Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1968

439 Pages·2007·12.06 MB·English

NASA $P-4010
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 8
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 ex-
traterrestrial 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, includ-
ing 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
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January 1
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February 29
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March 53
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April 75
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May 101
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June 126
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July 149
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August 175
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September 205
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October 235
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November 269
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December 298
Appendix A: Satellites. Space Probes. and Manned Space Flights.
...................................................
1968 339
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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 accu-
racy and comprehensiveness. Our NASA Archives collects the current docu-
mentation. 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 publica-
tion. 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’Isn formation 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 through-
out 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 for ESSA)
OGO-F, GEOS-B, Nimbus-B, IMP-G, Radio Astronomy Explorer-A, and
International Satellite for Ionospheric Studies (joint American and
Canadian program).
About 250 sounding rockets and scientific probes of upper atmos-
phere would be launched from NASA Wallops Station. (NASA Release
67-315; KSC Release 451-67)
President Johnson announced stringent Government controls over pri-
vate investments abroad and measures to reduce US. balance-of-pay-
ments deficit by $3 billion in 1968. At Johnson City, Tex., news confer-
ence, he said actions would reduce intolerable deficit that could “en-
danger the strength of the entire free world economy, and thereby
threaten our unprecedented prosperity at home.” (Harwood, W Post,
1/2/68,1)
Membership of NASA Historical Advisory Committee was designated for
1968-1969: Dr. Melvin Kranzberg, Case Western Reserve Univ., as
Chairman; Dr. Eugene M. Emme, NASA Historian, as Executive Secre-
tary; Dr. Raymond L. Bisplinghoff, MIT; Dr. James L. Cate, Univ. of
Chicago; Dr. Earl H. DeLong, American Univ.; Dr. A. Hunter Dupree,
Univ. of California at Berkeley; Dr. Joe B. Frantz, Univ. of Texas; Dr.
Louis Morton, Dartmouth College; and Robert L. Perry, RAND Corp.
(NASA NMI 1156.3A; NASA Special Release, 1/5/68)
January 2: FAA proposed rule requiring all jet aircraft to operate under in-
strument flight rules (IFR) when in controlled airspace within the con-
tiguous 48 US. states. Aircraft would come under control of FAA air
traffic control (ATC) facilities; pilots would file flight plan and observe
ATC instructions which provided for separation between IFR aircraft.
Under visual flight rules (VFR) pilots maintained separation on a “see
and avoid” basis. FAA noted that rapid growth of total flight operations
was “creating demands for substantial expansion and improvement in
. .
the nation’s air traffic control system [so that] proposed action
1