Mar 27 1969
From The Space Library
March 27-April 8 NASA's Mariner VII (Mariner G) spacecraft was successfully launched from ETR by Atlas-Centaur (AC-19) booster on four-month, 193-million-mi, direct-ascent trajectory toward Mars-NASA's Second mission to fly past Mars during 1969 launch window. Launch vehicle performance was nominal. Spacecraft separated from Centaur, deployed its four solar panels, and locked its sensors on sun and star Vega. Because of several minor spacecraft anomalies during launch, spacecraft was kept in sun-Vega cruise while performance was evaluated. Star-lock override command was transmitted to spacecraft April 1; Canopus was acquired as planned initially and Mariner VII entered stable cruise mode. Midcourse maneuver was conducted April 8 to ensure that spacecraft would fly within 1,900 mi (3,057.7 km) of Mars Aug. 5. Primary mission objective was to fly by southern hemisphere and polar regions of Mars to set basis for future experiments, particularly those relevant to search for extraterrestrial life. As secondary mission spacecraft would develop technology needed for succeeding Mars missions. The 900-lb spacecraft carried six complementary experiments to provide information about Martian surface and atmosphere. Mariner VII mission, except for flyby area, was almost identical to mission of Mariner VI launched Feb. 24 for investigation of equatorial region and Scheduled to arrive at Mars July 31. (NASA Proj Off; NASA Releases 69-26, 69-42)
March 27-29: NASA launched four Nike-Cajun sounding rockets carrying GSFC payloads to obtain data on atmospheric parameters. Two rockets launched from Arenosillo, Spain, March 27-28 reached 75.2- and 75.8-mi (121- and 122-km) altitudes, each exploding 19 grenades with sound arrivals recorded on ground. Rockets launched from Wallops Station March 28-29 reached 75.4- and 69.1-mi (121.3- and 111.2-km) altitudes and exploded 19 grenades each, with sound arrivals recorded on ground. Data would be analyzed and compared. (NASA Rpts SRL)
March 27: LaRC had awarded 10-mo, $155,000 feasibility study contract to North American Rockwell Corp. to design two-man, lunar emergency, escape-to-orbit vehicle which could be carried aboard LM on Apollo missions. (SBD, 3/27/69, 125; NAR Skywriter, 4/4/69, 1)
AEC -NASA Space Nuclear Propulsion Office awarded Aerojet-General Corp. $47,447,601 contract extension for completion of preliminary engine and component design for NERVA I and initiation of procurement or fabrication of component development hardware. Extension, from Oct. 1, 1968, through Sept. 30, 1969, brought total value of cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to $500,015,527. (NASA Release 69-47)
MSFC announced $7,384,543 modification to contract with Chrysler Corp. Space Div. for assembly of two boosters for Saturn IB rockets 213 and 214 for use in Apollo Applications program. (MSFC Release 69-93)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
