Jul 9 1970
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CCCLIII from Plesetsk into orbit with 304-km (188.9-mi) apogee, 205-km (127.4-mi) perigee, 89.6-min period, and 65.4° inclination. Satellite reentered July 21. (GSFC SSR, 7/31/70; SBD, 7/10/70, 41)
Agreement under which U.S. Coast Guard would conduct National Data Buoy Development Project at MTF had been signed by Dr, Thomas O. Paine; NASA Administrator, and Adm. T. R. Sargent, Acting Commandant of USCG, NASA announced. Agreement established basic operational support and reimbursement relations between NASA and USCG. Slidell, La., NASA computer facility also would be available to project. (NASA Release 70-114)
Dr. Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator, received President's Safety Award on behalf of NASA in White House ceremony. Award recognized Federal Executive departments and agencies which best safeguarded lives and health of employees. Other 1970 winners were USAF and Civil Service Commission. (NASA Hq WB, 7/13/70, 2)
Thomas O'Toole reported in Washington Post that NASA was considering canceling three of six remaining Apollo lunar landing missions so it could use Saturn V boosters to orbit Skylab space station. Although firm decision had not yet been made, NASA had "undertaken a top priority study to see if it might be feasible to cancel . . .the landings to divert funds into. . an 'intermediate' space station that could be launched in 1976." (W Post, 7/9/70, A12)
Sen. John L. McClellan (D-Ark.) on Senate floor accused NASA of secretly altering low bid of Fairchild Hiller in competition for $50million contract for ATS-F and G spacecraft and of permitting General Electric Co. to reduce overhead costs in its final offer so that total was below that of Fairchild Hiller Corp. He compared procurement project with DOD TFX competition and contract awards. "I believe that a thorough review of the phased procurement source selection system should be undertaken. . .in order to determine whether the system should be modified, changed, or eliminated." (OR, 7/9/70, S10974-5)
Mstislav V. Keldysh, President of Soviet Academy of Sciences, said at Moscow press conference that U.S.S.R. had not received proposal for general cooperation in space research and in docking systems from NASA Administrator, Or. Thomas O. Paine. "But in the event that we do, we will treat them with maximum attention." Keldysh said Soyuz IX had provided foundation for new missions of more than 30 days, "quite long enough for, a long-term orbital mission, because such stations presuppose crew changes." Earlier Soyuz missions devoted to rendezvous, maneuvering, docking, and transfer had been programmed to provide essential crew change knowledge. U.S.S.R.'s main task now was "orbital stations and. . .the study of the solar system and the earth by unmanned vehicles." (Clarity, NYT, 7/10/70; SBD, 7/10/70, 40)
President Nixon sent to Congress Reorganization Plan No. 3 to establish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Reorganization Plan No. 4 to establish National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within Department of Commerce. Plans would be effective in 60 days unless Senate or House disapproved. NOAA would bring together functions of ESSA and its major elements-Weather Bureau, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Environmental Data Service, National Environmental Satellite Center, and Research Laboratories-with Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Marine Game Fish Research Program, and Marine Minerals Technology Center (formerly of Dept. of Interior); National Oceanographic Data Center and National Oceanographic Instrumentation Center (formerly under USN); National Data Buoy Development Project (formerly of Coast Guard and DOT); National Sea Grant Program (formerly of NSF); and elements of U.S. Lake Survey (formerly of Army Corp of Engineers). New agency was to provide unified approach to problems of oceans and atmosphere; better understanding, development, and conservation of marine resources; consolidated efforts towards greater knowledge of oceanic and atmospheric phenomena and those of solid earth; and balanced Federal program toward more effective environmental monitoring control. Environmentally related functions of other Federal agencies would be moved to new EPA to establish and enforce protection standards, study pollution effects and control, assist others in arresting pollution, and assist Council on Environmental Quality in recommending policies to President. (PD, 7/13/70, 908-21; Dept. of Commerce Release G 70-122; Text)
Melvin R. Laird, Secretary of Defense, said at DOD press conference that U.S.S.R. had "gone forward with new starts" in build-up of ICBM force after opening of SALT in Helsinki in November 1969 and after transfer of talks to Vienna in April. Increase had included deployment of more SS-9 missiles and smaller SS-11 and SS-13 missiles. (Sheehan, NYT, 7/10/70,1)
July 9-11: NASA and Univ. of California at Berkeley scientists successfully launched 300000-cu-m (10.6-million-cu-ft) balloon carrying 1400-kg (3000-lb) scientific payload. from National Center for Atmospheric Research at Palestine, Tex. Balloon, part of High Altitude Particle Physics Experiment (HAPPE) project to study cosmic rays in upper atmosphere, reached 341 000-m (104 000-ft) altitude and drifted westward to Odessa, Tex., where it was brought down and recovered July 11. (MSC Roundup, 7/17/70,1)
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