Flight of Goddard liquid fuel rocket with simplified combustion chamber, parachute releasing. Length 7 ft 9 in.; diameter 12 in.; height 1700+ ft; loud whistling on descent. References: 482 .

Lt. John Sessums (AAC) visited Robert H. Goddard to officially assess military value of Goddard's work. He reported that there was little military value, but that rockets would appear useful to drive turbines. References: 17 .

Dummy firing, no upper-air research experiment.

First launching of a rocket-propelled "flying wind tunnel" model by NACA Langley's PARD at Wallops Island, to measure roll damping of wings at transonic speeds. References: 17 .

AF flight 4. References: 49 , 97 .

Explorer VII achieved orbit and began providing significant geophysical information on solar and earth radiation, magnetic storms, and micrometeorite penetration. This satellite also successfully demonstrated a method of controlling internal temperatures. References: 483 .

Spacecraft engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere or outer space. Returned magnetic field and solar flare data. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

USAF Atlas launched at AMR placed nose cone containing three black mice 650 miles up and 5,000 miles downrange at 17,000 mph. Nose cone was recovered in target area near Ascension Island, the three mice surviving the flight in "good condition." References: 17 , 278 .

Discoverer XXXII was placed into polar orbit; its capsule contained components of USAF satellite systems. This marked the 100th successful firing of the Thor booster rocket. References: 18 .

KH-3; film capsule recovered 1.1 days later. Capsule recovered on orbit 18. 96% of film out of focus. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

State Committee for Defence Technology (GKOT) Decree 640/06 'On start of work on the GR-1' was issued. References: 474 .

Brezhnev faction assumes control of Politubro. Brezhnev was adverse to all projects Khrushchev had supported. These included those of Chelomei and his OKB-52.

A proposal to use a Ballute system rather than drogue parachutes to deploy the main chutes on the Apollo spacecraft was rejected. It was conceded that the Ballute system would slightly reduce dynamic pressure and command module oscillations at main parachute deployment. However, these advantages would be offset by the development risks of incorporating a new and untried system into the Apollo spacecraft at such a late date. References: 16 .

Tested spacecraft systems and designs, manoeuvring of space craft with respect to each other in orbit, conducted scientific, technical and medico-biological experiments in group flight. Was to have docked with Soyuz 7 and transferred crew while Soyuz 6 took film from nearby. However failure of rendezvous electronics in all three craft due to a new helium pressurization integrity test prior to the mission did not permit successful rendezvous and dockings. Recovered October 18, 1969 10:19 GMT. Additional Details: Soyuz 8. References: 1 , 2 , 6 , 32 , 33 , 60 .

Eight satellites launched by a single carrier rocket. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international coope ration scheme). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Environmental research. The experiments carried were a limb infrared monitoring of the stratosphere (LIMS), stratospheric and mesopheric sounder (SAMS), coastal-zone color scanner (CZCS), stratospheric aerosol measurement (SAM II), earth radiation budget (ERB), scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR), solar backscatter UV and total ozone mapping spectrometer (SBUV/TOMS), and temperature-humidity infrared radiometer (THIR). These sensors were capable of observing several parameters at and below the mesospheric levels. After 11 years in orbit, three experiments, SAM II, SBUV/TOMS, and ERB, were still functioning successfully. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Released barium cloud. Spent boosters, spent maneuvering stages, shrouds and other non-functional objects (US Cat D). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 278 .

Military cartographic satellite; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

First launch of new Ekspress communications satellite. Replaces Gorizont series. Stationed at 14.00W References: 2 , 5 , 6 , 67 , 274 .

Three navigation satellites for the GLONASS system were launched by a single Proton-K/Blok DM-2 upper stage into an initial 160 km x 64.8 deg parking orbit. The Blok DM-2 made two burns to maneuver into a 19120 x 19120 km x 64.8 deg orbit and deployed the three satellites about four hours after launch.