Feb 18 1970
From The Space Library
NASA's HL-10 lifting-body vehicle, piloted by Maj. Peter C. Hoag (USAF), reached 19 800-m (65 000-ft) altitude and mach 1.86 highest speed to date-during powered flight after air-launch from B-52 aircraft at 14 300-m (47 000-ft) altitude at FRC. Primary objectives were to investigate suspected roll reversal at high speed and to operate vehicle for extended time with stability augmentation system off. Preliminary indications were that no roll reversal existed and that handling qualities were better than anticipated. Pilot said vehicle flew "beautifully" in spite of moderate air turbulence. (NASA Proj Off; LA Her-Exam, 20/70)
NASA issued RFPS for preliminary definition and planning studies for main propulsion system of reusable Space Shuttle. Preliminary concepts called for cluster of throttleable engines with 1780-kilonewton (400000-lb) thrust each at sea level. NR Rocketdyne Div., United Aircraft Corp. Pratt & Whitney Div., Aerojet-General Corp., TRW Inc., Bell Aerospace Systems, and Marquardt Corp. would submit proposals by March 20. Three firms would be awarded fixed-price contracts for 11-mo parallel studies. (NASA Release 70-26)
Only medical side effect to astronauts found thus far from long periods spent in space was "some cardiovascular deterioration," Dr. Charles A. Berry, MSC Director of Medical Research and Operations, told Los Angeles press conference. This was "normal response of the body to a less demanding environment." But medical research was still too flimsy to risk two-year manned Mars flight. (Krimsky, Long Beach [Calif] Independent, 2/19/70)
Javelin sounding rocket, launched by NASA from Churchill Research Range, carried Univ. of California at Berkeley payload to 494-km (307-mi) altitude. Objectives were to observe aurora] protons and electrons over energy spectrum from thermal levels to several hundred kilovolts and to study electric fields and their relation to particle fluxes; density, temperature, and motion of ionospheric plasma currents; alpha particle and neutral fluxes in aurora; and auroral radiation. All experiments functioned satisfactorily and useful data were obtained. (NASA Rpt SRL)
Lend-lease of quarters and equipment aboard U.S. earth-orbiting space station of 1970s to help foreign scientists study terrain of underdeveloped countries was advocated by Dr. Krafft A. Ehricke, Chief Scientific Adviser for Advanced Programs at North American Rockwell Corp. Space Div., before press in Los Angeles. (Miles, LA Times. 2/19/70)
DOD announced USAF award of $3 000 000 supplement to previously awarded contract with General Dynamics Corp. for F-111 aircraft. (DOD Release 134-70)
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