Feb 21 1975
From The Space Library
The unexplained loss of calcium by astronauts during prolonged manned missions "seems to be a slow persistent loss," Dr. David L. Winter, NASA Director for Life Sciences, said during a press briefing. Data indicated calcium had been lost in space at the rate of 0.5% a month, a rate that showed "no evidence of leveling off." Bones tended to lose calcium at varying rates, weakening selective bones.
Scientists were studying various ways, including diet management, to compensate for the calcium loss.
Dr. Winter said that the observed decrease in red blood cells during the Skylab missions was not because of red-cell destruction but rather a slowdown of the red-cell production. "We seem to have stumbled on a way in which red blood cell production is suppressed." This mechanism, unknown before, would be a very interesting and important process to study.
Physical criteria for the selection of astronauts for the Space Shuttle would vary according to function, Dr. Winter said. Pilots would be selected using very rigid criteria; these would not be imposed upon astronauts, i.e. mission specialists, whose function would be primarily scientific. Because the objective for Shuttle missions would be to get the best qualified scientists, it would be impossible to predict what size, shape, age, or sex these scientists would be. The purpose of the Shuttle was to permit anyone with a legitimate need to go into space; therefore, NASA's approach would be to broaden the selection criteria as much as possible. (Transcript)
Dr. Philip Handler, 18th president of the National Academy of Sciences, had been elected for a second 6-yr term, NAS announced. Dr. Handler had served as NAS president since 1 July 1969. Before that he had been chairman of the Department of Biochemistry at Duke Univ. Medical Center.
NAS, established in 1863 by an act of Congress, was a private organization of over 1000 scientists and engineers frequently called upon to advise the Federal government on policy questions related to science and technology. (NAS Release, 21 Feb 75)
DOD announced the award of a $3 500 000 firm-fixed-price contract to TRW, Inc., for software support of the Space Shuttle. (DOD Release 83-75)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
