Apr 26 1994
From The Space Library
Reporting on Spacecraft Clementine, an $80 million joint military-civilian venture, which sent the first close-up pictures of the Moon in more than 20 years, the mission was considered a possible model for NASA. On May 3, Clementine's rocket was to be fired to leave lunar orbit and head for a rendezvous at the end of August with a small asteroid, 1620 Geographos. Soon thereafter, Clementine might disappear from view; hence the name. Meanwhile, Eugene M. Shoemaker, Clementine's chief scientist and a planetary geologist assigned by NASA, was studying pictures sent by the spacecraft, including the possible existence of ice at the lunar poles. The mission was considered an example of a "cheaper, faster, better" approach that could pay off. (NY Times, Apr 26/94)
China's space agency said that the April 2 blast that killed one person and injured 20 would not delay the launching of three foreign communications satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launching Center in southwestern China. The three satellites were manufactured by Hughes Space and Communications Company for Hong Kong and Australian customers. (NY Times, Apr 27/94)
Paul F. Holloway, Director of NASA's Langley Research Center, said the Center had no desire to serve as a site for the two new wind tunnels. The Center feared its existing research would suffer if the new structures were located there. California, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Washington were vying as wind tunnel sites. (Daily Press, Apr 27/94)
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