May 20 1970
From The Space Library
USAF launched two unidentified satellites from Vandenberg AFB by Thor-Agena booster. One entered orbit with 236.6-km (147-mi) apogee, 178.6-km (111-mi) perigee, 88.6-min period, and 83° inclination and reentered June 17. Second entered orbit with 503.7-km (313-mi) apogee, 489.2-km (304-mi) perigee, 94.5-min period, and 83.1° inclination. (Pres Rpt 71; GSFC SSR, 5/31/70; 6/30/70)
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CCCXLV into orbit with 257-km (159.7mi) apogee, 187-km (116.2-mi) perigee, 88.9-min period, and 51.7° inclination. Satellite reentered May 28. (GSFC SSR, 5/31/70)
MIT announced it was divesting itself of C. Stark Draper Laboratory. Institute would retain Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Mass., which performed $65-million, annual, long-range DOD research. Decision culminated year-long debate over appropriateness of academic institution's sponsoring weapons research. Laboratory would convert to private corporation. (W Post, 5/21/70)
Univ. of Chicago scientist Dr. Albert V. Crewe announced his team of scientists had obtained images of individual atoms within organic compounds in verifiable manner for first time. Images, made with microscope having 35 000-volt scanning electron beam, showed geometric structure of compounds. (Sullivan, NYT, 5/21/70, 16)
Pravda editorial had charged Communist China's first satellite was part of warlike anti-Soviet program, UPI reported. Pravda said Communist China was building "military psychosis" and splitting world Communist movement. (Knoxville News-Sentinel, 5/20/70)
AP quoted Soviet geophysicist Sergey Timofeyev as saying Europe had entered period of colder summers and winters because moon was closer to earth than usual. Situation created "atmosphere tide" that disturbed normal movements of warm and cool air. (NYT, 5/20/ 70)
May 20-29: Thirteenth annual meeting of Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) of International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) was held in Leningrad. Soviet Premier Aleksey N. Kosygin sent message: "International cooperation in space exploration and in the use of outer space for peaceful purposes must be based on the development of mutual understanding and trust among the peoples." There was "growing cooperation on an international scale in space research" and. "further progress in this field can open up still greater prospects for mankind." Among 32 NASA officials and scientists attending meeting were Dr. George M. Low, Deputy Administrator; Gerald M. Truszynski, Associate Administrator for Tracking and Data Acquisition; and Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong. Armstrong received tumultuous welcome from predominantly Russian audience, AP reported. During question-and-answer period before his report, Armstrong said that when he viewed earth from moon, "I thought it was impossible that a little island like that in the sky could have so many-problems on it." He had found it "more pleasant on the moon than on earth as far as gravity is concerned." In report on experiences on moon, Armstrong said, "Since the sky is black the impression is somewhat like being on a sandy athletic field at night that is very well illuminated with flood lights." Further improvement in mobility of pressure garments would improve ability of astronauts to carry out lunar experiments. At later session when Armstrong attended as observer, guards had difficulty restraining cheers of audience, which included 800 Soviet delegates and 420 representatives of 30 countries. AP said it was "dramatic and unusual" tribute to foreign visitors in U.S.S.R. Dr. Leonard D. Jaffe, JPL scientist, reported to COSPAR meeting on study and comparison of 60 Surveyor photos taken in April 1967 and 20 Apollo 12 photos that showed moon's extreme stillness. Photos indicated only one small pebble had moved during 31 mos at Surveyor III site. Rate of meteoroid impact. or surface movement was low in area of Ocean of Storms where Apollo 12 and Surveyor III had landed. Camera and several portions of Surveyor spacecraft had coating of fine dust stirred from lunar surface as Apollo 12 LM descended nearby. Only other change observed in Surveyor was that its white paint had turned to tan, "partly due to deposition of material on the spacecraft." NAS-NRC submitted United States Space Science Program, comprehensive summary of scientific research in space science in U.S. during 1969: "Popular interest in the space program, which reached a high point with the first successful lunar landing, has diminished somewhat. Furthermore, a reassessment of national priorities has resulted in reduced financial support for space research and technology during the past year, an the support will probably be even more limited this year and next. It is our intention, despite these limitations, to try to maintain a reasonably balanced program, with continuing effort in all areas of space research in which we are currently engaged and to support mutually advantageous international cooperation in space research wherever possible." (Text).
Soviet academician Anatoly A. Blagonravov told meeting U.S.S.R. would launch two French SRET earth resources satellites as part of 1966 French-Soviet agreement on scientific cooperation. French ROSEAU (Radio Observation par Satellite Excentrique a Automatisme Unique) program, with multisatellite payload to be launched in 1971-1972, had been postponed because of budgetary restrictions and SRET (Satellite de Recherches et d'Environment Technique) had been retained. Joint French-Soviet space program also included plans for emplacement of French laser reflector on lunar surface by Soviet Luna spacecraft; STERO, launching of French experiments for measurement of solar radio emission; and ARCADE, study of solar energy particles with French and Soviet equipment on board Soviet spacecraft. (NASA Release 70-73; UPI. NYT, 5124170; Reuters, NY News, 5/24/70; AP, NYT, 5/26/70, 31; Reuters, B Sun, 5/26/70; AP, W Star, 5/27/70, A 11; SBA 5/27/70; 125; JPL, Release 534)
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