Jul 2 1969
From The Space Library
Preliminary countdown demonstration test (CDDT) for July 16 Apollo 11 launch was successfully completed at KSC. Except for 3-hr 18-min hold during which technicians repaired leaky fuel valve, 51A-day test had run smoothly. (AP, B Sun, 7/3/69, A4)
Unofficial Communist sources said U.S.S.R. would launch Luna spacecraft July 10, which would attempt to scoop up lunar sample and return it to earth, Associated Press reported. Sources said launch would be third attempt to conduct successful mission; first had reportedly exploded on launch pad at Baikonur in early April, and second had exploded in flight June 14, when 2nd stage ignited. One source said Soviet space officials were "very disturbed over the success of the American Apollo Program. Losing the moon race will be a terrible blow to them." (B Sun, 7/3/69, Al)
Cosmonauts Gherman S. Titov, Konstantin P. Feoktistov, and Georgy T. Beregovy were among Soviet officials who met Astronaut Frank Borman and family on arrival at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport at start of nine-day U.S.S.R. visit. Asked if Soviet cosmonaut might visit U.S." Borman said, "I'm sure that will be discussed. Cooperation in space activities is an important aspect of the space program. Bormans breakfasted in Moscow and returned to airport for flight to Leningrad. Schedule called for visit to Zvezdny Gorodok-Star City-where cosmonauts lived and to space communications center in Crimea; nothing in program indicated visit to U.S.S.R. launching center at Baikonur in Kazakhstan. (AP, W Star, 7/2/69, A14)
Time-Life, Inc." would pay minimum of $400,000 for exclusive book rights of lunar landing story to the combine established by NASA astronauts in 1959, Don Kirkman said in Washington Daily News. Money would be split equally into 60 shares for 52 active astronauts and widows of 8 deceased. (W News, 7/2/69, 7)
NASA announced award to Bendix Field Engineering Corp. of $30 million, one-year, cost-plus-award-fee contract extension for operation and maintenance of major portion of Manned Space Flight Network. Extension was third exercised under option and brought total funding to $139,215,832. (NASA Release 69-100)
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