Feb 15 1970
From The Space Library
NASA announced selection of payload and principal investigators for OSO-I (Eye) Orbiting Solar Observatory, scheduled for launch in 1973 to investigate sun's chromosphere-corona interface. OSO-I experiments would study unexplained temperature change between solar disc and corona over 16 000-km (10000-mi) altitude and cosmic x-radiation, including both general x-ray background of universe and discrete x-ray sources. (NASA Release 70-17)
NASA was placing new emphasis on development of profitable manufacturing facilities orbiting in space and operated by private industry, because of budget cuts, New York Times article said. Industry participation could lead to operation and ownership of facilities by organizations like ComSatCorp- "prototype of such a joint undertaking." NASA would make available facilities like Space Shuttle transportation system, space workshops, and station at mutually agreeable price. Some manufacturing might be more economical in space because of high vacuum and zero g, but before program could become practical NASA would have to move into "more highly developed operational stage... more applicable to research and development and to manufacturing." (Tomaszewski, NYT, 2/15/70, C1)
West German government was ready to accept partnership arrangement with U.S. in seven-year Space Shuttle program, William Hines reported in Washington Sunday Star. Nixon Administration had "gone openly shopping" for foreign assistance in project. There was dispute over how far negotiations had gone, "but the West Germans believe they have been offered a 10 percent piece of the action in exchange for about $570 million in... Deutschemarks, payable 300 million marks annually for seven years." NASA had said discussions had been going on with eight foreign countries. (W Star, 2115/70)
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