Jun 29 1971
From The Space Library
Mariner 9, en route to Mars, was 7 900 000 km (4 909 000 mi) from earth at 9:00 am EDT after traveling 82 500 000 km (51 263 000 mi) and receiving over 500 commands since launch May 30. Spacecraft was expected to accomplish its basic 90-day scientific mission objectives, but was using more nitrogen gas than predicted for maintaining attitude stabilization. Current predictions indicated nitrogen gas supply would be depleted in early August 1972, nine months after spacecraft went into orbit around Mars. Increased rate of consumption was due to circuit design error in attitude-control- system electronics. (NASA Proj Off; NASA Release 71-120)
Tenth anniversary of launch of SNAP-3A, first radioisotope thermo- electric generator-launched from xsc aboard USN Transit 4-A satellite by Thor-Able-Star booster June 29, 1961, in joint NASA- DOD-AEC pro-gram to develop use of nuclear power in space. SNAP-3A was still transmitting signals earthward but was no longer in use. It had orbited earth more than 50 000 times and traveled more than 2.4 billion km (1.5 billion mi). (AEC Release 103; A&A, 1961)
Senate, by vote of 82 to 5, passed H.R. 7109, $3.281-billion FY 1972 NASA authorization bill, after rejecting by vote of 64 to 22 Mondale amendment No. 233 that would have deleted from bill $138 million for space shuttle program. Senate also passed by voice vote H.J.R. 742, making continuing appropriations for FY 1972, after rejecting by vote of 63 to 24 modified Proxmire amendment limiting ceiling for defense expenditures to $68 billion. (CR, 6/29/71, 510126-62, S10177, S10272-98)
Plans for 1974 World Weather Program experiment GATE (GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment) were announced by NOAA. Part of Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP), project would study behavior of cloud clusters and their role in larger circulation of atmosphere in Atlantic Ocean area from west coast of Latin America eastward to Ethiopia, with more intensive study of cloud clusters in smaller ocean area. GATE project was one of succession of experiments to increase understanding of atmosphere in order to develop numerical models and program computers for long-range weather prediction. (NOAA Release 71- 82)
MSFC announced award of $97 996 contract to Brown Engineering Co. for development of systems simulator to assess life support and habit-ability requirements for future space applications. Simulator was scheduled for Oct. 1 delivery. (MSFC Release 71-112)
President Nixon transmitted to Congress third annual report of National Science Board, Environmental Science: Challenge for the Seventies. Report found environmental science "unable to match the needs of society for definitive information, predictive capability, and the analysis of environmental systems as systems. Because existing data and current theoretical models are inadequate, environmental science remains unable in virtually all areas of application to offer more than qualitative interpretations or suggestions of environmental change that may occur in response to specific actions." Situation constituted "crisis for the Nation." Report recommended establishing national program for advancing science of environmental systems. (PD, 7/5/71, 1019; Text)
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