May 22 1968
From The Space Library
First public demonstration of satellite communications between merchant ship and shore was given before Propeller Club of Port of Baltimore, Md. Civic officials conversed via NASA'S Ats JJ with captain of vessel off Valparaiso, Chile, coast. Conversation was transmitted over telephone lines to GSFC and relayed to Rosman, N.C., to satellite, and to ship. (NYT, 6/26/68, 86)
Post-launch investigations at MSFC and at Rocketdyne Div. of North American Rockwell Corp., J-2 manufacturer, had revealed J-2 rocket engine malfunctions on April 4 Apollo 6 mission had been caused by ruptures of small-diameter fuel lines feeding engine igniters. Improved designs for lines had been completed and new lines were being man- ufactured for extensive testing before use in next Saturn IB and Saturn V launch vehicles. (Marshall Star, 5/22/68, 1)
Aerospace Industries Assn. released its 1967 Annual Report, reviewing "industry's continuing pattern of growth": 11% increase in sales over 1966, to $27.2 billion; maintenance of 1,400,000-man work force, making aerospace industry largest U.S. manufacturing employer; and $575-million increase in exports, to $2.2 billion, including 42.9% increase in civilian aircraft, to $789 million. (Text)
NASA selected Fairchild-Hiller Corp, General Electric Co., and Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. for competitive negotiations for $5-million fixed-price contract to develop designs for basic spacecraft configuration of F and G models of Applications Technology Satellite. Firms would provide complete specifications and versions of critical spacecraft systems. (NASA Release 68-95)
MSFC awarded third one-year contract extension, at $6.448 million, to RCA Services Co. for institutional support services at MSFC. (MSFC Re- lease 68-112)
NASA established Office of Facilities, merging facility functions and applicable staff elements of Office of Manned Space Flight, Office of Space Science and Applications, Office of Advanced Research and Technology, Office of Tracking and Data Acquisition, and Facilities Management Office. New office, under direction of M/G Robert H. Curtin (USAF, Ret.) , would encompass planning, design, acquisition, construction, repair, alteration, maintenance, operations, utilization, and disposal of facilities including land and collateral equipment. It would report to the Assistant Administrator for Administration. (NASA Ann)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
