Batt. 1./836, (Site 601), rocket fired, impacted Antwerp at the crossroads of the Frankrijklei near the Keizerlei and the Teniersplaats, a few hundred metres from the impact point of the previous rocket and while the rescue teams were still working at that incident. 130 Civilians and 26 passing by British soldiers were killed, 196 injured.
Fired from AMR at 2110 hours EST. Main stage, lift-off, and powered flight were normal. The missile passed through the critical dynamic pressure period and followed the prescribed trajectory until 202 seconds of flight when the engine thrust was terminated. From an analysis covering the period before thrust termination, mechanical failure of the turbo-pump stopped the flow of propellants to the combustion chamber causing a complete loss of thrust. Telemetry signals ceased at 232 seconds. The missile was at an altitude of 65,000 feet when an explosion was observed from the Test Centre above the horizon. The long range mission of this flight was not accomplished; however, other primary and secondary missions were considered successful.
While awaiting the formal transfer of the Saturn program, NASA formed a study group to recommend upper-stage configurations. Membership was to include the DOD Director of Defense Research and Engineering and personnel from NASA, Advanced Research Projects Agency, Army Ballistic Missile Agency, and the Air Force. This group was later known both as the Saturn Vehicle Team and the Silverstein Committee (for Abe Silverstein, Chairman).
Launched from Cape Canaveral, Atlas/Centaur (AC-2) was the first successful use of the high-energy liquid hydrogen/ liquid oxygen Centaur upper stage vehicle developed for NASA by General Dynamics. The spent Centaur stage entered orbit. Launch vehicle test. Launch vehicle put dummy payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit. First successful Centaur (liquid hydrogen-fueled) flight.
The LM-11 midsection assembly collapsed in the assembly jig during the bulkhead prefitting stage of construction at Grumman. The structure buckled when the bulkheads, which had just been prefitted and drilled, were removed to permit deburring the drilled holes. Jig gates that were supposed to hold up the assembly were not in position, nor was the safety line properly installed. The structure was supported by hand. Damage to the skin of the structure was not severe, although a small radius bend was put in one of the upper skins.
The leaders of the VVS meet to consider the role of the Air Force in space and Kamanin's draft resolution. Frolov wants to form a VVS regiment for Almaz operations. Molzhavtsev wants to emphasize full use of unmanned satellites for support of the VVS (communications, navigation, reconnaissance). Later in the meeting V V Kuznestov discusses with Kamanin plans for a planned Nikolayev-Tereshkova-Sevastyanov trip to Egypt in January 1971. It has to be planned around opening ceremonies for the Aswan Dam.
Manned three crew. Docked with Salyut 6. Tested the improved transport ship of the 'SOYUZ T' series; transported to the Salyut-6 orbital station a crew consisting of L D Kizim, O G Makarov and G M Strekalov to carry out repair and preventive work and scientific and technical investigation and experiments.
Manned seven crew. Deployed Morelos 2, Aussat 2, Satcom K2, OEX. Payloads: Deploy SATCOM (RCA-Satellite Communi-cations) Ku-2 with Payload Assist Module (PAM)-D II. Deploy Morelos (Mexico communications satellite)-B with PAM-D. Deploy AUSSAT (Australian communications satellite)-2 with PAM-D. EASE/ACCESS (Assembly of Structures— Assembly Concept for Construction of Erectable Space Structures) by extravehicular activity (EVA) astronauts, Continuous Flow Electrophore-sis System (CFES), Diffusive Mixing of Organic Solutions (DMOS), IMAX camera, one getaway special (GAS), Linhof camera and Hasseblad camera.
Released by STS 61B 11/28/85; 156 deg E. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 156 deg E in 1985-1993; 164 deg E in 1993-1999 As of 1 September 2001 located at 24.67 deg W drifting at 1.153 deg W per day. As of 2007 Feb 27 located at 133.30E drifting at 1.163W degrees per day.
Released by STS 61B 11/28/85; 81 deg W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 81 deg W in 1985-1996; 85 deg W in 1996-1997; 81 deg W in 1997-1999 As of 6 September 2001 located at 80.95 deg W drifting at 0.009 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 157.11W drifting at 2.398W degrees per day.
Released by STS 61B 11/27/85. Coverage of the national territory with television, radio and telephony signals and data transmission. Geostationary satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 116 deg W in 1985-1998; 120 deg W in 1999. As of 5 September 2001 located at 120.20 deg W drifting at 0.004 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 148.53W drifting at 2.555W degrees per day.
Stationed at 53 deg E. Development of the communications and television broadcasting system. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 53 deg E in 1992-1996; 96 deg E in 1996-1998; 50 deg E in 1999. As of 5 September 2001 located at 26.46 deg E drifting at 0.193 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 26.21E drifting at 0.345W degrees per day.
The crew of the 22d M.E. to Mir, Korzun and Kaleri, will do this EVA on 2.12.1996 between 1550 UTC (opening hatch) and 2130 UTC (closure hatch). During this EVA they will have to install extra cables and contacts for a solar panel on the outer surface of the astrophysical module Kvant-1 (Module-E). This solar panel had been installed over there in May 1996 by Onufriyenko and Usachov. This panel had been delivered to Mir by Atlantis on 15.11.1995 during mission STS-74 as cargo on the docking compartment. At the outer surface of that compartment 2 solar batteries had been stowed, 1 Russian and 1 American. In May 1996 the American one had been installed and partly connected. That is why the solar panel could deliver not more than 3 kW. If the work during the 1st EVA will be accomplished successfully the panel can deliver 6 kW electrical power. During the EVA John Blaha will remain inside the complex to assist and take care for the communications.
Radio communications during this EVA:
During passes on 143 mc, but somewhat lower than 143.625 mc and possibly via the 2 available geostationary Altair-satellites.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
The Orihime and Hikoboshi satellites undocked and redocked on July 7 1998 in the FP-1 test of automated docking systems. Despite claims of the NASDA space agency that this is a first, automated Russian craft have docked on many occasions since the Kosmos-186/188 docking in 1968.
Flight controllers in Moscow and Houston have completed the formal checkout of the various systems on the Zarya module and reported it is ready for the arrival of Space Shuttle Endeavour and the next element of the International Space Station - the Unity connecting node. Additional Details: here....
The DirecTV-4S television broadcasting satellite was placed by the Ariane 44LP booster into a geostationary transfer orbit. The satellite had a dry mass of 2100 kg and a launch mass of 4300 kg. The satellite was to provide more than 300 local TV channels to 41 metropolitan communities through its 11 C-band transponders after parking over 101-W longitude. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 101.14W drifting at 0.005W degrees per day.
The first spacewalk for installation of the P1 truss began at 1947 UTC. The astronauts emerged from the Quest module, attached the P1/S0 umbilicals, removed the P1 drag links and the CETA-B cart's launch restraints. They also installed more SPD disconnects on the ammonia lines, and attached a TV camera to the truss.
The spacecraft grazed the surface again at 22:07. However it was again uncertain if any surface material was obtained. Control of the spacecraft was lost again due to orientation jet failures which prevented the satellite from pointing its high gain antenna toward earth.