Evening star., 1962-08-27
VENUS
Present Trajectory Would Garry
Craft 100000 Miles From Planet
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the amount of kick needed.
Before the motor is turned on.
ground signals will align the
roll and pitch axes of the space
craft so it will be pointed in
the right direction.
Rocket Rolls
Mariner ? blasted away from
Cape Canaveral at 2:54 am.
CEDT) atop a powerful Atlas
Agena B rocket. Half an hour
later the rocket injected the
spacecraft on an interplanetary
trajectory at a speed of about
25.500 miles an hour.
The exact reason for the
spacecraft being off course in
its early stages was not imme-
diately known. But officials sus-
pected that an abnormal roll
ing motion in the first stage
Atlas rocket might have af-
fected its trajectory. The roll
ing motion occurred for about
so seconds of the minute
Atlas flight.
1t was thought at first that
indications of rolling might be
due to false radio signal from
the Atlas. But after analysis of
data officials said they believed
there actually was a roll.
1O9-Day Trip
Although Mariner II was re-
leased into space at speed Of
25,500 miles an hour. it gradu-
ally began to slow down as
planned for the long haul.
NASA reported that calcula-
tionS showed Mariner II would
be 1924 miles from earth at
3 pm. (EST.
Mr.. James said rolling
might have damaged other in
struments in the SpacecTaft,
which might affect its opera
ton in the coming weeks.
The spacecraft was not de-
signed for severe buffeting," he
said.
Shortly after the 44T-pound
payload was carried aloft,
NASA officials said both stages
of the las-Agena rocket ap-
peared to have fired properly.
An hour after the 10-Story
tall rocket and Spacecraft lifted
off, the tracking station at
Woomera, Australia picked up
its signals and confirmed that
its l6l2-foot span solar panels
had unfolded properly. The
panels collect the suns days
and convert them to energy to
run the spacecraft's batteries.
Could Solve Mystery
If Mariner II gets back on its
course. its instruments will
take the first closeup look at
secrets, which the bright planet
conceals beneath a perpetual
blanket of surrounding clouds.
1t could help solve one of the
most puzzling mysteries of the
solar system: Can life as we
know it exist on Venus? Most
scientists doubt that life ex-r
lists there because of steaming
temperatures near the surface
En- route to Venus, Mariner II
is to make the most comprehen-
sive exploration yet attempted
OF interplanetary space.
Even though the early stages
OF flight were successful, the
gold-and-silver- coated space
craft has many hurdles to clear
such as temperature varia-
tions and radiation effects
as it zips along through the
dangerous unknownS of space. Z
Another big question mark !
was how we'll it would send 6
back information across great :
distances. Americas Pioneer v :
sun satellite now holds the :
record, having beeped back :
signals from 22.5 million miles :
in space. :
Last Chance Until 1864
II Mariner II does not sue
ceed, the United States must
wait until 1864 before Venus
again is in a favorable position :
for a launching.
The first American Venus
shot. Mariner I, failed last July
% when a faulty guidance
equation caused the Atlas
Agena B booster to waive from
its course, and it was destroyed i
by the range safety officer I
about five minutes after {
launching. Russia shot a probe
within $4,000 miles of Venus
last year but received no infor- ,
nation back because of a dead
radio.
The Atlas-Agena B per-
formed as planned today. Five ,,
minutes after launching. Agena
B ignited and settled into an
orbit lis miles high and, in p.
effect, became a space launch !
platform from which Mariner
II was unlooSed.
The Agena BIS engine cut off
and the 22-foot-long vehicle S
coasted in so-called parking
orbit for about II minutes
until it was in an opportune /
position over the South At !
lantic Ocean to place the space /
craft on the desired trajectory. I
Then the Agena B fired again
to kick Mariner II free. a