Apr 2 1992
From The Space Library
After winning Senate approval in near-record time, Daniel S. Goldin was sworn in as NASA's ninth Administrator. (WP, Apr 2/92)
The Space Shuttle Atlantis made a near-perfect touchdown at Cape Canaveral after a nine-day atmospheric research flight, NASA's first manned "Mission to Planet Earth." Atlantis' ambitious flight marked the first in a series of at least 10 such missions to study the Sun and Earth's atmosphere over the next decade to chart subtle changes in the Sun's energy output that affect chemical processes critical to life on Earth. The Shuttle circled the world 143 times during its nine-day voyage and traveled 3.7 million miles. (UPI, Apr 2/92; AP, Apr 2/92)
U.S. officials announced a tentative agreement between the United States and Europe limiting government support for the commercial aircraft industry. The deal would cap government support to Airbus for developing new aircraft at 30 percent to 35 percent of production costs. The sort of indirect support that the Europeans had charged U.S. manufacturers with receiving would be limited to 5 percent of a company's sales of civil aircraft. (B Sun, Apr 2/92; LA Times, Apr 2/92; WSJ, Apr 2/92; NY Times, Apr 2/92)
Loral Corporation became the first U.S. aerospace company to win government approval to buy advanced space technology from the former Soviet Union. The Defense Department authorized Loral's Space Systems Division in Palo Alto, California, to import tiny electric satellite thrusters that are used to position satellites in space. Loral's Russian partners are Fakel Enterprises of Kaliningrad, which makes the so-called Hall thrusters, and the Research Institute of Applied Mechanics and Electrodynamics of Moscow. (WSJ, Apr 2/92)
Orbital Sciences Corporation of Fairfax, Virginia, said it had successfully launched a rocket-borne telescope from a site north of Fairbanks, Alaska. The telescope, sponsored by the Strategic Defense Initiative organization, would monitor infrared characteristics of the aurora borealis, commonly known as northern lights. (W limes, Apr 2/92)
It was reported that for the first time in a generation, NASA and the Air Force were developing a new rocket engine and launch system. The National Launch System (NLS), which was to consist of three new vehicles, would become operational in 2002, and will, among other missions, carry supplies to Space Station Freedom. (W Times, Apr 2/92)
NASA announced the selection of 33 participating scientists to take part in a wide range of investigations on the Mars Observer mission, planned for launch September 16, 1992. These scientists would be added to the current science teams in October 1992 to increase the range of studies planned for the 2-year global mapping mission. Besides representing U.S. universities and research centers, the newly selected group of participating scientists included four individuals from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Six scientists from Austria, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany were already involved in the mission, and a group of 10 participating scientists from Russia were to be added later this year. (NASA Release 92-45)
NASA selected the Colejon Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio, for negotiations leading to award of a support service contract for operations, maintenance, and repair of facilities at NASA's Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio. Estimated value of the contract was approximately $30 million. (NASA Release C92-3)
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