May 17 1966
From The Space Library
GEMINI IX mission was scrubbed when Atlas booster failed to place Gemini Agena Target Vehicle (GATV) in planned 185-mi. (298-km.) circular orbit. Launch of GEMINI IX with Command Pilot Thomas Stafford and Pilot Eugene Cernan was to have followed 99 min. after Atlas-Agena launch; Gemini spacecraft was to rendezvous and dock with GATV to evaluate extravehicular life support and maneuvering equipment and procedures. Simultaneous countdown of the Gemini Launch Vehicle/Spacecraft and the Atlas-Agena had progressed smoothly and the Atlas launch was normal until 121 sec. after liftoff. Then, said the Flight Safety Review Board: “The Atlas No. 2 booster engine swiveled to an extreme hard over position about 10 sec. before booster engine cutoff. The other booster engine and the sustainer engine, acting under auto pilot control, continued to work to counter the asymmetrical thrust. “After booster separation, the vehicle continued the flight under sustained thrust but at a down angle. It had also rolled to a position where ground guidance could not lock on or reacquire. Signals to shut down the sustainer engine and inhibit ignition of the Agena engine were sent and acted upon by the vehicle. Agena separated on schedule and both vehicles plunged into the sea.” GEMINI IX-A mission was scheduled for May 31-and later rescheduled for June 1-using Augmented Target Docking Adapter (ATDA) as target vehicle. (NASA Releases 66-97, 66-124; MSC Roundup, 5/27/66, 1; Wash. Eve. Star, 5/17/66, A1, A6; Lewis, Wash. Post, 5/18/66, A1, A6; NYT, 5/18/66, 1, 26)
In its 17th annual report, the U.N. Commission to Study the Organization of Peace said the General Assembly should “declare the title of the international community” to the high seas and outer space. Six reasons were cited: (1) to avoid conflicts over them between nations; (2) to keep their resources from being wasted; (3) to prevent their military use; (4) to prevent their contamination; (5) to ensure that all nations benefit from their resources; and (6) to provide the U.N. with an independent source of income. Report continued: “Member nations are not willing to pay assessments adequate for the task they expect the United Nations to perform. The revenues of the United Nations must therefore be augmented by independent sources of income. No one can estimate now what the income of the United Nations might be from its granting licenses for the exploitation of the resources of the seas and the revenues which should accrue to it from outer space communications. It is estimated, however, that the amount of money to be realized certainly should make an important contribution to the United Nations budget. Furthermore, it should help pay for . . . technical assistance to the developing states.” (AP, Chic. Trib., 5/18/66; Oatis, Wash. Post, 5/19/66, 65)
150-sec. static firing of Saturn S-II-T, an all-systems version of Saturn V booster’s 2nd stage, was conducted at NASA Mississippi Test Facility. In captive ground test of Nation’s largest, most powerful hydrogen oxygen engine (200,000 lbs. thrust), all major test objectives were met: 1,100 measurements were taken; gimbaling of 4 of the 5 engines which in flight would provide stability and control to the stage-was performed. (MSFC Release 66-108)
U.S.S.R.’s LUNA X spacecraft, in lunar orbit since April 3, had completed 349 revolutions, covered distance of over 5 million km. (3.1 million mi.) , and transmitted data for 178 communications periods with all instruments functioning normally. (Tass, 5/17/66)
U.S.S.R. had developed Polaris-type missiles which could be fired by remote control from containers planted under the sea, diplomatic sources reported. (UPI, NYT, 5/18/66)
Intensive investigation by GSFC and contractors had not yet determined causes of OAO I failure April 10. OSSA Review Board of Observatory-class Spacecraft would continue analysis of failure as a primary objective. (NASA Proj. Off.)
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