Aug 28 1964
From The Space Library
NASA's NIMBUS I meteorological satellite was launched into polar orbit from Western Test Range with Thor-Agena B launch vehicle, and on its sixth orbit began transmitting weather photographs which were called "the best pictures ever" from space. Orbit of the 830-lb. satellite had been planned as circular 575-mi. altitude orbit; Agena engines burned for only .84 sec. instead of the 3.8 sec. expected for injection burn, so the satellite was orbiting with 578-mi. apogee, 252-mi. perigee, 98-min. period, and 81Ý inclination to the equator. NIMBUS I, unlike the Tiros meteorological satellites, was earth-oriented and stabilized in all three axes. It contained Advanced Vidicon Camera System and Automatic Picture Transmission System, both of which operate during daylight portion of each orbit, High Resolution Infrared Radiometer, first to be flown on NASA meteorological satellite, provided first high resolution night-time cloud-cover pictures and cloud-top temperatures taken from a satellite. About 62 APT stations, including those in 12 foreign countries and 4 owned privately, participated in NIMBUS I picture reception. The APT system was designed for Nimbus and was first tested-successfully-on TIROS VIII launched last December. Rep. George P. Miller (D-Calif.) said at NIMBUS I news conference: ". . This much is certain: We are way ahead of the rest of the world. I am certain that if nothing came out of the space effort but the communications satellite, the weather satellite, and the navigational satellites, which will soon be flying, in a limited number of years, it would more than pay back all of the investment that has been made in space." (NASA Release 64-195; GSFC Press Briefing Transcript; Wash. Eve. Star, 8/29/64; NASA MSC Div.)
Firing of hydrogen peroxide gas jets aboard SYNCOM III communications satellite changed its drift rate from 7Ý east per day to 3.3Ý per day. (NASA Release 64-217)
NASA presented RANGER VII press briefing, essentially the same presentation as that planned for the IAU three days later, in which refined flight data were announced. RANGER VII impacted on the moon within 19 sec. and 6 mi. of the planned time and target. It landed in one of the rays from the orator Tycho; Dr. Eugene M. Shoemaker and Dr. Gerard P. Kuiper expressed opinion that the crater rays were lava flows. Dr. Kuiper stated the impact area was not typical of the lunar surface. Of the RANGER VII lunar photographs, Dr. Kuiper revealed that the photographs resolved objects down to 10-15 inches, and the resolution was considered 1,000 times better than the very best earth-based observation and 5,000 times better than routine earth-based observation. 200 more of the lunar photographs were released. On the question of the nature of the lunar surface, no firm conclusion was drawn. Dr. Kuiper, who estimated erosion on the moon to be about 5 ft, said it was "purely a guess" that there was "fairly solid stuff there." He added that it was not possible to obtain such data as surface bearing strength from the RANGER VII photographs. Dr. Harold Urey, whose paper was read in his absence, also expressed his belief that the photographs did not answer the question of surface strength; however, he said that a "spongy," "fairy castle structure" could be prevalent many feet down. Dr. Shoemaker, who expressed view that moon loses more material than it gains, suggested erosion could be on the order of 50 ft. He said U.S. Geological Survey was converting the photographic data into topographic profiles, and the results were showing that moon's surface was "smoother than I had ,dared hope." He said average slope in the area being studied did not exceed 10° and pointed out that this was reassuring for Project Apollo, whose LEM spacecraft had been designed to land safely on slope of 15°. (NASA Press Conf.; Finney, NYT, 8/29/64; Toth, Wash. Post, 8/29/64; Watson, Balt. Sun, 8/29/64)
U.S.S.R. announced launching of COSMOS XLIV earth satellite into the following orbit: 860-km. (534-mi.) apogee, 618-km. (384-mi.) perigee, 99.5-min. period, and 65° inclination to the equator. The satellite was said to be carrying on the Cosmos program announced March 16, 1962. (Tass, Pravda, 8/29/64, 1, ATSS-T Trans.)
NASA Aerobee 150 sounding rocket launched from White Sands, N. Mex., reached 110-mi. altitude in experiment to collect data on celestial x-ray sources. Despite slight under performance of the rocket, preliminary experimental results were considered good. American Science and Engineering, Inc., provided instrumented payload consisting of four Geiger counters, one photoelectric detector, two scintillation counters, and two star sensors. (NASA. Rpt. SRL)
First Apollo spacecraft preflight acceptance test station was declared operational. Built by GE Apollo Support Dept with associate con-tractors Control Data Corp. and Radiation, Inc., the station would be used at North American Aviation's Downey, Calif, facility in Apollo preflight testing. Three others would be located at Grumman Aircraft Engineering, Bethpage, N.Y.; NASA Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Tex.; and MSC Florida Operations, Merritt Island, Fla. (NASA Release 64-214)
Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory successfully completed eight-minute power experiment with the Kiwi-B4E reactor, the eighth and final reactor built for power testing under the Kiwi phase of the NASA-AEC nuclear rocket program. All planned test objectives were met and reactor performance was smooth. Duration of the test was limited by the liquid hydrogen capacity of the Jackass Flats, Nev., facility. (SNPO ; Wash. Post, 8/29/64)
August 28: Dr. George E. Mueller, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, said at Apollo electronics panel, IEEE Western Electric Show and Convention, Los Angeles: "The United States is now completing the first decade of the exploration of space. During the last five years major strides have been made in exploring, understanding, and exploiting space. Today we have allocated almost half the resources needed to carry out the greatest adventure in the history of mankind-the manned lunar landing which is the goal of the Apollo Program. This goal could not have been conceived, much less achieved, without the amazing growth of knowledge, techniques, and technology in the field of electronics which has been ever accelerating since the last war. Communications, guidance, power, control, display, all these have passed and surpassed the maximum expectations of a decade ago. "In the Apollo Program we are developing a set of capabilities which will provide for manned exploration, understanding man's proficiency in space and the vicinity of the earth. This is a capability which can be extended to meet the needs of this Nation for science or technology, for transportation or observation, for defense or commerce. "Although the end is manned exploration of space, the means, including the production of space vehicles, is being created here on earth. It is based in large measure on the expansion and growth of the electronics industry. It depends on that electronics industry to meet and exceed new goals for reliability and quality as well as performance in their products. . . ." (Text)
August 28-September 7: In conjunction with Cleveland's Parade of Progress exhibit commemorating opening of new Cleveland Convention Center, NASA exhibited Centaur space vehicle, full-scale spacecraft such as Ranger and Mariner, Sert spacecraft, RANGER VII moon pictures, Gemini two-man spacecraft, and other exhibits. Space lectures and motion pictures were presented. NASA Lewis Research Center coordinated the display. (LRC Releases 64-72, -73, -75, -79, and -80)
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