Dec 22 1965
From The Space Library
NASA deferred the first unmanned Voyager planetary exploration mission until 1973 and scheduled one 1967 Mariner flight to Venus and two 1969 Mariner flights to Mars. First Voyager mission had been planned to orbit Mars in 1971 and a second to orbit and land instrumented capsules in 1973; no further Mariner missions had been scheduled. Changes in the planetary exploration program were being made to obtain the greatest possible return from funds available for FY 1966, those anticipated for FY 1967, and from information available from previous missions. (NASA Release 65-389)
USAF launched unidentified satellite payload with Scout booster. (U.S. Aeron, & Space Act, 1965, 159)
NASA had awarded a $67,135 contract to the Univ. of Utah for a one-year study of chemical processes occurring during combustion of solid-propellant rocket motors, Study would attempt to better understand the interaction of gases in the combustion zone by using recently developed fast-scanning spectroscopic instruments. (NASA Release 65-390)
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center had awarded a one-year $1.6-million contract to Aero Spacelines, Inc, for flying large rocket cargoes in its Super Guppy aircraft-the only aircraft in existence which could fulfill the size and weight requirement for the S-IVB stage of the Saturn Vehicle, the Saturn IB and Saturn V instrument units, and the Lunar Excursion Module adapter. The agreement also provided for an extension of a previous NASA-Aero Spacelines contract for use of the Pregnant Guppy aircraft. (MSFC Release 65-311)
A German amateur radio station used OSCAR IV, sent into an unplanned orbit Dec. 21 by the Titan III-C rocket, to relay a signal to the Bochum Institute for Satellite and Space Research which had spotted the amateur radio satellite. Signal was reportedly loud and clear. USAF said 42-lb. comsat was expected to be useful to amateur radio operators around the world despite its poor orbit. (Wash. Post, 12/23/65, A6)
Analyzing President Johnson's proposal for Europe to join America in a "major endeavor" in space exploration, Howard Simons said in the Washington Post that the offer had three main objectives: (1) to satisfy European industrialists desirous of a share in 20th century technology; (2) to involve Europeans in developing complex spacecraft rather than launch vehicles that could be developed into ballistic missiles; (3) to generate interest in West European scientists as well as industrialists and engineers. As pace goal for a joint U.S.-European effort, President Johnson had cited the sun and the planet Jupiter. (Simons, Wash. Post, 12/22/65, A6)
L/Col. Frank Borman (USAF) and Cdr. James A. Lovell, Jr. (USN), arrived in Houston to see their families for the first time since the start of their 14-day Gemini VII space mission December 4. They would spend the Christmas holidays at home. (UPI, NYT, 12/23/65, 14)
Gen. Thomas Dresser White, USAF Chief of Staff from 1957 to 1961 and one of the chief proponents of a balanced air-space defense system, died. He had been a member of the NACA 1957-58. and the first U.S. military attache in Russia in 1933. (Wash, Post, 12/23/65, D4)
Spanish scientists reported recovery near Seville of three heavy metal spheres and other metal objects bearing Soviet markings. Debris was believed to be from Soviet spacecraft or rockets which disintegrated as they reentered earth's atmosphere. (AP, Wash. Eve. Star, 12/22/65)
USAF XB-70A research bomber was flown from Edwards AFB by NAA pilot Van A. Shepard for 155 min,-10 min, longer than on any of its previous 28 test flights. (AP, Wash. Post, 12/23/65, A3)
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