Jan 22 1971
From The Space Library
NASA announced reorganization of Office of Manned Space Flight to reflect new management requirements for future manned flight programs. Reorganization established two new technical support offices, Engineering and Operations Office and Quality and Safety Office; established two functional offices, Administration Office and Program Analysis Office; and abolished Mission Operations, Field Center Development, Institutional Operations, and Space Medicine organizations. M/G John D. Stevenson (USAF, Ret.), Director of Mission Operations, became Deputy Director of Engineering and Operations. Capt. Robert F. Freitag (USN, Ret.), Director of Field Center Development, became Special Assistant to Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight. Space Medicine Office had been combined with other life science activities under Dr. James W. Humphreys, Director of Life Sciences, as announced Dec. 3, 1970. (NASA Release 71-10)
New world distance record in heavyweight turboprop class was claimed by USN for P-3C Orion aircraft piloted 11 280 km (7010 mi) by Cmdr. Donald H. Lilienthal in nonstop flight from Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan, to Patuxent Naval Air Station, Md., in 15 hrs 21 min. Previous record of 7662 km (4761 mi) had been set by Soviet Il-18 aircraft in 1967. (DOD Newsfilm Release 60-71)
Plastic-coated solar cells were being developed by LeRC and Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. scientists to reduce cost of solar cell power systems. Cells, which produced abundant power when formed into panels or arrays, were lightweight, flexible, insulated, completely sealed, and resistant to breakage. (LeRC Release 71-5)
Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket was launched by NASA from Andoeya, Norway, carrying Norwegian experiment for auroral studies. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily. (SR list)
Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 lunar rock groups differed in potassium- uranium abundance systematics, JPL scientists Dr. Fraser P. Fanale and Douglas B. Nash reported in Science. Difference indicated "that relatively little exchange of regolith material has occurred between Mare Tranquillitatis Sea of Tranquility and Oceanus Procellarum [Ocean of Storms]. Two suites appear to have been derived from materials of identical potassium and uranium content." It appeared unlikely "that bulk lunar material has the ratio of potassium to uranium found in chondrites. However, systematic differences in the potassium-uranium ratio between Apollo samples and crustal rocks of the earth do not preclude a common potassium-uranium ratio for bulk earth and lunar material." (Science, 1/22/71, 282-4)
NSF released report on industrial R&D spending in 1969. Funds had totaled $18.4 billion, 6% above 1968 level and about 50% more than $12.6 billion in 1963. Growth was 1% from 1968 to 1969. Deflated 1969 level was 22% above that of 1963. Industrial firms accounted for about 70% of R&D in U.S. Federal financing of R&D in industry amounted to $8.6 billion in 1969, same as in 1968. Although Federal support was primarily responsible for increases in industrial R&D between 1953 and 1966, funds had leveled off, rising less than 3% between 1966 and 1969. In real dollars, Federal support showed a decline. (NSF Highlights, 1/22/71, 1)
President Nixon announced intention to nominate Thomas E. Carroll to be Assistant Administrator for Planning and Management of Environmental Protection Agency. Nomination was submitted to Senate Jan. 25. (PD, 1/25/70, 88).
Harry F. Guggenheim-financier, philanthropist, sportsman, and publisher-died in Sands Point, N.Y., at age 80. His enthusiasm for aviation as pilot in World War I had led him to persuade his father, Daniel Guggenheim, to establish Guggenheim School of Aeronautics at New York Univ., first university school of aeronautics in U.S. Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics, Inc., of which Harry Guggenheim was president, helped establish aeronautical engineering schools at MIT, Georgia Institute of Technology, Cal Tech, Univ. of Washington, Stanford Univ., and Univ. of Michigan. Fund aided Charles A. Lindbergh after first transatlantic crossing. Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation, established in 1924, sponsored much of pioneer rocket research by Dr. Robert H. Goddard. (NYT, 1/23/71, 1)
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 29 30 31
