Apr 10 1970
From The Space Library
Astronaut John L. Swigert, Jr., would replace Thomas K. Mattingly II as cm pilot on Apollo 13 mission April 11, Dr, Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator, announced. Mattingly, exposed to German measles, had not developed immunity and was expected to show symptoms of disease next week. "The recommendation of everyone... was unanimous that Apollo 13 be launched tomorrow," Dr. Paine told press at KSC. Decision was made after Swigert demonstrated in intensive training that he could replace Mattingly on short notice. "When it comes to the problems you can get into in the command module... Jack [Swigert] literally wrote the book on the malfunctions and how to overcome them," Dr. Paine said. Director of Flight Crew Operations Donald K. Slayton said Swigert had performed critical maneuvers flawlessly in training, "Our simulator people said it couldn't be done. . but we anticipated more problems than we had. We were all surprised. It went very smoothly." (Wilford, NYT, 4/11/70, 1; O'Toole, W Post, 4/11/70, Al)
President Nixon honored visiting West German Chancellor and Mrs. Willy Brandt at White House dinner on eve of Apollo 13 launch. He said: "We are particularly happy that tomorrow you will go to see the takeoff of Apollo 13. We are very honored that tonight among our very honored guests is Wernher Von Braun, which reminds us of the debt we owe to those who have helped our space project and who are of German background." President said he had telephoned Astronaut James A. Lovell, Jr., and Apollo 13 colleagues as they were having dinner together at MSC. "I wished them well and told them that the Chancellor would be there to see the take off and they promised much better weather than when 'I saw it last year." (PD, 4/13/70, 508-10)
Few people "really seem to care" that $375-million Apollo 13 mission "may never get off the ground tomorrow" because astronauts had been exposed to measles, Wall Street Journal said. Mission was inspiring "little excitement at KSC or elsewhere across the land." Perhaps 100000 tourists were on hand for event, "but that's a small crowd compared. with the million or so that came here for the first moon shot. . . ..' There would be 700 newsmen, "far below the 2000 who covered the first shot." (Tanner, WSJ, 4/10/70)
First aircraft designed and produced in Israel-twin-engine, 20-passenger Arava STOL aircraft-made inaugural flight from Lydda Airport near Tel Aviv. Built by Israel Aircraft Industries, Arava cost $400 000 and was intended for feeder lines in developed nations and more rugged operations in developing areas. Aircraft was powered by Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines from Canada. (NYT, 4/10/70, 2)
Nimbus IV meteorological satellite, launched April 8, had contacted elk fitted with instrumented collar in Wyoming April 1 and had transmitted data on elk's temperature, NASA announced. (UPI, W Post, 4/12/70, 60)
MSC announced award of $1.9-million contract to Itek Corp. for design, development, and delivery of multispectral photographic equipment for Project Skylab. Itek would provide one six-lens camera flight unit, one backup, and associated lenses and magazines. (MSC Release 70-41)
Washington Post editorial commented on launch of Project Tektite II: "As the astronauts get ready to soar to the heights, it is worth mentioning that a group of aquanauts have sunk to the bottoms-in this case, the crew of Tektite II.... The drama of undersea exploration is considerably less than probes into outer space; but, in many ways, the world on the floor of the sea is more mysterious, more demanding-and potentially richer in what it offers mankind-than anything on the craterscape of the moon." (W Post, 4/10/70, A18)
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