Sep 15 1962
From The Space Library
Signals from ARIEL satellite had been received during past week by tracking stations. ARIEL had stopped transmitting after U.S. high-altitude nuclear test because of radiation damage to the satellite's solar cells. Although resumed transmission was not continuous, it did demonstrate ARIEL’s regained capability to return scientific data from space. Transmission apparently occurred whenever the satellite stayed in sunlight long enough for its damaged solar cells to absorb sufficient solar energy to power its electronic equipment.
NASA announced the sixth Tiros weather satellite would be launched into orbit from Cape Canaveral on September 18, at the earliest. Launch date was moved two months ahead to provide backup of TIROS V cloud-cover photography during last half of current hurricane season and to provide weather forecasting support for Astronaut Walter M. Schirra's orbital space flight September 28. Wide-angle TV camera in TIROS V continued to operate, but medium-angle Tegea lens stopped functioning on July 2 because of "random electrical failure in the camera's system." Magnetic fields had been discovered in outer space by two scientists working in Australia, the Commonwealth Scientific Research Organization announced. Brian Cooper, of Sydney, and Marcus Price, of the U.S., made their discovery with new radiotelescope at Parkes, New South Wales. Charting of the magnetic field near galaxy Centaurus A was termed "radio astronomy's biggest discovery in 10 years." Centaurus A is 20 million light years away from the earth.
Announced that 140-million-candlepower lights would burn near Durban, So. Africa, for three minutes during fifth and sixth orbital passes of Astronaut Walter M. Schirra's Mercury space flight (MA-8).
Piloting an Albatross amphibian, LCdr Richard A. Hoffman (USN) claimed speed record of 151.4 mph average over 3,100-mi. flight course for amphibians carrying 2,205-lb. loads. Flight was made from New York NAS, Floyd Bennett Field.
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