Apr 4 1969
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched two Cosmos satellites from Plesetsk. Cosmos CCLXXVI entered orbit with 371-km (230.5-mi) apogee, 200-km 124.3-mi) perigee, 90.1-min period, and 81.3° inclination and reentered April 11. Cosmos CCLXXVII entered orbit with 466-km (289.6-mi) apogee, 267-km (165.9-mi) perigee, 91.8-min period, and 70.9° inclination and reentered July 6. (GSFC SSR, 4/15/69; 7/15/69; AP, C Trib, 4/5/69; SBD Space Log Supplement, 4/15/69 USAF X-24 A lifting-body vehicle, piloted by Maj. Jerauld R. Gentry (USAF) , was carried to 45,000-ft altitude by B-52 aircraft during first captive flight. All systems functioned satisfactorily and vehicle was deemed flight worthy in NASA-USAF program. (NASA Proj Off )
NAA announced Apollo 8 Astronauts Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, Jr." and William A. Anders would receive 1968 Robert J. Collier Trophy for Significant achievement in aeronautics and astronautics, as representatives of "entire United States space flight team for the successful and flawless execution of the first manned lunar orbit mission in history." Trophy would be presented by President Nixon at Washington, D.C." luncheon May 7. (NAA Release)
Astronaut James A. Lovell, Jr." received Distinguished Service Medal at DOD ceremony for service as Apollo 8 command module pilot. (W Post, 4/5/69, A7)
Apollo 8 Astronauts James A. Lovell, Jr." and William A. Anders, both U.S. Naval Academy graduates, presented Academy flag carried aboard Apollo 8 spacecraft to brigade representing 4,000 midshipmen at Annapolis. (AP, B Sun, 4/3/69, All)
INTELSAT conference ended March 21 had made it clear "that Intelsat, in its brief 5-year history, has been an extraordinary success," wrote Robert J. Samuelson in Science. Its transoceanic satellites, transmitting telephone signals primarily, had tended to depress cost of communications by multiplying available channels and pressuring carriers to lower rates. Satellites had given "third world" nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, previously dependent upon "confused mixture of radio and cable channels," chance to join advanced world's communications system. Attendance of U.S.S.R. as conference observer was "sure sign" of INTELSAT success. Soviet decision to join INTELSAT might hinge on organization's decision about its future. Issue was INTELSAT's formal structure and problem was "determining how large a role the United States should play." U.S. domination stemmed from its economic and technological power. U.S. firm, ComSatCorp, was made manager of INTELSAT under 1964 agreement, to oversee satellite design, contract with NASA for launchings, and supervise operation in space. Month-long meeting had not resulted in accord on even draft agreement. Europeans wanted to replace ComSatCorp management with international secretariat to subcontract technical tasks to ComSatCorp and other organizations as they demonstrated genuine competence. U.S. approach was, Why "tamper with a successful formula?" Fundamental issue lay deeper. "Technological superiority . . . creates its own foreign policy problems. America's Intelsat partners are pushing for a Space Age which-if not truly international-is at least more multinational." (Science, 4/4/69, 56-7)
FAA released Air Traffic Activity Report for 1968: Los Angeles International Airport had climbed to position of second busiest U.S. airport, from sixth place in 1967. Los Angeles had logged 594,486 takeoffs and landings. O'Hare International in Chicago, which had ranked first every year since 1962, still led with 690,810. Van Nuys, Calif." retained third position with 567,973 total and led in general aviation with 317,816 operations. Instrument-flight-rule aircraft handled by FAA air route traffic control centers had more than doubled in decade, to 19.4 million in 1968. (FAA Release 69-43)
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