May 1 1969
From The Space Library
Canadian Black Brant IIIB sounding rocket was launched by NASA from NASA Wallops Station to 133.6-mi (215-km) altitude. Primary objective was to evaluate improved Black Brant IIIB single-stage rocket, using flight-performance instrumentation. Flight, second of two (first was Feb. 28), was successful and sounding rocket was recommended for consideration as operational vehicle in NASA sounding rocket program. (NASA Rpt SRL; NASA Release 69-9)
NASA was developing novel technique for photographing faint x-ray sources, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, Dr. John E. Naugle, told Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. Testifying on supporting research and technology program, he said technique would reduce required exposure time 1/10 to 1/1000 and was "likely to revolutionize x-ray observations where telescopes are not usable." Based on Princeton Univ, development and laser image-enhancement technique, it was "major technological advance as an outgrowth of the space program and should find applications in all fields of x-ray science." GSFC was developing advanced gamma-ray telescope to observe center of galaxy and other celestial objects. Univ. of Colorado was developing advanced coronagraph to observe solar corona from earth orbit six months instead of the few minutes per year possible during solar total eclipse by ground-based observation. (Testimony)
National Aviation Club's highest honor, Award for Achievement, was presented at Washington, D.C., ceremony to M/G Jewell C. Maxwell (USAF), Director of Supersonic Transport Development for FAA, for "laboring so magnificently and conscientiously in the public and national service." (FAA Release T 69-25)
U.S.S.R. celebrated May Day without military participation. In traditional address from atop Lenin's tomb in Moscow, Communist Party General Secretary Leonid I. Brezhnev said: "The Soviet Union will further consistently uphold the cause of peace and security of people, the Leninistic principles of peaceful coexistence of states with different social systems. It will come out for the solution of unsettled international problems by way of talks." (Kamm, NYT, 5/2/69, 1)
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
