November 1971
From The Space Library
ARC research into heat shields to protect aircraft passengers in crash fires was described in Astronautics & Aeronautics by ARC and Avco Corp. scientists. Concept of surrounding passenger compartment by fire-retardant shell to protect occupants long enough for fire to burn out or be extinguished had been made possible by Apollo program research into fire-retardant materials polyisocyanurate foam and intumescent paint. "Exposed to heat . . . paint expands to many times its original thickness and insulates the surface underneath it. The thermal-protection mechanisms of these materials operate on the same ablative principles . . that protect our astronauts during re-entry of the Apollo spacecraft." (Neel, Parker, et al., A&A, 11/71 18-26)
USAF had accepted delivery of 520-kg (1150-lb) comsat from TRW Systems Group, AFSC Newsreview reported. Comsat was first of six being built for SAMSO use in Phase II of U.S. Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCs). (ASFC Newsreview, 11/71, 4)
AFSC Aeronautical Systems Div. had established Prototype Program Office, AFSC Newsreview reported. Objective of prototype program was to improve performance in development and acquisition of weapon systems by placing more reliance on the performance of "hardware" and less reliance on paper analysis. (AFSC Newsreview, 11/71, 1)
Columbia Journalism Review editorial criticized New York Times for Aug. 15 publication of "soap-opera style exclusive interviews with the families of Apollo 15 astronauts obtained through the newspaper's purchase of their personal stories." Times had "condemned this kind of exploitation, by other publishers, only eight years ago." (Columbia Iowa Rev, 11/12/71, 6)
Article by Paul Dickson in The Progressive discussed "Empire of Think Tanks." R&D in U.S. had become "vast, powerful, and well financed empire . . . replete with its own priorities, powers, and pecking order. Atop this empire is a diverse group of institutions called think tanks, which as agents of applied research and policy study have a fateful impact on the nation. The most famous of these . is the RAND Corporation . . . a prime mover in military research." R&D was "particularly critical element in the battle over national priorities because it not only reflects our current priorities but largely determines what will be technologically feasible in the future." Lunar landings had shown "how much is possible if a great deal of thought, resources, and dedication are channeled into any stated goal. The vast majority of Project Apollo money had been pumped into space R&D during the decade prior to the first landing. There is, however, a catch in invoking the Apollo/NASA example, because such a new knowledge as is developed in such a program must be applied and directed in order to get anywhere. If not conscientiously applied, well-performed research can lead to a range of ends from a simple nonuse to a more insidious ruse-a way of dodging action under the guise of studying the problem." Independent think tanks needed to be scrutinized along with Federally sponsored ones. "Many of them receive the bulk of their funds from the Government, and, though not officially `sponsored' like RAND, they bring up the same questions of power, unchecked and unanswerable, evoked by the officially sponsored outfits." (CR, 11/3/71, S1752-5)
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