Jan 10 1974
From The Space Library
All spacecraft and experiment checks on Explorer 51 (Atmosphere Explorer-C) , launched 15 Dec. 1973, were completed. Spacecraft systems and all 14 experiments were operational. Spacecraft performance was nominal except for Programmer 2, which had experienced some degraded load capability. The orbital-adjust propulsion system had lowered the perigee to 152 km in two stages. The first "excursion" to a lower altitude-125 km-was planned for February. (NASA MOR, 10 Jan 74)
Ames Research Center's C-141 AIRO (Airborne Infrared Observatory) aircraft was officially transferred to operational status for research development. A total of 26 research programs had been approved for C-141 participation, using its 91-cm IR telescope-18 from universities, 5 from NASA or other Government agencies, and 3 from foreign countries. AIRO also was to participate in studies of Comet Kohoutek. (ARC Astrogram, 18 Jan 74, 1,4)
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 31
