Jul 21 1970
From The Space Library
Nimbus IV meteorological satellite, launched April 8, was adjudged successful by NASA. Spacecraft had acquired sufficient number of global samples of atmospheric radiation measurements to compare vertical temperature, water vapor, and ozone profiles, and to compare merits of several instrument approaches. (NASA Proj Off)
Examination of Federal science policy was essential, Dr. Philip Handler, NAS President, said in testimony before House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Science, Research, and Development. "Substantial changes are being made in the organization of some arms of the executive branch of government that deal with science; the Mansfield Amendment which limits the manner in which research-supporting funds may be utilized by the Department of Defense has begun to influence. . .behavior of other agencies of the government as well; federal funding for fundamental studies has remained essentially plateaued in absolute dollars for four consecutive fiscal years while, inconstant dollars, such funding has declined by perhaps 25%.". NASA appropriation "has been reduced significantly and one frequently hears that federal military and space expenditures for R&D are to be reduced for some years to come; the nation seems determined to mitigate the damage which has been done to our natural environment, but flounders in the attempt; our nation is engaged in the painful exercise, of assessing and reassembling our priorities; and our country now seems uncertain in what light, and with what resolution, it should view the pace of future scientific progress. Our national apparatus for the conduct of research and scholarship is not yet dismantled, but it is falling into shambles. Morale of the scientific community is lower than at any time since World War II. Yet, new fields of scientific exploration and application clamor for attention and funding." U.S. lead in science "is in jeopardy." Loss of lead "bodes ill for our future national security and for the vigor of our economy." (Testimony)
Louisville, Ky., architect Carl D. Russell received patent for emergency warning system that would permit President of U.S. to reach 95% of U.S. public within 60 secs. System would automatically turn on radios at full volume and would activate broadcasting stations that were off the air. System could be activated in individual sections of country in local emergencies and could be installed within year for $1 billion. (AP, B Sun, 8/17/70, A4)
President Nixon submitted to Senate nomination of Rudolph A. Peterson, Chairman of Executive Committee of Bank of America, to succeed William A. Hagerty as member of ComSatCorp Board of Directors until 1973. (PD, 7/27/70, 969, 986)
Legacy of Apollo 11 was described by Walter Sullivan in New York Times: Collection and analysis of lunar samples had "not only reinforced the earlier deductions. . .but also made possible basic new discoveries." Many "fruits of Project Apollo" were "yet to be harvested." Records of earth-moon distances furnished by laser reflector left on moon by Apollo 11 might eventually reveal whether or not gravity was weakening and moon was increasing its distance from earth. "Examination of lunar material that was subjected to bombardment by gas from the 'sun during various periods of the past should also help outline the history of the earth's parent star." Apollo findings "obtained at high cost and high risk" had not thus far led to "revolutionary discoveries." They had produced one suggestion that would be revolutionary if confirmed-proposal by Cornell Univ. astronomer Dr. Thomas Gold that tektites on lunar samples had been formed when sun flared to 100 times its normal brilliancy every few thousand years. (NYT, 7/21/70, 18)
Lockheed Aircraft Corp. Vice President F. A. Cleveland received $1000 honorarium and $1500 travel allowance for 1970 AIAA Wright Brothers Lecture at AIAA Aircraft Design and Operations Meeting in Los Angeles. He delivered lecture, "Size Effects in Conventional Aircraft Design," during meeting. (AIAA Release; AIAA PIO)
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
