Oct 17 1969
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
Mariner Mars 1969 missions were adjudged successful by NASA. Both spacecraft had performed satisfactorily with only minor anomalies in transit to Mars. Mariner VI (launched Feb. 24) had encountered Mars July 31 and had returned valuable data on Mars equatorial region. All scientific instruments except one of two channels of infrared spectrometer operated successfully. Mariner VII (launched March 27) had encountered Mars Aug. 5 with all scientific instruments operating successfully and had returned good data on Mars southern hemisphere. Scientific data provided by two spacecraft included more than 2,000 uv spectra and more than 400 infrared spectra of atmosphere and surface. Infrared radiometer returned more than 800 near-encounter and 100,000 far-encounter surface and atmospheric measurements. TV cameras produced 198 high-quality analog pictures of Martian surface. Tracking data provided measurements of mass and ephemeris of Mars, but degree of success of celestial mechanics experiment was yet to be determined. S-band occultation experiment determined electron and temperature profile of ionosphere and temperature and pressure profile of lower atmosphere. (NASA Proj Off)
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CCCII from Plesetsk into orbit with 320-km (198.8-mi) apogee, 207-km (128.6-mi) perigee, 89.6-min period, and 65.4° inclination. Satellite reentered Oct. 25. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/69; SBD, 10/20/69, 226)
NASA announced appointment of L/G Frank A. Bogart (USAF, Ret.) as MSC Associate Director, succeeding Wesley L. Hjornevik, who had been nominated Deputy Director of Office of Economic Opportunity. Bogart would be succeeded as Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight (Management) at NASA Hq. by Harry H. Gorman, MSFC Deputy Director (Management). (NASA Release 69-144)
At Moscow meeting of Franco-Soviet Grand Commission, formed in 1967 to boost cooperation, France and U.S.S.R. signed protocol to join in attempt to put laser reflector on moon. French laser reflector would be launched by Soviet rocket. (Reuters, B Sun, 10/18/69)
Cambridge Univ. astronomer Fred Hoyle said in Science indications that igneous lunar rocks were perhaps as old as meteorites might "lead to the suggestion that the moon experienced a period of intense volcanic activity early in its history." There was no need for volcanoes to have occurred in situ on moon. "Considerations of angular momentum show that planetary material probably separated from the sun when the radius of the latter was considerably greater than its present value. Current work on stellar structure requires that the effective surface temperature of the solar condensation be substantially constant at 3500° to 4000°K during this phase, independent of radius. Hence, for comparatively large radii the luminosity would have been very much greater than the present-day value, so that primitive planetary material could well have been considerably hotter than would be estimated for material at corresponding distances from the present-day sun. . . . It will be of great interest to see if the recently acquired samples of lunar material establish the existence of such a hot phase, and, if so, to discover if any features of terrestrial geochemistry, which have hitherto been attributed to igneous activities on the earth itself, really belong to the initial primitive phase of the solar system." (Science, 10/17/69, 401)
Gravity at Apollo 11 lunar landing site had been determined to be 162,821,680 milligals from data telemetered to earth by LM on lunar surface, MSC scientist Richard L. Nance reported in Science. Gravity was measured with pulsed integrating pendulous accelerometer. Measurement could suggest order of magnitude of other anomalies, provide guide for future surveys, and indicate degree of homogeneity of moon. Radius of moon at an observation point could be determined independently of other methods of measurement. (Science, 10/17/69, 384-5)
Science published letter from Cornell Univ. astronomer Dr. Brian T. O'Leary, former NASA scientist-astronaut: Comment from NASA officials that he had resigned from NASA program because he did not want to become pilot was oversimplification. "The budgetary delays in plans for scientific space flights and the inability to carry on a reasonable amount of scientific research in the meantime were equally important reasons." (Science, 10/17/69, 313)
Univ. of Iowa astronomers Dr. James A. Van Allen and Dr. Richard S. Yeh reported in Science that abstract measurements made by lunar orbiting Explorer XXXV during 1967-.68 showed it unlikely that alpha-particle emissivity of moon was greater than 0.064 per square cm per sec per steradian. And it was extremely unlikely it was greater than 0.128. (Values were 0.1 and 0.2 of 1966 provisional estimates by H. W. Kraner and others.) Result implied abundance of uranium-238 in outer crust of moon was much less than typical of earth's lithosphere, though it was consistent with abundance of uranium-238 in terrestrial basalt or in chondritic meteorites. (Science, 10/17/69, 370-2)
NASA selected TRW Inc. and General Electric Co. for contract negotiations to conduct competitive studies for Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS) program. Studies would determine how designs of existing spacecraft could be adapted with minimum modifications to ERTS requirements and to evaluate orbital and ground-based processing requirements. Final negotiations were expected to lead to two $500,000, firm-fixed-price contracts. First ERTS flights would be launched in early 1972 to evaluate sensors for monitoring earth resources and to assess scope and requirements of eventual Earth Resources Satellite (ERS) program. (NASA Release 69-142)
Dr. Charles A. Berry, MSC Director of Medical Research and Operations, received Mission of the Doctor award, presented annually by Italy's Carlo Erba Foundation to a doctor for his "human qualities and talent." (AP, NYT, 10/17/69)
Washington Evening Star editorial commented on U.S.-India agreement to provide first direct TV broadcasts from satellite to small receiving stations [see Sept. 18]: "All parties involved in this unusual enterprise seem confident it will succeed. If they are proved right, the whole idea can be broadened to enrich . . . every land on every continent where there is need to spread knowledge and forge unifying links between cities and isolated hamlets in the hinterland." (W Star, 10/17/69, Al2)
In interview published by New York Times, Boeing Co. Vice President H. W. Withington said SST cost, quoted at $40 million, would climb to $50 million or $60 million if inflation continued at current rate. He did not expect increase to cut heavily into sales. Under current forecast, Boeing would have to raise "about $2-billion to go into production, and that's assuming we get 50 per cent progress payments [half of the purchase price] in the 1973-74 period. I'm not so sure we'll be able to do this." (Lindsey, NYT, 10/17/69)
Sir George Edwards, Chairman and Managing Director of British Aircraft Corp." told American Newcomen Society meeting in New York that Anglo-French Concorde supersonic transport had completed 75 flights and approximately 128 flying hrs. (BAC Release 42/69)
ComSatCorp reported third-quarter net income of $1,446,000 (14 cents per share), decline from 20 cents per share for second quarter and from $11,760,000 (17 cents per share) for third quarter of 1968. Earnings for first nine months of 1969 totaled $4,947,000 (49 cents per share), down from $5,054,000 (50 cents per share) for first nine months of 1968. ComSatCorp said revenues failed to reach expected level because of interruption of service on Intelsat-III F-2 June 29 and amortization costs had depreciated because of expansion of comsat system. As of Sept 30, ComSatCorp was leasing 1,364 circuits full-time, increase of 522 over Sept 30, 1968. (ComSatCorp Release 59)
Dr. Caryl P. Haskins, Carnegie Institution President, announced 40-in telescope of advanced design would be erected atop 8,000-ft Las Campanas Mountain in north central Chile. It would be first telescope of Carnegie Southern Observatory, which eventually would house 200-in reflector similar to that at Mt. Palomar Observatory in California. New telescope, expected to be operational in one year, would be equipped with ultrasensitive photoelectric instruments to measure light from remote sources and with digital data system. (Carnegie Institution Release)
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