1970

From The Space Library

Johnson Space Center Press Releases. (7MB PDF)

U.S. orbited 38 spacecraft in 28 launches-including Apollo 13's CSM Odyssey, LM Aquarius, and S-IVB stage intentionally crashed onto moon. U.S.S.R. orbited 88 payloads in 81 launches; France, 2; Italy, 1 (for NASA on NASA launch vehicle); Japan, 1; and Communist China, 1. U.S. total included 21 orbited by DOD in 17 launches and 17 by NASA in 13 launches. NASA's total included 1 launched for NATO and 1 for DOD. NASA's manned space flight program continued with launch of Apollo 13, but mission was cut short by an oxygen tank rupture. Three-man crew, taking emergency measures and using LM as "lifeboat," returned safely to earth after looping around moon. Analysis of Apollo system and modifications necessary to prevent or meet future emergencies and reevaluation of Apollo program caused re- scheduling of Apollo 14 from 1970 to early 1971 and reduction in number of remaining Apollo missions from six to four. Unmanned program included orbiting of Intelsat-III F-b, Intelsat III F-7, and Intelsat-III F-8 comsats for ComSatCorp; Noaa I meteorological satellite for NOAA and prototype meteorological satellite ITOS I; NASA's Nimbus IV in support of world weather program; Uhuru (Explorer XLII) Small Astronomy Satellite (launched for NASA by Italy); Sert II Space Electric Rocket Test; and OFO Orbiting Frog Otolith, carrying two bullfrogs. Launched as secondary payloads were Oscar V(U.S.-Australia) amateur radio-propagation satellite carried on ITOS I; DOD's Topo I geodetic satellite, on Nimbus IV; RM Radiation/Meteoroid Satellite, on OFO; and Cepe Cylindrical Electrostatic Probe Experiment, on Noaa I. Almost 100 scientific sounding rockets were launched to altitudes between 160 and 1600 km (100 and 1000 mi) to study space physics and astronomy, including 19 during solar eclipse. One of the 19 detected unexpectedly high amount of neutral hydrogen streaming into earth's atmosphere. Meteorological sounding rockets included 46 Nike-Cajuns and more than 200 boosted Dart and Arcas rockets. About 60 high-altitude balloons-including one carrying Stratoscope II optical telescope-were launched to altitudes as high as 45 700 m (150 000 ft). In joint NASA-USAF lifting-body program M2-F3, HL-10, and X24A lifting-body vehicles made 22 flights. HL-10 reached mach 1.86 (1970 km per hr; 1224 mph), setting new lifting-body speed record. M2-F3 made its first glide flight and X-24A made its first supersonic flight, reaching 1223 km per hr (760 mph). In aeronautics, YF-12A aircraft made 60 flights in joint NASA/USAF research program. Boeing 747 jumbo jet began commercial operations, and maiden flights were made by USN F-14A Tomcat air superiority fighter, Lockheed L-1011 airbus, and Douglas DC-10 airbus. C-5A cargo transport was delivered to Charleston AFB for operational use. SST development continued-amid much debate over costs, sonic boom, and environmental pollution-with Congress approving funding through March 1971. Full-scale hypersonic research engine was tested for first time in LaRC's 8-Foot High Temperature Structures Tunnel at mach 7.4, and thick supercritical wing was flown on modified USN T-2-C aircraft, Other aeronautical research included studies on runway slipperiness, V/STOL avionics, aircraft noise, landing radar, and pilot warning indicators. DOD space program included orbiting of last two Vela nuclear detection satellites, Topo I geodetic satellite (launched by NASA), and U.K.'s Skynet B military comsat (launched by NASA). In joint NASA-AEC effort, SNAP-19 and SNAP-27 radioisotope generators completed one year of continuous operation on lunar surface, candidate fuel element for NERVA completed 10 hrs of electrical corrosion testing, and Peewee-2 experimental reactor was fabricated and delivered for testing in early 1971. U.S.S.R.'s 88 payloads included 72 Cosmos satellites, 2 Lunas, 1 Zond, 1 Soyuz, 1 Venus, 2 Intercosmos, 4 Meteors, and 5 Molniya Is. Unmanned Luna XVI landed on moon and returned to earth with lunar samples. Luna XVII landed on moon and released Lunokhod I unmanned explorer that traveled across lunar surface and conducted experiments by ground command. Venus VII landed on planet Venus and transmitted data on Venusian surface and atmosphere. Only manned. mission was Soyuz IX, which carried two cosmonauts on 18-day earth-orbital mission, a new space endurance record. Two countries orbited their first satellites: Japan launched Ohsumi and Communist China launched Chicom I. France launched two satellites-Dial, carrying West German WIKA mini-capsule, and Peole applications satellite. (Pres Rpt 71)

In 1970 NASA reviewed priorities and redirected activities to conform to new national goals and budgetary restraints under Nixon Administration, which directed increased funding toward solution of nation's inflationary and environmental problems. Year was transition from dramatic successes of 1960s to new plans for 1970s and beyond, with balanced aeronautical and space program. Major administrative event affecting NASA was resignation of Administrator, Dr. Thomas O. Paine, effective Sept. 15. Dr. Paine, who had been nominated NASA Administrator by President Nixon March 5, 1969, returned to General Electric Co. as a Vice President. Dr. George M. Low became Acting NASA Administrator. In March Dr. Wernher von Braun, MSFC Director, was sworn in as Deputy Associate Administrator for Planning, and in May NASA Planning Board was established under his direction for coordination of NASA planning. NASA adjusted time-phasing of future programs to avoid commitments to excessive funding, but progress was made toward new goals and objectives announced in March. Design, development, and testing for Skylab program went forward and fabrication of flight hardware was begun. System characteristics for Space Shuttle, key element in program for late 1970s, were established and study contracts were let for vehicle and engine. Program definition studies for space station neared completion. ERTS spacecraft design was completed and aircraft flights tested remote-sensing devices for gathering earth resources data from space. Two flight spacecraft for Mariner Mars '71 missions were progressing toward final testing. Mission design for Grand Tour of outer planets later in decade was completed and conceptual design of key elements of spacecraft established. NASA continued aeronautical and space studies in conjunction with DOD, DOT, NOAA, and other agencies-including NASA-FAA V/STOL avionics program. Scientific analysis of 56 kg (123 lbs) of lunar material from Apollo 11 and 12 and data from Apollo experiments contributed significant knowledge on moon and possibly universe, including finding that moon was formed 4.5 billion yrs ago. GSFC research in optical methods for data processing experimented in applying lasers and coherent optics to analysis of large volumes of data from spacecraft. During year NASA's research centers expanded work on applications of space technology to fields of medicine, engineering, agriculture, manufacturing, safety, and environmental sciences. NASA FY 1971 appropriation of $3.269 billion was $64 million below $3.333 billion requested and $428 million below FY 1970 appropriation. Lowest budget since 1962 necessitated cutbacks and deferrals which NASA Administrator termed "austere." Cost of NASA space program in 1970 was $3.4 billion-1.7% of total Federal funding, or $17 for each person in U.S., against $400 per person for domestic program funding. Despite its challenging goals for the decade, NASA officials warned of increasing U.S.S.R. competition for space superiority. Observers expressed fears that cutbacks in aerospace industry jeopardized U.S; ability; to sustain and capitalize on previous space successes and to maintain technological superiority. (A&A 70; Pres Rpt 71; House Coin on Science and Astronautics, The National Space Program-Present and Future, 12/10/70)

In international cooperation program, NASA successfully launched U.K.'s Skynet B military comsat for DOD, Nato 1 military comsat for NATO, and Oscar V radio propagation satellite for U.S. and Australian amateur radio operators. Italian crew, trained by NASA, launched NASA's Uhuru on NASA launch vehicle. U.S.-U.S.S.R. agreement was reached on procedure for joint efforts to design compatible rendezvous and docking systems for manned spacecraft. Since European Space Conference had indicated that major participation in U.S. space transportation program would probably mean end to Europa III launcher program funding, ESC was assured U.S. would continue to make reimbursable launch services available for European payloads for peaceful purposes. Such participation was understood to mean at least 10% of developmental costs of space transportation system, or about $1 billion. During year NASA held briefings for U.N. Outer Space Committee and invited U.N. and specialized agencies to participate in International Workshop on Earth Resources Survey System in 1971. Discussions were held with Brazil, Canada, and Mexico on agreements to extend cooperation in earth resources area; experimenters from 28 countries signified intention to submit proposals to analyze data acquired by ERTS. Joint working group meetings were held in India and U.S. on satellite instructional TV experiment for ATS-F. NASA and AID began 18mo experimental project with Korea in application of aerospace technology to Korean economic problems. NASA and Canadian government signed agreement to study application of augmentor wing concept to V/STOL aircraft. Agreement was concluded with U.K. to test-fly NASA's XH-51 rigid-rotor helicopter in U.K. and to share data. Agreements for new projects were reached with Netherlands, U.K., and Italy. Netherlands agreement called for cooperative development and launch in 1974 of small astronomical satellite (ANS) with one U.S. and two Dutch experiments to investigate stellar UV, and x-ray radiation. U.K. agreement was for 1973 launch of UKR x-ray satellite, fifth in Ariel series. Italian agreement established principles far NASA launch on reimbursable basis of Italian Sirio satellite to study wave propagation and electron flows in magnetosphere. NASA accepted experiment from French National Laboratory for Space Astronomy to study stellar UV, emissions from Skylab and accepted instrument developed by French National Laboratory for Stellar and Planetary Physics for investigating solar chromosphere structure from OSO-I, scheduled for 1973 launch. Assistance was accepted from U.K.'s Jodrell Bank Observatory in planning activities of radio science team for 1975 Project Viking Mars probe. New sounding rocket agreements were signed with Australia, India, Spain, and Sweden, and negotiations were held with France for cooperative upper-atmosphere sounding rocket launchings at Kourou in French Guiana. Lunar material returned by Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 was studied by 54 foreign principal investigators in 16 countries. in addition to U.S. scientists. (A&A 70; Pres Rpt 71)

Aerospace industry sales continued anticipated decline in 1969, to $24.9 billion from $26.1 billion-decrease of 4.6%. Commercial aerospace sales, primarily jet transports, increased 13.7% in 1970 from 4.342 million in 1969, to $4.910 million. Increase reflected delivery of wide-bodied jet transports. Space sales continued decline, to $3.606 million from $4.272 million in 1969, because of completion of Apollo program hardware phase and decline in military space expenditures. Aerospace industry remained Nation's largest manufacturing employer during 1970, with more than 1 million workers. Employment in aerospace industry declined from average of 1 347 000 workers in December 1969 to 1 067 000 in December 1970. Production workers dropped from 696 000 in December 1969 to 515 000 in December 1970, a 26% decrease. (Aerospace, 12170, 3)

Apollo 11 and 12 lunar samples were seen by 41 million persons in U.S. and abroad during year. Samples were shown at 128 events covering all 50 states, with total attendance of some 12 million. Out side U.S., samples were shown to almost 30 million persons in 110 countries, including almost 14 million visitors to Expo '70 in Japan. NASA facilities across U.S. were inspected by 3 million persons, with heaviest influx at MSC (over 1 million) and KSC (1.2 million). (NASA Release 71-8)

Scheduled domestic airlines experienced no passenger deaths within continental limits of U.S. during year. For all scheduled flights, airlines compiled record of 0.001 death per 100 million passenger-miles lowest record in airline history. Aircraft hijacked to Cuba totaled 13 in 1970, 31 in 1969. (DOT Release 0971)

Total scheduled airline traffic gained only 1% in 1970. Average growth rate in 1960s had been 16.6%. Airline industry incurred largest losses in 1970-$179 million. Losses caused rate of return on investment to fall to lowest level in history-1.5%. Domestic passenger traffic growth slowed almost to halt in 1970. Beginning in August, passenger traffic on domestic trunk carriers declined each month from level of same month in 1969. (Air Transport 1971, Annual Rpt of US scheduled airline industry)

Operations at 335 FAA-staffed control towers in U.S. and possessions decreased 2% from level of 56 231 821 in 1969 to 55 280 498 in 1970. Operations had increased 2% in 1969 and 11% in 1968. Number of aircraft handled by FAA's air route traffic control centers declined 1% in 1970. In 1969 centers had recorded 11% increase following 1968 increase of 17%. (FAA Release 71-85)