Nov 11 1969
From The Space Library
Senate passed 68 to 1, H.R. 12307, FY 1970 Independent Offices and HUD bill containing $3.715 billion NASA appropriation with $3.019 billion for R&D, $58.2 million for construction of facilities, and $637.4 million for research and program management. (CR, 11/11/69, S14099-108)
Hughes Aircraft Co. executive team held press conference aboard private yacht near Cape Kennedy, Fla., to announce company President Howard R. Hughes, intention to rename Surveyor III "Hughes Automated Lunar Observer" (HALO). Hughes, assistant, Peter Maheuson, said Hughes was understood to have asked NASA to use acronym in all air-to-ground communications. Hughes Aircraft Co. had manufactured Surveyor III, which landed on moon April 19, 1967. Pieces of unmanned spacecraft were to be returned by Apollo 12 for examination at LRL. (Lannan, W Star, 11/12/69, Al)
West German ambassadors in Moscow, Washington, D.C." and London signed nuclear nonproliferation treaty sponsored by U.S. and U.S.S.R. (Morgan, W Post, 11/29/69, Al)
Secretary of the Interior Walter J. Hickel announced DOI-NASA agreement to enlarge Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge within KSC area by 25,830 acres, to total 83,796 acres. Agreement put all but KSC's most intensely used land within wildlife sanctuary established in 1963. Merritt Island's eagle population had been depleted by land development until NASA began acquiring land in area. (DOI Release 20242-69)
Behind "computerized smoothness" of Apollo 12 countdown, there was "smoldering and sometimes explosive struggle" at KSC among scientists, engineers, and Government officials over how to run space program, John Noble Wilford said in New York Times. General uncertainty over future of NASA and of space priorities was fueling "internal feud" which began to be exposed after July Apollo 11 lunar landing. Successful Apollo 12 flight could intensify controversy by raising "stakes" in struggle. Scientists wanted greater emphasis on scientific experiments; scientist-astronauts were disenchanted at slim prospects of space flights; engineers, especially at MSC, resented scientists, attitude. (NYT, 11/11/69, 1)
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