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Aviation History
1967
1967 - 2184.PDF
:UGHT International, 9 November (967 779 /Urs Roger B. Chaffee, widow of Cdr Roger Chaffee, who lost his life in the Apollo spacecraft fire on January 27 last, receiving from NASA Administrator Mr James Webb the Administration's Exceptional Service Medal posthumously awarded to her husband Spaceflight RUSSIAN RENDEZVOUS News of the successful docking of two Soviet spacecraft, Cosmos 186 and 188, on October 30 came just after the last issue of Flight closed for press; hence it was only possible to indicate, in a short news item (November 2, page 706), that something unusual was happening—or about to happen—with the launching of three satellites in one day. On the basis of information then available, it was stated that Cosmos 186 had been recovered on October 30, an inference drawn from the statement in one report that its signals had stopped. In fact it was automatically linked with Cosmos 188 on that date and not recovered, following separation, until October 31. The story of the automatic link-up of the two satellites— another space "first" for the Soviet Union—was as follows, according to Russian news agency sources. Cosmos 186 was launched on Saturday, October 28, with the following orbital parameters: initial period of revolution, S8.7min; apogee, 235km (145.9 miles); perigee, 209km (129.7 miles); and inclination, 51.7°. In addition to scientific and special instruments, it carried a radio transmitter operating on a frequency of 20.008Mc/s and radio systems for exact measure- ment of the orbital elements and for relaying to Earth data on the functions of instruments and scientific apparatus. Cosmos 188 was launched on Monday October 30. with orbital parameters close to those of 186: initial period of revo- lution, 88.97min; apogee, 276km (171.5 miles); perigee, 200km (124.27 miles); and inclination, 51.68°. When it entered its first orbit, Cosmos 186 was on its 49th. For the docking, one of the satellites (186) was active with a beam link-up unit, the other (188) passive, with a receiving cone. On October 29, the day before 188 was launched, 186's orbit was corrected so that on October 30 it would pass over its launch-point. "After Cosmos 188 had gone into orbit [says the Tass de- scription of the link-up], both sputniks, equipped with special approach systems and docking units, carried out a number of complicated manoeuvres in space, automatically finding each other, drawing closer, berthing and docking rigidly. "The processes of seeking each other, approaching and dock- ing were carried out with the help of special radiotechnical equipment and on-board computers. Radio-television installa- tions and telemetric systems on board the satellites have sent television pictures of the joined sputniks and telemetric informa- tion which has been picked up by the network of ground stations." Describing the actual link-up manoeuvre, Tass said that "when the two satellites are at a distance of several hundred metres they approach one another with their docking ends and join mechanically, ensuring a rigid link-up of the two capsules and the connection of electric circuits. All this is topped by a strong mechanical link. The two satellites musrt: be a single entity and continue the flight as a single complex with single functional tasks." Commenting on the success of the October 30 operation, Tass said: "Soviet scientists, designers and engineers have solved the formidable scientific and technical problem of the automatic docking of space apparatus in orbit. This opens up wide possibilities for the creation in orbit of big scientific space stations capable of carrying out complex and many-sided explorations of outer space and planets." Cosmos 186 and 188 were docked at 1220hr (Moscow time) on October 30 and remained linked for 3^-hr, continuing to orbit, until they were separated on command from Earth at 155Ohr (Moscow time). Then, at 1120 (Moscow time) on October 31, Cosmos 186 by command concluded its flight on the sixty-fifth orbit and soft-landed in a predetermined area. Although no location is given by the Russians for this complex of radio receivers, the photograph* K of special interest because it Was here that signals from Venus 4 ("Flight," October 26) *ere received. Each of the dishes has a diameter of 48ft ond total weight of the receiver is stated to be 1,500 tons v f
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