Aug 7 1968
From The Space Library
USAF launched unidentified satellite from Vandenberg AFB by Thor-Agena booster into orbit with 161-mi (257.2-km) apogee, 100-mi (160.9-km) perigee, 88.7-min period, and 82.1° inclination. Satellite re- entered Aug. 27 (GSFC SSR, 8/15/68; 8/31/68; Pres Rpt 68)
NASA Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from NASA Wallops Station carried Rice Univ. payload to 121.6-mi (195.6-km) altitude to measure vector magnetic field in region between 90 and 130 km during electron current flow with sufficient continuity and signal strength to deduce altitude profile and absolute strength of current layer. Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. Clear magnetometer data were received during payload ascent and descent. (NASA Rpt SRL)
NASA issued Apollo Status Summary: Apollo 7 spacecraft had been moved from altitude chamber at KSC. During week it would be mated with lunar module adapter and prepared for mechanical mate with Saturn lB launch vehicle. In Apollo Saturn 503 project, radar lock-on problem in Lunar Module 3 ascent and descent stages' rendezvous radar subsystem was being isolated. Saturn V launch vehicle 1st and 2nd stages had been mated. Last in series of seven water impact tests in support of first manned Apollo mission was scheduled for Aug. 13. (Text)
AEC and U.S. Geological Survey experiments had shown that neutrons from man-made californium-252 hitting gold and silver atoms excited atoms to radioactive state; atoms then emitted characteristic gamma rays by which they were identified. With californium, irradiation equipment for technique already known could be reduced about 200,000 times, making it ideal for sea bottom probes and for devices to analyze materials on moon's surface as well as for mining and in- dustrial purposes. Geological Survey was working with GSFC on use for study of moon. (NEA, W News, 8/8/68)
St. Louis Globe-Democrat editorial said: "The principal criticism of the proposed cuts in the space budget is that they aren't deep enough. NASA will be left with an expenditure of nearly $4 billion in the current fiscal year. With the nation in a financial bind and the Administration pledged to prune $6 billion from the federal budget, it seems that a good deal more than now suggested should be lopped off the space program." (St. Louis G-D, 8/7/68)
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