Jan 10 1970
From The Space Library
ComSatCorp's Intelsat-III F-6-first Intelsat comsat insured against launch failure-misfired but remained on launch pad, apparently undamaged. Satellite was insured for $4.5 million with Lloyd's of London and Associated Aviation Underwriters. Launch by NASA, originally scheduled for Jan. 7; had been postponed because of bad weather and difficulties with Delta booster. (UPI, NYT, 1/11/ 70, 52; Newsweek, 1/26/70)
NASA launched two Nike-Cajun sounding rockets carrying GSFC grenade experiments-one. from Point Barrow, Alaska, and one from Wallops Station. Rockets and instruments functioned satisfactorily. (SR list)
The Economist commented on NASA Lunar Science Conference: "It has probably been a long time since so many scientists enjoyed themselves so visibly at a meeting or laughed so much or had reflected in their eyes the sheer pleasure of discovery that only children have. For the moment they are up and NASA is down." NASA was "between space programmes and is running short of friends and also short of cash as its budget is daily cut. The rate of moon shots has now been cut to two a year. This really ought not to please the scientists but it pleases them just the same since they have complained bitterly that they cannot conduct research at NASA's hectic pace and their work is suffering as a result. This is not exactly the happiest time to be a NASA administrator waiting daily for the President's next word but it is a wonderful time to be a moon man." (Economist, 1/10/70, 15-6)
Cosmonaut Pavel Belyayev, commander of U.S.S.R.'s Voskhod II mission March 18, 1965, died from complications following operation for stomach ulcers. (UPI, W Star, 1/11/70, D6)
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