Aug 12 1974
From The Space Library
The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 672-an unmanned Soyuz space-craft testing docking systems for the July 1975 Apollo Soyuz Test Project mission-from Baykonur Cosmodrome near Tyuratam. The satellite entered an orbit with 277-km apogee, 142-km perigee, 88.7-min period, and 51.8° inclination. Maj. Gen. Vladimir A. Shatalov, Soviet chief of cosmonaut training, identified the mission and that of Cosmos 638 (launched 3 April) at a 9 Sept. Johnson Space Center ASTP press briefing, saying that both had successfully tested the systems. Cosmos 672 re-entered 18 Aug. (GSFC SSR, 31 Aug 74; JSC briefing transcript, 9 Sept 74; SF, Feb 75, 76)
Operational utility of satellite communications for maritime service had been demonstrated with Ats 1 and 3 (Applications Technology Satellites launched 6 Dec. 1966 and 5 Nov. 1967), Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. Tests had been made by Exxon Corp. in cooperation with NASA from mid-1973 to early 1974 from an Exxon tanker, using a small General Electric Co. ship terminal and GE earth station. Exxon had reported at a Minneapolis communications conference that the satellites had transmitted voice, teletypewriter, facsimile, and slow-scan TV rapidly, without the delay often caused on high-frequency radio by spectrum congestion. (Tass, Av Wk, 12 Aug 74, 56-8)
Raymond A. Kline was appointed Assistant Associate Administrator for Center Operations. Formerly Assistant Associate Administrator for Organization and Management, Kline would continue to perform management studies and would also oversee the activities of the Automatic Data Processing Management Office. (NASA Ann, 12 Aug 74)
12-13 August: Dr. Richard T. Whitcomb, Chief of the Transonic Aero-dynamics Branch of the High Speed Aircraft Division at Langley Research Center, received the Aircraft Design Award of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 12 Aug. at its 6th Aircraft Design, Flight Test, and Operations Meeting, held in Los Angeles. Dr. Whitcomb received the award for "innovative experimental research resulting in the development of the supercritical wing which permits significant increases in speed and range as well as improved maneuver-ability of subsonic aircraft without increases in power or fuel consumption."
The Air Transport Assn.'s Octave Chanute Award went to Charles A. Sewell, Grumman Aerospace Corp. chief test pilot, for promoting and flight-testing the concept of spin prevention in a tactical aircraft. A. M. O. Smith, Chief of Aerodynamics Engineering Research at Douglas Aircraft Co., was selected to present the 37th annual Wright Brothers Lecture, on high-lift aerodynamics. (AIAA News, 17 July 74; AIAA PIO, interview, 16 July 75)
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