Mar 24 1972
From The Space Library
Air Force launched unidentified satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 12:45 pm PST by Thor-Burner II booster. Orbital parameters: 884-km (549-mi) apogee, 802-km (498-mi) perigee, 101.7-min period, and 98.1° inclination. (Pres Rpt 73; SBD, 3/29/72, 156)
NASA's Mariner 9 Mars probe-orbiting Mars since Nov. 13, 1971-had resumed its scientific examination of Mars following engineering analysis of onboard computer, NASA announced. Cameras had been turned off March 17 while trouble-shooting procedures were conducted. Cause of problem had not been determined, but systems were working properly and problem had not recurred. Mariner 9 was 288 million km (179 million mi) from earth and had returned 7000 pictures of Mars and mapped 85% of Mars since launch May 30, 1971. Last pictures to be taken by Mariner 9 until first week in June had been recorded March 22 and 23 and science instruments would be turned off March 30. From April 2 to June 4 Mariner 9 would pass through Mars shadow once during each orbit for periods of up to 100 sec, during which spacecraft would operate on battery power. Limited science operations would resume after June 4, with spacecraft recording data and taking pictures about once a week until mission ended in November. Primary objectives of mission had been completed Feb. 11. (NASA Release 72-67)
Future need for public administrators who underst9od science and technology was forecast by Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, in speech before American Society of Public Administrators in New York. Sociological and technological components of world problems raised problems to "new level of complexity." Management and public administration teams were examining "successful conduct of the Apollo program-the most complicated and difficult technical task ever undertaken by man." However, "in Apollo we were carrying out a highly complex, but basically technical program. Essentially we were dealing with machines, not people." Asked if U.S. should use Apollo program approach to solve environmental problems, Apollo 8 Astronaut Frank Borman had told interviewer: "I don't think that I would care to live in a country that solved its social problems in the same way we solved the Apollo problems." Dr. Fletcher agreed "our Science-Administrator needs for the future should not be equated with needs for better technical program managers, although this too will become increasingly important, In developing and formulating wise and sound policies and programs to tackle our emerging problems, it will be essential to have individuals within all governmental levels who are capable of understanding the potentials of science and technology ... and who are alert to their ultimate purposes and consequences. .. It is in this role that I conceive of the new Science-Administrator. (Text)
U.S.S.R.'s Cosmos 476 (launched March 1) was believed by U.S. military and space experts to be a new-generation electronic- intelligence satellite, Associated Press reported. Cosmos 476 payload was estimated at between 4500 and 5400 kg (10 000 and 12 000 Is), about 10 times heavier than earlier generation ferrets designed to eavesdrop on other nations' radio traffic and to monitor radar. Heavier weight suggested Cosmos 476 incorporated much more equipment that was probably more technically sophisticated. (W Star, 3/24/72, A5)
NASA announced issuance of Monitoring Earth Resources from Aircraft and Spacecraft (NASA SP-275). Illustrated technical report had been prepared by Univ. of California at Berkeley conservationist Dr. Robert N. Colwell and team to describe potential uses for photos of earth from satellites. Text stressed need for reliable current inventories of agricultural and vegetational resources. Illustrations compared views of sections of U.S. photographed from Gemini spacecraft, from air-craft, and on the ground. (NASA Release 72-70)
National Science Foundation and National Center for Atmospheric Re- search planned to launch small rockets carrying silver iodide into thunderstorms suspected of being potential hail producers to see if seeding could cut hail formation, Associated Press reported. Rockets would be launched from aircraft flying through hailstorms to measure wind patterns and other atmospheric conditions. Researchers hoped seeding would disrupt hail growth so that moisture would fall as rain or small ice pellets. Experiment was part of $2.5-million-per-year Joint Hail Research Experiment conducted by NSF, MAR, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Colorado. Air National Guard, and seven universities. (W Star, 3/24/72)
Short-haul transportation was "essential to a complete national transportation system," Aerospace Industries Assn. executive Jean Ross Howard said in speech before STOL (short takeoff and landing aircraft] Seminar sponsored by Aviation Committee of St. Louis, Mo., Chamber of Commerce and St. Louis Research Council. Although 70% of U.S. travel market was composed of distances up to 800 km (500 mi), air transportation system as yet was not oriented in this direction. Survey had shown that 30% of U.S. air passengers traveled less than 500 km (300 mi) , Air congestion delays, caused by lack of airport capacity, cost airlines $180 million each year and figure would increase to $1 billion by 1981. NASA's $100-million program to develop short-haul, short takeoff and landing airliner was "welcome recognition of the urgent requirement for more efficient and convenient short-haul air service." (Text)
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