May 13 1969
From The Space Library
Cosmos CCLXXXI was launched by U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into orbit with 301-km (187.0-mi) apogee, 188-km (116.8-mi) perigee, 89.3-min period, and 65.4° inclination. Satellite reentered May 21. (GSFC SSR, 5/15/69; 5/31/69; SBD, 5/14/69, 61)
Countdown for NASA's Apollo 10 mission, scheduled for launch May 18, began at KSC. Astronauts completed three-hour physical examinations and were reported to be in good health and good spirits. (W Post, 5/13/69, A7; Sehlstedt, B Sun, 5/14/69, A3)
NASA and Australian Dept. of Supply and Dept. of Education and Science announced that 210-ft-dia radiotelescope at National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Parkes, Australia, might be used to relay TV signals from moon during Apollo 11 lunar landing mission in July. Signals from Apollo 11 antennas were scheduled to be received by Goldstone Tracking Station. If mission were delayed and moon were not visible from Goldstone while TV was scheduled, signals would be received at Parkes, transmitted to Sydney, and transmitted to NASA's Mission Control Center at Houston via Intelsat-III F-3 over Pacific. (NASA Release 69-72)
ComSatCorp President Joseph V. Charyk told Annual Meeting of Shareholders in Washington, D.C." key goal of establishing global comsat system was "within immediate view." When Early Bird [Intelsat I] "was launched just four years ago, there were only a handful of experimental stations in Europe and the United States. Today, there are 25 earth stations operating in 15 different countries of the world, with many more nearing completion. It is expected that a total of 43 stations will be in service by the end of this year and that 26 different countries will have direct access to all forms of high quality communications that the global system of satellites makes economically available to them." By 1972 "there will be more than 70 stations operating in nearly 40 countries of the world, thereby making this high quality means of communications available directly to practically every nation on earth." At end of first quarter of 1969 1,209 full-time circuits were being leased, up from 777 at end of 1967. Leased voice and record tariffs published by international carriers represented 40% reduction in Atlantic and Pacific areas since advent of comsats. Transmission of TV via satellite increased from 225 hrs in 1967 to 666 hrs in 1968, with 40% reduction in TV rates. (Text)
New York Times editorial urged President Nixon to "undo a mistake and strike a blow for the more rational ordering of Federal spending priorities" by supplanting Government subsidy of SST program with SST Authority. "The Government's S.S.T. contribution should be converted to a preferred equity interest in a new public corporation with variable proportions of the total common stock being reserved for the airlines and the investing public. To the extent necessary, the .S.T. authority would be authorized to raise development funds by selling bonds . .. guaranteed by the Federal Government" (NYT, 5/13/69)
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