Dec 5 1972
From The Space Library
President Nixon telephoned Apollo 17 crew at Kennedy Space Center to extend best wishes on eve of Apollo 17 mission. (PD, 12/11/72, 1735)
Washington Evening Star and Daily News editorial commented on the last Apollo mission: A lot was riding on Apollo 17 "in its attempt to unlock the moon's most ancient secrets and thereby perhaps the earth's. Those three astronauts, with their record-size cargo of instruments, have the trickiest landing and the hardest lunar tasks in this whole program ahead of them." (W Star & News, 12/5/72, A12)
NASA released report of Explorer 46 Meteoroid Technology Satellite (MTS) Review Committee on failure of panels in bumper penetration experiment to deploy following Aug. 13 launch. Partial instead of full extension of one pair of MTS bumper wings had been caused by desynchronization between deployment actuators for that wing pair. Experiment continued to provide good data on effectiveness of bumpers to protect against meteoroids in space, with 17 penetrations recorded to date. One secondary experiment, to measure impact flux of small mass meteoroids, had accomplished objective in detecting out 2000 micrometeoroids in near-earth space. Remaining secondary experiment, to measure velocities of meteoroids striking space vehicles, would require several months of successful operation to complete objective. (NASA Release 72- 238)
Further space budget cuts were forecast by Senate Finance Committee Chairman, Sen. Russell B. Long (D-La.), during Lafayette, La., press conference. He said President was trying to pare Federal budget to "reasonable limits." There was "a lot of appeal to making some reductions in the space program." (Sen Long Off; UPI, W Post, 12/7/72)
U.S. communications firms announced agreements with Telesat Canada for use of Canada's satellite system to provide communications service in U.S. Chairman Robert W. Sarnoff of RCA said RCA would lease one full-time channel and occasional time on second channel. Subject to approval by U.S. and Canadian governments, RCA Global Communications would install earth stations in Washington-New York corridor, California, and Alaska to relay voice, message, and TV traffic between East and West Coasts and between both coasts and Alaska at reduced costs. American Satellite Corp. announced preliminary agreement with Telesat Canada for lease of up to three satellite channels to provide U.S. domestic communications market with private-line channels for voice, data facsimile, TV programming, and interconnections of cable TV systems and private and industrial video service. (RCA Release 12/5/72; AmSatCorp Release FL-9- 240)
NASA announced personnel actions: L/c Marvin L. McNickle (USAF, Ret.) was named Special Assistant to Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight at NASA Hq. effective Dec. 3. L/c Carroll H. Dunn (USA) was elected Chairman of Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel to succeed Dr. Charles O. Harrington, who was retiring. (NASA Release 72-237; NASA Ann)
Two sounding rockets were launched by NASA from Wallops Station. Nike-Apache carried Univ. of Illinois payload to 185-km (115-mi) altitude in first of three launches to measure ionospheric properties on three anomalous days: (1) "L," day with very low electron densities in 70- to 80-km (40- to 50-mi) region with 10-day minimal magnetic storm activity proceeding; (2) "H1," day with very high electron densities with same altitude and magnetic storm prerequisites; and (3) "H2," day with very high electron densities in same region with two or three days of major magnetic disturbance and magnetic storm aftereffects. Nike-Apache was fired on L day and measured electron densities, temperatures, and collision frequencies. Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. Super Arcas launched 44 min after Nike-Apache carried Pennsylvania State Univ. payload to 85-km (52.8-mi) altitude to collect data on positive and negative ion conductivities. Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpts sRL)
Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe announced new air transport security program to protect air passengers against hijackers. Program was being implemented at President Nixon's direction. Security procedures required stationing armed local law enforcement officers at airport passenger check points during boarding periods, electronic screening of all passengers by airlines before boarding, and inspection by airlines of all carry-on items accessible to passengers during flight. (DOT Release 103-72)
Sprint antiballistic missile successfully intercepted target cone over Pacific in DOD test of capability of missile site radar. Radar would be installed at U.S. ABM sites to launch and guide Sprint from site some distance from radar to long-range, low-altitude interception. (Reuters, B Sun, 12/7/72, All; DOD PYO)
International aspects of future space programs were discussed by Crosby S. Noyes in Washington Evening Star and Daily News column. Scientific and engineering aspects of 1975 joint U.S.- U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz mission were "minimal compared to the psychological switch which the effort represents." Project had "most profound political implications for the future." U.S.S.R. participation in space shuttle development might raise "touchy questions" because of "obvious military aspects of the program." In distant future efforts, including possible manned flights to other planets, "it is ... evident that inter-national cooperation on a much wider scale will be essential. What the Apollo program has demonstrated is that manned space flight is an impractical proposition for any single nation to undertake. Which may turn out to be the most valuable discovery of all." (W Star & News, 12/5/72)
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