Apr 1 1968
From The Space Library
Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, Director of NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center, was elected member of National Academy of Engineering "in recognition and in honor of his important contributions to engineering and of his leadership in the field." He was cited for development and operation of manned spacecraft. (NAE PIO; MSC Roundup, 4/12/68, 1)
USAF F-111A aircraft had been grounded by USAF pending results of investigation of March 28 and 30 crashes, Associated Press reported. (W Star, 4/1/68, A3)
New York Times editorial on F-111A aircraft: "The difficulties that have beset the controversial F-111 swing-wing plane recently provide new evidence of the folly of allowing political factors to veto or dilute technical judgment. "These additional blows to a plane that still has great potential promise emphasize what most experts have been saying for seven years -the F-111 has been built the wrong way from the beginning. It reflected former Secretary of Defense McNamara's insistence, in the name of 'commonality' and savings, that the Navy and the Air Force buy one plane for two entirely different missions. "But, though the Navy's version may never-as Congress believes-meet the Navy's needs, the Air Force model has great potential capabilities as a supersonic high- and low-level all-weather fighter-bomber . . [and] must be developed, tested and utilized to its fullest capability." (NYT, 4/1/68)
AEC-NASA Space Nuclear Propulsion Office awarded Aerojet-General Corp. extension of cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for nuclear propulsion work. Extension covered period through Sept. 30, but NASA funding would be restricted to effort through July 31 pending Congressional action on NASA's FY 1969 budget request. Extension brought total estimated cost to $59,413,790 for Oct. 1, 1967, through Sept. 30, 1968, including $25,845,000 NASA share. (NASA Release 68-57; WSJ, 4/2/68, 12; SBD, 4/2/68, 179)
MSFC contract awards: $2,056,360 contract modification to RCA for continued support of RCA 110A computers for use in checkout and launch of Saturn IB and Saturn V launch vehicles, bringing total contract value to $12.7 million; and $11,750,000 follow-on contract to Sanders Associates, Inc., to provide logistics and engineering support to Saturn V operational display systems at MSFC, bringing total value of contracts to $3,899,548. (SFC Releases 68-57, 68-58)
USAF awarded RCA $100,000 initial increment to $1.5-million fixed-price contract for study, evaluation, and testing of advanced electro-optical techniques for surveillance of high-altitude space vehicles. (DOD Release 288-68)
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