Jun 7 1966
From The Space Library
Two-stage [Weightless Analysis Sounding Probe|WASP]] (Weightless Analysis Sounding Probe) sounding rocket carried 1,500-lb. payload to 148-mi. (238-km.) altitude in ballistic trajectory from NASA Wallops Station in experiment to study behavior of liquid hydrogen under near-zero gravity conditions. Payload, consisting of scale model of liquid hydrogen fuel tank, impacted 330 mi. downrange in Atlantic; no recovery was involved. Experiment under weightless conditions, continuing for seven minutes, was recorded by television cameras through transparent lucite tank and was telemetered back to Wallops. Cameras, mounted on five-foot extension booms, photographed the liquid's sloshing motion when small thrusters were activated to show how well baffles positioned the liquid in the tank. (NASA Release 66-147)
MSFC successfully static-tested S-IC stage of the second flight Saturn V launch vehicle for 125 sec. and recorded 1,200 measurements of stage's performance. The 33-ft.-dia., 135-ft.-long stage developed 7.5 million lbs. thrust from five F-1 engines-four of which were gimbaled during test. This was only captive test planned for this flight stage. (MSFC Release 66-129)
Dr. Hans-Joachim von Merkatz, member of West German Bundestag, charged in report prepared for delivery before meeting of Assembly of the Western European Union that US. was trying to "break up" Western Europe's space program with "tantalizing" offers for joint US.-European planetary exploration: "In other words, the exploration of Jupiter could divert us from the essential economic benefits to be derived from space through the exploration of communications satellites. The American approach to date has definitely been aimed at insuring United States monopoly and leadership in this field as in the nuclear field." Western European Union was composed of U.K., France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. (NYT, 6/9/66, 3)
The Baltimore Sun commended four companies for their roles in GEMINI IX-A flight: Martin Co. for building and testing Titan II launch vehicle; Westinghouse Corp. for developing sensitive radar equipment; Bendix Corp. for engineering, operating, and maintaining NASA's tracking system; and ITT Corp. for giving "millions of television viewers . . . all the advantages of a grandstand seat for the dramatic recovery. . . ." (Balt. Sun, 6/7/66)
Editorial in Washington Evening Star: `The United States has just passed through its most ambitious and taxing week to date in space. So this is, perhaps a fitting time to ask itself just where it is going in space and why. James E. Webb, the head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has been asking that question for some time now trying to get an answer from the Administration . . . and from Congress. . . . The question of whether to pack up or to push on should, as Mr. Webb suggests, be the subject of a major national debate." (Wash. Eve. Star, 6/7/66)
June 7: U.K. Foreign Office issued following statement after press reports of Cabinet decision to withdraw from European Launcher Development Organization (ELDO) : "For some time the Government has had serious doubts about whether or not it should continue to participate in the ELDO programme. These doubts were centered on financial, technical and economical assessments of the initial programme. "The Government has concluded after a very careful and detailed consideration of all the factors involved, that the latest proposals for modifying the initial programme still do not constitute a sufficient basis for continuing, and it has so informed its partners." (British Embassy INFORM 195/66, 6/7/66)
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