Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

October 9 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
new escalation of the arms race is bound to provoke.” (CR, 10/9/67,
,914413-27)
October 9-11: Two Lunar Orbiters were intentionally crashed on lunar sur-
face to free their radio frequencies. Lunar Orbiter 111, launched Feb. 4,
1967, crashed Oct. 9, 1967. Lunar Orbiter II, launched Nov. 6, 1966,
crashed Oct. 11,1967.
In preparation for Oct. 18 lunar eclipse, Lunar Orbiter V‘s orbit
had been adjusted by burning spacecraft’s velocity-control engine for
41 sec to increase spacecraft’s period by 37 min and shorten length of
time it would be in darkness during eclipse. Scientists wished to
ensure that spacecraft’s power system would survive expected five-hour
dark period. (NASA Release 67-265 ; NASA Proj off)
October 10: President Johnson, in White House ceremony marking entry
into force of space law treaty, greeted ambassadors from 13 countries
and key US. officials and renewed America’s offer to cooperate fully
with any nation in exploring planets and solar system, using tracking
facilities, mapping the earth, exchanging bioscientific information, and
communicating via comsats.
Responding, Soviet Ambassador Anatoli F. Dobrynin said: “These
[international legal] principles . . . are aimed at insuring peaceful
activities of states in outer space for the benefit of all mankind. We
hope that [the treaty] will contribute to the settlement of major inter-
national problems still facing the mankind on our planet.”
British Ambassador Sir Patrick Dean said: “We welcome [the treaty]
all the more because the treaty removes outer space from the effect of
the rivalry and dissension between nations. . . . It is a treaty about
. . . rule of law and the extension of that field within which interna-
tional law is to regulate the conflicts of interests, which arise between
men and nations.”
Secretary of State Dean Rusk said: “The treaty also takes steps to
limit and reduce the competition in armaments, a terrible burden on
peoples everywhere.” He added: “It is evident that men and nations
can, in fact, achieve the maturity necessary to embody in binding form
their points of agreement, despite political differences in other areas.’’
(PD, 10/16/67,1425-8)
Planned launch of Apollo 4/Saturn V for Oct. 17 was postponed until
early November, according to NASA spokesmen at ETR, reported UPI.
Troubles with ground support equipment had stalled countdown re-
hearsal. Once rehearsal was finished, engineers would evaluate results
and set date for unmanned launch. (UPI, W Post, 10/11/67, A18)
a R/A Albert C. Read (USN, Ret.), commander of first heavier-than-air air-
craft to cross the Atlantic ( USN NC-4 seaplane) , died in Miami, Fla. He
had received the Distinguished Service Medal for the 4,500-mi, 23-day
flight he made in May 1919, from Rockaway, N.Y., to Plymouth, U.K.
and in 1965 was elected to the Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton. ( W Post,
10/12/67, EK)
October 11: NASA test pilots Fitzhugh Fulton and Donald L. Mallick flew
XB-70 No. 1 to 58,000-ft altitude and 1,581 mph (mach 2.43) in flight
at Edwards AFB. Purpose of test was to check lateral-directional stability,
control, and handling qualities at mach 2.35 and 55,000 ft; inlet unstart
at mach 2.4 and 57,500 ft ; variable nose ramp functional test at mach 1.6
and 38,000 ft, and at mach 1.4 and 32,000 ft. Flight was successful.
(XB-70 Proj Off)
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