Apr 10 1972
From The Space Library
Six-day countdown for Apollo 16 began at 8:30 am EsT at Kennedy Space Center. Spacecraft was scheduled for launch at 12:45 pm EST April 16. (AP, NYT, 4/11/72, 15)
Legal Subcommittee of United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space began four-week session in Geneva to study Soviet draft treaty for cooperation in exploration and use of moon. Draft treaty had been submitted to U.N. in June 1971. At opening session U.S. representative Herbert K. Reis proposed that nations planning manned or unmanned lunar missions be required to notify U.N. in advance and that Soviet draft treaty be amended to permit use of military personnel or facilities on moon for peaceful purposes. (NYT, 4/11/72, 10)
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction was signed simultaneously in Washington, London, and Moscow. In Washington, D.C., ceremony President Nixon said Convention meant "that all the scientists of the world, certainly a universal community, whatever their language, whatever their race, whatever their background, instead of working to develop biological weapons which one nation might use against another nation, now may devote their entire energy toward working against the enemy of all mankind-disease." (PD, 4/17/72, 744-5)
Tenth anniversary of Navy Astronautics Group at Point Mugu, Calif. Group operated Navy Navigation Satellite System, by which Navy ships at sea pinpointed their positions. Group had five navigation satellites in orbit. (PMR Missile, 4/21/72, 1)
National Science Foundation released National Patterns of R&D Re- sources: Funds and Manpower in the United States 1953-1972 (NSF 72-300). Research and development expenditures were expected to reach $28.0 billion in 1972, up from $26.8 billion in 1971, increase of 4.3%; 1970 to 1971 increase had been 2.1%. R&D was expected to account for 2.5% of estimated 1972 U.S. gross national product GNP), down from 2.6% in 1971. In 1964, R&D and GNP ratio reached 3.0%. Approximately 54% of national R&D effort was supported by Federal funds, primarily from Dept. of Defense and NASA. Industrial sector was second largest source. Companies were expected to provide two fifths of total U.S. R&D funds in 1972, up steadily from 31% in 1964. Estimated 519 000 scientists and engineers in U.S.-more than one third-were employed in R&D during 1971, 5% fewer than in 1970. Nearly 70% of these professionals worked for industrial firms. Basic research expenditures for 1972 were projected at $4.1 billion, with applied research at $6.4 billion. In 1971, $4.0 billion and $6.1 billion had been spent on these activities. Universities and colleges were expected to perform more than 55% of national basic research effort during 1972, up slightly from 1971. (Text)
"Space in the Age of Aquarius," hour-long special on space program, was shown on nationwide Columbia Broadcasting System W. Program, produced and emceed by actor Hugh O'Brian, included interviews with NASA scientists on benefits of space exploration. Comedian Jonathan Winters played part of numerous skeptics opposed to space pro-gram and new technology. In Baltimore Sun Judy Bachrach later commented that "gist of program could be found in Mr. O'Brian's very last rhetorical question, `Do we go or do we stop?' We go on, we go on." By end of program "you could have just about died of shame for ever having dared to think anything perverse about our space program. NASA couldn't have got better propaganda if it had produced the show itself." (UPI, C Trib, 4/10/72; B Sun, 4/14/72)
April 10-11: NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel reviewed all aspects of Skylab program during meeting at Marshall Space Flight Center. Skylab program managers and key personnel briefed panel. Panel would later advise NASA Administrator on any hazards in program's operation or facilities. (MSFC Release 72-40; MSFC PAO)
Laurence E. Manning, a Canadian by birth and one of the original American Interplanetary Society founders dies at his home in Atlantic Highlands. New York Times
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