May 24 1973
From The Space Library
President Nixon sent a message to the first Skylab crew on the eve of its Skylab 2 launch to join the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop, launched May 14: "Already the courage and ability which you and your colleagues have shown in coping with the initial difficulties of the mission have given us a great sense of confidence in the Skylab team. Through those efforts you have shown the world that man is prepared to meet and overcome the challenges of space." (O'Toole, W Post, 5/26/73, Al)
Soviet news agency Tass announced the Soviet crews for the July 1975 U.S U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz rendezvous and docking mission. The first crew would be Cosmonauts Aleksey A. Leonov, the first man to walk in space (during the March 18, 1965, Voskhod 2 mission), and Valery N. Kubasov, flight enginer on the Soyuz 6 mission (Oct. 11-18, 1969). The second crew would be Anatoly V. Filipchenko, pilot on Soyuz 7 (Oct. 12-17, 1969), and Nikolay N. Rukavishnikov, flight engineer on Soyuz 10 (April 23-25, 1971). Third crew would be Cosmonauts Vladimir Dzhanibekov and Boris Andreyev and fourth would be Yuri Romanenko and Aleksander Ivanchenko - none of whom had been in space before. (FBIS-SOV, 5/25/73, Ll)
Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39-site of the July 16, 1969, launch of Apollo 11, the first manned spacecraft to land on the moon- was entered in the National Register of Historic Places of the Dept. of the Interior's National Park Service. The complex, built between November 1962 and October 1968, was first used for the Nov. 9, 1967, launch of the unmanned Apollo 4, the first Apollo launch, and was still in use for Skylab launches. (KSC Hist Off)
A Washington Evening Star and Daily News editorial commented on the U.S. stake in the Skylab missions, endangered by damage to the Skylab 1 Workshop during launch May 14: "Even if the present Skylab must be written off, the nation should not dismantle its unique capacity for manned space exploration. We have the equipment, including the Saturn V rocket, to mount another attempt in 15 months or so. More importantly, NASA currently has the brains and know-how to operate in space with amazing powers of foresight and improvisation, which are being put to a severe test this week. The dispersal of this talent would be a loss to mankind in ways that can only be imagined." (W Star & News, 5/24/73, A18)
May 24-June 3: The 30th and largest Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Air-port, marred by tragedy at its end, featured the first joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. pavilion-displaying models of Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft to be used in the July 1975 joint mission-and a record display of aircraft, sub-systems, and equipment from manufacturers in 19 countries. The air-craft included the Anglo-French Concorde and Soviet production model Tu-144 supersonic transports, U.S. prototype Northrop F-5E international fighter and Grumman Navy F-14 variable-geometry air-superiority fighter, Soviet 11-62-M medium-range transport and Yak general-aviation aircraft, and the first European A-300B Airbus.
NASA Associate Deputy Administrator Willis H. Shapley said at the opening of the U.S.-U.S.S.R. exhibit that NASA was "pleased to have the opportunity to demonstrate . . . the rapid progress our joint working groups have made.... During the past year, American and Soviet engineers have worked closely together in an atmosphere of good will to solve many complicated and technical problems. We are confident that the target date for a joint mission in Earth orbit in 1975 can be met. This joint mission will be an exciting adventure as well as a highly visible expression of our nation's belief in the great value of exploring and using space in cooperation with other nations."
On May 30 the Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt met with Soviet Cosmonauts Aleksey A. Leonov, Valery N. Kubasov, and Anatoly V. Filipchenko-of the U.S.S.R. prime and backup crew for the Apollo-Soyuz mission- and Dr. Aleksey S. Yeliseyev at the U.S.-U.S.S.R. Pavilion, They inspected a model of the Soviet Lunokhod 2 lunar roving vehicle and Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft models and were invited aboard the Soviet Tu-144 supersonic transport by its principal designer Gen. Aleksey A. Tupolev.
On June 3 the Tu-144 crashed into the French village of Goussainville, near Le Bourget Airport, while finishing a series of demonstration flights. All six crewmen, including pilot Mikhail Kozlov, and seven persons on the ground were killed and 28 injured. The aircraft was destroyed. A team of French and Soviet officials was appointed immediately to investigate the accident, which observers said might have resulted from attempted aerobatics. Witnesses said the Tu-144's performance had been erratic just before it crashed. (Av Wk, 5/28/73, 6/4/73, 6/11/73; Shapley text; Tass, FIBS-Sov, 6/1/73, F5; 6/4/73, F3)
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