Russia Launches New Sputnik

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31248, 21 December 1966, Page 21

Russia Launches New Sputnik

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

MOSCOW, December 20.

The Soviet Union, nearing the end of its first year without a manned space flight since it pioneered orbital travel five years ago, stayed in the space race by launching the 136th in its “Cosmos” series of research sputniks yesterday.

“Tass,” the Soviet News Agency, announced the launching but gave no indication of what task Cosmos-136 would undertake.

Prague Radio said yesterday that the Soviet manned space programme had been delayed by economic restrictions imposed on all sections of the Russian economy after the downfall of Mr Khrushchev. Previous “Cosmos” shots

hjve gathered data for manned space flight, studied radiation, obtained weather information and performed a host of other orbital tasks—allegedly including spying on Western military moves. It is more than 21 months since the last manned Soviet flight, on March 18, 1965. The first “walk in space,” by the Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, took place during it The gap since then—the longest in Soviet space history—was believed in Moscow to be caused by adverse reaction by past spacemen to such factors as radiation and weightlessness. The Russians were reported to be anxious to overcome these problems before sending more men into space. It was reported, however, that the Russians are preparing a new series of giant spaceships, carrying up to eight men, which will make the next flight, probably early next year.