Aug 12 1968
From The Space Library
August 12: NASA Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from WSMR carried Dudley Observatory, Albany, N.Y., payload to 96.5-mi (155.2-km) altitude to collect, recover, and evaluate micrometeoroid particles during approximate maximum of Perseid meteor shower. Rocket and instruments performed satisfactorily and telemetry data were obtained during entire flight time. Preliminary data indicated excellent experimental results. Payload was not damaged and was recovered within one hour. (NASA Rpt SRL)
Simplified instrumentation technique using miniaturization, developed by NASA's FRC for monitoring pilots of XB-70 aircraft and wingless lifting-body vehicles, had been adapted to make possible almost instantaneous transmission of electrocardiograms taken of ambulance patients enroute to hospital doctors awaiting their arrival. In procedure taking total two minutes, data obtained from patient were flashed over ambulance radio to control center, relayed by telephone to cooperating hospital, and fed to ECG recorder. System had been successfully tested by a Los Angeles ambulance service for several months. (NASA Release 68-445; W Post, 8/15/68)
New York Times reported interview in which General Electric Co. engineers described ARMS (Application of Remote Manipulators in Space), concept being pursued under $68,000 NASA contract to study feasibility of orbiting robots to refuel, resupply, and repair crippled spacecraft on signals from earth. They could be in operation by mid-1970s and, if successful, could extend useful lifetimes of communications and weather satellites and, possibly, could inspect or disable hostile spacecraft. One plan was to launch 600-lb robot attached to 1,000-lb tender or "home base" satellite. With repair kit orbited on distress signal from regular satellite, robot would rendezvous and repair disabled satellite directed by a ground controller by radio signals transmitted via the tender. After each repair robot would return to tender. Engineers estimated robot could remain in orbit four to five years and would have paid for itself after 12 repairs. (Wilford, NYT, 8/13/68, 4)
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