Dec 17 1971
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
U.S.S.R. launched two satellites from Plesetsk. Cosmos 467 entered orbit with 465-km (288.9-mi) apogee, 266-km (165.3- mi) perigee, 91.8-min period, and 71° inclination and reentered April 18, 1972. Cosmos 468 entered orbit with 808-km (502.1-mi) apogee, 786- km (488.4-mi) perigee, 100.7-min period, and 74° inclination. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/71; 4/30/72; SBD, 12/20/71, 226; 12/21/71, 230)
Mariner 9 photographed Martian plateau from 6500-km (4000-mi) altitude. Photo, released by JPL Dec. 29, showed area 120 km (75 mi) square in Phoenicis Lacus region, covered with fault lines and resembling wrinkled elephant hide. Faults and scarcity of craters suggested region was volcanic and relatively young geologically. (AP, B Sun, 12/30/71, A5; Miles, LA Times, 12/30/71)
Flight version of multiple docking adapter (MDA) for Skylab was accepted by MSFC at Martin Marietta Corp.'s Denver facility. MDA - a major Skylab module being readied for 1973 launch-had been designed and fabricated by MSFC. Martin Marietta had installed, integrated, and tested MDA subassemblies and functional equipment. (MSFC Release 71-241)
Rep. William R. Cotter (D-Conn.) said in release to press that preliminary GAO audit of NR Rocketdyne Div. $24-million Saturn contract had shown "as much as $5 million ... was diverted to underwrite crucial research on Rocketdyne's winning design in the $500 million space shuttle main engine contract [awarded Sept. 1]." Cotter said audit, performed at his request, showed "that work performed under the Saturn contract influenced NASA's Source Selection Board, the group which evaluated the space shuttle designs submitted by Rocketdyne, Pratt & Whitney and Aerojet General." NASA Assistant Administrator for Industry Affairs and Technology Utilization Daniel J. Harnett later told press NASA audit of space shuttle engine contract had shown "no unfair competition advantage was given to Rocketdyne." (Text, AP, W Star, 12/19/71, E3)
Aviation Hall of Fame installed 1971 honorees in ceremony at Dayton, Ohio: Aviatrix Jacqueline Cochran for "outstanding achievements in modern aviation"; Boeing Co. Board Chairman William M. Allen, who had backed R&D that led to Boeing production of B- 47, B-52, 707, and 747 aircraft; Gen. George C. Kenney (USAF, Ret.), who had organized and commanded SAC from 1946 to 1948, commanded Air Univ. at Maxwell AFB, Ala., and been World War I combat pilot in France; and late Harry F. Guggenheim, who had helped establish schools of aeronautical engineering at U.S. universities and had supported Dr. Robert H. Goddard in rocket development and jet propulsion development. (AF Mag, 1/72, 15-16)
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