Apr 16 1970
From The Space Library
Click here to listen to Apollo 13 Press Conference with Gerry Griffin and Bill Stovall
Tass announced Soviet efforts to aid recovery of Apollo 13 astronauts: fishing trawler Chumikan and two cargo ships were being sent to recovery area, several whaling ships in South Pacific were being diverted to Samoa, and Soviet ships throughout world had been alerted. President Nixon sent message to Soviet Premier Aleksey Kosygin expressing "deep gratitude" and said, "I will let you know fast if we need your government's help." Later, New York Times quoted "informed sources" as saying Chumikan was missile instrumentation ship which had already been deployed in area to gather data on Apollo 13 mission with electronic sensing devices. Times said 13 countries had offered to make ships available for recovery, at least six said they would permit U.S. aircraft to fly over their territory during recovery operations, and more than 70 countries had responded to U.S. request not to use radio frequencies used by recovery forces to avoid possible conflicts on airways. (Lindsey, NYT, 4/18/70,12)
Cosmonaut Vladimir A. Shatalov, on behalf of all Soviet cosmonauts, sent message to Apollo 13 crew: "We Soviet cosmonauts are following your flight with great attention and anxiety. We wish wholeheartedly your safe return to our mother earth." (AP, B Sun, 4/17/ 70, A9)
Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong told press at MSC Apollo 13 crewmen would be "considerably disappointed that they weren't able to use all that practice they've had and that wonderful opportunity to walk on the moon's surface." Possibility of not returning safely was a real one that "always exists in the back of your mind," he said. "I suspect that the attitude that they [astronauts] reflect over the communication loops reflects what they're really thinking. Namely, they're trying to do each and every job precisely as well as they can and not overlook anything." (AP, W Star, 4/17/70, A7)
NASA launched two sounding rockets from Churchill Research Range. Arcas carried Univ. of Houston payload to study ionosphere. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily. Nike-Apache carried Univ. of Texas at Dallas payload to study ionosphere, but mission was unsuccessful. (SR list)
NASA announced tracking station at Antigua, no longer required for manned space flight support, would be closed by June 30. Station, which included unified S-band radar complex and 9-m (30-ft) dish antenna, had been established in 1967 and had played major role in tracking Apollo flights through Apollo 11. (NASA Release 70-58)
FAA published notice of proposed rule to prohibit flights by civil aircraft over U.S. at speeds that would cause sonic boom to reach ground. (FAA Release 70-33)
President Nixon sent message to Ambassador Gerard C. Smith, chief of U.S. delegation to U.S.-U.S.S.R. strategic arms limitations talks (SALT) in Vienna: "I express... the hope that an agreement can be reached on the limitation and eventual reduction of strategic arsenals with proper recognition of the legitimate security interests of the United States and the Soviet Union and of third countries." (PD, 4/20/70, 531)
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