Aug 3 1973
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
A New York Times editorial commented on the Aug. 2 discovery of an oxidizer leak that threatened the safety of the Skylab 3 astronauts (launched July 28 to man the Orbital Workshop launched May 14). "Even though it finally proved unnecessary to order three men back to earth immediately, two points did emerge with special clarity from this short-lived scare situation. First, not all difficulties that can arise in manned space missions can be repaired by men on a troubled vehicle." Second, and more fundamental, this latest incident again brings into sharp focus the need for standby rescue rockets for manned space ventures. The lack of rescue vehicles in the past has come in for justified and severe criticism. This time NASA has demonstrated that it has learned the lessons of history." An Apollo spacecraft was being readied as a rescue vehicle for the Skylab 3 crew if a new emergency arose. "Men in space are no longer forced to be so self-sufficient and independent of help from earth as was the'- case not long ago, especially during the Apollo voyages to the moon." (NYT, 8/3/73, 30)
Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, introduced S. 2350 to amend the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 "to provide for the co-ordinated application of technology to civilian needs in .. . earth re-sources survey systems," to establish an Office of Earth Resources Systems within NASA, and for other purposes. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. (CR, 8/3/73, S15593)
Results of Apollo 14 and 16 (launched Jan. 31, 1971, and April 16, 1972) heavy-particle dosimetry experiments were reported in Science by scientists from Johnson Space Center and the General Electric Research and Development Center. Earlier measurements using Apollo helmets as dosimeters had indicated that a significant 1% of certain nonregenerative motor-control cells in the bodies of astronauts in space would be killed by radiation from densely ionizing, heavy atomic nuclei with the current Apollo spacecraft shielding. Doses of heavy particles penetrating the CMs of Apollo 8, 12, 14, and 16 correlated well with calculated effects of solar modulation of the primary cosmic radiation. Differences in doses at different positions inside the CMs had indicated that the redistribution of mass within the spacecraft could enhance safety from the biological damage that would otherwise be expected on manned, deep-space missions. (Fleischer et al., Science, 8/3/73, 436-8)
Appointment of David R. Scott, former astronaut, as Deputy Director of Flight Research Center was announced by FRC. Scott had flown on Gemini 8 (March 16-17, 1966) and Apollo 9 (March 3-13, 1969) missions and was commander of Apollo 15 (July 26-Aug. 7, 1971). After leaving the astronaut corps in 1972, he had served as Technical Assistant to the Apollo Program Manager and as Special Assistant for Mission Operations and Government Furnished Equipment in the Apollo Spacecraft Office at Manned Spacecraft Center (which became Johnson Space Center Feb. 17). He held two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, the David C. Schilling Trophy of the Air Force, and the Robert J. Collier Trophy for 1971. (FRC Release 21-73)
Samples of the material used by NASA for Skylab's makeshift sunshade during the May 14-June 22 Skylab 1-2 mission had been subjected during the mission to high-intensity ultraviolet radiation at the Air Force Systems Command's Arnold Engineering Development Center, AFSC announced. The tests, to determine the degree of degradation the material experienced from solar uv radiation, had been requested by Marshall Space Flight Center. This accelerated "aging" of the samples enabled NASA engineers to decide that it was not necessary to replace the shield during the Skylab 1-2 mission. (AFSC Release 01P 104.73)
Marshall Space Flight Center announced receipt of proposals from five firms for a contract for design, procurement, fabrication, installation, and checkout of a data-acquisition system to support space shuttle structural testing. The firms were Avco Corp., Computer Science Corp., Grumman Aerospace Corp., Systems Engineering Laboratories, and Wyle Laboratories. The contract would be awarded in October. (MSFC Release 73-107)
Rep. Mike McCormack (D-Wash.), with 23 cosponsors, introduced H.R. 9974 to establish a Department of Energy. (CR, 8/3/73, H7404)
NASA launched a Nike-Apache sounding rocket from Wallops Island carry-ing a Univ. of Illinois payload to a 184.3-km (114.5-mi) altitude. The objective was to measure electron temperature and electron density profile of intense blanketing of the sporadic E-region at 100- to 120-km (60- to 75-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. All experimental objectives appeared to have been achieved. (NASA Rpt SRL)
President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of John Eger to be Deputy Director of the Office of Telecommunications Policy. Eger, legal assistant to the Federal Communications Commission Chairman, would succeed George F. Mansur, Jr., who had resigned effective April 1. (PD, 8/6/73, 951, 957)
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