Nov 16 1972
From The Space Library
Briefing on results of low-cost-design concept completed by Lockheed Missiles & Space Co, under NASA contract was held at Marshall Space Flight Center. Study had been conducted under NASA Low Cost Evaluation Project begun in May by Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator. Information from panels was to be correlated and incorporated into program planning and execution. (MSFC Release 72-147)
Five Soviet aviation officials toured Kennedy Space Center and were briefed on current and future NASA programs. They were among first Soviet citizens to visit KSC. Poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko had visited KSC and witnessed Apollo 16 launch as NASA guest April 16. (KSC PAO)
November 16-27: Explorer 48 (SAS-B) Small Astronomy Satellite, second in series of three, was successfully launched for NASA by Italian crew at 1:14 am local time (5:14 pm Nov. 15 EST) from San Marco Facility off coast of Kenya. Four-stage solid-propellant Scout launch vehicle boosted 186-kg (410-1b) payload into circular orbit with 632.5-km (393-mi) apogee, 443.7-km (275.7-mi) perigee, 95.4- min period, and 1.9° inclination. Launch was 26th consecutive successful Scout launch, record for NASA vehicle. Primary objective of Explorer 48 was to measure spatial and energy distribution of primary galactic and extragalactic gamma radiation-within SAS program to make investigations of celestial sphere from above earth's atmosphere and search for sources inside and outside our galaxy, radiating in x-ray, gamma ray, ultraviolet, infrared, and other regions of electromagnetic spectrum. Gamma ray telescope was first satellite version of evolution of digitized spark-chamber telescopes that had begun with balloon- borne instruments. Advanced detector could establish gamma ray event and reject events that simpler instruments might identify erroneously. It could study gamma rays exceeding 20 mev in energy, in region of electromagnetic spectrum able to penetrate galactic and extragalactic matter. On Nov. 19 half of experiment's high-voltage supplies were turned on and experiment was pointed toward earth. Real-time data acquisition indicated proper functioning of experiment, with detection of earth albedo gamma rays. Remaining high-voltage power was turned on Nov. 27. Experiment and spacecraft control section were functioning normally. Spacecraft was cylinder 59 cm in diameter and 51 cm high (23-in dia by 20). When deployed, four solar paddles-27 cm wide and 135 cm long (10.5 by 53 in) -provided raw power. Unique was separate development of spacecraft control section and experiment package, which had permitted flexible concurrent development of experiments and minimized costs by fabrication of standardized control section. NASA provided booster and satellite; Italian team was responsible for cost-reimbursable launch preparation. Goddard Space Flight Center and Applied Physics Laboratory crew performed ground test and checkout. Satellite was designed and built at GSFC, which managed project. Langley Research Center managed Scout. (NASA proj off; NASA Release 72-204; GSFC proj off)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
