Jan 24 1967
From The Space Library
President Johnson's message to Congress on the FY 1968 budget said in part: "In 1961, this Nation resolved to send a manned expedition to the moon in this decade. Much hard work remains and many obstacles must still be overcome before that goal is met. Yet, in the last few years we have progressed far enough that we must now look beyond our original objective and set our course for the more distant future . . . we have no alternative unless we wish to abandon the manned space capability we have created. "This budget provides for the initiation of an effective follow-on to the manned lunar landing. We will explore the moon. We will learn to live in space for months at a time. Our astronauts will conduct scientific and engineering experiments in space to enhance man's mastery of the environment. . . .', The President recommended that NASA proceed with the Voyager program for an unmanned landing on Mars in 1973 and continue "other unmanned investigations nearer the earth. . . . "These new ventures are the result of careful planning and selectivity," Mr. Johnson said. "We are not doing everything in space that we are technologically capable of doing . . . we are choosing those projects that give us the greatest return on our investment. . . ." (Text, CR, 1/24/67, S755)
President Johnson submitted his FY 1968 Budget Request to Congress. Total space budget recommended was $7.242 billion. Of this sum, NASA would receive $5.050 billion; DOD, $1.998 billion; AEC, $151.6 million; ESSA, $34.8 million; US. Geological Survey, $4.8 million; Agricultural Research Service, $.4 million; and NSF, $2.8 million. NASA FY 1968 budget would keep Project Apollo on schedule and provide major hardware funding for several new programs: (1) $454.7 million for Apollo Applications (AA) ; (2) $71.5 million for Voyager; (3) $68.9 million for Mariner to provide for Mariner/Mars 1971 program; (4) $2 million for five Sunblazer missions to study solar corona; (5) $35.5 million for Applications Technology Satellite (ATS) to provide new configuration with large directable antenna; and (6) $2.3 million for Voice Broadcast Satellite. Funding for aeronautics research almost doubled from $35.9 million in FY 1967 to $66.8 million with most of increase attributable to increased study of X-15 and XFL-70 aircraft, hypersonic ramjet, aircraft noise reduction, delta X-15 aircraft, and SST. Programs terminated or deferred by FY 1968 budget included Jupiter probe, Surveyor and Lunar Orbiter (no follow-on funds), large solid motor project, Atlas-Agena combination, and new launch vehicle development. $60-$100 million were placed in President's Contingency Fund pending decision on development of Nerva nuclear propulsion system. Major portions of DOD'S space budget would be spent on: (1) Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL)-$430 million; (2) Titan III-C launch vehicle; and (3) military comsats. Most of ESSA'S funds would support increased activity on satellite sensors and systems in support of World Weather Watch and improved techniques for weather forecasts, river and flood prediction, and other warning services. (Text, NYT, 1/25/67, 20-23; Tech Wk, 1/30/67,1&33; Av Wk, 1/30/67,23-38)
Briefing on NASA FY 1968 budget was held at NASA Hq. NASA Administrator James Webb said: ". . . I believe that on this budget we can build an excellent foundation for the work that we as a nation will need to do in 1970 and beyond. "I believe it is a balanced program that makes the best use of the resources that we have created since 1958. I believe it includes those items that enable the Congress and the country to clearly see and judge the issues which are basic to our future in space. "I believe it assumes success. That is, that it is a minimum budget for the work that is required and does not provide for losses of stages or for unexpected catastrophes such as are always a possibility in this program. ". . . finally, I believe that this budget indicates that we have proven in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration that the space capability of this nation can be developed, that this job he is putting in this budget can be done, and I believe it indicates clearly that he believes it is important that we continue to develop our national space capability. . ." (Transcript)
Six Nike-Tomahawk sounding rockets launched from KSC carried 134lb Marshall/Univ. of Michigan Probe (Mump) instrumented payloads to altitudes up to 206 mi (331 km) into the thermosphere. Rockets and equipment functioned satisfactorily and data-including atmosphere density and temperature measurements and ion and electron density measurements were telemetered to ground; no recovery was attempted. Objective of program was to obtain additional data needed to develop a more accurate model of earth's upper atmosphere for orbital-lifetime and space-vehicle-dynamics analyses. (Marshall Star, 2/1/67, 4; W Post, 1/26/67, A5)
Dr. James I. Vette, staff scientist at Aerospace Corp.'s Space Science Lab., was named Director of the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) - a $1,491,600 central facility for collection, organization, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of space science data obtained from satellites, sounding rockets, balloons, and high-altitude aircraft-nearing completion at GSFC. (NASA Release 67-6)
New members of House Committee on Science and Astronautics were named: Reps. Jack Brinkley (D-Ga.); Bob Eckhardt (D-Tex.); Larry Winn, Jr. (R-Kan.); Guy Vander Jagt (R-Mich.); Jerry L. Pettis (R- Calif.); Donald E. Lukens (R-Ohio); and John E. Hunt (R-N.J.). (NASA LAR VI/& II ; Committee Ofc.)
USAF Avionics Lab., Wright-Patterson AFB, was conducting experiments with 6-mi-long laser beam to learn how atmospheric conditions affect laser communications, AFSC announced. Experimental results to date indicated that communications were severely limited by fog and heavy rain, although transmissions could penetrate such conditions for a few thousand feet at reduced volume. (AFSC Release 254.66)
Secretary of State Dean Rusk, in keynote address to annual meeting of House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Panel on Science and Technology, suggested that many of the potential perils of advancing technology might be avoided if a group of experts were impanelled every five years "to explore our technological future. . . . The values of this type of forecasting to policy judgments is obvious," Rusk said. "In most cases a true technological innovation does not reach full bloom for some years-the first basic patent on the transistor was, after all, issued in 1930. . . ." He recommended that panel members be selected from the natural sciences, the social sciences, and industry. (Text)
President of Aerospace Industries Assn. Dr. Karl G. Harr, Jr., testifying before Senate Special Subcommittee on Scientific Manpower Utilization, urged that the systems approach-"an extremely high degree of capability to evaluate, plan and do certain complex and difficult things"-be applied beyond the national defense and space effort to "problems connected with improving the quality of American life. . . . Many of these problems, such as air pollution and water pollution control, relief of traffic congestion, provision of adequate food supply, school systems, housing, and crime control are already fully identified and very much on the front burner of public concern." Harr pointed out the need for experimentation in the application of the systems approach to gain breadth of experience and emphasized that efforts should be aimed at regional, state, and municipal levels. "It remains for us as a nation to find the various political formulae for its application wherever needed. Whatever the cost it will be far cheaper to solve these problems than not to. . . " (Testimony)
At the AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting in New York, the 1967 Goddard Award-AIAA's highest-was presented to LeRC engineers Irving A. Johnsen and Seymour Lieblein and former LeRC engineer Robert O. Bullock for their work 10 yrs ago which led to development of the transonic compressor for jet-powered aircraft. (LeRC Release 67-4)
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