February 1970
From The Space Library
In AFSC News review editorial Gen. James Ferguson (USAF), AFSC Commander, praised command's two decades of "distinguished progress" in science and technology: "When the F-15 air-superiority fighter outclasses everything in the air-when the B-1 advanced bomber is operational-when a new generation of ICBMs helps to maintain peace-when a million-pound airplane can remain on station indefinitely because of nuclear power-and when military men maneuver into and out of space orbits, at will, from conventional airfields-all these, and more, will have been possible not only because of what we learn today and tomorrow, but because of all the things we learned in our first two decades." (AFSC News review, 2/70, 2)
In Space/Aeronautics Frank Leary commented on NASA plans for manned Mars mission: "A commitment to placing human footprints on the red planet will spark an arduous and enormously ex pensive effort. And it will rankle those critics who want the money spent on earthly ills. Technologically and politically, the manned Mars mission is no piece of cake. But, like Apollo, it is virtually inevitable." (S/A, 2/70, 28-38)
RAF took delivery of Belfast aircraft equipped with Smith MK 29 fully automatic landing (autoland) system. Built by Short Brothers Harland, aircraft was world's first military transport cleared for automatic landings under civil safety standards and fully operational conditions. (AF/SD, 3/70, 12)
Progress report on plans for National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., was published in Astronautics and Aeronautics. During hearings on H.R. 6125, signed by President Johnson in July 1966; Smithsonian Institution had been enjoined from asking Congress for construction funding until after settlement of Vietnam War. Assistant Secretary for Science Sidney R. Galler was requesting FY 1971 funds of $2 million to reappraise architectural plans for museum and "listening for a 'signal from Congress' " before asking for construction funds. In interim, small air and space display was housed in Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Building and in small, temporary Air and Space Building. "The bulk of the 200 plus airframes and the 300-400 engines is stored at the Silver Hill (Maryland) Navy facility. About 80% of the stored collection is either in sheds or crates." Museum plans were reviewed periodically to reflect latest in design. Until 747 aircraft and Apollo spacecraft, Smithsonian could house aerospace history displays. "The total Smithsonian annual budget runs about $30 million. The Air and Space portion amounted to $538 000 in 1969 or about 2% of the total. , . . S. Paul Johnston retired in September as Director of the National Air and Space Museum. Galler is still looking for a replacement." (A&A, 2/70, 16-7)
Univ. of Arizona astronomer Dale P. Cruikshank in Sky and Telescope reported on his 10-mo visit to U.S.S.R. in 1968-1969 under exchange program between NAS and Soviet equivalent, Akademiya Nauk. He had left U.S.S.R. "with the feeling that further Soviet American cooperation in ground-based astronomy is possible and desirable. This is not the case for research from spacecraft, because of the vast difference between the space policies of the two countries." (Sky and Telescope, 2/70, 76-9)
- February
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