Mar 25 1970
From The Space Library
President Nixon announced transfer of Electronics Research Center in Cambridge, Mass., from NASA to DOT, effective July 1. James C. Elms would continue as Director and Center would be renamed Transportation Development Center. Later, Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe announced DOT would use center for R&D efforts on systems and equipment to automate air traffic control system more highly, economically feasible collision avoidance system for commercial and private aircraft, sensors to measure and monitor air pollution caused by transportation elements, automatic landing systems for aircraft, system analysis on urban transit systems and highway traffic control, ocean-data buoy systems to transmit weather and oceanographic data, and auto-driver simulation systems to study accident causes and prevention. (PD, 3/30/70, 446; DOT Release 6870)
NASA launched two sounding rockets from Churchill Research Range. Aerobee 150MI launched with VAM-17 booster carried Johns Hopkins Univ. and Univ. of Pittsburgh payload to 164.4-km (102.2-mi) altitude. Objective was to measure neutral and ion composition in auroral discharge, visible emission features of aurora, primary and secondary electron energy distributions, and auroral height profile. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily. Nike-Tomahawk carried Univ. of Colorado payload to 235-km (146.0-mi) altitude to measure Vegard-Kaplan and Lyman-Birge-Hopfield bands of nitrogen in UV auroral emissions. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily and good data were obtained. Prototype parachute recovery system, being tested for first time, failed and payload was not recovered. (NASA Rpts SRL)
Three security automobiles burst into flames in fog-like oxygen vapor 335 m (1100 ft) from Apollo 13's Saturn V booster at KSC Launch Complex 39, Pad A, during rocket fueling for countdown demonstration test. Patrolmen escaped injury and booster was not damaged. Test was delayed nearly four hours, but engineers successfully completed countdown with simulated ignition. Vented oxygen vapor apparently mixed with gasoline in carburetors and was ignited by spark plugs. Dr. Kurt H. Debus, KSC Director, appointed board to investigate accident. (UPI, W Post, 3/26/70, A3)
U.S. and Australia signed 10-yr extension to agreement under which Australia managed NASA tracking activities. Original 10-yr agreement effective Feb. 26, 1960, would extend to Feb. 26, 1980. Australian Dept. of Supply would continue to manage NASA tracking, data acquisition, and communications facilities near Canberra, Woomera, Carnarvon, and Cooby Creek. New antenna 64 m (210 ft) in diameter for deep space tracking would be installed at Tidbinbilla. Australian facilities-largest concentration of NASA facilities .outside U.S.-represented $77-million investment; employed more than 700 Australian engineers, technicians, and support staff; and operated at annual cost of $14 million. (NASA Release 70-33)
L/C John W. O'Neill (USAF), AFSC Vice Commander, testified on status of F-111 aircraft before Senate Committee on Government Operations' Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. USAF investigation of Dec. 22, 1969, crash that had killed two pilots near Nellis AFB, Nev., had shown "structural failure of the left wing occurred at Very low altitude, during a normal dive recovery after a routine delivery of air-to-ground ordnance. Although the aircrew escape module performed as it was designed, time between ejection and ground impact did not allow the recovery chute to open." Metallurgical flaw, "somewhat like an ultra-thin hairline crack, existed in the lower plate of the wing pivot fitting." In addition to USAF investigations, special ad hoc committee of Air Force Scientific Advisory Board had reviewed findings and technical data. "We have concluded that the flaw was introduced at a subcontractor facility at some point during the manufacture of the lower plate. . . . No modifications to present structure were planned but structural inspections of all F-111's would "utilize improved ultrasonic inspection techniques and procedures developed as a direct result of this problem." Program would cost estimated $31.2 million. First aircraft were to be completed and returned to flight status in June 1970. All aircraft should be restored by shortly after first of year. (Testimony)
Lowell Observatory astronomer Or. Peter Boyce had reported "blue smog" of Mars was caused by physical changes on planet's surface rather than by looking at Mars through earth's atmosphere, Philadelphia Inquirer said. Dr. Boyce had used special area-scanning photometer attached to Lowell Observatory's 610-mm (24-in) reflector at Cerro Tololo in Chilean Andes to obtain accurate photometric measurements of Mars. (P Inq, 3/25/70)
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