Feb 4 1967
From The Space Library
NASA's Lunar Orbiter III (Lunar Orbiter C) unmanned spacecraft was successfully launched by Atlas-Agena D booster from ETR in mission to photograph possible lunar landing sites for Apollo astronauts (see Feb. 8-28). Agena 2nd stage fired to boost 850-lb spacecraft into 100-mi (161-km) altitude parking orbit, reignited after 15-min coast period, injecting spacecraft on 92-hr translunar trajectory, and separated. On schedule Lunar Orbiter III deployed its four solar panels and two antennas, locked its five solar sensors on the sun, and fixed its star-tracker on Canopus. Primary objectives of NASA's Lunar Orbiter III mission, third in series of five, were (1) to place three-axis stabilized spacecraft into lunar orbit; (2) to obtain high-resolution pictures of previously photographed lunar surface areas to confirm their suitability as landing sites for Apollo and Surveyor spacecraft; and (3) to improve knowledge of the moon. Photos would cover 12 primary target sites located within the Apollo zone of interest on the moon's front face. Spacecraft would also monitor micrometeoroids and radiation intensity in the lunar environment, refine definition of moon's gravitational field, and serve as a target for tracking operations by Manned Space Flight Network stations. Lunar Orbiter program was managed by LaRC under OSSA direction. Tracking and communications were the responsibility of JPL-operated Deep Space Network. (NASA Proj Off; NASA Release 67-12; AP, W Post, 2/5/67, A6; AP, W Star, 2/5/67, AS; AP, NYT, 2/6/67, 12)
Decision to use 100% oxygen atmosphere in US. spacecraft had not been made as a shortcut to compensate for U.S.S.R.'s superior booster capability, NASC Executive Secretary Dr. Edward C. Welsh told Interavia Air Letter. "There were other factors involved," including weight and efficient use of oxygen-consuming fuel cells. Dr. Welsh emphasized there was ". . . no basis at all for a change in [Apollo program] policy" because of Jan. 27 tragedy at KSC and predicted US. still had 50-50 chance to land first man on the moon. (UPI, W Star, 2/5/67, AS)
Dr. Donald E. Guss, project scientist for GSFC's Solar Particle Intensity and Composition Experiment, died in Cleveland after a heart attack. (W Post, 2/8/67 )
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