May 9 1973
From The Space Library
The House Committee on Science and Astronautics favorably re-ported H.R. 7528, a $3.074-billion NASA FY 1974 authorization bill re-placing the original $3.016-billion H.R. 4567. Increases in research and development funding included $25 million for the space shuttle, to total $500 million; $12 million for space applications, to total $159 million; $34 million for' aeronautical research and technology, to total $180 million; $10 million for space and nuclear research and technology, to total $11 million; and $500 000 for technology utilization, to total $4.5 million. Overall R&D decreases were: $7 million in space flight opera-tions, to $548.5 million; $8 million in space science programs, to $37 million; and $10 million in tracking and data acquisition, to $240 million. The budgets for construction of facilities and research and pro-gram management remained at $112 million and $707 million.
The Committee said its $10-million reduction in Skylab funding, to $224 million (within space flight operations), reflected a "success postured program" without major problems and expressed confidence in NASA Skylab management. space shuttle funding was increased $25 million to provide more effective program implementation and hold total program funding "at or below the current projection." Total reductions of $8 million in funding for orbiting explorers, physics and astronomy, and lunar and planetary exploration supporting research and technology would be applied to the Earth Resources Survey Satellite program to permit immediate reinstatement of the ERTS-B project, on which the Committee placed "the highest priority." In the aeronautics program, a $14-million increase-from $18 million to $32 million-was recommended "to investigate and demonstrate noise reduction modifications to current narrow-body jet aircraft" and $20 million was added to re-instate the quiet, experimental, short takeoff and landing (QUESTOL) aircraft program terminated in January. The $10-million increase in space nuclear research and technology funding was "to maintain a viable, long-range capability in advanced nuclear power and propulsion research." It was probable "that any sensible energy research program undertaken by this nation would involve a significant part of this continued program." (CR, 5/1/73, 0452; H Rpt 93-171; Text)
Dr. Karl G. Harr, Jr., Aerospace Industries Assn. of America, Inc., President testified before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Science, Research, and Development that the aerospace industry fully supported U.S. conversion to the metric system. He said the conversion was necessary if the U.S. was to continue to hold a prom-inent position in precision engineering in international trade, but urged that the conversion be timely, planned, orderly, and not necessarily exclusive of other measurement systems. (AIA Release 73-11)
The keel for the Navy's first patrol hydrofoil missile ship (PHMS) was laid during a ceremony at Boeing's Seattle facility. One of two missile-carrying, fast hydrofoil patrol ships to be delivered to the Navy by Boeing in the summer of 1975 under a $46.5-million contract, the PHMS was propelled by waterjet systems and would cruise faster than 74 km per hr (40 knots). (Boeing Release A-0423)
Eleven conservation organizations had petitioned President Nixon to halt plans for the Atomic Energy Commission's May 17 underground nuclear explosion in Colorado, the Washington Post reported. Conservationists had said the blast could contaminate the water supply for 27 million persons. The explosion was intended to free trapped supplies of natural gas. (UPI, W Post, 5/9/73, 3)
President Nixon sent to the Senate the nomination of Dr. Gerald F. Tape to be the U.S. Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency with the rank of Ambassador. Tape would succeed Dr. T. Keith Glennan, first NASA Administrator, who had resigned. The nomination was con-firmed by the Senate June 7. (PD, 5/14/73, 658, 669; Tape Off)
It was "puzzling," a Washington Star and Daily News editorial said, "that Soviet leaders remain so secretive about their space problems, when the general nature of a mishap cannot be hidden from modern tracking equipment and more openness could lead to a sharing of corrective knowledge. The Russian announcement that the last Salyut had merely completed its mission . . . fooled no one. Greater frankness, certainly, will be needed in the joint mission [U.S.-U.S.S.R. Apollo Soyuz Test Project] requiring the confidence of each country's experts in the other's equipment and ability." (W Star & News, 5/9/73, A23)
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