May 14 1967
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. was training more scientists, faster, than any other country in the world, Dr. G. M. Dobrov, Kiev Academy of Science professor, told a London meeting of scientists from 14 countries. During the last 50 yrs, the number of scientists in the world had doubled every 15 yrs: US. had doubled its personnel every 10 yrs; U.S.S.R., every seven years. Dr. Dobrov said U.S.S.R. had 10,000 professional scientists in 1917, compared to 700,000 in 1967. He suggested that women be encouraged to enter scientific professions to enlarge resources of potential manpower. (Reuters, NYT, 5/14/67,85)
A 59-lb, $350,000 computer used on Gemini V mission had been reconditioned and was being used by USN in tests of new airborne weapons system designed to locate and destroy enemy radar, AP reported. USN declined to name the aircraft or reveal where the tests were being conducted. (AP, Denver Post, 5/14/67)
May 14-18: Aviation-Space Writers' Assn. met in Las Vegas. Dr. Mac C. Adams, NASA Associate Administrator for Advanced Research and Technology, discussed NASA's attempts to solve the increasing problem of aircraft noise. Efforts included: (1) active participation in the interagency task force established by President Johnson to study aircraft noise [see Feb. 1], (2) study of methods to reduce noise of conventional aircraft engines, (3) investigation of the use of steeper descent angles during approach to landing and steeper climb on takeoff to reduce noise by moving the source farther from the ground, and (4) research on a new turbine engine with low noise as a basic requirement. (Text, N News, 5/16/67)
Former AFSC Commander Gen. Bernard A. Schriever (USAF, Ret.) charged that the Johnson Administration was not "pushing technology" and suggested that $400-700 million more should have been spent annually on exploratory and advanced development during the past four or five years. He was particularly critical of the "arbitrary separation of space activities into peaceful and military. . . . It simply serves to emphasize, by comparison, the straightforwardness of the Soviet program. Their single-purpose program seeks only to attain a versatile technological superiority which, once attained, will serve the political purpose they choose regardless of what kind of a space program we have or how we categorize it. . . ." (Text)
Anglo-French Concorde supersonic aircraft, scheduled to enter commercial service in 1971, would pioneer three markets, monopolizing the first two until "pushed away" by US. SST, scheduled to enter passenger service in 1974-5, W. J. Jakimiuk, president of Sud-Aviation, predicted. Concorde would dominate the North Atlantic market where SSTs would first be used; however, "as soon as the US. SST penetration of the North Atlantic pushes away the Concordes, they will be introduced on the major other markets, where a position of monopoly again will be found," Jakimiuk said. When US. SST "pushes" Concorde away from these routes, it would then move to a new series of routes where traffic density would be so low that "there will be no SST competition." (NYT, 5/21/67, 88)
Director of FAA SST Development B/G J. C. Maxwell, referring to report by Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) which suggested that SST program could seriously weaken the Nation's balance of payments [see May 16], said that "our balance of payments will continue to benefit if American and foreign airlines continue to buy and operate American aircraft in the upcoming supersonic area." General Maxwell said FAA estimated that 1990 market for SSTs, if operations were limited by sonic boom considerations, would be 500 aircraft, improving balance of payments position by $17 billion. If sonic boom did not limit operations, 1,200 aircraft would be sold, improving balance of payments position by $32 billion. (Text; Lardner, W Post, 5/15/67, C1)
Dr. John S. Foster, Jr., Director of Defense Research and Engineering, responded to criticism that US. was losing its strategic superiority. For many years, the Soviet Union apparently had been following our lead in every important strategic system technical development. . . . This is still the case. We are following their activities with great care. We see no evidence that our planned strategic capabilities will be endangered by recent Soviet technological actions. . . ." Dr. Foster announced that first MOL would be launched by USAF in 1970, confirming rumors that program was two years behind schedule. (Av Wk, 5/22/67,11)
Awards presented included: (1) Monsanto Aviation Safety Award for the "most significant and lasting contribution to air safety" in 1966 to FAA Deputy Administrator David D. Thomas, who was recognized as "the principal architect of the US. air traffic control system"; and (2) 1967 Robert S. Ball Memorial Award for distinguished and meritorious aerospace writing to Howard Benedict, AP senior aerospace writer, for series of articles from Aug. 8-Sept. 19, 1966, on Gemini XI mission. (Editor & Publisher, 5/13/67; FAA Release 67-7)
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