July 1970
From The Space Library
Use of infrared telescopes lifted by balloons and NASA's high-flying jet aircraft to penetrate "last portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to remain unexplored by astronomers" was described by Rice Univ. scientists in Astronautics & Aeronautics. In last 10 yrs, astronomers had built" super-cooled scanning telescopes that peered through atmospheric windows letting in infrared wavelengths between 1mu and 25mu." But water vapor had blocked wavelengths from 25-100 mu from reaching ground. Now jet aircraft and balloons lifted telescopes above vapor to "bridge gap between ground-based infrared and radio observations" and find "most powerful radiators in the universe." (Low, Aumann, Gillespie, A&A, 7/70, 26-30)
U.S. space program was "in a kind of limbo, waiting, really, to be reborn and reconstituted," William Leavitt said in Air Force and Space Digest. As Apollo stretched out, "NASA space planners are already working toward the first launch in 1972 of Skylab, which is really the unheralded beginning of the long-awaited US manned space-station program." (AF/SD, 7/70,60-4)
Experimental InterAmerican Meteorological Rocket Network (EXAMETNET)-joint project of U.S., Argentina, and Brazil-released Annual Report, 1968 (NASA SP-231), describing 1968 activities with summary of meteorological rockets and data and list of publications, reports, and related handbooks. EXAMETNET provided scientific measurements of upper atmosphere to facilitate research into structure and circulation of atmosphere in Northern and Southern hemispheres. (Text)
"Development of Airplane Stability and Control Technology," 1970 von Karman Lecture by of D. Perkins, Associate Dean of Princeton Univ. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, was published by Journal of Aircraft: "As the airplane becomes larger, faster, and as a result, more complex, the balance between inherent aerodynamic stability and stability provided through automatic systems must be made on an overall aircraft performance judgment. There is much yet to be done with the technology. . . ." (JA, 7-8170, 290-301)
Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska) writing in Aerospace dismissed ecological arguments against SST program: Greatest single consideration "in America's Supersonic Transport program is technological: Whether the United States will continue to maintain its dominant position in the development and production of commercial transport aircraft for the world-with all that this means to the health of the domestic economy and U.S. position in international markets." In next two decades, level of the world's commercial airline traffic was expected to rise to six times as high. SST was "logical, and inevitable step forward to meet the demands of this new volume of air travel regardless of who builds it." (Aerospace, 7170, 3-5)
Interview with Dr. John S. Foster, Jr., DOD Director of Defense Research and Engineering, was reported by Air Force and Space Digest. Dr. Foster believed U.S. held considerable lead over U.S.S.R... in basic space technology and application of that technology to military requirements. U.S. programs in communications, mapping, warning, surveillance, weather, and other activities related to military had been extremely rewarding. In manned military space operations, "we will come to realize that there are military needs in space that cannot be accomplished without placing much larger payloads in orbit." (AF/SD, 7170, 31-b)
European space accomplishments were reviewed in Science Journal: ESRO was evolving as center for scientific and applications satellites and was interested in developing satellites for meteorology, navigation, and air traffic control. Less successful had been European efforts to obtain independence in satellite launching through ELDO. U.S. had introduced new element into European deliberations by inviting collaboration in post-Apollo program. "So far the U.S. State Department has ruled against the purchase of American launch vehicles for European commercial ventures, such as the regional communications satellite. This could be changed by cooperation in the post-Apollo programme. Europe could reserve the right to buy boosters for any non-military application." Cost might be problem since "second league nations together spend approximately $300 million a year on space-an order of magnitude less than the United States and probably the 'Soviet Union." (Gatland, Science Journal, 7/70, 77-80)
NSF Released Research and Development in Industry, 1968: Funds, 1968; Scientists & Engineers, January 1969 (NSF 70-29) of 36% of industrial scientists and engineers in R&D activities in January 1969, about two fifths worked on Federally financed R&D projects. For first time since 1956, companies financed over half of their R&D work with their own funds, spending $8.9 billion in 1968. Company funds increased 23% between 1966 and 1968, while Federal spending remained nearly level. Pattern was expected to continue from 1968 to 1970, with company R&D financing expected to rise about 20% and Federal support possibly declining slightly. In 1968, 90% of $8.6 billion in R&D funds furnished to industries by Federal agencies came from Don and NASA. DOD funded 104 600 R&D scientists and engineers in 1968, at an average cost of $51800 per R&D professional. NASA projects averaged $66 000 per R&D professional and included 35 000 persons. Industrial firms spent 3.7 billion on research, both basic and applied. Federal Government furnished 32% of these funds. In 1968, 72% of applied R&D funds was devoted to five product fields-guided missiles and spacecraft, electrical equipment and communication, aircraft and parts, machinery, and chemicals (not including drugs and medicine). (Text)
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