Jul 22 1971
From The Space Library
NASA and AFCRL scientists would measure plume from Apollo 15 during launch July 26 in attempt to solve mystery of Apollo 12 lightning strike during Nov. 14, 1969, launch, AFSC announced. Measurements were part of Lightning Strikes to In-Flight Missiles program to test conductivity and electrical field breakdown strength on Minute-man and Atlas missiles. Scientists theorized that exhaust plume acted as electrical conductor and might have influenced electrical fields in thunder clouds and provoked lightning stroke. AFCRL project scientist John L. Heckscher said USAF tests showed that "the rocket plume acts as a good conductor of electricity-like a wire ... stretched from the rocket to the ground. And, should the rocket enter a thunder cloud, it would act like a lightning conductor. In the Apollo 15 launch we're primarily interested in the effective length of the conducting plume. The rocket is 363 feet [110 m] long, and the visible portion of the plume, which contains incandescent carbon particles and other burning matter, is perhaps another 500 ft [152 m] of good conductor. However the trailing invisible portion may also be electrically conductive and that's what we want to find out." (AFSC Release 180.71)
Mariner 9, launched by NASA May 30, had covered 142 600 000 km (88 600 000 mi) in 167-day journey to Mars. Spacecraft was 15 300 000 km (9 500 000 mi) from earth and had received more than 600 commands. (NASA Release 71-136)
ARC-developed oximeter-device to measure oxygen content of blood by light absorption of blood circulating through ear-was being used by National Cancer Institute's Leukemia Service for early detection of shock, NASA announced. Device had been introduced to Cancer Institute by Biomedical Application Team (BATEAM) of Research Triangle Institute. Team was employed by NASA to exchange space-developed technology between physical and medical sciences. Oximeter had been developed in 1960s to study effects of rapid acceleration in centrifuge on subjects, to determine reactions to simulated manned space flight conditions. (NASA Release 71- 132)
Tass said Communist Party Central Committee and Soviet Council of Ministers had decided to unveil busts of Salyut I-Soyuz II Cosmonauts Georgy T. Dobrovoisky, Vladislav N. Volkov, and Viktor I. Patsayev in their home towns and to erect obelisk in their honor at landing site of Soyuz 11 spacecraft. Memorial plaques would be placed on buildings at cosmonaut training center and at cosmonauts' schools. Cosmonauts' names would be given to their schools and to streets in Odessa, Moscow, and Aktyubinsk, cosmonauts' home towns. (FBIS-Sov-71-142,7/22/71)
Japan would launch scientific observation satellite from Uchinoura Space Center Sept. 20, Space Business Daily reported. Satellite design and planned orbit would be similar to that of Japan's Tansei, launched Feb. 16. (SBD, 7/22/71, 96)
SES-100B Surface Effect Ship, built for USN by Textron Bell Aerospace Div., was launched at Michoud Assembly Facility. Ship was 23.7 m (78 ft) long, weighed 90700 kg (100 tons), and traveled at 41 m per sec (80 knots) on air cushion maintained by eight lift fans and contained by catamaran-style side hulls and flexible bow and stern seals. Test and evaluation program would be conducted in Lake Pontchartrain and Gulf of Mexico beginning July 23. (Bell Aerospace Div Release)
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
