Jul 29 1969
From The Space Library
First pictures of Mars taken by NASA's Mariner VI, launched Feb. 24 to fly by Mars equator, were received at JPL. Full-disc photos, taken between 771,500 and 450,000 mi from Mars, were flashed on screen every five minutes. They showed Mars as dull, gray, egg-shaped body with crack in surface and bright spot-southern polar cap-with ragged edge. Better pictures were expected as spacecraft traveled closer to Mars. (AP, B Sun, 7/30/69, Al; Lannan, W Star, 7/30/69, A3)
JPL radar readings which showed 8.3-mi altitude variation in Mars, north equatorial zone and included corrected figures for Mars, ephemeris, or orbital path, were expected to ensure accuracy of TV cameras aboard Mariners VI and VII, NASA said. Experimenters hoped to obtain photos identifying objects 900 ft across at close approach and pictures were expected to be 500 times better than those taken to date by earth-based telescope cameras. Readings were obtained at NASA's Goldstone Tracking Station in California by team directed by Dr. Richard M. Goldstein during planet's closest approach to earth (Mars had been within 45 million mi of earth June 9). They would be of great interest to astronomers because they showed that areas which appeared light to telescopes might be either high or low in elevation. Optically dark areas appeared to be of medium elevation to radar-scanners. (NASA Release 69-111; JPL Release 530)
NASA released first photos taken by Apollo 11 astronauts on and near lunar surface, including four color stills and 16-mm film of LM descent. Film opened as LM swung low and curved slightly over area pocked with craters and rocks and showed dust being scattered by exhaust as LM touched down safely. It then showed Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong as he descended ladder to surface, took first step on moon, and deployed initial equipment. Still photos showed closeup of brownish surface sprinkled with footprints, silhouettes of LM and U.S. flag, Armstrong inside LM, and earth with Europe, Africa, and Asia visible. (Witkin, NYT, 7/30/69, 1; Cohn, W Post, 7/30/69, Al, A3)
LRL scientists continued examining lunar samples and preparing them for experiments on living organisms. Experiments, scheduled to begin July 29, would be delayed one day to repair cracked glove which permitted scientists outside vacuum box to handle objects inside and to allow more time for grinding samples to uniform size. (AP, NYT, 7/30/69, 19)
NASA Wallops Station announced award of 40-mo, $936,311 contract to Rice Univ. to investigate relationship between field-aligned currents and auroral particle fluxes and document and summarize findings. Rice would construct and test suitable flight and ground instrumentation for three Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket payloads; prepare and preflight-test payloads; and acquire, record, reduce, analyze, and publish resulting magnetic and auroral particle data. (WS Release 69-14)
FCC, at White House request, decided to delay for 60 days decision on establishment of domestic comsat system to enable Nixon Administration to study issues and make recommendations. (Aug, W Star, 7/29/69)
Rep. William G. Bray (R-Ind.) introduced H.J.R. 844, providing for distribution of Apollo 11 lunar samples to Governors of 50 states. (CR, 7/29/69, H6486)
New York weathermen were being deluged with calls blaming 10 days of rain and overcast weather in northeastern U.S. on Apollo 11, Associated Press said. WCBS radio news meteorologist Dr. Robert Harris had said, "We've had an abundance of calls from all sorts of people who are absolutely certain, through their Bible studies, that the Lord has taken the sun away from us." (AP, B Sun, 7/30/69, A6)
National Assn. of Government Employees President Kenneth T. Lyons told House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee landing on moon would soon be safer than landing at most U.S. airports. "Do we have to have NASA take over from the FAA in order to get a little sense into our airport and aircraft traffic management jumble?" (Bentley, B Sun, 7/29/69, A5)
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