Aug 1 1970
From The Space Library
The Economist commented on resignation of Dr. Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator, "just at a time when the governments of western Europe are considering whether to throw what passes for their space programmes. in with Nasa's." European governments "scare easily and do not co-operate easily with each other, let alone with the Americans, whom they subconsciously suspect of always having the technical emasculation of Europe in mind. Dr. Paine, placid, patient and unusually sensitive-for a Washington man-to other people's susceptibilities, handled them as gently as nervous horses. A successor who is less imaginative, or more inclined to wear his emotions on his sleeve, will undo much of this work. This will not do much harm to the American space programme, but for Europe to miss this chance would be tragic." (Economist, 8/1/70, 43-4)
MIT-sponsored group of U.S. and European scientists concluded month-long environmental study at Williams College to advise 1972 U.N. Conference on Human Environment and other national and international conferences. In preliminary report, Study of Critical Environmental Problems, group recommended that large-scale operation of supersonic transport aircraft be delayed until serious questions about potential for environmental contamination could be " answered. Study had indicated increase of water vapor induced into stratosphere by supersonic aircraft favored formation of clouds and that fine particles from jet engine exhaust would double global averages of particles, with unknown effects. Particles reflected sunlight back into stratosphere and tended to warm it. Report recommended program to measure lower stratosphere for water vapor quantities and sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and hydrocarbons-fine particle matter. Study also found increasing carbon dioxide in atmosphere had caused little climate change. Earth's oxygen supply remained fairly constant. (Webster, NYT, 8/2/70, 1)
Operation of NASA Motion Picture Film Depository and Film Loan Library was transferred by formal agreement to National Audiovisual Center of National Archives and Records Service of General Services Administration. (NASA Hq WB, 8/24/70, 1)
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