July-August 1982:milestones

March 1982

12 ESA announces that the first operational launch of Ariane, L5, which was scheduled to place two spacecraft, Marecs-B and Sirio-2, in orbit on 23 April, will need to be delayed by at least two months. This postponement is due to an investigation required because of anomalies that recently occurred on Marecs-1, which was successfully launched on 20 December 1981. The Marecs-1 telemetry and command systems have been affected by electrostatic discharge caused by increased solar activity experienced since early February. Changes in the flight control procedures have been introduced with a view to protecting operations in future. At present, the satellite is operating satisfactorily. Marecs-B may require modification to make it insensitive to electrostatic phenomena.

18 Rain-soaked runways at Edwards Air Force Base in California prompt a decision to land the third Shuttle flight at Northrop Strip, a 35,000 ft gypsum-surfaced runway at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Two trains, one of 22 wagonloads, the other of 15, transfer landing equipment and vehicles 800 miles, while 100 Kennedy Space Center employees fly from Edwards to White Sands and 400 more are air-lifted from Florida to the new site. It is estimated that the change of landing site will double the processing time to 10 days.

20 It is reported that NASA is considering the possibility of moving the ISEE-3 satellite, currently in a “halo” orbit about one of the Earth’s libration points, for a September 1985 intercept of Comet Ciacobini-Zinner. Although the satellite carries no cameras it could provide valuable cometary data and pre-empt the European, Soviet and Japanese Halley probes.

22 Launch of the third Space Shuttle mission, carrying astronauts Lousma and Fullerton, occurs at 4 p.m. GMT. Auxiliary Power Unit 3 has to be shut down because of high temperatures; main engine cut-off comes at 8 m 34 s. The first OMS burn of 87 seconds establishes a 53x150 mile orbit, the second slots Columbia into a 150 mile circular orbit. Commander Lousma is affected by sickness, a problem he had during his Skylab flight in 1973.

23 The Shuttle astronauts notice that tiles are missing from Columbia’s nose, and views from the Remote Manipulator show others missing from underneath and from the body flap. Pieces of tiles found on the launch pad indicate they were dislodged by ice falling from the External Tank during launch.

30 Shuttle Orbiter Columbia lands at the back-up Northrup Strip landing site in New Mexico, after a one day delay because of high winds.

April 1982

6 NASA announces that it has awarded contracts for test mirrors for its advanced X-ray astronomical satellite, expected to be launched at the end of this decade.

8 Working around the clock when desert winds permitted 500 Kennedy Space Center government and contractor personnel loaded Columbia onto NASA’s converted 747 which takes off from Northrup Strip at White Sands Missile Range at 9 a.m. EST. The jet touches down en route to KSC at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. It is the shortest stay time at a landing site of the three developmental flights. Striving to reduce turnaround, Launch Director George Page hopes to launch the Shuttle on its last test mission on 27 June.

10 The Indian communications/meteorological satellite Insat 1A is launched by Delta 3910/PAM from the Kennedy Space Center. The satellite is designed to provide domestic and direct broadcasting services but initial indications are that the main antenna has failed to deploy properly.