Oct 20 1969
From The Space Library
Capt. Chester M. Lee (USN, Ret.), Apollo 12 Mission Director, described Apollo 12 plans to press at NASA Hq. [see Oct. 2]. Mission would be launched toward moon at 11:22 am EST Nov. 14, carrying Astronauts Charles P. Conrad, Jr. (commander), Alan L. Bean (LM pilot), and Richard F. Gordon, Jr. (CM pilot). Primary objectives would be to perform selenological inspection, survey and sample mare area, deploy Apollo lunar surface experiment package (ALSEP), develop techniques for point landing capability, and photograph candidate landing sites. Basic flight plan would be similar to one for Apollo 11 (July 16-241 with modifications to improve landing accuracy and increase data return. Launch azimuth had been narrowed from 72°-108° for Apollo 11 to 72°-96° for Apollo 12 and trajectory had been changed from free-return to hybrid. Lunar orbit stay time for Apollo 12 would be increased from 59.6 hrs for Apollo 11 to 89 hrs; lunar surface stay time, from 21.6 hrs to 31.5 hrs; EVA from one 2-hr 32-min period to two 3-hr 30-min periods; and total mission time, from 195.3 hrs to 244.7 hrs. LM sleeping arrangements would be improved with ham. mocks, color TV if repaired by launch date would be used on surface, and LM ascent stage would be crashed onto lunar surface near seismometer after ascent from moon and redocking. To increase navigational accuracy crew would avoid waste and water dumps 10 hrs before landing to prevent thrust that might carry them off course, would approach moon upside-down so landing radar would be operational during entire landing phase, and would speed up descent to conserve fuel at landing. (Transcript)
Tass reported Soviet scientists had tested "electric jet plasma engine" producing jet flow of gas that reached 75 mps. Engine "needs neither fuel nor oxidizer from the ground. Once the aircraft is taken to the ionosphere it is able to continue flying using only atmospheric nitrogen." Tass said engine might be used to power "superfast" jetliners in upper atmosphere. Washington Post quoted U.S. scientists as saying this was misinterpretation. No aircraft could fly high enough to take advantage of such an engine. Soviet development sounded like "very interesting" breakthrough, which U.S. was not even pursuing. It appeared to be new version of ion engine, which NASA would use aboard SERT spacecraft later in year. But SERT engine would carry its own fuel. Electrical power supply to convert nitrogen to electrified gas would be too heavy. (O'Toole, W Post, 10/21/69, A23)
NAS released Scientific Uses of the Large Space Telescope, report of ad hoc committee of NAS-NRC Space Science Board appointed to consider scientific functions and practical feasibility of placing in earth orbit or on lunar surface diffraction-limited, optical telescope with 120-in aperture. Committee concluded LST would make dominant contribution to understanding content, structure, scale, and evolution of universe and provide important, decisive information in other astronomical fields; efficient space astronomy program would also require continuing series of smaller telescopes; and most effective utilization of powerful space telescope would require substantial increase in ground-based instruments. (Text)
Washington Evening Star editorial commented on Soyuz VI, VII, and VIII: "The latest Soviet space spectacular, it would seem, adds up to a small step for mankind and a giant step for the welding trade. There is nothing overwhelmingly impressive about having three spacecraft in orbit at once. All that is required these days is the decision to get them up and the money to build three rockets and launch facilities. Even the highly touted welding experiment does not constitute a major technical breakthrough. It did raise the honorable trade to new heights, but the conditions under which the tests were made could have been-and probably have been-largely duplicated in the laboratory." (W Star, 10/20/69)
Aquanauts Dr. Larry Hallanger, Dr. David Youngblood, Wally Jenkins, and Richard A. Waller had successfully completed two-day experiment in first self-contained undersea laboratory 50 ft below Atlantic near Riviera Beach, Fla." Associated Press reported. Hydro-Lab, 16 ft long and 8 ft in diameter, supplied its own electricity from fuel cell similar to cell used for power in Apollo spacecraft. It was built by Perry Oceanographics, Inc. (W Star, 10/20/69, A3)
San Francisco Board of Supervisors had voted to negotiate with Texas millionaire Lamar Hunt on lease of 22-acre Alcatraz Island, United Press International reported. Hunt planned underground museum in tribute to Apollo 11, while restoring island's historic buildings. (W Star, 10/20/69, B4)
October 20-23: AIAA's Sixth Annual Meeting and Technical Display was held in Anaheim, Calif. Among 6,559 persons attending were Cosmonauts Georgy T. Beregovoy and Konstantin P. Feoktistov with Apollo 8 Astronaut Frank Borman, host for their U.S. visit. At press conference Beregovoy said military use of space was not practical: "The aim of our program is the exploration of space. In our minds, space is the scene of peaceful work and investigation." Feoktistov said U.S.-U.S.S.R. space race was "first phase of space flight." Space research was now in second phase. "I think we can say that in that phase Soviet and American scientists are intensely helping each other." U.S.S.R. wanted to send unmanned spacecraft to moon's vicinity, outer planets, and solar orbit and to develop weather and communications satellites. Soviet plans called for manned space stations and manned flights to vicinities of Mars, Venus, and Mercury. Asked when astronauts and cosmonauts might fly side by side, Beregovoy said, "We are going parallel but different ways now, but in principle such a possibility exists. Maybe a year, maybe three years. Maybe as soon as we learn English." (AIAA Release 11/3/69; O'Toole, W Post, 10/24/69, A3)
ESSA Administrator Robert M. White described new-generation weather satellite ITOS that would be launched in prototype by NASA later in 1969 and in operational form by ESSA in early 1970. "It combines in one spacecraft both the stored-data and direct readout cameras of the present two-satellite [TIROS] arrangement. Fewer launches will be required to keep the system in operation. The design allows for growth and the capacity to accommodate a variety of instruments to meet new and developing needs." System would contain high-resolution infrared radiometer for "nighttime observations approaching daytime pictures in resolution and quality" thus providing 24-hr weather satellite coverage. "This step will enable us to meet fully the first national program objective-providing twice-daily observations of the entire earth, both by stored and direct readout systems, day and night." (Text)
Fifty years of transatlantic flight-from USN NC-4 flying boat's Lisbon arrival May 27, 1919, to June 3, 1969, maiden Atlantic crossing of Boeing 747-was traced in paper by Dr. Richard K. Smith, Ramsey Fellow at Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. During "the Heroic Years on the North Atlantic between 27 May 1919 and 27 May 1939, there were 175 flights across the Atlantic; 142 were by airplanes, 33 by airships. . . . It is confidently believed that all the persons who flew the Atlantic by airplane during that period could be accommodated aboard a 747, perhaps with some seats to spare. However, at least three more 747s would be required to lift those persons who flew by airship during 1919-1937!" (Text)
MSC Flight Operations Director Christopher C. Kraft, Jr." said Apollo Program might be extended to 1973 to allow NASA to fly three space station training missions in 1972. "It's going to be some time before we settle it. But it's going to be difficult to handle both Apollo and Apollo Applications from an operational point of view as well as a people point of view in 1972." Revised launch schedule set Apollo 19 landing back to November 1972 and Apollo 20 to May 1973. Between Apollo 18 launch Feb. 11, 1972, and Apollo 19 were three orbital flights preparatory for establishment of first U.S. permanent space station in 1975. These flights could come just after Apollo 18, in May 1972 and in September 1972. Further reason for Apollo landings delay was possibility they would be made in remote lunar areas like crater Tycho, almost 1,000 mi below moon's equator and rated among top-priority landing sites. (O'Toole, W Post, 10/23/69, A21)
Dr. Arthur D. Code, Univ. of Wisconsin astronomer, reported discovery that relatively young stars in constellations Orion and Scorpius were generating heats of 45,000°F-5,000° hotter than had been thought. Finding, from data obtained by NASA's OAO II satellite (launched Dec. 7, 1968), suggested young stars might be more massive and maturing faster than originally believed and supported theories of thermonuclear processes in stars, interiors that generated such heats. OAO II data also showed younger stars had more complex chemical composition than stars formed near universe's beginning. They contained fairly large amounts of carbon, silicon, magnesium, and heavier elements, as well as predominant hydrogen and helium. Other OAO II data indicated particles in interstellar space were variety of complex matter, much of which might be debris ejected from stars. (Wilford, NYT, 10/21/69, C19)
MSC Director of Engineering Development Maxime A. Faget outlined concept of space vehicle with two reusable stages-booster rocket and orbiter craft-both with fixed wings, long fuselages, and rear rocket engines. Vehicle would be 225 ft high and weigh 2.5 million lbs at launch. Orbiter vehicle, capable of carrying 25,000 lbs of cargo and passengers, would be attached pickaback to booster stage's upper half. Booster, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, would elevate orbiter to fringe of space, separate, drop away, and cruise to landing like jet airliner. Booster probably would be piloted by two astronauts. Orbiter would ignite rocket engine to continue upward to space station orbiting at 300-mi altitude. After link-up with space station, transfer of cargo or 12 passengers, and pickup of new load, orbiter would be steered by pilot into atmosphere and controlled glide to landing on 10,000-ft runways used by aircraft. Key to reentry would be orbiter's "angle of attack" when hitting atmosphere. Faget proposed 60° angle with nose up, so flattened bottom would catch airflow to slow descent. Small jet engines would be fired to help control final descent phases of both orbiter and booster. Outer surface of vehicles would be made of metal alloys that could sustain temperatures to 2,700°F. (Wilford, NYT, 10/24/69, 43)
Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr." Secretary of the Air Force, discussed DOD space activities: "In communications, meteorology and surveillance . . . we are actively pursuing increased capability. . . . Tactical communications using satellite relays are presently being intensely tested and show great promise in improving control of field units and increasing . . . cooperation between land, sea and air forces. In surveillance, our efforts have produced results. Of first importance is a new satellite early warning system that will do a great deal to further insure our ability to deter nuclear attack." Savings in space travel costs "must be linked to the recovery and reuse of space vehicles. . . . Since major improvement in our ability to use space environment would be of direct assistance to both NASA and the military, we are jointly planning our research and development towards this objective." (Text)
Major AIAA awards presented included Louis W. Hill Space Transportation Award to George M. Low, former Manager of Apollo Spacecraft Program at MSC, currently on Special assignment to MSC Director, for "his leadership role in bringing the Apollo Program to fulfillment, and to the thousands of engineers who dedicated their careers, without public recognition, to the conquest of space." Daniel Guggenheim Medal for 1969 was presented to retired ARC Director H. Julian Allen for "personal contributions to outstanding research and development leading to vastly improved re-entry bodies, missiles, satellites, and spacecraft, and for leadership in directing and inspiring a large group of research men at Ames Laboratory." Lawrence Sperry Award was given Edgar C. Lineberry, Jr., Chief of Orbital Mission Analysis Branch, MSC, for "significant advancement in the field of rendezvous mechanics through his development of the space maneuver logic and associated control techniques, and his formulation of the mission plans which contributed decisively to the success of all rendezvous operations conducted during United States manned space flights." De Florez Training Award was given to Gifford Bull, Principal Engineer and Engineering Pilot at Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory, for "establishing the use of variable stability airplanes as flight dynamics training vehicles for engineering test pilots." New AMA Award for Spacecraft Design was awarded Otto E. Bartoe, Jr., Vice President, Aerospace Div., Ball Brothers Research Corp., for "concept and preliminary design of the Orbiting Solar Observatory spacecraft configuration and control systems, the first embodiment of the spin-despin design." Aerospace Communications Award was awarded Dr. Eberhardt Rechtin, Director of DOD Advanced Research Projects Agency and former JPL Assistant Director for Tracking and Data Acquisition, for "development of phase lock systems for space communications, guidance and control, and for contributions to the design, development and operation of NASA's Deep Space Network." (MSC Release; AIAA Releases; AIAA Booster, 10/20/69)
Honored as new Honorary Fellows at Honors and Award Banquet Oct. 23 were Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Secretary of the Air Force and former NASA Deputy Administrator; German rocket pioneer Hermann Oberth; and Northrop Corp. founder John K. Northrop. Among 29 new Fellows were: Apollo 8 Astronaut Frank Borman, Deputy Director, Flight Crew Operations Directorate, MSC ; former GSFC Director, Dr. Harry J. Goett, Chief Engineer, Space and Re-Entry Systems Div." Philco-Ford Corp.; Najeeb E Halaby, President, Pan American World Airways, Inc.; Samuel L. Higginbottom, Vice President, Operations Group, Eastern Airlines, Inc.; L/G Samuel C. Phillips, Commander of USAF Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO) and former NASA Apollo Program Director; John G. Borger, Chief Engineer, Pan American World Airways, Inc.; Walter Haeussermann, Director, Astrionics Laboratory, MSFC ; Dr. John C. Houbolt, Vice President and Senior Consultant, Aeronautical Research Associates of Princeton. (AIAA Release)
During third AMA President's Forum, Under Secretary of Interior Russell E. Train said, "Photographs of Earth, taken by our astronauts from the vicinity of the Moon, bring home more forcefully than the words of all scientists of all times the fact that we live on a finite planet with finite but poorly known resources." (A&A, 2/70)
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