Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
October 25
as successor to the U-2, was third SR-71 to crash on routine flight;
others had crashed Jan. 25, 1966, and April 13, 1967. (AP, NYT,
10/27/67, 41)
October 25-27: Mariner IV, launched Nov. 28, 1964, responded to a series
of commands 56 million mi out in space after three years in orbit. On
Oct. 25, the spacecraft was commanded to switch data rate from 8?43 to
33% bps (bits per six) ; receive via low-gain antenna; reorient space-
craft so high-gain antenna pointed directly at earth; change to all-
engineering data format; and burn midcourse guidance engine for 70
sec. On Oct. 26, commands were sent to actuate planetary scan sub-
system and tape recorder. Lines 139 through 199 of picture No. 16 and
lines 1 through 59 of picture No. 17 were played back. Initial indications
were that photographic data were the same as when first reported July 14,
1965. On Oct. 27, spacecraft respond6d to commands to test certain
redundant equipment-such as transmitter and attitude-control appa-
ratus-and was placed in normal cruise condition by acquiring Canopus.
Attitude-control gas in one section of system was thought to be depleted,
leaving about 0.2 lb in other section. This would last until early Decem-
ber; when gas was depleted, Mariner IV would no longer be able to
retain its orientation with respect to the sun and Canopus.
JPL scientists were “delighted” with the firing of midcourse guidance
engine, and with transmission of pictures of Mars taken by Mariner ZV
more than two years ago. Scientists reported “a flawless burn . . .
[which] proved we can restart engines in space years after we’ve put
them there.” Future spacecraft, exploiting this success, could be launched
to distant planets where they could take close-up photographs, swing
back toward earth, and, on command, transmit pictures.
Mariner ZV had taken pictures of Mas from an altitude of 5,500 mi;
21 frames had been exposed and recorded on magnetic tape to be tele-
metered to earth over a 10-day period. As of 8:OO pm EDT Oct. 27,
Mariner ZV was in its 1,062nd day of flight, 35,604,255 mi (57,299,604
km) from earth, and traveling at 3.91 mps (6.29 kps) relative to earth.
(NASA Proj off; O’Toole, ?7 Post, 10/27/67, A3)
October 26: First flight test of Saturn V, designated Apollo 4, was scheduled
no earlier than Nov. 7, announced M/G Samuel C. Phillips, Apollo
Program Director. “This is a target date,” he said. “We are in a very
complex learning process and we are going to take all the time we need
on this first launch.” Launch vehicle and Apollo spacecraft combination
was 363 ft tall and weighed 6 million lbs. Thrust of Saturn V’s first
stage was 7.5 million lbs. Key objective of flight planned for Nov. 7
would be evaluation of Apollo command module heat shield under con-
ditions encountered on return from moon mission. Flight would also
test thermal seals for use in new quick-release spacecraft hatch which
would be installed on all manned Apollo missions.
Apollo LE flight plan would call for Saturn V to place spacecraft and
launch yehicle 3rd stage (S-IVB) into 117-mi circular orbit. After com-
pleting two orbits, 3rd stage would be re-ignited to place spacecraft into
orbit with apogee of 10,800 mi. After separation from 3rd stage, serv-
ice module propulsion system would be fired to rake spacecraft apogee
to 11,400 mi. During descent the service module motor would fire again,
boosting velocity of spacecraft to about 25,000 mph, the reentry speed
of a lunar return flight. (NASA Release 67-274; B Sun, 10/26/67, A6)
a GSFC officials completed week of checkout of Os0 ZV and turned on last of
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