Oct 19 1971
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 453 from Plesetsk into orbit with 492-km (305.7-mi) apogee, 270-km (167.8-mi) perigee, 92.1- min period, and 70.9° inclination. Satellite reentered March 19, 1972. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/71; 3/31/72; SBD, 12/26/71, 195) [[ Saturn IB]] 1st stage for first manned Skylab launch vehicle was removed from environmentally controlled enclosure at Michoud Assembly Facility after three-year hibernation. Booster, one of nine IB stages stored there in December 1968, would begin 10-mo refurbishment program in preparation for spring 1973 launch. (MSFC Release 71-183)
Development of surgical implement to simplify cataract removal with high-frequency vibration and pump to liquify and remove cataract and lens material was announced by LeRC. Hand-held instrument- developed by four-man zCRC team in cooperative program with Dr. William J. McGannon, prominent Cleveland eye surgeon-had been successfully tested on animals. NASA was seeking patent on instrument, which would reduce cataract operation time and patient's convalescent period by minimizing stitching problem in most cases. Instrument made only small puncture. (NASA Release 71-203)
Sen. Howard W. Cannon (D-Nev.), in letter to President Nixon, appealed for inclusion of NERVA funding in FY 1973 budget: "It seems to me ... that this program continues to offer the nation's best chance to take the next logical step forward in space, .and that the already staggering $1.4 billion investment in succesful R&D would make continuation of the program not only desirable but mandatory, since we are so close to a flyable engine." As senior member of Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Sen. Cannon was "greatly disturbed that the space program in recent years has been progressively cut back." If U.S. space program was to continue "the NERVA funding issue is terribly important.... if we are to cast aside our earlier desire to go forward in space and subject our investment to a less-than- starvation funding level, we are only deceiving our-selves. I believe that rather than merely giving lip service to space, we ought to consider a total restructuring or delegation of NASA's role to the military." (Text)
FCC ordered AT&T to activate transatlantic cable and satellite circuits on one-to-one ratio. Order reversed decision made in May to set ratio at five-to-one in favor of satellites. FCC said it had received "strong representations" protesting five-to-one ratio from European countries that had 50% ownership in cables but less than 30% ownership in satellites. (W Post, 10/20/71, CIO)
Aerobee 170 sounding rocket was launched by NASA from WSMR carrying GSFC payload on test and support mission. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily. (SR list)
President Nixon announced 25 appointments to new National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere and designation of Dr. William A. Nierenberg, Director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Dr. William J. Hargis, Jr., Director of Virginia Institute of Marine Science, as Chairman and Vice Chairman. (PD, 10/25/71, 1429)
KSC announced award of $99 189, 24-mo contract to Univ. of Florida for research and preparation of narrative history of KSC Apollo launch facilities and operations. Contract included option to extend for six months. (Kse Release 245-71)
ComSatCorp had requested permission to build two antennas 29.5 m (97 ft) in diameter as backup systems for its comsat stations in Andover, Me., and Etam, W. Va., Washington Evening Star reported. (W Star, 10/19/71, A14)
Former astronaut M. Scott Carpenter, who had also been aquanaut in USN's Sealab Project, testified before Senate Committee on Commerce's Subcommittee on Oceans and Atmosphere. Carpenter, president of Sea Sciences Corp., said man must explore ocean floor if he is to understand it, just as he had to explore lunar surface to under-stand it. Subcommittee was examining ocean pollution. (CR, 10/18/71, D1039; Sehlstedt, B Sun, 10/19/71, Al)
New York Times editorial commented on discovery of water on lunar surface [see Oct. 15] : "The possibility that the water vapor that has now been detected on the moon was originally brought there by Apollo astronauts cannot yet be dismissed. Nevertheless, even before Drs. Freeman and Hills announced their finding it was becoming increasingly clear that the moon is a much more complex body than had been supposed. We are still in the very infancy of the era of moon exploration, and its development for the benefit of the human race." (NYT, 10/19/71, 40)
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