Aug 10 1967
From The Space Library
NASA's MARINER IV (launched Nov. 28, 1964 ) and MARINER V (launched June 14) satellites drew into a unique "solar system lineup" which would enable JPL scientists to obtain their first three-point measurements of solar plasma and space magnetism. Orbiting about 70 million mi apart on a direct line from the sun, with earth approximately in the middle, satellites were expected to remain in about the same position relative to each other until Oct. 10. Positions would enable JPL to compare the densities and velocities of solar rays simultaneously from three points in space-two satellites and earth. (JPL Release; Wilford, NYT, 8/13/67,54)
NASA had converted $13.5-million systems-integration portion of Chrysler Corp.'s Uprated Saturn I contract to cost-plus-incentive-fee agreement and extended contract through April 1969. Under new arrangement, which raised total value of systems-integration portion to $35.5 million, Chrysler's fee would be judged according to the performance, quality, and timeliness of the work, which would be performed at MSFC and Michoud Assembly Facility. (NASA Release 67-216; MSFC Release 67-168)
Military, congressional, and industrial sources agreed that F-111A variable-sweep-wing aircraft had developed new technical difficulties and that old problems had not yet been completely solved, Hanson Baldwin reported in the New York Times. Original plans had called for some F-111A's to reach Vietnam for combat tests in fall 1967; "now December or January appear to be the target dates if `fixes' to the present difficulties are successful." Sources said that excessive vibration-a problem believed to have been completely solved-was recurring in tests. Aircraft was also experiencing difficulty with its speed brakes, and the problem of partial engine stall during flight persisted. Col. Charles W. Reed, project officer for the F-111A at Nellis AFB, Nev., told Baldwin there were no "real serious problems" with the aircraft and said that accelerated testing and training project which began at Nellis in July was "ahead of schedule." He conceded, however, that aircraft at Nellis had not yet carried bomb loads. Flight and combat testing of the F -111A was continuing at Edwards AFB and Eglin AFB. (Baldwin, NYT, 8/11/67,1,2)
The universe was 70 billion yrs old-about seven times older than generally believed, Soviet astrophysicists Josif Shklovsky and Dr. Nikolay Kardashov told a Moscow news conference. When it was formed it first expanded, then remained static for about 50 billion yrs, and now was expanding again. Scientists said they made their conclusions after analyzing the red light shift in spectrograms made of quasars-a method of measuring the distance and velocity of celestial objects. (AP, NYT, 8/13/67,69)
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
