May 8 1972
From The Space Library
Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, discussed space prospects in interview published in U.S. News & World Report: Chances of joint U.S. and U.S.S.R. mission were "quite good." It hadn't been decided "exactly how it would work, but there might be two or three astronauts and the same number of cosmonauts." U.S.S.R. probably would be "very active" in manned space flight until U.S. space shuttle was flying in 1978. "So it may appear that we have lost our leadership during that period." U.S.S.R. would "try to be first in something-probably with manned and unmanned missions" during 1974 to 1978. "If and when they land men on the moon-even if they land on the same side . . . where we landed-that would attract a lot of public attention. . . . If they were to land on the far side of the moon, that would be even more spectacular." It would also be spectacular, Dr. Fletcher said, if U.S.S.R. announced it was "putting up a space station as the first step in a program to get to Mars." Gap in U.S. space program had been caused by "series of things" including cancellation of two Apollos. "We probably should have worked it so that the shuttle would be operating earlier, but we spent a lot of time studying the shuttle-and that was good. . . ." Only possible fill-in was to "fly more Apollo components, and we are looking at that possibility. We have leftover Saturn rockets and leftover command-and-service modules, and we're looking to see if they can be used between 1974 and 1978." It would take another Sputnik to accelerate U.S. space program to peak force, "but I don't see that it's necessary. . . . I honestly think that we could do a reasonably good job on the budget that we've programmed for the '70s. I think the main problem with the five-year gap is going to be loss of national prestige during the period." Space program critics and decreasing space budget "may have a negative impact on people wanting to stay with the space program." If there were no gap-filling missions, "we may have to phase part of the astronaut group into some other kinds of work while we wait for the shuttle." When shuttle was operational it would "enable us to make space flight a routine event. Maybe we'll have an every Monday-morning flight out to space. This will change the nature of what we do in space completely. When we can get into space cheaply, easily, quickly and routinely, this will open up space for new ventures at present not predictable." (US News, 5/8/72)
Decision to plan large multipurpose optical telescope to be launched and serviced by space shuttle in 1980s was announced by NASA. Large Space Telescope (LST) to study energy processes in galactic nuclei, early stages of stellar and solar system formation, supernova remnants and white dwarfs, and other phenomena relevant to origin of universe would also provide long-term monitoring of atmospheric phenomena on Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Telescope, able to observe galaxies 100 times fainter than those seen by most powerful ground-based optic telescope, would weigh between 9000 and 11 000 kg (20 000 and 25000 lbs) and have length of 12 to 16 m (40 to 52 ft) and diameter of 3.6 to 4 m (12 to 13 ft). It would include diffraction-limited mirror with 3-m (10-ft) diameter. LsT project management had been assigned to Marshall Space Flight Center. (NASA Release 72-98)
NASA announced formation of JT3D/JT8D Refan Program Office in Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology. New Office-to be managed and directed by James J. Kramer, Chief of Noise Pollution Reduction Branch in Aeronautical Propulsion Div.-would direct program to develop and demonstrate modifications to JT3D and JT8D engines produced by United Aircraft Corp.'s Pratt & Whitney Div. Larger diameter, quieter, single-stage fans, together with suitable acoustic nacelles, would seek maximum practicable quieting at takeoff and landing approach. Refan program was part of joint effort by NASA, Dept. of Transportation, and Federal Aviation Administration to define retrofit changes that would produce significant aircraft noise reduction. (NASA Release 72-96)
Scientists at Soviet Academy of Sciences' Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute had reported detecting seven cosmic ray events involving particles identified as antiprotons, New York Times reported. Experiment-in which balloon-borne detecting devices had drifted at 32-km (20-mi) altitude for 20 hrs before being recovered-appeared to strengthen hypothesis that universe was composed symmetrically of ordinary matter and antimatter. According to Izvestia description, scientists had devised cosmic ray counter sensitive only to positively charged protons and negatively charged antiprotons. (Shabad, NYT, 5/9/72, 33)
Aviation Week & Space Technology editorial adapted from paper by Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate Administrator, presented views on future trends in space: Decade of 1970s would see emphasis on "beneficial returns from our investments in the first decade of the space age. It will also be a decade in which we will consciously seek to avoid the large funding peaks that characterized the Apollo era." Number of achievements possible within limited budgeting would be limited. "In the science arena, and in particular in the exploration of the solar system, this will mean some effort on extending our exploration of earth-like planets. And that will be about it, unless some circumstances again change our emphasis on space science." In 1980s NASA would "be getting to those very special, very important missions to the smaller bodies of the solar system . . . which will give us probably our best look at the very earliest days of the solar system. Then, in addition, we should during the 1970s look to the best husbanding and application of our space sciences resources to see if we can't get in one or two early missions of this type." At any progress rate, "the nation, and indeed the world, is not going to run out of important and exciting and inspiring things to do in exploring and seeking to under-stand this wonderful universe." (Av Wk, 5/8/72, 7)
Swiss federal aircraft factory in Emmen had developed hot-water rocket for assisted aircraft takeoffs, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. Pohwaro (pulsated, overheated, water rocket) had been tested on Swiss air force Dassault-Breguet Mirage 3 and Pilatus Porter aircraft. (Av Wk, 5/8/72, 9)
May 8-10: U.S.-U.S.S.R. Joint Working Group on the Natural Environment met at NASA Hq. to carry out recommendations of Joint Working Group which met in Moscow Aug. 2-6, 1971. The 1971 meeting had recommended experiments in remote sensing of environment at analogous and complementary sites in U.S. and U.S.S.R., with each country carrying out research at its own sites, and joint efforts in remote sensing of ocean to relate satellite measurements to sea-surface measurements. Co-chairmen of Group were Leonard Jaffe, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator in Office of Applications, and Yu. K. Khodarev, Deputy Director of Soviet Institute of Outer Space Research. (NASA Release 72-97)
May 8-12: First U.S.-U.S.S.R. meeting on lunar cartography was held in Washington, D.C., to implement recommendations of Joint Working Group on Exploration of Near-Earth Space, the Moon and the Planets. Group at Aug. 2-6, 1971, meeting in Moscow had recommended exchange of lunar maps and meetings of U.S. and Soviet experts to discuss lunar map preparation using common lunar coordinate system. (NASA Release 72-93; NASA PAO)
NASA officials met with 25 national winners in Skylab student project competition at Marshall Space Flight Center to discuss design of students' space experiments and demonstrations. During visit students toured MSFC laboratories and Alabama Space and Rocket Center. (NASA Release 72-94; MSFC PAO)
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