Despite the first production deliveries, development of the missile was still not complete. The accuracy was still too poor, and the fusing was still not optimum to maximise damage at the target. Furthermore there was no method of actually determining the performance and effectiveness of missiles fired in combat, since air reconnaissance of Britain was now impossible. The only source of information was reports from agents on the ground. The availability of alcohol fuel was a limiting factor in the firing rate. Underground facilities for alcohol production had been built at Luettich and Wittringen an der Saar. Liquid oxygen was delivered to the firing areas in 48 tonne railroad wagons, then distributed to the firing units in 5 to 8 tonne capacity trucks. Due to boil off and transfer losses, 9 tonnes had to be generated at the factory in order for the 4.96 tonnes required for each rocket to be available at launch. The railroad wagons lost 350 l/day, but a V-2 on hold, awaiting launch, boiled off liquid oxygen at 2 kg/minute. Average daily launch rate from the field in the fall of 1944 was 28-30 missiles against enemy targets, together with 5 to 7 shots for research and engine tests. Kammler was only interested in maximising the number of combat launches per day - he showed no interest in the effectiveness or results of the missile as a weapon. During production, some small modifications were introduced - an increase in propellant feed rate and combustion chamber pressure, elimination of electrical equipment made unnecessary by the use of the integrating accelerometer guidance system, and an increase in propellant capacity. These changes increased the range of the production missiles to 320 km. A few research rockets with larger propellant tanks reached 480 km. The external paint used on the V-2 was protected from burning through use of a graphite coating.

St. Vith, 18 km southeast of Malmedy (Belgium), misfire. The rocket came up to full power, lifted a few feet and then set back down on firing table, still vertical, when the engine cut off. The intended target was Paris. Battery 444 also suffered its first combat losses this same day when the unit was attacked by partisans.

Operation Sandy - German V-2 rocket launched from U.S. aircraft carrrier Midway in Atlantic tests, exploding prematurely after a 10 km flight. This had been preceded by Operation Pushover - the deliberate explosion of a fully tanked V-2 on a dummy shipdeck at White Sands to determine its effect on shipboard launching. Launched from Atlantic Ocean Launch Site 10 "several hundred mi SE Bermuda" - Latitude: 27.00 N, Longitude:60.00 W.

At El Centro, Calif., CM boilerplate (BP) 3, a parachute test vehicle, was destroyed during tests simulating the new BP-6 configuration (without strakes or apex cover). Drogue parachute descent, disconnect, and pilot mortar fire appeared normal. However, one pilot parachute was cut by contact with the vehicle and its main parachute did not deploy. Because of harness damage, the remaining two main parachutes failed while reefed. Investigation of the BP-3 failure resulting in rigging and design changes on BP-6 and BP-19.

On November 15, Aerojet-General received an Air Force contract to develop and test new engine components to correct weak and potentially dangerous problem areas of engine design. Aerojet-General had already initiated the development effort on September 30. The goal was to enhance engine reliability by a complete redesign rather than resort to piecemeal fixes as problems came up. While the primary goal was not achieved, the program did yield several side benefits, including the correction of several minor design deficiencies, the improvement of welding techniques, and the development of better assembly procedures.

Space Systems Division was to be responsible for design, engineering, and acceptance testing of basic Atlas and Thor vehicles and the Agena D upper stages. NASA would buy these from the Air Force, modify them as needed, and launch the Atlas/Agenas from the Atlantic Missile Range while the Air Force conducted all Atlas/Agena and Thor/Agena launches from Vandenberg.

In response to a letter from Apollo Program Director Samuel C. Phillips concerning proposed revisions of the first lunar landing mission plan, MSC Director Robert R. Gilruth presented MSC's position on the three major topics:

1. deletion of the lunar geology investigation (LGI) and the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP),
2. television coverage, and
3. extravehicular excursion.

Yantar-2K second generation reconnaissance state acceptance test flight. Completely successful and led to acceptance of Yantar-2K into Red Army service in 1978. Area survey photo reconnaissance; returned film in two small SpK capsules during the mission and with the main capsule at completion of the mission.

Carried W. German microgravity experiment. Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of the Soviet economy and international cooperation; and the conduct of biotechnological experiments under a commercial agreement with the firm Interspace (Federal Republic of Germany).

The delay in the arrival of the freighter Progress-M24 will not cause significant changes in the original programme for the near future. The EVA's to be made in September have been put back by only 1 day: so to 9 and 13.09.94. The EVA on 9.09 will start at abt. 1300 UTC. The schedule for 13.09 depends on the results of the 1st EVA. The main task during these EVA's will be the transfer of the solar batteries from Module-T (Kristall) to Module-E (Kvant-1).

Euromir94:

Rumours suggested a substantial delay of the beginning of that mission. This has not officially been confirmed. Officially has been stated that it might be possible that Soyuz-TM20 with the European cosmonaut on board will blast off on 4.10.94, so 1 day later.

Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.

The first two Yamal communications satellites were placed into a 197 km x 36,311 km x 49.3 degree transfer orbit The DM-2M fourth stage made two successful burns, placing the satellites in circular 36,000 km geosynchronous orbits. Yamal 101 reportedly ran into problems after it was deployed. RKK Energia built the new Yamal satellites for AO Gazcom of Moscow, a joint venture of RKKE and RAO Gazprom, the Russian natural gas monopoly. The two satellites will support internal communications for RAO Gazprom. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 89 deg E in 1999. As of 30 August 2001 located at 112.86 deg E drifting at 1.484 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 42.96E drifting at 1.484W degrees per day.

European Telecommunications Satellite Organization's Eutelsat W1 was launched into a geostationary transfer orbit, targetted for a final 10 deg E orbital position. The box-shaped 2.5 x 5.0 m satellite has two rectangular solar panel arrays spanning 31.7m and two dishes, a European beam and a steerable beam. The payload includes 28 Ku-band transponders. Stationed at 10 deg E. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 1 deg E in 2000. As of 1 September 2001 located at 9.92 deg E drifting at 0.005 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 10.05E drifting at 0.006W degrees per day.

Flight Time: 2.0 hours Pilot: Binnie Copilot: Shane. Objectives: New pilot qual eval. Envelope expansion out to 45,000 feet and 160 knots / 0.5M. Practice SpaceShipOne glide approaches. Effectiveness of new tail vortex generators and clipped outboard speed brakes. Results: The new VGs eliminated the high-altitude rudder dead-band. Encountered undamped rudder vibration at 25,000 feet and 160 knots during flutter envelope expansion. Engine flameout at 45,000 feet. Un-safe main gear indication for landing (a microswitch adjustment). Clipped otbd speed brake showed no change.

Intelsat 906 was a geostationary communications spacecraft of the international Intelsat consortium (privatised as Intelsat Ltd.). It was to provide Internet, telephony, and television broadcasts to Europe, Asia, and Australia through its 72 C- and 22 Ku-band transponders after being parked over 64° E longitude. It replaced Intelsat 804 which was to then be moved to 176° E to handle the increased cross-Atlantic demand. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 64.19E drifting at 0.001W degrees per day.