Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1969 - NASA's History Office

544 Pages·2007·15.36 MB·English

NASA SP-4014
A S T R O N A U T I C S A N D
A E R O N A U T I C S , 1 9 6 9
Chronology on Science, Technology, and Policy
Text by
Science and Technology Division
Library of Congress
Sponsored by
NASA Historical Division
Office of Policy
Scientifica nd Technical InformationD ivision
OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION 1970
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Washington, D.C.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents,
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402
Price $2.25 (paper cover)
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 66-60096
Foreword
History is a word with varied meanings. They range from one conveying
idealistic images, to fat books of ultimate truth, to the professional’s
prejudices concerning history as an intellectual discipline. To those of US
who have been privileged to be wholly immersed in science and technology
of aeronautics and space over a number of years, history perhaps is the
sense of accomplishment.
While this chronology volume is not a history, it does attempt to prdvide
a first-cut reference to events and commentary during a most crowded year
and the year that man first set foot upon an extraterrestrial body. When the
ApoZZo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their lunay walk
on July 20, 1969, it became one of the most vicarious events to date in
world history. Over a half billion people around the world witnessed this
momentous occasion live by television relayed via communications satellites.
Many who did not witness it appear reluctant to admit it today. The full
consequences of the seven-year Apollo endeavor are as yet in the domain of
prophets and posterity despite the worldwide enthusiasm. But we have
already seen evidence of the second thoughts provided by man’s perspective
from the moon of his own planet-a heightened awareness that spaceship
Earth is perhaps unique and certainly is precious, even with the manifold
problems of mankind. And we have learned about ourselves as a people.
We have learned that the United States can set itself a large, difficult, long-
term objective and mobilize itself and sustain its effort to the successful
conclusion.
Aside from being the year that man landed on the moon, 1969 had many
other significances to students and participants in aeronautics and astro-
nautics. It was NASA’fsir st year under the Nixon Administration and a new
Administrator, Dr. Thomas 0. Paine. It was the year in which the Space
Task Group’s report to the President reaffirmed the Nation’s continued com-
mitment to space exploration and painted in the broad outline of post-Apollo
goals in space. It was the year the concept of the space shuttle emerged in
detail, exciting in its potential as a practical, reusable, economical space
transportation system. In space science it was the year when Mariner VI and
VII flew within 2,600 miles of Mars and sent back photographs of the Mar-
tian surface and 200 times more data on Mars than had Mariner IV in 1964.
In addition to these more spectacular events, there was solid progress in
space science, exploration, and applications. All of these events &d many
more find their milestones recorded in this chronology.
There are both value in and special reservations about this chronology of
science, technology, and public policy as related to aeronautics a’hd space.
It provides the historian or any analyst with time-oriented steppingstones
toward the human and institutional stories. General items are included to
help create the social environment in which the selected items took place.
There seems some merit, despite inevitable bias in viewpoints, in validating
FOREWORD
entries to sources generally available. This facilitates additional research.
With its detailed index, the chronology is cross-referenced to dimensions
other than time and becomes a useful reference available to lay and pro-
fessional inquiry.
But beyond this, history-maker, historian, observer, and student alike
may become more aware of the documentation and reflection yet to be
performed in comprehending more fully what has transpired.
George M. Low
Acting Administrator
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
September 15, 1970
IV
Contents
PAGE
.................................................
Foreword III
.
NASA Acting Administrator George M Low
...................................................
Preface VII
..................................................
January 1
.................................................. i.
February 37
...................................................
March 61
....................................................
April 99
....................................................
May 127
.....................................................
June 167
.....................................................
July 195
...................................................
August 259
...............................................
September 297
..................................................
October 323
................................................
November 359
.................................................
December 399
Appendix A: Satellites, Space Probes, and Manned Space Flights,
.....................................
a Chronicle for 1969 427
.........
Appendix 3: Chronology of Major NASA Launches, 1969 459
Appendix C: Chronology of Manned Space Flight, 1969 ........ 465
Appendix D : Abbreviations of References ..................... 471
................
Index and List of Abbreviations and Acronyms 475
V

Preface
The brief, chronological record of 1969 events in aerospace science, tech-
nology, and policy has been prepared as events occurred and were reported
in the immediately available, open sources-the news media, press releases,
speech texts, transcripts, testimony before Congress, and test and study
reports. A first collection of clues to significant occurrences and background
climate for future historians, the volume is also intended to serve for
immediate reference uses. It does not attempt to analyze but to cite the
who, what, when, and where in sequence and as near real time as possible.
Within these limitations, we make a considerable effort to ensure accuracy
and comprehensiveness. Our NASA Archives, under Lee D. Saegesser, collects
the current documentation. Under an exchange of funds agreement, the
Science and Technology Division of the Library of Congress drafts the
monthly segments in comment edition form. These are edited and aug-
mented by the NASA Historical Division, published, and circulated for com-
ment and use. At the end of the year the entire manuscript is reworked and
augmented by the comments that have come in and by documentation that
has become available since the comment edition was prepared. The Library
also prepares the extensive index.
The 1969 annual volume is the work of a number of hands. The entire
NASA Historical Division participated in source collection, review, and
publication. The general editor was Dr. Frank W. Anderson, Jr., Deputy
NASA Historian. Technical editor was Mrs. Carrie Karegeannes. At the Li-
brary Mrs. Patricia Davis, Mrs. Carmen Brock-Smith, and Mrs. Shirley
Singleton prepared the monthly texts, which were circulated throughout
NASA for comments as to completeness and accuracy of NASA items and then
revised for annual publication. Arthur G. Renstrom prepared the index.
Appendix A, “Satellites, Space Probes, and Manned Space Flights, a
Chronicle for 1969,” and Appendix C, “Chronology of Manned Space Flight,
1969,” were prepared by Leonard C. Bruno of the Library. Appendix B,
“Chronology of Major NASA Launches, 1969,” was prepared by William A.
Lockyer, Jr., of the Historical and Library Services Branch, Kennedy Space
Center. Appendix D, “Abbreviations of References,” was prepared by Mrs.
Brock-Smith. Creston Whiting of NASA’sI nformation Services Branch,
Scientific and Technical Information Division, kept the process abreast of
Russian releases. At the NASA Centers the historians and historical monitors
submitted local material for the chronology. Validation was the work of
many busy persons throughout NASA and in other relevant branches of the
Federal structure.
A chronology is but the first step toward history and even it is never
completed. Comments, additions, and criticisms are always welcomed.
Eugene M. Emme
NASA Historian
January 1969
January 1: Washington Evening Star editorial said of success of Dee. 21-27,
1968, Apollo 8 mission : “Modern science undercut man’s bland belief
that he was the center of the universe, and modern philosophy reduced
him to a trivial atom of matter in the larger cosmos, To be able to
sail around at will in that vast cosmos may give man back some of the
confidence he once had, not the arrogance of thinking that he under-
stands the whole pattern, but the quiet sense that he will not flinch
from what he may yet learn.” (W Star, 1/1/69, A15)
* U.S.S.R. disclosed that converted MiG fighter was prototype used for
testing design features and performance of TU-144, Soviet supersonic
aircraft. Soviet aviation writer for Pravda K. Raspevin said four-man
crew aboard Tu-144 maiden flight Dec. 31, 1968, was one of most
experienced in U.S.S.R. Pilot was Eduard V. Yelyan. Copilot Mikhail
V. Kozlov had won title Hero of the Soviet Union for testing Tu-22
supersonic strategic bomber. Tu-144 was constructed of light alloys
with titanium on leading edges and other areas subjected to high
temperatures. At cruising speed, outside skin temperature was 150” C.
Air conditioning system cooled cabin. Tail unit was minus horizontal
guiding surface. Crew members had catapult seats as safety precaution
during test flights. (NYT, 1/2/69, 7)
World Data Center A for Rockets and Satellites, established at National
Academy of Sciences in June 1958, moved to location adjacent to
National Space Science Data Center at GSFC. (NAS-NRC-NAE News Rpt,
2/69, 11)
January 2: In Washington Evening Star, Judith Randal said world’s first
successful heart transplant and Apollo 8 mission made 1968 year “of
spectacular scientific achievement” but that critics of both events had
charged that technology “was being exploited at the expense of basic
research and social worth.” It did no harm, she said, to celebrate
heart transplants and voyages to moon, “but, with the advent of a new
administration, it also is worth reflecting what the price may be-
when so much else needs doing-of deciding to climb Mount Everest
just because Mount Everest is there and we have learned how to climb
it.” (WStar, 1/2/69, A14)
NASA awarded Boeing Co. $32,815,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee supplemental
agreement extending for additional 12 mos Apollo program technical
integration and evaluation support initiated by Boeing June 15, 1967.
(NASA Release 69-1)
President Johnson announced 12 recipients of 1968 National Medal of
Science, Government’s highest award for distinguished achievement in
science, mathematics, and engineering. Detlev W. Bronk, President
Emeritus of Rockefeller Univ., past president of NAS (1950-1962)
and Johns Hopkins Univ. (19&1953), received award for “highly
original research in the field of physiology and for his manifold con-
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January 2 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1969
tributions to the advance of science and its institution in the service
of society.” Herbert Friedman, Superintendent, Atmosphere and Astro-
physics Div., Naval Research Laboratory, won award “for pioneering
work in rocket and satellite astronomy and in particular for his con-
tributions to the field of gamma ray astronomy.’’ (PD, 1/6/69, 11;
NASA biog, 9/8/68)
Jaiiuary 3: H.R. 16, 17, and 204, bills to authorize award of Congressional
Medal of Honor to Apollo 8 Astronauts Frank Borman, James A.
Lovell, Jr., and William A. Anders, were introduced during first ses-
sion of 9lst Congress. (CR, 1/3/69, H33-42)
* Time named Apollo 8 astronauts its Men of the Year for 1968. “For all
its upheavals and frustrations, the year would be remembered to the
end of time for the dazzling skills and Promethean daring that sent
mortals around the moon. It would be celebrated as the year in which
men saw at first hand their little earth entire, a remote, blue-brown
sphere hovering like a migrant bird in the hostile night of space.”
(Time, 1/3/69, 9)
New York State Supreme Court Justice Frederick M. Marshall issued
temporary injunction to block sale of Cornel1 Aeronautical Laboratory
by Cornell Univ. to EDP Technology, Inc., of Washington, D.C., for
$25 million. He directed case be given preference on trial calendar.
(NYT, 1/4/69, 23)
January 4: At Explorers Club symposium in New York scientists, educators,
community leaders, and students discussed significance of Apollo 8
mission. William Booth, Chairman of Commission on Human Rights
in New York, said, “I still am quite disturbed by the fact that we’re
dying at home, people are about to starve. There’s overpopulation and
underproduction of food in the world. We haven’t been able to solve
these problems and here we are going of€ to the moon.” Dr. Robert
Jastrow, Director of NASA’sG oddard Institute for Space Studies, said
flights were “a means of concentrating our energies toward building
a technological capability.” Moon flight had played “same role as
Lindbergh‘s flight to Paris” in that it demonstrated new capability.
Space program was paying economic dividends in communications,
mineral exploration, and new materials. Dr. Maynard M. Miller, Chair-
man of Explorer Club’s World Center for Exploration Foundation, said,
“The word ‘impossible’ has a different meaning after Apollo.8. Perhaps
its real contribution will be as a symbol of man’s willingness to dare
to do something great.” (Wilford, NYT, 1/5/69, 26)
January 5: Venus V unmanned probe was successfully launched by U.S.S.R.
on four-month journey to Venus. Tass announced that 2,491433 space-
craft had been launched into parking orbit and then injected on
trajectory toward Venus to softland, conduct extensive scientific re-
search, and continue studies begun by Venus ZV, which landed on
Venusian surface Oct. 18, 1967. All equipment was functioning nor-
mally. Spacecraft carried pennants with bas-relief of Lenin and Soviet
coat of arms and “greater range of scientific and measuring equipment,
making it possible to improve the accuracy of measurements and to
obtain additional data on planet’s atmosphere,” Moscow News said.
(Winters, B Sun, 1/6/69, 1; AP, W Star, 1/6/69, A3; Reuters,
W Post, 1/6/69, A3; Moscow News, 1/1&25/69, 3)
Washington Sunday Star editorial commented on proposals made at
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