Dec 15 1968
From The Space Library
December 15-19: NASA successfully launched Essa VIII (TOS-F), eighth meteorological satellite in ESSA's Tiros Operational Satellite (TOs) system, from WTR by two-stage, Thrust-Augmented, Long-Tank Thor-Delta booster. Primary NASA mission objective was to provide global cloud coverage on regular, daily basis with six-month nominal and three-month minimum lifetime. Satellite achieved nearly polar, sun-synchronous circular orbit with 903.4-mi (1,453.6-km) apogee, 874.6-mi (1,407.2-km) perigee, 114.6-min period, and 101.9° inclination. An advanced version of cartwheel configuration, 300-lb Essa VIII carried two Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) cameras which would photograph earth's cloud cover and immediately transmit pictures to local APT stations in 52 nations. During first 22 orbits spacecraft underwent orientation maneuver to place it in wheel mode and spin rate was adjusted by 0.2 rpm. By Dec. 19 all spacecraft systems had been successfully programmed and excellent pictures had been read out. ESSA financed and managed TOS system and would operate spacecraft after NASA completed checkout later in month. GSFC was responsible for procurement, launch, and initial checkout of spacecraft in orbit. Essa VIJI was 18th Tiros satellite launched successfully since Tiros I, first weather satellite, April 1, 1960. All from Tiros III on had equaled or exceeded designed operation lifetimes. Most recent ESSA satellite launched was Essa VII, launched Nov. 10. (NASA Proj Off; ESSA Release ES 68-67; SBD, 12/17/68, 210)
Apollo 8 launch crew began lengthy countdown on time at KSC at 7:00 pm EST, for launch scheduled for 7:51 am EST Dec. 21. (W Post, 12/16/68, A12; W Star, 12/16/68, A5; W News, 12/16/68, 3)
NASA announced millions of home TV viewers in U.S., Europe, and Japan would see live pictures taken by Apollo 8 crew with cigar-box-size camera similar to that carried on Apollo 7 mission. They would be beamed to earth from spacecraft six times during Apollo 8 mission, including twice while spacecraft was in moon orbit. Manned Space Flight Network stations near Madrid, Spain, and Goldstone, Calif., would convert slow-scan signal into TV picture. Still photos would be taken of TV monitor during live transmission and pictures released in Los Angeles, Madrid, and Canberra. (NASA Release 68-214)
Scientific team headed by Nobel Prize winning physicist, Dr. Charles H. Townes, announced discovery of ammonia molecules in direction of Sagittarius toward Milky Way center, 30,000 light years away from earth. Finding was made through spectrographs at radioastronomy observatory of Univ. of California at Berkeley during studies supported by NASA, Office of Naval Research, and NSF. Ammonia was considered chemical ancestor of organic compounds and necessary step toward origin of life. Team said discovery "marks the first time that a relatively complex molecular compound has been definitely identified in the vast regions between the stars." It would spur intensified search for additional combinations of life-essential elements detected in space. Former MIT provost and inventor of maser, which led to development of laser, Dr. Townes had been named Dec. 3 to head President-elect Richard M. Nixon's task force to make recommendations on space program. Report would be published in Physical Review Letters of American Institute of Physics. (upi, NYT, 12/16/68, 93; AP, W Post, 12/16/68, Al)
In Washington Sunday Star William Hines said NASA announcement of plans for 1974 Mars landing marked revival "of a project that was sacrificed last year on the altar of the great God Apollo whose manned moon program was gobbling up all the funds at NASA's disposal. It also marked the first positive action by NASA in two years directed to starting rather than terminating activities." Its timing, one month after presidential election, seemed "to provide a tantalizing clue to the Nixonian philosophy about space." Hines said it was likely new administration would heed post-Apollo views of NAS which had recommended more attention to scientific exploration of space with instruments. (W Star, 12/15/68, F4)
In Washington Post Thomas O'Toole said poisoning from overexposure to beryllium powder had resulted in 800 known deaths in U.S. during past 15 yr. Beryllium disease expert, Dr. Harriet L. Hardy of Massachusetts General Hospital, estimated total beryllium cases at 2,500, "about three times as many as we've heard about." New uses for lightweight, heat-resistant metal had pushed production to 150,000 lb per year. Battelle Memorial Institute estimated output would grow at 20% rate per year for next five years, NAS estimated 1979 production at six times 1969's. Beryllium was being used by Lockheed Aircraft Corp. for wheel brakes in C-5A transport and heat shields for Poseidon missile. Boeing Co. used it for new Minuteman missile shield. In past three years estimated $25 million had been spent on beryllium rocket research. O'Toole said one scientist claimed test firing in California had so contaminated site that electrician working there developed beryllium poisoning. Neither NASA nor USAF planned to abandon testing beryllium rockets, however, and beryllium use had "kicked off a lively debate inside the Federal Government." (W Post, 12/15/68, Al)
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
