astronautix.com | March 19 |
Goddard receives a grant of $ 3,500 from Clark University to continue rocket research. In a letter to the fund supervisor, he lays out his advanced concepts - Lox/LH2 liquid rockets, use of solar thermal and ion engines for interplanetary travel, constant-thrust 7.13 week trajectories to Mars. But publicly and practically, he continues his work on cartridge rockets. References: 377 .
During the previous three years, at a total cost of $ 2,000, Goddard had developed a rocket-propelled depth charge and anti-ship missile with an armour-piercing warhead. The Navy sees no future potential in the work. References: 482 .
The Army Air Forces established Project RAND, which in part included the study of satellite applications. References: 483 .
Launched 16:10 local time. Reached 5.5 km. Carried Magnetic field, composition, winds, temperature (Signal Corps Engineering Lab, University of Michigan) experiments for General Electric.
Dr. Alan T. Waterman of the National Science Foundation presented President Dwight Eisenhower with a plan to implement the United States' portion of the International Geophysical Year satellite experiment. References: 483 .
Deputy Secretary of Defense Quarles announced that three atomic blasts were secretly fired in space (Project Argus) in 1958, using modified X-17 rockets. References: 17 .
United States-Spanish agreement on Project Mercury tracking station in Canary Islands was announced (1 of 16 similar agreements with other nations). References: 17 .
James A Chamberlin was reassigned from Manager of Project Gemini to Senior Engineering Advisor to Robert R Gilruth, Director of Manned Spacecraft Center. Charles W Mathews was reassigned from Chief, Spacecraft Technology Division, to Acting Manager of Project Gemini.
Also known as Explorer S-66. References: 5 , 126 .
Ministry of General Machine Building (MOM) Decree 88 'On use of liquid hydrogen in the space program' was issued. References: 474 .
Radar monitoring. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 172 .
KH-4A. Due to abnormal rotational rates after revolution 22, the mission was terminated after a total of three days collecting photography. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
First powered flight. Maximum Speed - 919 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13533 m. Flight Time - 424 sec. References: 49 , 97 .
ASAT target for Cosmos 404 interceptor. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 99 , 272 .
Consideration was being given to the feasibility of a second set of Skylab missions (designated Skylab-B) during the interval between the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975 and the start of Space Shuttle operations late in 1979. The inherent worth of a Skylab-B was recognized, but officials were reluctant to recommend it, on the premise that it would be unwise to allow it to delay or displace the development of the Space Shuttle and other programs already included in the FY 1974 budget.
Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international coope ration scheme). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .
Unmanned supply vessel transporting sundry cargoes to the Mir orbital station. Docked with Mir on 21 Mar 1986 11:16:02 GMT. Undocked on 20 Apr 1986 19:24:08 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 21 Apr 1986 00:48:30 GMT. Total free-flight time 2.27 days. Total docked time 30.34 days. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 275 .
Stationed at 85 deg E. Provision of telephone and telegraph radiocommunications and television broadcasting. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 274 .
Unmanned resupply vessel to Mir. Attempted to dock with Mir on 21 March 1998 14:28 GMT, but missed the station by 500 m. Docking attempted again on 23 March but at 50 meters the docking was aborted; the Progress missed hitting the station by five meters. Thereafter it was placed in a station-keeping co-orbit with Mir while the problem was diagnosed. Finally docked with Mir on 28 Mar 1991 12:02:28 GMT. On 12 and 14 Apr 1998 two burns of the engine of Progress M-7 raised the station's orbit from a 360 x 377 km orbit to a 370 x 382 km orbit. Undocked on 6 May 1991 22:59:36 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 7 May 1991 17:20:05 GMT. Total free-flight time 9.72 days. Total docked time 39.46 days. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 275 .
Radar calibration mission. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .