Nov 22 1972
From The Space Library
Deputy Director James A. Lovell, Jr., of Manned Spacecraft Center's Science and Applications Directorate announced intention to retire from space program to press at MSC. As astronaut he had spent more time in space than any other U.S. astronaut. Lovell had been Gemini 4 backup pilot, Gemini 7 pilot, Gemini 9 backup command pilot, Gemini 12 command pilot, Apollo 8 command module pilot, Apollo 11 backup command pilot, and Apollo 13 commander. Lovell told press he was examining offers from New York and Chicago business firms. "This is not something that I would choose to do under other circumstances but ... there are not enough slots for us guys who want to remain in the operations end of space flight." Lovell said he would remain with NASA until completion of Apollo 17 mission. (UPI, W Post, 10/24/72, A5)
Instruments to be used globally to monitor air pollution in upper atmospheric airways were being flight-tested on Convair 990 at NASA's Ames Research Center, Lewis Research Center announced. Instruments-candidates for NASA Global Air Sampling Program (GASP) under direction of LeRC - would be installed on 10 to 15 foreign and domestic commercial aircraft to monitor gaseous and particulate pollutants. Particulates would also be collected by sampling device and later would be analyzed by electron microscopy and other methods. (LeRC Release 72-106)
Huntsville, Ala., police department was using "elapsed time speed computer," developed by Chief Peter H. Broussard, Jr., of Marshall Space Flight Center Astrionics Laboratory's Sensors Branch, to identify traffic speed violators. System consisted of low-cost electronic computer and two roadside markers. Timing switch was turned on when vehicle passed first marker and off when vehicle reached second marker. Elapsed time was measured by internal computer clock and compared with distance between markers. System would perform basic functions of radar units more economically. (NASA Release 72-223)
U.S. Command in Saigon reported loss of fourth F-111 swing-wing fighter-bomber aircraft in combat over Indochina since Sept. 28. Both crewmen were missing. (BPI, W Star & News, 11/22/72, A7)
President Nixon had directed that regulations on travel of U.S. ships and aircraft (Transportation Order T-2) be changed to permit valid U.S. aircraft and vessels to visit People's Republic of China, White House announced. (PD, 11/22/72, 1688)
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