Nov 12 1966
From The Space Library
Total solar eclipse which moved across South America at 2,000 mph for 2 hrs. 42 min. received extraordinary scientific scrutiny: 800 scientists from 12 nations utilized $90 million of equipment. NASA's activities were conducted in cooperation with Argentine and Brazilian scientists as part of an international program. Eclipse formed 55-mi. strip of total blackout beginning in Pacific Ocean west of Peru, crossing southern Peru, Bolivia, northern Argentina, southern tip of Brazil, and extending into South Atlantic. NASA-Ames Convair 990A jet aircraft "Galileo," a flying research laboratory carrying 26 scientists, successfully rendezvoused with four other instrument-equipped aircraft and raced the eclipse at 575 mph as it moved out over the South Atlantic. Other NASA activities included: five NASA Nike-Apache sounding rockets launched within two hours from Cassino, Brazil, in Univ. of Illinois GCA Corp. experiment to measure D and E region electron densities and temperatures, absorption profiles 1216 A and 1450 A, and collision frequencies. First rocket ejected trimethyl-aluminum (TMA) cloud for comparison of electron density profile with wind profile; however, no photographs of vapor cloud were obtained. Third rocket carried Brazilian experiment to study extreme ultraviolet. All rockets and instrumentation, except for mass spectrometer on third flight, performed satisfactorily. Specially constructed launch and tracking site was manned and operated by personnel of Wallops Station and the Brazilian Space Commission. Photographs were taken by NIMBUS II meteorological satellite and by Astronauts James A. Lovell, Jr., and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. orbiting in GEMINI XII spacecraft. AFCRL launched three Nike-Hydac sounding rockets from a site near Rio Grande, Brazil. Instrumented payloads, which reached 71-mi. (115-km.) altitudes, measured positive-ion mass composition, solar radiation, electron density and temperature, and positive-ion density. Data were telemetered to ground receivers. Scientists from Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, Japan, the Netherlands, U.K., New Zealand, and France participated in observations which would increase knowledge of the solar forces and their effects on earth's atmosphere and provide data for use in space travel, radio communications, and weather prediction. (NASA Release 66-285; Wallops Release 66-55; De Onis, NYT, 11/13/66, 35; AF ', Wash. Eve. Star, 11/13/66, A16; AP, Wash. Post, 11/12/66, A16; OAR Res. Rev., 1/67, 8; NASA Rpt. SEU)
U.S.S.R. launched COSMOS CXXXI for space research into earth orbit with 360-km. (224-mi.) apogee; 205-km. (127-mi.) perigee; 89.8min. period; and 72.9ΓΈ inclination. (U.N. Public Registry, 1/9/67)
NASA Aerobee 150 launched from WSMR reached 94-mi. (151-km.) altitude in GSFC experiment to obtain solar x-ray photographs; rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. NASA Aerobee 150 launched 25 min. later to 109-mi. (174-km.) altitude in NASA-Naval Research Laboratory experiment photographed outer solar corona with moon near edge of field of view and sunlit particles near the rocket. Flight also obtained heliograms showing inner corona and solar disc and data on solar flux in Lyman-alpha. Rocket and instrumentation, except for a spectroheliograph, performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt. SRL)
Deactivation of Gemini launch pad at ETR's Complex 19 began. Equipment that could be used in other space programs would be salvaged; other components would be reduced to scrap. (AP, Wash. Sun. Star, 11/13/66)
New York Times praised success of NASA's LUNAR ORBITER II and GEMINI XII missions: "This week has seen two impressive demonstrations of United States space capabilities. . . . re It is no derogation of the important Soviet contributions to conclude that the United States efforts have contributed most of what men now know about the moon and about the possibilities and problems of A61. manned space flight. In part this lead is the result of the long and unexplained halt in the launching of Soviet passenger-carrying rockets." (NYT, 11/12/66,28)
Congress had "unwittingly" broadly endorsed SST program by approving obscure phrase in Dept. of Transportation bill (H.R. 15963) empowering Secretary of Transportation to "develop and construct a civil supersonic aircraft," Evert Clark reported in the New York Times. Action strengthened position of the Administration and other SST supporters and lessened chances that congressional critics might abandon the multibillion dollar project. (Clark, NYT, 11/13/66, 77)
Satellite to be launched by U.S.S.R. in near future would carry French instrumentation, French Minister of Research Main Peyrefitte announced in Caen. France and U.S.S.R. had signed an agreement for joint scientific cooperation June 30. (Reuters, NYT, 11/13/66, 45)
Photos and temperature data gathered by satellites could be used to study ice movements on Canada's lakes and rivers, G. P. Williams, Canadian National Research Council, suggested to Canadian Press. Williams said predictions of the formation and breakup of ice would be valuable to forestry workers who used the waters to float logs, and aviators who landed on northern lakes. (Can. Press, NYT, 11/13/66, 46)
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