Aug 7 1969
From The Space Library
Scientists at JPL presented conflicting opinions to newsmen on preliminary data from Mariner VI and Mariner VII flybys of Mars. Dr. George C. Pimentel and Dr. Kenneth C. Herr of Univ. of California at Berkeley said data from infrared spectrometer indicated presence of gaseous ammonia and methane in Martian atmosphere. "We are confident that we have detected solid carbon dioxide that is not on the surface; that is, it is suspended as a cloud above the polar cap. Our data are consistent with and suggest that the polar cap is composed of water ice and probably not solid carbon dioxide near the polar cap edge." If life did exist on Mars, they said, it could be in region near edge of polar icecap where "polar ice provides a reservoir of water" and solid carbon dioxide cloud "provides protection from ultraviolet radiation." Dr. Gerry Neugebauer of Cal Tech said temperature of Mars was "strong circumstantial evidence that the polar caps are in fact predominantly made of carbon dioxide." Infrared radiometer experiment, which measured temperatures on Martian surface, indicated that temperature of south polar cap was close to -253°F, temperature at which carbon dioxide would solidify in thin Martian atmosphere. UV spectrometer experiment had found large amount of uv radiation reflected from south polar icecap, indicating that uv light from sun was penetrating thin Martian atmosphere and reaching surface. Dr. Charles W. Hord of Univ. of Colorado said strong uv radiation reaching surface "would destroy many of the important molecular bonds of organic compounds." If life did exist on Mars, he said, it "must be pretty strong stuff," or it must have some means of protection against uv rays. Dr. Robert B. Leighton of Cal Tech said one of most striking results of Mariner photos was indication of dynamic process occurring on Martian surface. Unlike rest of Martian surface, which was heavily cratered and closely resembled moon, Hellas area appeared to be smooth and free of craters. "Hellas is the first non-lunar-like feature" discovered by Mariner VII, he said. Apparently there was "activity in that region . . . obliterating craters as fast as they are being formed." (Bishop, WSJ, 8/8/69; Sullivan, NYT, 8/8/69, 1; Lannan, W Star, 8/8/69, A4)
Lunar Receiving Laboratory scientists issued first comprehensive report on preliminary study of lunar samples collected by Apollo 11 astronauts. Experiments indicated there was no life in sample and traces of organic material reported earlier were probably from astronauts, spacesuits and containers, rubber gloves, and tools used to handle material. (Traces of hydrocarbons in two samples of lunar dust had been reported Aug. 6.) Autopsies performed on 48 mice injected with lunar dust and then killed had shown no signs of germs or illness. Detailed analyses of samples would begin in late September when material would be released from quarantine and distributed to 146 principal investigators in 9 countries. (AP, W Star, 8/8/69, A4; Sullivan, NYT, 8/7/69, 1)
Sen. Ralph W. Yarborough (D-Tex.) offered amendment to H.R. 11271, FY 1970 NASA authorization bill [see June 24], to increase funds for NASA R&D and program management from amount reported by Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences to amount passed by House. Increases would total $256.50 million in R&D and $6.35 million in research and program management. He said: "My amendment authorizes the bare minimum that we, as a nation, should commit to space. Its adoption is vital to the proper balance in our national priorities; it is vital to the future of our exciting and promising space program; and it is vital, in my opinion, to the interests and well-being of our country." (CR, 8/7/69, 59383)
Washington Post published results of July 26-28 Gallup survey, which found public lukewarm about Government funding of manned Mars landing. While majority of young adults favored idea, majority of those 30 or over opposed it. Generally, 39% of those polled favored attempt to land man on Mars, 53% opposed, and 8% had no opinion. Blacks opposed by 3-to-1 ratio. (W Post, 8/7/69, F4)
At White House dinner for West German Chancellor Kurt G. Kiesinger, Dr. Wernher von Braun, MSFC Director, told press putting man on Mars by 1982 posed less risk than putting man on moon because most technical problems had been solved. In time space travel would become commonplace, with spacecraft carrying passengers. On Martian surface man could move from home to car or office in completely controlled environment. (Shelton, W Post, 8/8/69, D2)
MSFC announced award of two contracts. Eight-month, $400,000 contract had been given to General Dynamics Corp. to study experiment modules for proposed manned space station. Study, which would complement space station investigations being conducted by McDonnell Douglas Corp. and North American Rockwell Corp." would examine variety of experiments suitable for manned space station, analyze scientific and engineering community's need for experiment modules, and develop concepts for least number of modules needed to meet these requirements. Martin Marietta Corp. had been awarded $1,170,000 contract to fabricate, test, and deliver 15 Saturn V workshop rate gyro processors and 1 module test set and to retrofit 22 Apollo Telescope Mount rate- gyro processors for Apollo Applications program. Work, expected to take 18 mos, would be done in Orlando, Fla. (MSFC Releases 69-172, 69-173)
With encouragement from President Nixon and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, NASA had "begun drumming up pressure for the huge sums required to send men to Mars in the early 1980's," New York Times editorial said. "But the latest Mariner information makes the probability of life on Mars much less than it seemed even a week ago, thus removing much of the original motivation for such a project. The shift of emphasis now proposed to unmanned satellites would be far cheaper, scientifically it would also be far more productive." (NYT, 8/7/69, 32)
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