Apr 17

Space Rocket History #59 – Ranger 8-9, and Intelsat I

Posted on April 17, 2014 by spac9750

In total Ranger 9 transmitted 5,814 good contrast photographs during the final 19 minutes of flight. The last image taken before impact had a resolution of 0.3 meters per pixel. The spacecraft encountered the lunar surface after 64.5 hours of flight. Impact occurred at 14:08:19 UT right on target in the Alphonsus crater. Impact velocity was 2.67 km/s. The spacecraft performance was excellent.

Ranger Block 3 Design

Ranger 8 Launch

First Ranger 8 Pic

Sea of Tranquillity

By Dave.

Rilles on Alphonus Crater

Intelsat I (Early Bird)

Delta-D with Intelsat I

Feb 20

Space Rocket History #51 – Gemini 1 – Test Flight – Part 1

Posted on February 20, 2014 by spac9750

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“The primary objective of the first Gemini mission, was to prove that the Titan II was capable of launching the Gemini spacecraft into orbit within the tolerances imposed by manned space flight. The secondary objective was for the spacecraft to gather and report data.”

Sequence Compatibility Firing of the two stages of Gemini launch vehicle 1 at pad 19, Jan. 21,1964

Gemini-Titan 1 during Electronic-Electrical Interference Tests with the launch vehicle erector lowered

Gemini boilerplate 3A in the production area at the McDonnell plant before being shipped to Weber Aircraft

Jan 09

Space Rocket History #45 – Voskhod-1with Kamarov, Yegorov, and Feoktistov – Part 2

Posted on January 9, 2014 by spac9750

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From the Control center Yuri Gagarin’s kept the crew informed on everything taking place on the now deserted launching site. Finally the command was given: “Stand by!” Now, It would be a matter or minutes before the launch. Commands followed in quick succession. The flight recorder was switched on, the engines started up. There was not much noise at first. But, after the command “Main Engine” the noise and the vibration grew stronger. The final command came at 07:30 UT “Start!”