scale Wind Tunnel. He was transferred to Lewis Laboratory in 1943, where he was responsible for conception, design, and construc­tion of first U.S. supersonic propulsion wind tunnels. After serving in Washington, D.C., three years he returned to LeRC as Director in 1961. Leonard C. Meeker, State Dept. legal adviser, won award in foreign affairs and international administration for his work on 1967 space law treaty. (W Post, 11/14/68, B7; LERC Biog, 4/67; Lewis News, 11/22/68, 1)

New York Times editorial, "After the Lunar Landing," said first priority would probably go to study of moon's surface and resources. "Beyond this exploration, the moon-once accessible to men-will immediately become a laboratory world for expanding knowledge in astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology and a host of other sciences. For both pur­poses . . . it will be desirable to create one or more permanent manned communities on the moon as soon as possible. . .. As the pioneers in space, the United States and the Soviet Union have the responsibility now to begin organization of the vast international effort that must fol­low the coming triumph of human courage and human ingenuity. And the United Nations, of course, is the body whose flag must fly over fu­ture lunar settlements." (NYT, 11/13/68, 40)

Purdue Univ. Prof. James E. Etzel said in Evanston, Ill., interview that technique for processing sewage sludge by bombarding it with ionizing radiation from chemical emitter of gamma rays could save $1 billion a year if used by all U.S. cities. Process was pioneered by Etzel and Gor­don S. Born of Purdue in cooperation with Jerome Stein, director of R&D for Chicago Sanitary District. Plan would cut solid-waste-process­ing costs by more than half. Treated sludge would be completely disin­fected, odorless, and compressed to 1/3 its volume. (Randal, W Star, 11/14/68, A5)

USAF awarded $8.5 million addition to contract with Northrop Corp. for F-5 aircraft. (WSJ, 11/13/68, 7)

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