Nov 3 1972
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 536 from Plesetsk into orbit with 543-km (337.4-mi) apogee, 517-km (321.3-mi) perigee, 95.2- min period, and 74.0° inclination. (GSFC SSR,11/31/72, SBD,11/15/72,1)
NASA achievements in 1972 were reviewed by Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, in letter to staff. NASA had received "great vote of confidence from the President, the Congress, and the country" in assignment to develop space shuttle. Assignment had been "most appropriate" in year when Apollo program would be concluded and was "a new challenge . . . worthy of the one we are about to complete." Year 1972 had also been one of "great decision" because in NASA FY 1973 budget "we have also won approval for the concept of a well-rounded space program, with funding for significant progress in all major fields of space activity during this decade. We will stress practical benefits from spacecraft in Earth orbit in this decade and the next. But we will also build greatly improved spacecraft to study the universe from Earth orbit and to explore throughout the solar system." NASA might be "moving faster with a bigger budget, but I don't see how we could be doing a better job." (NASA Activities, 11/15/72, 224)
Large Space Telescope (LST) status briefing was held at Marshall Space Flight Center for representatives of potential industry participants in program to develop multipurpose telescope for launch by space shuttle in 1980s. LST feasibility studies would end in December. NASA expected to invite industry proposals on preliminary design and definition phase in early 1973. LST would operate from earth orbit to pick up galaxies 100 times fainter than those observed by most powerful ground-based optical telescopes. It would weigh maximum 11 000 kg (25 000 lbs) and have diffraction-limited mirror with 3-m (10-ft) diameter. (MSFC Release 72-142)
Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched by NASA from White Sands Missile Range carried Univ. of Colorado payload containing six ultraviolet photometers and telemetry transmitter to 123-km (77-mi) altitude. Flight objective was to measure variation with altitude of atomic oxygen at night and to determine spectral distribution of night-glow continuum in altitude region between 85 and 110 km (53 and 68 mi). Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt SRL)
Academician Mstislav V. Keldysh, President of Soviet Academy of Sci- ences, met with President Nixon at White House during visit to U.S. sponsored by National Academy of Sciences President, Dr. Philip Handler. (PD, 11/6/72, 1617)
Selection of Dr. Manson Benedict, Massachusetts Institute of Technology nuclear physicist, to receive Enrico Fermi Award for 1972 was announced by Dr. James R. Schlesinger, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission. President Nixon had approved nomination. President had informed Dr. Benedict that award was being given "in recognition of your pioneering leadership in the development of the Nation's first gaseous diffusion plant, while paying equal tribute to your imaginative contributions in the development of the nuclear reactor and its safe use for generation of electrical power." (AEC Release P-366)
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