Jun 17 1970
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CCCXLIX from Plesetsk into orbit with 350-km (217.5-mi) apogee, 203-km (126.1-mi) perigee, 89.8-min period, and 64.4° inclination. Satellite reentered June 25. (GSFC SSR, 6/30/70; SBA 6/18/70, 224)
NASA's X-24A lifting-body vehicle, piloted by NASA test pilot John A. Manke, successfully completed 14th flight from FRC. Vehicle was launched from B-52 aircraft at 12 800-m (42 000-ft) altitude and reached 19 800 m (65 000 ft) and mach 0.95. Data on lateral directional derivatives at mach 0.9 and longitudinal trim and lift-to-drag ratio were obtained. (NASA Proj Off)
USN successfully launched 19th Poseidon missile from ETR toward Atlantic Ocean target in preparation for first launch from submarine in late July. (UPI, NY News, 6/18/70, 8)
James H. Wyld Propulsion Award was presented to Hans G. Paul, Chief of MSFC Propulsion Div. and Joseph G. Thibodaux, Jr., Chief of MSC Power and Propulsion Div. during AIAA 6th Propulsion Specialist Conference in San Diego, Calif. Paul was cited for "outstanding leadership in research and development of Saturn launch vehicle propulsion"; Thibodaux, for "outstanding leadership in research and development of Apollo spacecraft propulsion." (MSFC Release 70-114)
NASA announced it would initiate studies and analyses of satellite and other data on Gulf Coast area in FY 1971 at MTF. In Washington, D.C., Dr. Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator, said activities would use data from Earth Resources Technology Satellites A and B, Apollo manned flights, and aircraft operations. Study would be supported by MTF laboratory and Slidell, La., computer facility in line with earlier NASA invitation to other Government agencies to collocate study and analysis activities at MTF. (NASA Release 70-98)
Maintenance and operation of NASA Deep Space Facility 61, near Madrid, had been assumed by Spanish engineers and technicians, NASA announced. Similar facility nearby had been consigned to Spanish operation in 1969. Both tracking facilities, major units of NASA's Deep Space Network, were operated for NASA in cooperation with Spain's Instituto National de Technica Aerospacial (INTA) under Jan. 29, 1964, agreement. (NASA Release 70-95)
USAF released summary of findings of C-5 Review Board headed by Dr. Raymond L. Bisplinghoff, Dean of MIT School of Engineering. Board concluded: C-5A flight performance met Lockheed Corp. contract guarantees at current weight of aircraft; change actions applying to contract had not reduced required flight performance; landing gear design system was "based on good engineering principles backed by adequate tests and is basically sound"; landing gear problems that had occurred could be related to large number of components required to meet aircraft's landing and ground handling requirements. "It is essential that correct procedures be established, documented, and made available to train crews in proper procedures." Major recommendations on C-5A subsystems were: reconfigure triple-redundant pitch, roll, and heading sensor assemblies from two Attitude heading reference units (AHRUs) and one inertial measurement unit (IMU) to three AHRUs, retaining IMU for navigation only; provide triple redundancy for fail-operational pitch, roll, and heading information fed to cockpit displays; substitute state-of-the-art weather and mapping radar for multimode radar (MMR) for transport mission until reliability for other modes had been demonstrated by MMR. Board found static tests had demonstrated 80% of design ultimate strength, while full-scale test article had accumulated only 1500 simulated hours of life. It recommended additional modifications to wing structure and program for tracking use of each individual C-5A aircraft by load recorders, to adjust inspection intervals and monitor remaining life. It also recommended acceleration of all tests, to identify problems in laboratory rather than in service; second wing-fatigue test; and choice by USAF of one of several proposals to enable wing to meet static strength requirements. (DOD Release 507-70)
Physicist Dr. Ralph E. Lapp testified before Subcommittee on Economy in Government of Joint Economic Committee on changing national priorities: "If we eliminate the Space Shuttle and the space station, then the NASA budget can be trimmed to a level below $3 billion per year throughout the rest of this decade. Such a decision will shift NASA's priorities from sensational manned space ventures to space science and its applications. If the U.S. space program is restructured to this new pattern and the Apollo manned lunar program is allowed to run out, it should be possible to effect further economies in the NASA budget...... When NASA shifted to science base "it would be desirable that the scientific community give some expression of its sense of priorities for space science with respect to the rest of science. The quest for new knowledge of the solar system must be reckoned as pure or basic or fundamental research. As such, it should be related to the federal support of all other basic research." (Testimony)
MSC announced award of $100000 NASA contract to Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp. for study of station operating techniques during space station mission to define crew command structure necessary to ensure successful operations. (MSC Release 70-68)
AFSC announced it was testing T-38 aircraft escape system on High Speed Test Track at Holloman AFB, N. Mex., in effort to reduce time from starting ejection sequence to parachute inflation. Tests changed sequence of events during ejection process and used explosive devices to deploy new seat stabilization-retardation parachute and speed main parachute inflation. (AFSC Release 161.70)
Senate confirmed nomination of Adm. Thomas H. Moorer (USN) to be Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff for two-year term. (CR, 6/17/70, S9235)
U.S. Conference of Mayors, meeting in Denver, Colo., called for immediate cutbacks in military and space budgets to provide more money for beleaguered cities. Conference supported resolution by Milwaukee, Wis., Mayor Henry W. Maier and Cleveland, Ohio, Mayor Carl Stokes that money should be taken from "waste" in military, space, agricultural, and highway budgets and channeled to cities. (Moritz, NY News, 6/18/70, 28)
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