Jan 4 1966
From The Space Library
NASA MARINER IV, launched from ETR Nov. 28, 1964, for Mars flyby July 14, 1965, was 216 million miles from earth-greatest distance it would reach before gradually returning to within 30 million miles in 1967-and still operating. Goldstone Tracking Station of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) tracked a signal from the spacecraft, but no attempt was made to receive data because of the extreme distance. DSN would continue attempting to contact MARINER IV once a month to see if it was still operating. Daily engineering and scientific data from the spacecraft had been suspended Oct. 1, 1965, by ground command that set new space communications record of 191,059,922 mi.-more than twice the distance from earth to the sun. ‘‘(NASA Release 66-7)’’
Apollo spacecraft-Command Module, Service Module, and adapter section is raised up the gantry for mating to Saturn I-B launch vehicle at Launch Complex 34, Eastern Test Range.
NASA awarded five contracts to Saturn contractors to continue studies to improve Saturn concepts of an intermediate vehicle with a payload capability between that of Saturn I-B and the Saturn V. On Saturn V, Boeing Co. received $370,500; North American Aviation, Inc., $329,624; and Douglas Aircraft Co., $96,730. Eight variations of the Saturn V vehicle would be examined. Boeing would be study systems integration contractor for all prospective configurations involving the S-IC stage, NAA for all others. On Saturn I-B, Chrysler Corp. received $450,000; Douglas, $116,345. Six Saturn I-B configurations would be studied. All five contracts would be directed by MSFC. ‘‘(MSFC Release 66-3)’’
Albert Sehlstedt, Jr., writing in the Baltimore Sun, observed that the “next twelve months in space should give earthbound observers one very positive impression: men are really going to land on the moon in a few years. . . .” He discussed NASA missions for 1966: (1) four or five Gemini missions-two including Eva and none longer than two days-would attempt to rendezvous and dock with unmanned Agena target vehicles; (2) first of seven Project Surveyor attempts to soft land on the moon a spacecraft to relay to earth high-resolution television pictures of the lurain and texture; (3) first of five Lunar Orbiter attempts to orbit the moon at low altitude taking pictures to determine the height and slope of moon’s mountains and craters by photometric techniques; (4) four Saturn I-B launches-two to launch Apollo command and Service Module models into nearspace, one to test the booster’s upper stage-S-IVB, and one to orbit the Apollo command and Service Module around the earth for two weeks; (5) first unmanned test flight of Saturn V launch vehicle; (6) launch of four TIROS Operational Satellites into polar orbit for Weather Bureau; (7) launch of Pioneer probes into solar orbit; and (8) launch of Orbiting Geophysical Observatories, Orbiting Astronomical Observatories, and Orbiting Solar Observatories. ‘‘(Sehlstedt, Balt. Sun, 1/5/66)’’
USAF XB-70 No. 2, flying at 2,000 mph, reached 70,000-ft. altitude for three minutes in 112-min. test flight from Edwards AFB to determine how aircraft would handle during increasingly longer periods at top speed. Flight broke record set by XB-70 No. 1 Oct. 15, 1965. ‘‘(N.Y. Her. Trib.1/4/66)’’
NASA awarded two contracts for continuation of engineering studies relating to a manned reusable space transport system: (1) nine-month, $237,000 contract to Lockheed Aircraft Corp. to study possibilities of developing a reusable transport system based on presently approved launch and space vehicles; (2) six-month, $51,000 contract to Martin Marietta Corp. for comparison study of launch modes for reusable launch vehicles. Both contracts would be under direction of MSFC. ‘‘(MSFC Release 66-2)’’
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