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Aviation History
1972
1972 - 0554.PDF
366 RIGHT International, 9 March 1972 a team of four "cross-country" vehicles to the site. The ice was unable to support the vehicles and recovery had to await the end of the storm, when a helicopter was able to land on the island. The landing point, 75 miles north-west of where the Luna 16 capsule landed, supports the claim to accurate guidance made by controllers. The possible landing area was stated to comprise an area of 50 miles X 60 miles, 80km X 100km. The capsule, along with its bright orange parachute, was crated for carriage back to an unspecified airfield on February 26. On examination, it was found that the capsule had lost about 5mm of ablative material from its front part while the back retained its original light-brown colour. Preparation for opening the drill was evidently thorough, lasting about 14hr, and a Soviet account says that the core was immediately shown to the Russian Press. The material was described as comprising light-grey ash-like particles amongst which were some comparatively large whitish lumps about 4mm-6mm in diameter. Some of the glossy globules found in most other lunar samples were also present. These were stated to correspond with the 6cm and 29cm depth markings on the drill, although it was not clear whether this was the result of loosening of the material or of the fact that the drill may have penetrated farther than previously indicated. The significant point, however, is that the Soviet Union now has a well proven, if limited, method of lunar-sample collection. The Soviet analysis of Luna 16 material was close to the conclusions reached by the Americans on the similar material obtained from the Apollo 11 and 12 missions. One effect is to increase US confidence in Russian analysis capability. After Apollo 17, America will be dependent upon Soviet analysis of Luna-collected material to fill in the remaining gaps. N ROCKET CONTRACTS SCHEDULED Japan's National Space Development Agency is expected to place contracts in April with Japanese manufacturers to begin devolpment of the N rocket. The rocket, to be launched first in 1975 to orbit an ionospheric observation satellite and then an experimental stationary communica tions satellite, will be based mainly on American tech nology. The first stage will be produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries with technology from McDonnell Douglas. The engine for the first stage will be built by Ishikawajima- Harimia Heavy Industries using technology developed by the Rocketdyne Division of North American Rockwell. The second stage wil be built by Mitsubishi with technology from McDonnell Douglas and North American Rockwell, with parts, components and material to be imported from the United States. Mitsubishi is also expected to develop a new gas-jet system for the second-stage engine. The solid-fuel third stage will be imported from Thiokol Chemical of the USA. The project has been delayed for a few months pending the new financial year starting on April 1. Substantially increased finance has been allocated by the Government for the project. LASER PROPOSALS ASKED FOR ATS-G Requests for proposals have been issued by Nasa to more than two dozen companies for development of a Visible The recoverable capsule awaiting retrieval, above. The protubrances are gas-inflated and are probably for jettisoning the parachute cover. The original colouring on top contrasts clearly with the dark, ablated undersurface. A technician removes the soil container, below, from the side hatch Laser Communication Experiment to fly on Application Technology Satellite-G in mid-1975. Proposals are due at the Marshall Space Flight Centre, project manager, by March 24 and work is expected to begin in July. The experiment wil consist of a laser on the geostation ary satellite and another at a ground station. With only 5mW output the satellite's laser will illuminate a 1,000ft- diameter circle on Earth. Information will be collected only from a 6ft circle of illumination. The experiment is intended to determine the effects of the Earth's atmosphere on such a system and to test wide-angle acquisition and precision pointing. With an optical communication link of 30 million bits/sec capacity, the experiment will provide experience for space relay links.
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