Apr 20 1972
From The Space Library
NASA TF-8A aircraft, piloted by Thomas C. McMurtry and equipped with supercritical wing, completed three performance evaluation flights from Flight Research Center. Aircraft flew at speeds ranging from mach 0.60 to 1.10 at 10 700-m (35 000-ft) altitude on one flight. On another it tested performance from mach 0.70 to 0.99 at 7300-m (24 000-ft) altitude and from mach 0.90 to 0.99 at 11 000 m (36 000 ft) . On third flight, aircraft flew at mach 0.96 and 0.98 at both 7600 m (25 000 ft) and 10 700 m (35 000 ft) and mach 0.95 to 1.18 at 13 700 m (45 000 ft) . Aircraft; with experimental wing designed to decrease buffeting at high subsonic speeds, would continue test flights through May 19 and would have new side fairings installed beginning May 22. (NASA prof off)
House approved H.R. 14070, $3,429-billion FY 1973 NASA authorization bill [see March 23] by vote of 277 to 60 after defeating amendment by Rep. Les Aspin (D-Wis.) to defer shuttle development until completion of study by National Academy of Sciences. House also defeated amendment by Rep. Charles D. Rangel (D-N.Y.) to delete $3 million for support of NASA tracking station in South Africa. (CR, 4/20/72, H3353-89)
NASA's Pioneer 10 Jupiter probe, launched March 2, was continuing toward encounter with Jupiter planned for 9:35 pm EST Dec. 3, 1973. Spacecraft was 36.6 million km (22.7 million mi) from earth and 691.4 million km (429.6 million mi) from Jupiter and was traveling at 10 km per sec (6 mps) relative to earth. Meteoroid detector had recorded 22 hits and asteroid/meteoroid detector had observed 14 objects. Data from other eight instruments were being furnished to investigators. Infrared radiometer would be turned on for checkout April 21 and then turned off until encounter with Jupiter. (NASA proj off)
Goddard Space Flight Center was awarding $100 000 contract to RAND Corp. to plan and coordinate study for Broadcasting Satellite System. RAND would provide improved analytical tools for technical guidance and support of broadcasting satellite services development. (GSFC PAO; SBD, 4/20/72, 273)
Dept. of Transportation award of $1.3-million grant to Atomic Energy Commission's Lawrence Livermore Laboratory to assess effects of proposed 1985-1990 high-altitude aircraft on environment was announced by Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe. Project was part of DoT's Climatic Impact Assessment Program (CIAP). Laboratory would construct sophisticated computer models to predict effect of subsonic and supersonic aircraft on temperature, cloud formation, and stratospheric shielding of potentially hazardous ultraviolet radiation from sun. (DoT Release 38-72)
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