Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in ... - The Black Vault

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Project Apollo: Americans to the Moon
earlier focus on a post-Apollo national space objective involving the development
of new space modules (such as a prototype of a space station or a planetary mission
module) for initial earth orbital flight in the early 1970’s.
Attachment 7 lists the objectives of planned Saturn Apollo Applications
missions scheduled on the flight indicated on Attachment 6. These missions
are under continual study to identify and trade-off alternative modes of
accomplishing the mission objectives. Approximately two years prior to the
scheduled launch date for each mission, the objectives and flight assignments for
that mission to be firmly established and a period of intensive mission planning
must begin throughout the NASA organization and its contractors. The Saturn
Apollo Applications missions planned for 1968-69 will enter this two-year mission
preparation phase during FY 1967, while the post-1969 missions will be the subject
of further definition studies and long lead item development effort. The total
process of identification, definition, selection, hardware development, flight
qualification and procurement of experiments can take a total of 3 to 4 years
and must be initiated long enough in advance to be in phase with the schedule
requirements for detailed mission planning and launch. Similarly, adequate lead
times must be allowed for procurement of basic space vehicle hardware.
[14] Attachments: [not provided]
1. Saturn Apollo Applications Mission Objectives
2. Extended Capability of Apollo Space Vehicles Planned for Saturn
Apollo Applications Missions
3. Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) Concept
4. Applications A Experimental System (AAP A)
(Primarily Meteorology)
5. Saturn Apollo Applications Launch Schedule, Case I
6. Saturn Apollo Applications Launch Schedule, Case II
Document II-46
Document Title: Letter from Thomas Gold to Harold Urey, 9 June 1966.
Source: Archives of the Royal Society, London, England (reprinted with
permission).
Professor Thomas Gold was a well-known astronomer at Cornell University, noted for his
unconventional views. Gold had suggested that the lunar surface was covered with a deep
layer of fine dust, and thus might not support the weight of a landing spacecraft with
astronauts aboard. In this letter to equally well-known astronomer Harold Urey, Gold reflects
of the results of the Surveyor 1 mission, which landed on the moon on 2 June 1966.