Mar 16 1967
From The Space Library
Cosmos CXLVIII was successfully launched by U.S.S.R. Orbital parameters: apogee, 436 km (271 mi); perigee, 275 km (171 mi); period, 91.3 min; and inclination, 71°. Equipment performed satisfactorily. Satellite reentered May 7. (Sehlstadt, B Sun, 3/28/67; GSFC SSR, 5/15/67)
Cosmos CXLII satellite, which began transmitting meteorological data to Washington, D.C., March 2, was equipped with an infrared camera for night photography of clouds and ice fields and two television cameras for daylight photography of weather patterns, Izvestia reported. Launched Feb. 28, satellite was powered by two wing-like solar batteries that turned automatically to trap solar rays. (Reuters, NYT, 3/17/67, 13)
NASA Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from NASA Wallops Station carried 96-lb payload with joint US.-India ionosphere experiment to 88-mi (142-km) altitude before impacting 100 mi downrange in the Atlantic. Purpose of flight was to prove out instrumentation and test new antenna design. Experiment, which measured electron and ion densities and Lyman-alpha flux in lower ionosphere with a riometer-cosmic radio noise absorption device-and a Langmuir probe, was being developed for series of cooperative NASA-INCOSPAR launches from Thumba range, India. (NASA Release 67-61; WS Release 67-8)
NASA Aerobee 150 sounding rocket launched from WSMR carried NRL-instrumented payload to 120-mi (193-km) to obtain spectra from a stellar ultraviolet image converter spectrograph and stellar photometric data from two ultraviolet photon counters. Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt SRL)
110 scientists from US. and six other countries were selected by NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications Dr. Homer E. Newell-upon recommendation of Space Science Steering Committee-to conduct experiments with first lunar samples returned by US. Apollo astronauts. Principal US. investigators represented 21 universities, two industrial firms, three private institutions, and 10 Government laboratories. Nine scientific institutions were represented in U.K.; three in West Germany; and one each in Canada, Japan, Finland, and Switzerland. Most investigations would be conducted in scientists' own laboratories, but time-critical experiments would be carried out in MSC's Lunar Receiving Laboratory during quarantine period-anticipated to last 30 days. Plans called for a total of 122 experiments on approximately 50 lbs of lunar material to study composition of lunar surface and search for evidence of its origin. Four major investigative areas were: (1) mineralogy and petrology; (2) chemical and isotope analysis; (3) physical properties; and (4) biochemical and organic analysis. (NASA Release 67-55)
Francis J. Sullivan and Dr. Hermann H. Kurzweg of NASA Office of Advanced Research and Technology testified before House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Advanced Research and Technology. Sullivan, Director of Electronics and Control Div., said that the development of technology for high-resolution, 60-to 120-in space telescopes for optical astronomy, communications, and other potential applications was a major OART effort. "Success in this research will provide the capability to study celestial objects which cannot be viewed from the ground because of atmospheric attenuation and will provide vastly improved resolution over that attainable through the earth`s atmosphere." Sullivan said because environmental, structural, and control problems of large mirrors in space were almost insurmountable with conventional fabrication and alignment, unique approaches were being studied. One was 24-in-dia, three-segment mirror feasibility model in which distortion sensor, located in front of primary mirror, determined which segments were out of alignment and to what degree. Electronic circuitry then processed and used the alignment data to realign mirror surface segments with actuators located behind each segment. Dr. Kurzweg, Director of Research, said the JPL had developed a new mathematical approach for calculating energy requirements for Mars vehicles which provided, for the first time, a complete day-by-day listing of the energies necessary for a round trip. Calculations had been completed for launching during the entire 1970-80 decade. "The calculated trajectories went from a circular parking orbit about the Earth to the vicinity of Mars, into a circular parking orbit about Mars for a stay time of 7 days, out of the circular parking orbit about Mars to the vicinity of the Earth, and into a circular parking orbit about the Earth. It was assumed that the one-way flight times for both the departure and return trajectories are the same." Dr. Kurzweg said information was very important for "fast trade-off calculations for future advanced Mars missions. (Testimony)
The J-2 liquid rocket engine was restarted twice in simulated altitude tests conducted by MSFC at AEDC. Shut down after an initial 30 sec burn, the engine was restarted and run for 5 sec, then started and stopped again. Total burn time was 70 sec. (Tech Wk, 3/27/67, 24)
Thiokol Chemical Corp. presented to Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum historic liquid-propellant rocket engines made during World War II. Gifts included primitive rocket test stand known as ARS Test Stand No. 2, used by members of original American Rocket Society (now AIAA) , on Dec. 10, 1938, to test first US. successful, fully regeneratively cooled rocket engine. Other Thiokol gifts included World War II liquid-propellant jet assist takeoff (JATO) units for aircraft, and engines for Lark surface-to-air missile, USAF MX-774 missile, and Viking research rocket. (Smithsonian Institution Release)
Vice President and Mrs. Humphrey, accompanied by NASC Executive Secretary Dr. Edward C. Welsh, would visit MSFC and US. Army Missile Command (AMC) at Redstone Arsenal March 22-23, MSFC and AMC announced. Trip was later postponed because Mr. Humphrey felt he should remain in Washington, D.C., to greet President Johnson on his return from a Pacific trip. (MFSC Release; Marshall Star, 3/22/67,1)
Request for stricter controls to prevent "instrument abuse" at KSC was made by R. L. Wilkinson, chief of Measurement Systems Div. at KSC, in memorandum to NASA employees and contractor officials. An increasing number of instruments were requiring repairs because of tampering, simple carelessness," and apparent thievery, Wilkinson noted. He said he had instructed technicians in his instrument calibration shop to report all "cases of obvious instrument abuse or missing rechargeable batteries"; reports would be "reviewed and forwarded. through appropriate management channels for corrective action." (Hines, W Star, 3/27/67, AI, AB)
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