Jun 2 1969
From The Space Library
NASA announced preliminary flight plan for Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. Spacecraft, carrying Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong (commander), Michael Collins (CM pilot), and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. (LM pilot), would be launched from KSC Launch Complex 39, Pad A, by Saturn V booster at 9;32 am EDT July 16, with touchdown on moon's Sea of Tranquility at 2:22 pm EDT July 20. At 12:12 am EDT July 21 Armstrong would step onto lunar surface, followed hour later by Aldrin. Astronauts would collect up to 50 lbs of lunar surface Samples for return to earth, take photos, and deploy experiments package before leaving moon at 12:00 pm EDT July 21 and returning to CSM piloted by Collins. They would complete eight-day mission with splashdown in Pacific at 12:52 pm EDT July 24, 195 hrs 20 min 42.2 secs after launch. (NASA Release 69-83)
Apollo 8 Astronaut Frank Borman acknowledged that he had discussed possibility of running for Governor of Arizona or U.S. Senate with Rep. Morris K. Udall (D-Ariz.) but said he did not "foresee right now" that he would do so, Associated Press reported. (W Post, 6/4/69)
Prearranged meeting at Paris Air Show between Apollo 9 Astronauts James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart and Cosmonauts Aleksey S. Yeliseyev and Vladimir Shatalov and wives developed from brief technical exchange into what U.S. officials called an epic of all space meetings. After inspecting interior of Apollo 8 spacecraft and joining astronauts for drinks in VIP lounge at U.S. pavilion, cosmonauts escorted astronauts through U.S.S.R. pavilion, provided technical explanation of 1968 Soyuz missions, and entertained with vodka and caviar in Soviet trijet Yak-40 on display field and later in 500-passenger An-22. (NYT, 6/3/69, 78; AP, B Sun, 6/3/69, Al)
Apollo 10 crew are debriefed after their flight on this day.
Dr. Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator, received honorary Doctor of Science degree from Brown Univ., his alma mater. (NASA Off of Administrator)
X-ray, one of science's foremost photographic tools, was being supplemented by revolutionary process of neutron radiography called "neutrography, ' said New York Times. It had been used to check safety of components in Apollo 10 spacecraft and was subject of Government-supported research in U.K., France, West Germany, and Japan. In U.S., commercially oriented studies were being pursued by General Electric Co." Aerojet-General Corp., and North American Rockwell Corp. Process-in which object to be radiographed was placed in large, high-density beam of neutrons that passed through object and registered data concerning its internal structure on film-had applications in inspection of pyrotechnic devices and nuclear reactor fuel and detection of excessive moisture or minute cracks. Critical welds, guidance components, and "honeycomb" bonding used in NASA program could also be inspected-as well as home TV sets, telephones, radios, missiles, and SST. (NYT, 6/2/69, 39)
North American Rockwell Corp. announced it had reduced its activity on USAF's Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft (AMSA) but was maintaining team effort in connection with program. Reduction was made to permit maximum attention to F-1 5 fighter weapon system competition. (NAR Release NN-28; Wilson, W Post, 5/31/69, Al)
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