RUSSIA’S THIRD COSMIC ROCKET

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29017, 5 October 1959, Page 11

RUSSIA’S THIRD COSMIC ROCKET

Space Station Goes Into Orbit Near Moon

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 10 p.m.) MOSCOW, October 4. Russia launched her third cosmic rocket early this morning, the official Soviet news agency, Tass, announced. The launching was carried out with the aid of a multi-stage rocket, the last stage of which, on reaching a given speed, put into orbit an interplanetary station. “The orbit of the station has been selected so as to ensure that the station will pass near and round the moon,” the Tass announcement caul

The Statement said the interplanetary station would pass at a distance of about 6250 miles from the moon and then circle it. "Having left the moon behind the station, at its furthest movement, will travel in the area of the earth.” it said.

“Tass” did not clarify this statement. The rocket is putting out signals and radio observations of the rocket can be made in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The announcement said: “In accordance with the programme for research into cosmic space and in preparation for interplanetary flights the third launching of a cosmic rocket was successfully carried out in the Soviet Union today. An automatic interplanetary station has been set up aboard the rocket.” “Tass” said the final stage of the rocket weighed 34201 b. approximately a ton and a half, without fuel. Its chosen orbit will make it possible to observe the interplanetary station from the Northern Hemisphere. Moscow Radio said the rocket is putting out signals on 39.986 megacycles and on 183.6 megacycles. “The launching was carried out with the aid of a multi-stage rocket. The last stage of the rocket, on reaching a given speed, put into the necessary orbit an automatic interplanetary station. “The orbit of the automatic interplanetary station has been selected to ensure that the station will pass near and around the moon.” The tw'o radio stations aboard the rocket will transmit information to the earth daily in transmissions lasting from two to four hours, the first beginning at 1

co-operation in outer space exploration,” the announcement said. Tass said the 183,6 megacycles radio link will be used to control elements of orbit of the interplanetary station. Scientists in Britain think this may mean Soviet rocket experts have devised a method of steering the space station. A Los Angeles report said the California Institute of Technology early today rushed engineers to the desert tracking station to attempt to track the Soviet cosmic rocket. Scientists at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, will decide within 24 hours whether to track the Soviet rocket with their giant radio telescope. A spokesman said the decision on whether to switch the telescope from its present job of astronomical research to the rocket would be made within 24 hours. Russia has previously launched two successful cosmic rockets. The first, on January 2, was aimed “at the vicinity of the moon.” It passed the moon at a distance of 4600 miles and went into orbit round the sun. The second, Lunik 11. hit the moon on September 13. The United States, after four failures, succeeded in putting a rocket past the moon and into orbit round the sun on March 3.

p.m. Moscow time today (10 a.m. G.M.T.), when the station will be over the Indian Ocean at a height of 67,500 miles from the earth. The interplanetary station itself weighs 6131 b, according to Moscow Radio. It was mounted on the last stage of the rocket and, after going into orbit, separated from the rocket. The last stage of the rocket and the station are moving in similar orbits. The space station, designed for extensive research into cosmic space, contains .scientific and technical apparatus and a system of automatic temperature control Power is supplied by solar batteries and chemical sources of current, the radio said. "The launching of the third Soviet cosmic rocket and the development of an automatic interplanetary station will supply new data on outer space and represent another contribution of the Soviet people to international