Jul 23 1969
From The Space Library
USAF launched unidentified satellite from Vandenberg AFB by Thor-Burner booster into orbit with 531.5-mi (855.2-km) apogee, 488.4-mi (785.8-km) perigee, 101.3-min period, and 98.8° inclination. (GSFC SSR, 7/31/69; Pres Rpt 70 [69] )
NASA's HL-10 lifting-body vehicle, piloting by NASA test pilot William H. Dana, reached 68,000-ft altitude and mach 1.2 during 22nd flight west of Rosamond, Calif. Purpose was to obtain performance, stability, and control data. (NASA Proj Off)
Scientists monitoring seismometer left on lunar surface by Apollo 11 astronauts told press at MSC five-minute event recorded July 22 was either meteoroid strike or moonquake similar to mild California earthquake recorded on East Coast. MIT geologist, Dr. Frank Press said tremor would have magnitude of four or five according to Richter scale, on which major earthquake registered seven or eight. Seismic reading was strong indication that moon was layered with outer crust and inner mantle like earth and supported theories that moon was formed near or torn from earth. Layering, he said, "would imply that at one time there was enough heat so that the heavier rocks went to the interior and the lighter ones to the surface." (McGehan, B Sun, 7/24/69, Al; Lyons, NYT, 7/24/69, 1)
NASA announced selection of McDonnell Douglas Corp. and North American Rockwell Corp.'s Space Div. to conduct parallel $2.9-million, 11-mo design and planning studies of 12-man earth orbital space station which could be developed by 1975 and have 10-yr lifetime. Companies would also include conceptual design of 50-man space base composed of specialized modules assembled in low earth orbit in late 1970s and early 1980s to serve as centralized scientific and technical facility in orbit. Aerojet-General Corp., General Electric Co." and Hughes Aircraft Co. had been selected for final competitive negotiation of contract to develop advanced optical communications experiment. Companies would compete for one $5-million contract to develop wideband laser communications system to be placed on board Applications Technology Satellite ATS-F, scheduled for launch in 1972, for communications between satellite and transportable ground station. (NASA Releases 69-108, 69-109)
Canadian Isis I International Satellite for Ionospheric Studies (launched Jan. 30) was adjudged successful by NASA. Nine of ten experiments were operational; ion mass spectrometer had been turned off after one week of operation, when it developed high-voltage problems, and since had been used only for short periods to collect engineering data. Low-frequency receiver experiment had been providing indirect ion data, thus compensating partially for IMS loss. Onboard tape recorder was providing excellent topside ionograms of Antarctic area and other previously inaccessible areas. (NASA Proj Off)
Full-color lunar photos from Apollo 11, including one of man first setting foot on moon, would be released by NASA to press and TV four days after splashdown, following two-day decontamination of film, NASA announced. Superintendent of Documents, GPO, was taking orders from public for photos to be filled in late August. Series of reproductions of paintings by American artists recording space program, "Eyewitness to Space," also would be released. (NASA Release 69-83J)
Successful Apollo 11 mission was expected to spur reservations on first lunar passenger flight, Washington Evening Star said. Before launch Pan American World Airways held 30,000 reservations and Trans World Airlines, 5,000. Pan Am spokesman said rush began after film "2001: A Space Odyssey" was first shown in 1968. In letters acknowledging reservations, Pan Am was saying, "Starting date of service is not yet known. Equipment and route will, probably, be subject to government approvals." TWA was saying, "We will be in contact with you again, as soon as technological advances develop to the point where we can project departure date." (W Star, 7/23/69, A7)
In Pravda Soviet academician, Prof. Leonid I. Sedov, said space research was developing in so many different directions that realization of future projects would require huge material expenditure and concentration of creative efforts of "countless highly qualified workers and Specialists." He said, "Not one individual country can afford the practical implementation of all the technically feasible and worthwhile projects." While scientists had said unmanned spacecraft could not always be substituted for manned vehicles, "flights by automatic stations have preceded and will continue to precede manned flights." Human feelings and observations, "especially when something turns up unexpectedly and unforeseen, cannot be completely replaced by automatic stations." But unmanned probes would continue as pathfinders because they were "cheaper, more simple and less dangerous vehicles for research." (Reuters, W Post, 7/24/69, A15)
U.S. delegate to U.N. William B. Buffum, responding to Soviet tribute to Apollo 11 astronauts by U.S.S.R. delegate Aleksey V. Zakharov, said before Security Council he hoped "fraternal spirit" demonstrated by astronauts and cosmonauts would lead to greater cooperation on earth also. (NYT, 7/25/69, 31)
In his fourth reference to Apollo 11 within week, Pope Paul VI said at summer palace, Castel Gondolfo, Italy: "Catholic faith, not only does not fear this powerful confrontation of its humble doctrine with the wonderful riches of modern scientific thought, but it desires it . . . because truth although diverse on various levels . . . is one and because such a confrontation is of mutual advantage to faith and to study in every field." (AP, W Post, 7/24/69, A15)
Rep. Louis Frey, Jr. (R-Fla.), introduced for himself and Rep. William Chappell (D-Fla.) H.J.R. 834 "to redesignate the area in the State of Florida known as Cape Kennedy as Cape Canaveral." Measure was referred to House Committee on Science and Astronautics. (CR, 7/23/69, H6238)
Czechoslovakian Communist Party Central Committee's weekly Tribuna said of Apollo 11 landing: "It would be premature today to try to attempt a detailed evaluation of the historical significance of this act. Surely its influence will be no smaller than that of Columbus, travels many centuries ago." (Am Embassy, Prague)
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