Mar 12 1966
From The Space Library
Gemini VIII hatch difficulty which threatened to delay March 15 mission was solved by Astronaut David R. Scott. After KSC technicians had discovered that 65-to 70-lbs. pull pressure was required to close cabin door because of too-thick sealant around hatch edges, Scott worked with hatch-closing mechanism until he was satisfied he would have no difficulty closing the door in space. Officials preferred to have required pull pressure at 40 to 45 lbs., but mission rules would tolerate 80 lbs. If hatch could not be closed properly, astronauts would be unable to repressurize their cabin. Mission review board of NASA, USAF, and industry officials reaffirmed March 15 launch date after studying all factors of the flight: Titan II and Atlas-Agena boosters, Gemini VIII spacecraft, control centers at KSC and MSC, global tracking network, and recovery forces. ‘‘(AP, Balt. Sun 3/13/66)’’
Meteorite crater 1,476 ft. in diameter and with an average depth of 100 ft. -third largest crater on record-was discovered in the western foothills of the Chilean Andes by geological team led by Dr. William A. Cassidy, Columbia Univ. Lamont Geological Observatory, and Joaquin Sanchez, Instituto de Investigaciones de Geologicas de Chile, NSF announced. Crater, which lies in an area 1,000 ft. above sea level accessible only by foot, was discovered while team was investigating a depression shown in an aerial photograph. Crater’s age had not been determined. ‘‘(Chic. Trib., 3/13/66)’’
Astronaut Virgil I. Grissom, in Toronto to address the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute, said a t a news conference that although computers predicted that only one of the first three manned US. attempts to land on the moon would be successful, human judgment would perhaps prove them wrong. He said computers had predicted the loss of two of seven astronauts on the Mercury program but none was killed. ‘‘(AP, Denver Post, 3/13/66)’’
Soviet biologist Norair Sissakian, believed to have played key role in designing life-support systems for animal and human passengers in spacecraft, died suddenly. His official obituary, signed by Communist Party leader Leonid Brezhnev, Premier Alexey N. Kosygin, President Nikolay Podgorny, former President Anastas I. Mikoyan, and all other members of 12-man ruling presidium of Soviet Communist Party, referred to his important contribution to “the formation and development of a new science-space biology.” Sissakian would be buried in Moscow’s Novodevichye Cemetery March 14. ‘‘(Tass, 3/13/66; Pravda, 3/14/66,3)’’
Sir Sydney Camm, British aircraft designer who designed the RAF Hurricane fighter used in World War 11, the Hunter fighter, the P-1127 Vtol aircraft, and other combat aircraft, died in London. Sir Sydney, honorary fellow and member of council of Royal Aeronautical Society, had received the Society’s Gold Medal in 1958 and had been selected to receive the Guggenheim Medal, highest US. aeronautical award, in the spring. ‘‘(NYT, 3/14/66, 31)
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