Feb 19 1971
From The Space Library
President Nixon was expected to name Univ. of Utah President, Dr. James C. Fletcher, as NASA Administrator, Washington Post reported. Dr. Fletcher, a physicist, had been an aerospace executive and consultant to NACA, DOD, and President's Science Advisory Committee. (O'Toole, W Post, 2/19/71, Al)
Evidence of nature of clouds of Venus derived from comparing polarization observations with theoretical calculations was reported in Science by James E. Hansen and Dr. Albert Arkng of Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Linear polarization of sunlight multiply scattered by atmosphere and Venus cloud particles had been computed and compared with observations over wavelength range from uv to infrared region. Refractive index of cloud particles was 1.45± 0.02 at 0.55µ wavelength. There was indication of slight decrease in value from uv to near-infrared region; mean particle radius was very near lµ and most of particles were spherical. Cloud layer occurred high in atmosphere where pressure was about 50 millibars or equivalent to approximately 20-km (12.4-mi) altitude on earth. Results for index of refraction eliminated possibility that visible clouds were composed of pure water or ice. Aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid and carbon sub-oxide "are not absolutely excluded, but the liklihood for either is not high. A new look at the question of the Venus cloud composition seems in order." (Science, 2/19/71, 669-72)
Boosted Areas I sounding rocket was launched by NASA from Churchill Research Range carrying Univ. of Houston experiment to measure low-altitude x-ray spectrum and electron flux above 30 500 m (100 000 ft). Rocket reached 59.1-km (36.7-mi) altitude and mission was 100% successful. (NASA Rpt SRL)
ComSatCorp reported net income for 1970 was $17 501 000 ($1.75 per share), up from $7 129 000 (71 cents per share) for 1969. Operating revenues for 1970 reached $69 598 000-increase of $22 564 000 (48%) over $47 034 000 received in 1969. (ComSatCorp Release 71-10)
Ten Western European nations agreed to cooperate in building 300- bev particle accelerator on frontier between France and Switzerland. Accelerator would fit into tunnel forming 2-km (W4-mi) ring. Decision to proceed with $260-million project had been awaited since 1964. (NYT, 2/20/71, 28)
The Decision To Go to the Moon, book by John M. Logsdon, was reviewed in Technology Review: "Logsdon has done a considerable service in pulling together the elements of the histories of official U.S. space policy, of German-American rocket engineering and the obsessive aiming for-the-stars that went with it, of congressional enthusiasm for extra-terrestrial responsibilities, and finally of the months of Kennedy's greatest vulnerability. The factual part of the book leaves one ready to draw one's own conclusions." Review had concluded "that we can-not hope for any useful Apollo-sized program in the absence of any counterpart of the von Braun team, tirelessly bringing to perfection a thing that had not been asked for." (Wheeler, Tech Rev, 2/19/71, 22)
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