May 17 1969
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R.'s Venus VI planetary probe (also designated Venera VI) launched Jan. 10 landed on night side of planet Venus at 2:03 am EDT, 186.4 mi (300 km) from Venus V after 51-min descent [see June 4]. Tass said landing of both probes "was accomplished with tremendous precision." Throughout flight "the necessary temperature in the compartments and the permanent orientation of solar batteries on the Sun were ensured. During radio communication sessions the directional parabolic antennae were oriented on Earth. As envisaged by plan, the detachable capsules of both stations descended through the planet's atmosphere on its night side. In the course of descent, scientific equipment measured the chemical composition, pressure, density and temperature of the planet's atmosphere. Experts analysed the graph of temperature and pressure changes while the apparatus was approaching . . . and found in it a resemblance with the . . . picture of the landing of Venera 5. The apparatus performed with the same precision all major operations of the landing." (SBD, 5/20/69, 84; AP, W Post, 5/18/69; UPI, W Star, 5/18/69, A9)
Apollo 10 astronauts would each carry out about two hours of head exercises early in mission in attempt to prevent motion sickness which plagued previous Apollo astronauts, MSC Deputy Director of Medical Operations, Dr. A. Duane Catterson, said. Exercises-which included nodding, rocking, and twisting head-would be done to point just below threshold of illness until normal adaptation occurred. Since pilots who regularly performed drastic maneuvers in aircraft seldom suffered motion sickness, astronauts had flown aerobatic jet flights in barrel rolls and high-gravity maneuvers during week before launch. (Cohn, W Post, 5/18/69, A8)
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