Mar 26 1965
From The Space Library
X-15 No, 1 was flown by Maj. Robert A. Rushworth (USAF) to 101,900-ft, altitude at a maximum speed of 3,580 mph (mach 5,2) to obtain data using infrared scanner and to check the Honeywell inertial guidance system. (NASA X-15 Proj, Off., X-15 Flight Log)
NASA postponed indefinitely the launching of a beacon Explorer satellite from Wallops Island. The launching had been scheduled for March 30. (NYT, 3/27/65)
Soviet Cosmonaut Pavel Belyayev told a Moscow news conference that VOSKHOD II had been scheduled to land after 16 orbits, but that there was an inaccuracy in "the solar system of orientation" that prevented use of the automatic landing system, He said he then had to obtain radioed permission from the Soviet space center to land by manual control after the 17th orbit. The landing site was overshot "by a certain distance" Belyayev said without disclosing how much, Belyayev said success of the GT-3 flight of Astronauts Virgil I. Grissom and John W. Young "was a national achievement of the United States," He congratulated "the courageous American cosmonauts," and said: "May the flights of both ours and American cosmonauts be dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the universe in the interests of science and for the good of all mankind," Belyayev said VOSKHOD II was capable of maneuvering in space as did the U.S. GEMINI III but that this was not in the Soviet flight plan. Leonov described time outside the ship saying "it is too early to call it a pleasant walk. It could not have been done without hard training," He reported his small push on VOSKHOD II to move away from it after going out of the hatch started the spacecraft into slow rotation, In pulling himself back to the VOSKHOD II by his cable, Leonov disclosed he had yanked rather vigorously and had to put his hand out to avoid collision with the spacecraft, Belyayev said he and Leonov were found by a helicopter 2½ hrs, after a soft landing in snowy woods near Perm, He said VOSKHOD II was airlifted back to the launch site at Baikonur in Soviet Central Asia and could be used again if necessary. (AP, Wash, Eve, Star, 3/26/65; Shabad, NYT, 3/27/65; Flight International, 4/8/65, 542-44)
Astronauts Virgil I. Grissom and John W. Young were honored in a White House ceremony where President Johnson conferred NASA Exceptional Service Medals on both men and pinned a cluster on the NASA Distinguished Service Medal awarded Major Grissom for his July 21, 1961, suborbital Mercury flight, lie was the first man to make two space flights, NASA Associate Administrator Dr. Robert C. Seamans received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal for his direction of space efforts, Harris M. Schurmeier received an Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for his direction of the Ranger program, President Johnson said: "A sense of history is present strongly here today. All of us are conscious that we have crossed over the threshold of man's first tentative and experimental ventures in space... "Since we gave our program direction and purpose seven years ago, many successes have been achieved through the efforts of a great American team, which now numbers 400 thousand men and women in industry, on campuses, and in government. And this team is inspired and stimulated and led by a former Marine and a great public servant -Jim Webb," Following the ceremony, a motorcade bearing Vice President Humphrey, the astronauts, and their party took the Pennsylvania Ave, parade route, where thousands had gathered to cheer them, to the Capitol; a luncheon in their honor was jointly sponsored by Sen. Clinton Anderson (D-N.Mex,) and Rep. George P. Miller (D-Calif,). chairmen of the Senate and House space committees. At 5 p.m. the group returned to Capitol Hill for a Congressional reception hosted by House Speaker John McCormack (D-Mass,). (NASA Release 65-98; Text; Carmody, Wash, Post, 3/26/65; NYT, 3/27/65. 1)
Propulsion system and structure of the hypersonic Sprint antimissile missile was successfully tested by the Army at White Sands Missile Range. Although the missile was being designed for launchings from underground cells, the Sprint w as launched from an aboveground launcher for the test. (DOD Release 137-65)
Smithsonian Institution's National Air Museum placed on display a quarter-scale model of the GT-3 spacecraft, a full-scale model of RANGER IX along with some of the photos it took, and a model of MARINER IV Mars probe. The spacecraft were part of an exhibit depicting NASA's broad program of space research. (NASA Release 65-100)
It was announced that the special magnetic actuator which worked shutters on RANGERS VII, and IX that photographed the moon, and on all nine Tiros weather satellites would be granted a patent. The device moved the shutter at a constant velocity so that the exposure was uniform. It was invented by RCA engineers Langdon H. Fulton and Thomas D. Tilton. (Jones, NYT, 3/7, 65, 35 )
“Russia’s Alexsei Leonov” cover story about spacewalk in Time Magazine
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