Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1968

NASA $P-4010 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1968 Chronology on Science, Technology, and Policy Text by Science and Technology Division Library of Congress Sponsored by NASA Historical Division Office of Policy Scientific and Technical Information Division 1969' 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 (paper cover) Libraru of Congress Catalog Card Number 66-60096 Foreword How the voyage of Apollo 11 came to pass after seven years of concerted national effort will occupy the serious attention of competent historians for years to come. The moon walk of Astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin was an important achievement in the progress of man. This dramatic event was shared on live television by half a billion people around our small planet, involving the entire globe in a unique common historical event of all man- kind. New questions concerning the place of man in the universe have been raised, which should stimulate inquiry into the philosophical aspects of space travel as well as the scientific, engineering, and organizational aspects. For such studies it is hoped that this chronology of the space events of the notable year of 1968 will be of high reference value. The year preceding man’s first landing and initial exploration of an extraterrestrial body was also the 11th year since Sputnik became the first manmade object lofted into earth orbit and the 10th anniversary of the creation ,of the US. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. For NASA it witnessed the conclusion of the great leadership of its second Ad- ministrator, James E. Webb, who organized and carried forward so vigor- ously America’s effort to undertake a manned lunar landing in the decade of the 1960’s. Two historic space flights in the final months of 1968 put the work for which he had been responsible to the final test: Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo flight, and ApoUo 8, man’s first trip from earth into orbit around another celestial body. After an 18-month hiatus in manned space flight, both flights were carried out flawlessly. Apollo 8’s 10-orbit voyage around the moon at Christmastime by Astronauts Borman, Lovell, and An- ders and their safe return to “the good earth” was hailed as being in the historical and scientific tradition of Galileo and Kepler, Columbus and Ma- gellan, Herschel and Newton, Verne and Tsiolkovsky, the Wright Brothers and Lindbergh, Goddard, and Gagarin. With this flight, extraterrestrial space was opened to man’s exploration. Other notable techno-scientific space triumphs were made in 1968, including the launching of the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory II, the success- ful conclusion of the X-15 rocket research airplane program, and the Soviet missions of the rendezvousing Soyuz I11 and unmanned circumlunar flights of Zond V and Zond VI. This chronicle for 1968 helps maintain histosical perspective by including such events in their juxtaposition to other threads of history such as the budgetary and policy problems besetting NASA and its White House and Congressional overseers. The 1968 space program ?as carried out in a year of national unrest and turbulence in the United States. Major news events included tragic assassinations and urban riots in the United States, widespread campus disorders, the capture of the U.S.S. Pueblo by North Korea, continued combat in South Vietnam, war in the Middle East, the starving of thousands in Biafra, and a turbulent presiden- tial campaign. To many Americans US. successes in space provided much- 111 IV FOREWORD needed reassurance that this mighty nation could still accomplish great things. If the engine of modern social change is technology, perhaps this first col- lation of spacs accomplishments in 1968 will promote greater in-depth un- derstanding of our complex times. This, in turn, may help generate new SO- lutions for current and future problems in those complex human areas which so badly need to progress as rapidly as our science and technology. Thomas 0. Paine Administrator National Aeronautics and Space Administration August 20,1969 Contents PAGE Foreword ................................................. III Administrator Thomas O . Paine Preface ................................................... w January .................................................. 1 February ................................................. 29 March .................................................... 53 April .................................................... 75 May .................................................... 101 June .................................................... 126 July ..................................................... 149 August ................................................... 175 September ................................................ 205 October .................................................. 235 November ................................................ 269 December ................................................. 298 Appendix A: Satellites. Space Probes. and Manned Space Flights. 1968 ................................................... 339 Appendix B: Major NASA Launches. 1968 ..................... 367 Appendix C: Chronology of Manned Space Flight. 1967-1968 .... 371 Appendix D : Abbreviations of References ...................... 375 Index and List of Abbreviations and Acronyms .................. 379 V Preface This chronicle covering aeronautical and space events in 1968 is, like its predecessor volumes, a tentative step in the process of documentation and writing of history. Admittedly a first skimming, it attempts to sort out the rising crescendo of events, decisions, and personalities into the sequence of their happening. It is largely a collection process on available sources rather than a product of research. Because of the virtual real-time basis on which it is compiled and written, it must rely heavily on the most immediate and available sources-newspapers, magazines, press releases, etc.-rather than on the in-depth documentation that full history requires, It is, in another sense, a holding action until the full history can be written, while at the same time providing early reference utility. Within these limitations, we make a considerable effort to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness. Our NASA Archives collects the current documentation. Under an exchange of funds agreement, the Science and Tech- nology Division of the Library of Congress drafts the monthly segments in comment edition form. These are edited and augmented by the NASA Histori- cal Division, published, and circulated €or comment 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. This annual volume is the result of a number of hands. The entire NASA Historical Division participated in source collection, review, and publication. At the Library Mr. Charles Thibault (through April 1968), Mrs. Patri- cia Davis (from May on), Mrs. Carmen Brock-Smith, and Miss Shirley Medley prepared the monthly texts which were circulated throughout NASA for comments as to completeness and accuracy on NASA items. Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Brock-Smith, and Mrs. Gay Arnelle then revised the monthly drafts for annual publication. Mr. Arthur Renstrom prepared the index. In the NASA Historical Division the general editor was Dr. Frank W. Anderson, Jr., Dep uty NASA Historian. Technical editor was Mrs. Carrie Karegeannes. Appen- dix A, “Satellites, Space Probes, and Manned Space Flights, 1968,” was prepared by Leonard C. Bruno of the, Library. Appendix B, “Major NASA Launches, 1968,” was prepared by Dr. Anderson. Appendix C, “Chronology of Manned Space Flight, 1967-1968,” was prepared by William D. Putnam, Assistant NASA Historian for Manned Space Flight. Appendix D, VI1 VIJI PREFACE “Abbreviations of References,” was prepared by Mrs. Brock-Smith. Creston Whiting of NASA’sInformation 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 people throughout NASA and in other relevant branches of the Federal structure. A chronology is but the first step toward history as an intellectual disci- pline and even it is never really completed. Comments, additions, and criti- cisms are always welcomed. Eugene M. Emme NASA Historian January 1968 January 1 : NASA announced it would conduct 29 major launches from ETR and WTR durinq 1968. Surveyor-G launch, last in Surveyor series, was scheduled for Jan. 7. Launch of OGO-E would include last scheduled flight of Atlas-Agena launch vehicle from ETR; future unmanned inter- planetary probes and high-altitude earth-orbital launches would use hy- drogen-fueled Centaur. Two unmanned tests of Apollo lunar module and first manned test of Apollo spacecraft would use new Saturn IB vehicle. Three Apollo tests employing Saturn V would be launched from new spaceport complex at KSC. In addition to OGO and Surveyor, 11 scientific satellites would be launched from ETR-four Intelsats, ATS-D, OAO, OSO, Biosatellite-D, HEOS (launched for ESRO) , Pioneer-D and Skynet comsat (launched for U.K.) . Another 10 scientific satellites would be launched from WTR-fOUr TOS spacecraft (launched

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