May 2 1972
From The Space Library
Apollo 16 rock and photography briefing was held at Manned Spacecraft Center. Dr. Paul W. Gast, Chief of MSC Planetary and Earth Sciences Div., said first few weeks of preliminary examination of Apollo 16 samples would be occupied with opening bags and weighing, dusting, photographing, and examining rocks. Catalog, including photos, of all samples should be completed by end of May. Rocks examined to date appeared to be breccias. One rock- collected during third extravehicular activity and described on moon by Astronaut Charles M. Duke, Jr., as "an honest to goodness igneous rock"-was different in texture and appearance from other typical breccias, but had not yet been precisely classified. "Zap pits" on the surface indicated rock had been lying on one side. It was flattish with very fine, silverish crystals in finer grain matrix with no vesicules. Dr. Gast said rock could be rapidly crystallized igneous rock, very-high-grade metamorphic rock, or metamorphic rock that had been at temperatures of 1000°C (1300 K) long enough to be completely re-crystallized. Dr. William R. Muehlberger of Univ. of Texas and U.S. Geological Survey expressed surprise at "the tremendous number of casts [rock fragments]" within rocks. Clasts represented "crustal material hauled in from somewhere and that's a tremendous plus beyond what we had originally conceived of as getting. ... So whether it's volcanic in origin and therefore . . . this is crust from straight under somewhere or whether it's impact origin and therefore crustal material thrown in from some distance doesn't matter." By selecting Descartes as landing site, NASA had obtained extra sampling, "maybe even a better sampling," than in other highlands missions. "And we may even have sampled another quadrant of the Moon that we wouldn't have gotten in any other way. . we may have a good deal more than the 15 percent or so of the highlands represented in these rocks and we may have a much older segment of the time scale represented." (Transcript)
NASA Associate Administrator for Applications Charles W. Mathews briefed House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications on Applications Technology Satellites F and G and Synchronous Meteorological Satellite. Projects had been reported to be experiencing technical and cost problems. NASA review had found in ATS project "considerable progress has been made in completion of . thermal structural model. Other elements, such as the integrated communications transponder, were not keeping pace ... significant imbalance had developed in the total project. It has been necessary then to reschedule and reestablish the proper phasing between project elements." Manpower and expenditure rates had been reduced, management changes had been made, and reporting arrangements had been strengthened. Reduced project content would provide for protoflight ATS-F and required integration and testing. "These actions are expected to be completed this summer. Our appraisal . . is that the ATS-F launch will occur in the early spring of 1974 with ATS-G to follow in a year to eighteen months." Costs were expected to remain within FY 1973 estimate of $180 million to $215 million exclusive of $48.4-million vehicle costs. Review of sivis had confirmed need for correction in funding and scheduling because of introduction of advanced design features not adequately assessed in program definition. "Primary emphasis is now being placed on completing engineering model verification tests during ... this year to insure an orderly initiation of the production phase in early FY 1973." NASA had established and was monitoring milestone schedules, had strengthened contractor's project management organization-including change in project manager and transfer of key NASA personnel to organization-and had improved flow of information between NASA and contractor to improve project visibility. Parts procurement was proceeding satisfactorily after "special remedial attention." SMS development schedule would be 33 mos, placing launch of SMS-A in early fall of 1973. Second spacecraft, SMS-B, was scheduled to be launched five months later. SMS-B total runout cost was estimated at maximum $50 million exclusive of $8.4-million vehicle cost, reflecting FY 1973 reprogramming requirement of $4.5 million. "I believe that this project is now proceeding on a sound basis and will prove to be a very significant addition to NOAA's [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's] weather satellite system." (Testimony)
Discovery that calcium chloride concentration in brackish waters of ponds in Victorialand region of Antarctica-most Mars-like area on earth-prevented growth of microorganisms was announced by NASA. Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists Dr. Roy E. Cameron and Frank A. Morelli had concluded that any water found on Mars might be as salty and sterile. They had successfully grown microorganisms in Antarctic soil samples, but no form survived when kept in pond water. "In this environment," Dr. Cameron said, "the capacity of life to adapt and survive is pushed to its limit and beyond. The concentration of living things around water sources in the dry valleys and their thinning out and final disappearance on the cold, dry slopes may provide the model for the distribution of life we may ... someday find on Mars." (NASA Release 72-90)
Manned Spacecraft Center announced Deputy Director of Flight Operations Howard W. Tindall, Jr., had been named Director of Flight Operations effective April 30. He succeeded Sigurd A. Sjoberg, who had been acting Director of Flight Operations and Deputy MSC Director. (MSC Release 72-88)
NASA announced award of two cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts for six- month studies of advanced propulsion systems for short takeoff and landing aircraft. General Motors Corp. Diesel-Allison Div. would receive $574 000 and General Electric Co. Aircraft Engine Group, $567 000 to evaluate and submit designs on different propulsion systems-including augmentor wing, internally blown flap, and externally blown flap. (NASA Release 72-92)
Senate received President Nixon's nominations of Apollo 16 Astronaut Charles M. Duke, Jr., for promotion from lieutenant colonel to full colonel in Air Force and of Apollo 16 Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II for promotion from lieutenant commander in Navy to permanent grade of commander. Senate confirmed both nominations May 16. (CR, 5/2/72, S7135; 5/16/72, S7969)
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