Range achieved 24.4 km. Lost guidance. References: 283 , 344 .

Five-stage sounding rocket launched from NASA Wallops Island to an altitude of 1,050 miles to measure density of electrons in upper atmosphere. References: 17 .

Advanced Polaris (A-2) successfully launched on record 1,600-mile flight at AMR. References: 17 .

USAF Atlas with capsule containing squirrel monkey destroyed by range safety officer at Atlantic Missile Range when main sustainer engine failed 15 seconds after launch. References: 18 , 278 .

Joseph G. Thibodaux, Jr., MSC Propulsion and Power Division, reported at an Apollo Engineering and Development technical management meeting that the first J-2 firing of the service propulsion system engine was conducted at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). Two fuel cell endurance tests of greater than 400 hours were completed at Pratt and Whitney. MSC would receive a single cell for testing during the month. References: 16 .

Kamanin diary complains of lunar coordination problems. References: 72 .

Returned cloud cover images. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Test flight of manned circumlunar spacecraft. Successfully launched towards the moon with a scientific payload including cosmic-ray and micrometeoroid detectors, photography equipment, and a biological specimens. A midcourse correction on 12 November resulted in a loop around the moon at an altitude of 2,420 km on 14 November. Zond 6 took spectacular photos of the moon’s limb with the earth in the background. Photographs were also taken of the lunar near and far side with panchromatic film from distances of approximately 11,000 km and 3300 km. Each photo was 12.70 by 17.78 cm. Some of the views allowed for stereo pictures. On the return leg a gasket failed, leading to cabin depressurisation, which would have been fatal to a human crew. The 7K-L1 then made the first successful double skip trajectory, dipping into the earth's atmosphere over Antarctica, slowing from 11 km/sec to suborbital velocity, then skipping back out into space before making a final re-entry onto Soviet territory. After the re-entry the main parachute ejected prematurely, ripping the main canopy, leading to the capsule being destroyed on impact with the ground. One negative was recovered from the camera container and a small victory obtained over the Americans. But the criteria for a manned flight had obviously not been met and Mishin's only hope to beet the Americans was a failure or delay in the Apollo 8 flight set for December. The next Zond test was set for January. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 274 , 296 .

NASA announced the resignation of Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight George E. Mueller effective December 10. In December Charles W. Mathews was named Acting Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight until a successor for Mueller was appointed. References: 16 .

At the request of the Apollo 12 crew, the internal primary guidance and navigational control system targeting for descent was being changed so that the automatic guidance would land LM-6 at Surveyor III rather than at a point offset 305 meters east and 153 meters north as originally planned. References: 16 .

Luna 17 was launched from an earth parking orbit towards the Moon and entered lunar orbit on November 15, 1970. Luna 17 landed on Moon 17 November 1970 at 03:47:00 GMT, Latitude 38.28 N, Longitude 325.00 E - Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains). The payload, the Lunokhod 1 unmanned rover, rolled down a ramp from the landing stage and began exploring the surface. Lunokhod was intended to operate through three lunar days but actually operated for eleven lunar days (earth months). The operations of Lunokhod officially ceased on October 4, 1971, the anniversary of Sputnik 1. By then it had traveled 10,540 m and had transmitted more than 20,000 TV pictures and more than 200 TV panoramas. It had also conducted more than 500 lunar soil tests. Parameters are for lunar orbit. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 274 , 296 .

Anik I and Anik II also registered as United States objects. .The satellites, act as space repeaters capable of receiving transmissions from earth stations and retransmitting them to other earth stations in Canada. The antenna coverage of the satellite pr ovides the capability of serving virtually all of Canada. Anik I and II had weights of 1240.59 lb and 1246.48 lb. Each satellite has 12 RF channels each capable of transmitting a color television signal or up to 900 one-way voice channels. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

ABM monitoring. References: 2 , 5 , 6 .

High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule; maneuverable (?). References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

KH-9 type satellite. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Radar monitoring. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 172 .

Stationed at 68 deg W. C, Ku band communications satellite. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Stationed at 177.5 deg E; maritime communications; leased by Inmarsat. Geostationary position 177.5 deg E. MARECS PAC 1 is a geostationary maritime mobile communication satellite which will form part of the INMARSAT world-wide maritime communication satellite network. 1985 Jul 1. Move to a new position. Old position: 177.5E. New position: 345 deg E. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Cosmonaut Igor Volk was at the controls; takeoff was from the Zhukovskiy test flight centre near Moscow. Two flying labs, based on Tu-154 transports, were used to prior to this to duplicate anticipated Buran handling and test systems software. They conducted 140 flights before Buran's first flight, including 69 automatic landings at Zhukovskiy and at the Jubilee airfield at Baikonur.

Maximum speed 480 kph. Maximum altitude 1500 m. Time 12 minutes. References: 81 .

Two subscale models of Sputnik 1, were built by students for hand-launch from Mir on fortieth anniversary of Sputnik 1. Progress M-40 delivered a more advanced version, Sputnik 41. On a spacewalk from Mir on November 10, Padalka and Avdeyev hand-launched the amateur-radio minisatellite. The PS models carried a small transmitter and were sponsored by Aero Club de France, AMSAT-France, and the Astronautical Federation of Russia.