Nov 18 1970
From The Space Library
USAF launched two unidentified satellites from Vandenberg AFB on one Thor-Agena D booster. First entered orbit with 225.9-km (140.4-mi) apogee, 177-km (110-mi) perigee, 88.5-min period, and 82.9° inclination and reentered Dec. 11. Second entered orbit with 511-km (317.5-mi) apogee, 486-km (302-mi) perigee, 94.5min period, and 83.1° inclination. (Prey Rpt 71; GSFC SSR, 11/30/70; 12/31/70; Baltimore News-American, 11/19/70). News conference on results of Apollo 12 lunar surface experiments was held at NASA Hq. Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, Apollo Program Director, said first anniversary Of ALSEP was "scientific and technological triumph. The design specification was for one lunar day and night. Our design goal was for one calendar year." Year after deployment ALSEP had received and processed over 6500 commands, had undergone 2600 533-K (500°F) swings of temperature, and was still being operated remotely 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week; Astronaut Alan L. Bean said unmanned vehicle, such as U.S.S.R.'s Lunokhod I, could not explore surface as well as men could because men could deploy more equipment more effectively, perform more experiments, and collect more samples. He noted that Apollo 11 had collected 22.7 kg (50 lbs) of samples; Apollo 12, 34 kg (75 lbs); and Luna XVI, 90 g (0.2 lb). Dr. Gary V. Latham of Columbia Univ.'s Lamont-Doherty Geological Laboratory said seismic events were being recorded at rate of about one per day; some were impacts from grapefruit-size meteoroids and some appeared to be small moonquakes. In region of Apollo 12 station there were at least nine places at which moonquakes occurred "every month at or near the time when the moon comes closest to earth in its monthly orbital cycle." Most active zone for moonquakes was about 193 km (120 mi) southeast of ALSEP, near rilles in Fra Mauro crater, Apollo 14 landing site. Dr. Charles P. Sonett of ARC said data indicated moon's temperature increased very slowly with depth below surface, probably rising no higher than 1273 K (1332°F)-too cool for molten core characteristic of volcanic body. Dr. Conway M. Snyder of JPL described behavior of thin cloud of ionized gas detected after ascent stage was crashed into moon. Solar wind of ionized particles should have blown the gas downwind; it traveled upwind and was detected by ALSEP instruments. Cause of acceleration of the particles was unknown. (Transcript; Schmeck, NYT, 11/19/70, 32: O'Toole, W Post, 11/19/70, A14)
Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket was launched by NASA from Fairbanks, Alaska, carrying Univ. of Minnesota experiment to conduct auroral studies. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily. (SR list)
Flight model of Skylab multiple docking adapter was flown from MSFC to Martin Marietta Corp. Space Center in Denver, Colo., aboard Super Guppy aircraft. It would be outfitted with controls and display panels for solar astronomy and earth resource experiments, storage vaults for experiment film, and thrust-attitude control system. When completely equipped, adapter would be mated with Skylab airlock flight version at McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co. in St. Louis, Mo., and unit would perform simulated mission in altitude chamber. (MSFC Release 70-237; MSFC P10)
Apollo 12 Astronaut Alan L. Bean received special citation from AEC, commemorating first anniversary of deployment of nuclear-powered generator on moon Nov. 19, 1969, during Apollo 12 mission. Bean accepted similar citations for fellow Apollo 12 crewmen Charles Conrad, Jr., and Richard F. Gordon, Jr., during ceremonies at AEC Hq. in Germantown, Md. (AEC Release N-203)
Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong received award for first lunar landing at second international congress of World Wildlife Fund in London. He said earth was oasis of life that must be protected "from its own population." Wielders of modern technology were not deliberately destructive of earthly environment, but they were as apathetic as most humans about consequences of their actions. Time had come for them to be concerned. (Lewis, NYT, 11/19/70,4)
NASA announced that Charles J. Donlan, Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight (Technical), would also become Acting Director of Space Shuttle Task Force, replacing Dale D. Myers, Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight. Appointment was effective immediately. (NASA Ann, 11/18/70)
Wall Street Journal quoted USAF as saying Lockheed Aircraft Corp.'s C-5A cargo aircraft was undergoing additional tests and modifications costing approximately $28 million over three years, "to comply with the intent" of recommendations of C-5 Review Board released June 17 Work included $15:9-million fatigue-test program on wing and engineering study of alternate measurement device in navigation system. (WSJ, 11/18/70)
Editorials commented on U.S.S.R.'s Luna XVII. New York Times: "In a rational world, this task of lunar exploration would be taken on by an international agency using the resources and capabilities of all nations. But so far, unfortunately, the grandeur of the challenge has not elicited any far-sighted statesmanlike response from the community of nations. Man is still a petty, earthbound creature with narrow, nationalistic horizons." (NYT, 11/19/70)
Baltimore Sun: "Such information as Luna 17 gathers will, in the long run, be less important to the future than its demonstration of the feasibility of sending out a space ship that can release a component which moves, works and returns, all on man's orders but without a crew." (B Sun, 11/18/70)
November 18-19: Advances in propulsion were discussed at LeRC conference by 420 representatives of U.S. and foreign aircraft engine industry: NASA fan and compressor technology program was providing machines and tests to demonstrate high efficiency, light weight, appropriately wide operating limits, low noise, and high tolerance to flow distortions in fans and compressors for wide range of air breathing propulsion applications. LeRC program encompassed studies with experimental rotors and their applications to fans and multistage compressors. Program objective was high pressure ratio per stage to produce lighter, more compact engines. (Lewis News, 12/4/70,1)
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