Nov 29 1972
From The Space Library
NASA's M2-F3 lifting body, piloted by Cecil Powell, completed 24th flight from Flight Research Center after air-launch from B-52 aircraft. Flight objectives were to check out pilot and to obtain stability and control data at mach 1.1 and mach 0.9. All objectives were met. Vehicle reached 21000-m (69 000-ft) altitude and mach 1.25. (NASA proj off)
NASA announced organizational changes within Office of Manned Space Flight to fit post-Apollo/Skylab activities. New Mission and Payload Integration Office had been established, Space Station Task Force became Sortie Lab Task Force, Advanced Missions Office was redesignated Advanced Programs Office, and Apollo Program Office became Apollo/ASTP Program Office. Functions of Engineering and Operations Directorate in OMSF had been reassigned to Advanced Programs Office. Mission and Payload Integration Office would plan and coordinate requirements between payload sponsors and shuttle and sortie lab organizations. Sorties Lab Task Force would manage NASA planning and definition activities to produce manned module for research and applications activities with space shuttle. Current project emphasis was on technical definition and planning for hardware development phase. Parallel definition studies were being made by NASA and European Space Research Organization. If Europe undertook development of sortie lab, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight Dale D. Myers had said, NASA Task Force would coordinate NASA and ESRO activities. Philip E. Culbertson was Director of Mission and Payload Integration Office and Acting Director of Advanced Programs Office. Douglas R. Lord was Director of Sortie Lab Task Force, and Dr. Rocco A. Petrone was Director of Apollo/ASTP Project for joint U.S.- U.S.S.R. rendezvous and docking mission in 1975. (NASA Release 72-232)
Aerospace Industries Assn. of America, Inc., released The National Technology Program: Utilization of Industry, study of how Government and high-technology industry could best use technological resources avail-able and under development. Study found that "positive policy actions by Government can restore lost technological momentum in the United States. Regained, this momentum will ensure that both Government and high-technology industry, working together, can move effectively toward the solution of many of the priority problems confronting the nation." AIAA recommended formulation of national technology strategy responsive to Nation's needs and supported both by "a mechanism that sets forth research and development goals, objectives, priorities and pro-grams, and by adequate funding" national program to identify major domestic problems having potential solution through technology and initiation and funding of demonstration programs to find solutions; national goal of maintaining positive trade balance supported by export policies that promoted internationally competitive high-technology products to increase international sales by U.S.; and Government procurement regulations that supported successful attainment of national needs. (Text)
Spokesman for Friends of the Earth, coalition of environmentalists who lobbied against supersonic transport aircraft in 1971, said organization had set up office on Capitol Hill to lobby against expected Administration attempts to revive project in 93rd Congress. First priority was to present facts to 66 new representatives and 9 senators who had never voted on SST. Senate had voted 58 to 37 to defeat project funding in 1974 House had voted 215 to 204 against funding. (UPI, W Post, 11/30/72, A4)
New York Times editorial commented on first global map of Mars produced by U.S. Geological Survey from Mariner 9 photos [see Nov. 27] : "Ever since telescopes were invented people have wondered to what extent Mars resembles Earth. Now, for the first time, the existence of a reasonably comprehensive picture of Mars provides a basis for comparison." Despite differences from earth, "increased familiarity with the forces that have shaped its surface is bound to give man a more cosmopolitan view of how planets evolve-a view that should provide us with better understanding of the planet we call home." (NYT, 11/29/72)
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