Dec 26 1969
From The Space Library
Studies of shock and thermal metamorphism of olivine trachybasalt by nuclear explosion at Nevada Test Site for comparison studies of Apollo 11 lunar samples were described in Science. Preliminary examination of Apollo 11 lunar surface material suggested many samples would be mafic igneous rocks showing shock metamorphism produced by meteorite impact. (James, Science, 12/26/69, 1615-9)
December 26-31: American Assn. for the Advancement of Science held 136th meeting in Boston, Mass. Panel discussion of future of U.S. space program was disrupted by some 50 student protesters who converged on panel chairman Dr. Charles Stark Draper, former director of MIT's Instrumentation Laboratory, and participants. Protesters said they objected to space program because funds could be better spent to solve social ills on earth. They littered podium with signs and papier-mache moon rock. Dr. Draper justified continuation of space program because of its technological and prestige contributions. "Space is a bargain." Outgoing AAAS president Dr. Walter Orr Roberts met continued objections in his attempt to justify space program on basis of applications and was almost shouted down when he suggested U.S.-U.S.S.R. cooperation in internationalized space stations. In presidential address Dr. Roberts, President of University Corp. for Atmospheric Research, said space technology had "vastly enlarged the arsenals of the United States and the U.S.S.R., bringing to reality hitherto fanciful modes of military surveillance, communications, and weaponry." Time had come "for us to take a bold new step in space. I propose that this nation call upon the Soviet Union to join hands in space, with a jointly conducted, earth-oriented space program that will put the new-found Soviet and American skills in space to work for the direct benefit of man." Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Northwestern Univ. astronomer and consultant to USAF Project Blue Book, expressed fear that USAF would destroy classified UFO records because of Dec. 17 termination of project. "I do not believe we are being visited by little green men. . . . I do believe a phenomenon exists, and that it is worthy of scientific attention." Dr. Lewis M. Branscomb, Director of National Bureau of Standards, and Dr. Gordon J. F. MacDonald, Vice Chancellor of Univ. of California at Santa Barbara, called for hard, new look at manned space flight spending and urged moratorium on pressure for early manned missions to Mars. Dr. S. Fred Singer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, said, "If we downgrade the manned space program we may find we don't have any space program." Panel of young scientists from Harvard Univ. and MIT, invited by AAAS, attacked "misuse" of science in formal papers presented before meeting. Allen S. Weinraub, graduate student at Harvard, said science was controlled by Federal Government and large corporations that held pursestrings. Panel member Larry W. Beeferman of MIT called NASA "the national aerospace subsidy administration." At press conference following meeting, Presidential adviser on hunger Dr. Jean Mayer said, "We can feed everybody-and feed them very well-and go to the moon as well." Dr. Frank J. Low, Univ. of Arizona scientist, reported discovery of "Irtrons"-cells of creation-at centers of 12 galaxies so far, including Milky Way. He believed both matter and antimatter were created in each and then annihilated each other, continuously spraying out debris to fill universe, making stars, planets, and new worlds. Theory had originally been proposed by British astronomer Sir James Jeans early in century. (Lannan, W Star, 12/28/69, A7; W Post, 12/27/69, B6; 12/29/69, Al, A7; 12/30/69, A2; Science, 1/2/70, 11-6)
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