Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

March 20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
control system (PCS) . Bendix was scheduled to produce three units by
August. ATM system would permit Apollo astronauts to point a telescope
to selected regions of the sun during period of maximum solar flare
activities beginning in late 1968. MSFC had awarded American Optical
Co. $740,460 contract to build a dynamic simulator for use in develop-
ing the PCS. ( MSFC Releases 67-54,67-58; NASA Release 67-66)
0 Tokyo Univ.’s Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science would receive
$11 million of Japan’s $17.5-million space budget for FY 1967 (April
1967-March 1968), Technology Week reported. The Institute would
launch 33 vehicles, including a 150-lb scientific satellite; a Mu 4s
rocket; and three Lambda 4s vehicles. Remaining funds would go to the
Transport Ministry, Meteorological Agency, and Ministry of Posts and
Telecommunications. (Tech Wk, 3/20/67, 13)
March 21 : U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CXLIX into orbit with 297-km (185-
mi) apogee, 248-km (154-mi) perigee, 89.8-min period, and 48.4’
inclination. Equipment functioned normally. Satellite reentered April 7.
(Tech Wk, 3/27/67,28; GSFC SSR, 4/15/67)
Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and
Applications, defended the Mariner/Mars 1971 mission in testimony
before House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on
Space Science and Applications. Responding to criticism by Committee
Chairman Rep. Joseph E. Karth (D-Minn.) that information from the
mission would arrive too late to contribute to the design of the 1973
Voyager spacecraft, Dr. Newell said: “. . . it is very important to
recognize . . . that there are three areas of design involved. One is the
hardware design. Two is software design, and three is design of the
scientific mission. . . . The Mars 71 probe wil be fully in time for us to
use in the software design, in other words, setting the profile of the
mission to get the spacecraft into the atmosphere and onto the surface,
and will be fully involved in continuing design of the scientific experi-
ments and observations. . . .,, (Transcript, 433-5)
NASA-Cal Tech cost-plus-fixed-fee contract providing for operation of JPL
had been extended for two years through Dec. 31, 1968, without major
change. Since October 1958, Cal Tech had staffed and operated JPL;
NASA owned the property, facilities, and equipment. (NASA Release 67-68)
0 Soviet Vostok spacecraft were equipped with quick-opening explosive
hatches and jet-propelled ejection seats-equipment might have saved
US. Apollo astronauts Jan. 27, Cosmonaut Valentina Nikolayeva-
Tereshkova said in Aviatsiya i Kosmonavtika. (UPI, NYT, 3/23/67)
0 ComSatCorp’s annual report to its shareholders summarized accomplish-
ments of 1966: “Satellite service brought a new era of communications
to the Pacific area. Live transpacific television and other traffic was
transmitted by the first of the INTELSAT 11 series of satellites even
though the satellite did not achieve synchronous orbit as intended. A
second INTELSAT 11 satellite was successfully emplaced in synchronous
orbit and began regular, 24-hour commercial service over the Pacific,
handling telephone, teletype, data, facsimile and television. . . .”
Report also revealed that Intelsat’s Interim Committee had selected
synchronous orbit configuration for basic global system, substantially
reducing the number of satellites necessary for global coverage and the
complexity of earth stations. Selection was made “after high-quality
capability of synchronous satellites was established by the performance
of Early Bird.” (Text)
82