Jul 19 1965
From The Space Library
W. Averell Harriman, U.S. Ambassador at Large, pressed for more Soviet-American exchanges in scientific and technical fields during a two and a half hour talk with Soviet Deputy Premier Konstantin N. Rudnev. Mr. Harriman reported that the Russians had agreed that such exchanges "had been useful in the past and should be expanded." (Grose, NYT, 7/20/65)
NASA and the Federal German Ministry for Scientific Research (BMwF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in a program of space research on the earth's radiation belts. First phase of the program would consist of sounding rocket launchings and balloon flights to test instrumentation for German experiments. Following successful completion, the second phase would attempt to place a German scientific satellite in polar orbit by 1968. The satellite, to be designed and constructed in Germany, would be launched from the Western Test Range on a Scout vehicle provided by NASA. No exchange of funds between the two organizations was contemplated. Results of the experiments would be made available to the world scientific community. (NASA Release 65-238)
An unidentified satellite with a Thor-Agena D booster was launched by USAF from Vandenberg AFB. (AP, Wash, Eve, Star, 7/20/65)
U.S.S.R. reported that ZOND III interplanetary spacecraft, launched July 18, had passed the 226,000-km. (140,120-mi.) mark in its flight towards unspecified destination, ZOND III was said to be functioning normally and radioing scientific data back to earth. (Pravda, 7/20/65, 1)
Gemini V Astronauts Leroy Gordon Cooper (Lt. Col., USAF) and Charles Conrad (LCdr. USN) and their backup pilots Neil A. Armstrong and Elliot See met a news briefing at NASA Manned Spacecraft Center on the Gemini V mission, scheduled for August 19. Cooper explained that during the flight the astronauts would try to sight a USN Polaris missile to be launched from the East Coast and an unidentified missile to be launched from the West Coast. It was not disclosed at what point during the mission either of the launches would occur. In addition, Cooper said he and Conrad would attempt to sight rocket engines ignited on a rocket sled at Holloman AFB, N. Mex. Also on the program would be an attempt to rendezvous with a Rendezvous Evaluation Pod (Rep) which would be ejected from the spacecraft and would drift to a distance of about 60 mi, from the spacecraft. The radar equipment onboard would then assist in performing maneuvers to achieve rendezvous with the Pod, although actual contact was not planned. Cooper said that backup system for reentry would not be used again because the thrust fuel would be used in the rendezvous experiment, No extravehicular activity would be performed during this mission. The astronauts announced they would attempt to communicate with fellow astronaut M. Scott Carpenter (Cdr, USN) participating in the USN Sealab II experiment beneath the Pacific, Flight plans called for a landing in the West Atlantic, Both astronauts felt that personal hygiene would be one of the main problems of the flight. (Transcript)
ITT World Communications, Inc., asked FCC for permission to use EARLY BIRD I satellite for live television coverage of part of the Gemini V mission scheduled for Aug, 19. ITT would like to set up a portable ground station in the Atlantic aboard carrier U.S.S. Lake Champlain, expected to be the primary recovery ship. (AP, NYT, 7/20/65)
NASA announced it would negotiate an approximate $12-million contract with Douglas Aircraft Corp, for Delta launch support services that would cover an anticipated 15 launchings from Kennedy Space Center, NASA, and the Eastern Test Range for a 12-month period beginning Jan. 1, 1966. The contract would provide for inspection and checkout in addition to actual launching operation. (NASA Release 65-237)
NASA was acquiring eight KC-135 jet transports and three ships to help maintain communications during Apollo moon flights. In addition, two ships of the existing DOD instrumentation fleet were being remodeled for support of the Apollo lunar mission's reentry phase. The KC-135's would be used during reentry to combat the effects of the plasma sheath blackout which had drowned out communications on previous manned launchings. In addition, three primary ground stations were being prepared at Goldstone, Calif,; Canberra; and Madrid. (NASA Apollo Proj, Off,; AP, CSM, 7/19/65)
Weapons and Ammunition Div. of the Italian Air Force had formed a Missiles and Space Research Center at an airport outside Rome, Missiles and Rockets reported. Its establishment marked the separation of Air Force missiles and space R&D from that of the Italian National Committee on Space Research, headed by Prof. Luigi Broglio. (M&R, 7/19/65, 9)
Tactical Air Command's 464th Troop Carrier Wing, Pope AFB, N.C., had been named recipient of the 1964 MacKay Trophy for the most meritorious flight of the year, being cited for its participation in the air lift of 1,500 hostages and refugees from rebel-held territory in the Congo November 1964. (Av, Wk, 7/19/65, 96)
A newly-created Manpower Utilization and Administration Office, headed by Keith Wible, became operational at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Wible had been assistant manager of the Michoud Assembly Facility from November 1961 to February 1965. (MSFC Release 65-181)
New York Gov, Nelson Rockefeller announced that the New York State Atomic and Space Development Authority had selected American Machine and Foundry Co, for a $2.75-million fixed-price contract to design and build a nuclear-powered plant which would produce a million gallons of fresh water daily from seawater. Named Surfside (Small Unified Reactor Facility with Systems for Isotopes, Desalting and Electricity), the plant would be constructed on Long Island and would also be able to generate 2,500 kw. of electricity and produce high-energy radioactive isotopes. (Sibley, NYT, 7/20/65, 1, 14)
100 university, research laboratory, and government scientists met in Falmouth, Mass., to recommend modifications or additions to NASA's Apollo Program and Apollo Extension Systems lunar science program. Participants included three astronauts-R. Walter Cunningham and two of the six scientist-astronauts selected on June 28, 1965: Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt of the U.S. Geological Survey and Dr. Frank C. Michel of Rice Univ. This meeting resulted in recommendation of a 10-year post-Apollo lunar exploration program of mainly manned missions, with wide variety of scientific experiments in geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and bioscience. Top priority recommended for early Apollo landing missions was collection of greatest possible number and variety of lunar material samples. Conference was sponsored by the Manned Space Science Program of NASA's office of Space Science and Applications. Report of the conference (NASA SP-88) was later published in January 1966. (NASA Release 66-4; NASA SP-88; NASA Release 65-239)
First day of six days shooting the second pilot episode of the new television show Star Trek. This second pilot features William Shatner as Captain Kirk and Gary Lockwood as the guest star.
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