January 1980:milestones

September 1979

11 Novosti announces that a ground experiment has been completed in readiness for the flight of the next Cosmos bio-satellite. Scientists were able to make “a complete assessment of research equipment and the state of animals and other biological subjects in conditions very close to those of actual space flight.” During the forthcoming flight “it is proposed to conduct the first research into the development of mammal and bird embryos in weightless conditions. NASA, which is participating in the experiment, explained that a group of control animals identical to those going into space would be housed in an identical spacecraft on the ground, being subjected to the same vibratory and gravity forces of launch and re-entry as the orbiting animals. They will experience any changes which occur in the orbiting craft as those changes are transmitted to Earth. This synchronous control will help ensure that difference between control and flight animals can be attributed to the experience of weightlessness.

18 Seven-member delegation from People’s Republic of China begins discussions in Washington and elsewhere with NASA officials on a memorandum of understanding for China’s use of Landsat Earth resources satellites. International interest in satellite remote sensing is widespread and growing. Foreign-funded ground stations are now operating in Brazil, Italy, Canada (two facilities), Japan and Sweden. A ground station near Hyderabad, India, began test training with Landsat 2 last August. Argentina and Australia each have a Landsat ground station under construction. Stations are planned by Chile, Zaire, Upper Volta,Kenya, Romania, Thailand and New Zealand.

20 NASA launches third and last High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO 3) from Cape Canaveral by Atlas-Centaur into 309 mile (497 km) orbit. Objective of 6,500 lb (2,948 kg) observatory is to provide more information on gamma and cosmic rays.

25 Soviets launch Vostok-type bio-satellite Cosmos 1129 from Tyuratam into orbit of 226 x 406 km x 62.8 deg;period 90.5 min. in first experiment to breed mammals in space. International payload includes experiments from USSR and Intercosmos countries, United States and France. Major experiment consists of 38 white rats prepared by Soviet and Bulgarian scientists.

October 1979

2 NASA announces that development of the Manned Manoeuvring Unit (MMU) is to be accelerated as a means of allowing an astronaut to inspect and repair the Space Shuttle’s heat resistant tiles while in orbit.The MMU, built by Martin-Mareitta Aerospace, is an improved version of a gas-jet manoeuvring backpack flown inside Skylab during the second and third astronaut visits in 1973-74.

9 NASA announces that a new Headquarters programme office has been established to be responsible for operations of the Space Transportation System. The new office will have charge of Space Transportation System operations and functions including scheduling,manifesting, pricing and launch service agreements,the Spacelab programme, and NASA’s expendable launch vehicles, except for development of Space Shuttle upper stages.

13 Re-entry capsule of Cosmos 1129 bio-satellite containing live rats, quails eggs, insects, plants and cell preparations, soft-lands in Kazakhstan after flight lasting 19 days. Throughout the flight, specialists on the ground received detailed information from the orbiting laboratory. After landing the test subjects on board had to be recovered very quickly, before they re-adapted to Earth gravity. The Soviet recovery team set up a field laboratory at the landing site comprising several linked inflatable ‘tents.’ Some dissections of rats were carried out on the spot and the remaining subjects were taken to the Moscow Institute of Biological Problems. There scientists from the USSR, Bulgaria, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, Poland, the USA and France continued their examinations. After a preliminary study, some of the test specimens will be distributed to the laboratories of other countries participating in the experiments. Of particular importance are U.S.studies of animal muscle fibres and of animal bone formation and strength. These were expected to provide insights into the reasons for calcium loss in the bones and a loss of muscle strength experienced by astronauts and cosmonauts during prolonged space flights.

14 Following structural tests of the Space Shuttle Orbiter ‘Challenger’ at Palmdale, Lockheed-California confirms that the Rockwell-built vehicle conforms to specification for structural strength. This is another key step in the certification of the spacecraft for manned flight. ‘Challenger’ has since been returned to the Rockwell plant where it is being brought up to flight standard as one of the four operational vehicles.