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Aviation History
1967
1967 - 2145.PDF
742 RIGHT International, 2 November 1967 EXPERIMENT COMPARTMENT 24*DIAMETER 67"OVERALL LENGTH FORWARD SUN SHIELD COARSE SUN SOLAR PANELS GAS NOZZLES (4) PITCH AND YAW AFT STRUCTURAL RING ANTENNAS 14) Designed by Avco's Space Systems Division, Lowell, Mass, for Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Ariz, this Orbiting Astronomical Explorer satellite, shown below in a photo- graph and at right in a cutaway drawing, is intended to accommodate a variety of astronomical payloads. It is 10ft 3in long, with an overall diameter of 30in and its 3001b launch weight incorporates a 751b experimental package NH, PROPELLANT STORAGE TANKS -FW-4S ROCKET MOTOR CASING GAS NOZZLES 141 PITCH AND TAW FORWARD CYLINDRICAL STRUCTURE GAS NOZZLES(4) ROLL SPACECRAFT ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS SCOUT "O" SECTION Spaceflight tape recorder still functions and whether radiation or other factors in space distort the pictures. Radio commands to Mariner 4 to re-start its rocket engine and transmit its pictures were sent via the tracking stations at Goldstone, California and Woomera, Australia, respectively. VERTICAL SPACE PROBE On October 12, according to a Tass agency report, the Soviet Union launched a carrier rocket with a "vertical space probe" apparatus to an altitude of 4,400km (2,734 miles). The vertical space probe apparatus was launced for the further study of the upper layers of the atmosphere, the ionosphere, the Earth and space near the Earth by the method of vertical sounding. The principal purpose of the experiment, the report con- tinued, "was to obtain data on the distribution by altitude of characteristics of the ionosphere (concentration of electrons and positive ions, temperature of electrons), the general in- tensity of cosmic rays and radiation doses behind various forms of protection during the flight of radiation belts, and the density of neutral hydrogen. Along the flight path the vertical space probe orientated itself in space with great accuracy by means of a special system. "So as to obtain undistorted measurements the apparatus was made of special materials. After the launch onto a planned trajectory, the carrier rocket was moved a great dis- tance away by a special device to ensure that gases would not be ejected into the area of space being studied. "Besides scientific apparatus, the probe carried a radio- telemetry system for the transmission of scientific information and equipment for the radio measurement of the trajectory. All scientific instruments and systems on board functioned normally during the flight. The scientific research programme has been fully carried out and the information is being pro- cessed. This is the first time that such complex research has been carried out at such altitudes, and it is of great scientific value/' COSMOS TRANSMISSIONS With the launching of four more Earth satellites from the Soviet Union last weekend, the total number put up in the Cosmos series since March 1962 reached 187. Orbital para- meters of these latest satellites were as follows:— Cosmos 184: put into circular orbit, distance from Earth about 635km (approx 394 miles); inclination, 81.2°. Cosmos 185: apogee, 888km; perigee, 522km; inclination, 64.1°. Cosmos 186: apogee, 235km; perigee, 209km; inclination, 51.7°. Cosmos 187: apogee, 210km; perigee, 145km; inclination, 50°. Transmissions from Cosmos satellites are listened to in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Fiji, and a correspondent has provided the following comments on the recovery of Cosmos 177 and the launches and recovery of 180-182. He writes that Cosmos 177 was recovered, as expected, on September 24 (Flight for September 28, page 542). Last signals were received in Kettering and Stockholm from 0546.05hr to O548.20hr GMT at the end of the 129th revolution. Cosmos 180, launched on September 26, transmitted on 19.995 MHz and its first signals were received in Kettering at the end of the first revolution at 1145hr GMT. In many respects this satellite was a replica of Cosmos 175 and was also recovered at the end of the 125th revolution. During this revolution, signals were received in Fiji from 0441hr to O515hr and in Stockholm and Kettering from 0539.45hr to 0544.10hr GMT on October 4. Cosmos 181 was launched into a 65.6° orbit from Plesetsk on October 11 and signals were received in Kettering at the end of the first revolution. For the first four days of its life, trans- missions were on a frequency of 19.995 MHz but, on October 15, the frequency was changed to 19.990MHz. A similar change in frequency for Cosmos 162 was reported earlier this year (Flight for July 6, page 32). On that occasion, Cosmos 164 was launched later on the day of the frequency change. This time, however, Cosmos 182, transmitting on 19.995MHz, was launched on the following day into a 65.0° orbit from Tyura- tum. It was the first 65° Cosmos satellite to be launched from Tyuratam since Cosmos 143 at the end of February. Cosmos 181 was recovered on October 19 after 125 revolu- tions, its last signals being received in Kettering from 0607.10hr 0615.05hr GMT. Cosmos 182 was recovered on October 24 after 127 revolutions, last signals being received in Stockholm and Kettering from 0606.40hr to 0615.54hr GMT. In the first three cases, no TK transmission was received after loss of normal signals; but, after loss of normal signal from Cosmos 182, a strong transmission of a series of Morse code TKs started at 0622.35hr and continued until ceasing abruptly at 0629hr GMT. This was the first occasion that an abrupt end of TKs had been observed by the Kettering team and would suggest that the satellite was recovered very shortly after landing. It has been suggested that TK might stand for "trayektoria k6nchena"—"ballistic flight completed." ELDO A Test Firings A Coralie rocket, a version of which will form the second stage of the ELDO A satellite launcher, was successfully fired from a test centre in south-west France on October 25; and at Spadeadam, Cumberland, on October 19 the seventh Blue Streak space booster, F7, was successfully test fired and is being crated by HSD for shipment to Woomera.
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