Jul 17 1969
From The Space Library
White House announced Apollo 11 crew on way to moon was carrying Soviet commemorative medals brought back to U.S. by Astronaut Frank Borman, who had received them from widows of Cosmonauts Yuri A. Gagarin and Vladimir M. Komarov during his Moscow visit. Apollo 11 also carried Apollo 204 crew patch and commemorative medals struck for families of Astronauts Virgil I. Grissom, Edward H. White, and Roger B. Chaffee before astronauts died in Jan. 27, 1967, fire. President Nixon said, "The names of Gagarin and Komarov, of Grissom, White, and Chaffee, share the honors we pray will come to Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. In recognizing the dedication and sacrifice of brave men of different nations, we underscore an example we hope to set: that if men can reach the moon, men can reach agreement., (PD, 7/21/69, 999)
Aerospace industry was having its greatest week in history with Apollo 11 launch, said New York Times, but aerospace stocks remained in doldrums. Wall Street was "bearish about the industry and, from an investment standpoint, unenthusiastic about space." Security analysts interviewed agreed Apollo 11 would have little effect on long-depressed stocks, which commenced decline in 1968; many were selling near lows for year. Aerospace industry was chief beneficiary of space program funds, but largest portion of $34 billion spent since 1960 had been allocated before "really spectacular shots" occurred. While Apollo Program had been "tremendous boon to the aerospace industry and to the advancement of technology," it represented small part of total industry revenues and outlook was for further decline. (Hammer, NYT, 7/17/69, 63)
Teletype from German ship Vegesack reported numerous pieces of Saturn V launch vehicle from Apollo 11 were sighted dropping into sea around ship. Vegesack had been at position some 375 mi east-northeast of Cape Kennedy when Apollo 11 lifted off toward moon July 16. (IV News, 2/3/70)
Apollo 11 launch continued to draw wide editorial comment in foreign and national press. New York Times: "One could hardly watch the magnificent spectacle of the liftoff, let alone contemplate the feats of human ingenuity that made it possible, as well as the courage and skill of the flyers, without some reflection upon the meaning of this event. . . . The temptation is strong to fall back upon lyricism. The poetry of the thing has yet to find its expression in any of the earnest, proficient Americans who have ventured away from the Earth; yet, the stunning beauty of man's most marvelous creation, as it rose in its majesty toward the unknown, toward the future, could be matched only by the profound sense of having been present at an end to something and therefore necessarily at a beginning." (Wicker, NYT, 7/17/69)
Chicago Tribune: "The Apollo 11 blastoff was as beautiful a one as we've seen. It displayed every bit of the precision, and the careful planning which we have come to expect from NASA." One of most "satisfying" things was that, "like our earlier launchings, it took place within the sight of anybody who wanted to go to the Florida coast to watch it, and was broadcast live to countless millions more in every corner of the world. People will not fail to contrast this with the secrecy of Russia's unmanned Luna XV, which may reach the moon today on a mysterious mission of its own." (C Trib, 7/17/69)
Christian Science Monitor: "And although it is an American moon-craft, bearing American men . . . the venture is, in the best sense, a universal one. It is the result of American technology putting to use the knowledge, techniques and discoveries in which all nations and races have participated. . . . all nations and peoples are taking part." (CSM, 1/17/69)
Seattle Times: "The space program has yielded immense new resources in ... scientific and technological advances which . . . make the program worth while even beyond the explorations and discoveries -and national pride-offered by the ventures into outer space. It strikes us, therefore, that the time is at hand for these so-called byproducts of the space program, which hold such promise for utilization in behalf of mankind, to be put to work for that purpose." (S Times, 7/17/69)
Bulgarian Telegraph Agency report carried in Bulgarian newspapers Rabotnichesko Delo, Narodna Mladezh, Trud, and Kooperativno Celo commented: "In the coming days all humanity will follow this flight with interest and tension. And surely there is no one on our old planet who will not ask himself this question: Will it succeed?'" (Am Embassy, Sofia)
Florida Legislature had neglected to send President Nixon copy of its June 6 resolution asking him to restore original name "Cape Canaveral" to Cape Kennedy, Orlando Sentinel said. Fate of project seemed to rest with joint resolution introduced in Congress July 10 for same purpose. (Orlando Sentinel, 7/17/69, 14A)
DOD estimates in transcript of closed session of U.S. Senate revealed that by 1974 U.S.S.R. could have 420 SS-9 missiles, or total of 1,260 war- heads. Even if Phase I of U.S. Safeguard were deployed by that time, 1,000 arriving Soviet warheads would be able to knock out all but 135-150 Minuteman missiles-far below DOD estimates of what was needed for adequate U.S. second strike capability. (AFJ, 12/6/69)
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