Feb 16 1966

From The Space Library

Jump to: navigation, search

NASA Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched from Churchill Research Range reached 130-mi. (209-km.) altitude in second of three GSFC experiments to measure number and energy distribution of auroral producing electrons in energy range of 1-300 kev. Satisfactory data were recovered despite malfunction of one detector. ‘‘(NASA Rpt. SRL)’’

Multi-foil high-performance insulation system to reduce supercold propellant “boil off” in space had been successfully tested for 96 hrs. at MSFC in a vacuum chamber at pressures approaching the vacuum of space. Since liquid hydrogen propellant, already used in Saturn I-B and Saturn V upper stages, was being considered as a propellant on longer-duration missions, cryogenic technology was being extended at MSFC to meet the needs of future space exploration programs. ‘‘(MSFC Release 66-41)’’

Cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky, who orbited earth in U.S.S.R.’s VOSTOK V June 16-19, 1963, discussed problems of flight to the moon in Aviatsiya i Kosmonautika and suggested three possible methods for flight: (1) a launch directly from earth with a very powerful carrier rocket to provide escape speed for a huge payload including the spacecraft and facilities for return flight; (2) a launch from earth orbit with separately fueling low-power rockets orbiting the lunar spacecraft; (3) a landing from an orbit near the moon (such as that planned for US. Apollo project) which would “insure more dependable contact between landing capsule and the main ship.” Bykovsky said work “is in full swing” to design maneuvering instruments, but U.S.S.R. would send a manned spacecraft to the moon only when the cosmonauts’ return to earth was guaranteed. ‘‘(Tass, 2/16/66)’’

Joseph C. Satterthwaite, former State Dept. foreign service officer, was sworn in as a consultant to NASA Administrator James E. Webb for international affairs “in the general area of Western Europe.” ‘‘(NASA Release)’’

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28