Sep 7 1967
From The Space Library
Reorganization of the Bureau of the Budget had created the Economic, Science and Technology Division, headed by John D. Young, reported Jerry Kluttz, in Washington Post. Young, at one time NASA's Assistant Administrator for Administration, had headed the task force that recommended the shakeup. Reporting to his new division would be the Departments of Commerce and Transportation, AEC, NASA, NSF, Small Business Administration, and the regulatory agencies. Both NASA and AEC were transferred from the Military Division. (Kluttz, W Post, 9/7/67)
Navy contract award had been made to Radio Corporation of America in letter contract for $2.0 million, for six navigation satellites. The Special Projects Office, USN would be contracting activity. (DOD Release 846-67)
September 7-9: NASA's Biosatellite II (Biosatellite-B) was successfully launched from ETR by a two-stage Thrust-Augmented Improved Delta launch vehicle into orbit with 202-mi (326-km) apogee, 187-mi (302-km) perigee, 90.8-min period, and 33.5° inclination. The 940-lb research spacecraft consisted of three main sections : an adapter section which would remain in orbit; the reentry vehicle carrying the retrorocket and heat shield for reentry into the earth's atmosphere; and, within the reentry vehicle, the experiment capsule containing the scientific experiments, life support equipment, parachutes, and radio beacon to aid in recovery. Biosatellite II carried 13 experiments to determine effects of the space environment on various life processes. Performance of the spacecraft was satisfactory except for some difficulty with completely reliable response to command transmission from the ground stations and out-of-spec accelerations during the first few orbits. The spacecraft's temperature, attitude control, and atmospheric pressure readings were normal, and few additional anomalies were experienced. Mid-air recovery of NASA's Biosatellite II experiment capsule, by aircraft at 3:15 pm EDT Sept. 9, within 15 mi of predicted impact location of 7°15'N and 162° 1'W, marked a new first. Biosatellite I , which had remained in orbit for two months after the retrorocket failed, landed in the ocean near Australia following reentry Feb. 15, but was not recovered. The most important single question for Biosatellite II was whether the changes produced in organisms by radiation are slowed or hastened under weightless conditions. Biosatellite scientists had noted that early recovery had resulted in less risk to the experiments than if recovery had been delayed beyond the planned three days. Despite the delayed launch and early recovery, scientists reported only a small decrease in the expected data return from the experiments. Indications were that all programmed events in orbit, such as fixation of frog eggs, fixation and feeding of amoeba, fixation of wheat seeds, and pepper plant camera shutter opening, had worked as planned. Successful recovery of plant and animal life carried on a 45 hr journey through space by Biosatellite II was expected to provide important clues to how life forms would develop in a weightless environment or how radiation might affect future generations. Biosatellite II was under management of ABC and under direction of OSSA. The Delta launch vehicle was managed by GSFC. Communications and tracking were handled by NASA's Satellite Tracking and Data Acquisition Network, operated by GSFC. Biosatellite II was built by the General Electric Reentry Systems Dept. The Delta launch vehicle was built by Douglas Aircraft Co. (NASA Proj Off; NASA Release 67-239; Av Wk, 9/18/67; AP, W Post, 9/11/67; Myler, UPI, W Post, 9/15/67, 9 f 18/67; B Sun, 9/8/67; Yuenger, C Trib, 9/15/67)
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