Oct 23 1971
From The Space Library
USAF launched unidentified satellite from Vandenberg AFB by Titan IIIB-Agena booster into orbit with 392.7-km (244-mi) apogee, 133.6-km (83-mi) perigee, 89.7-min period, and 110.9° inclination. Satellite reentered Nov. 17, 1971. (Pres Rpt 72; SF, 4/72, 132)
Aerobee 170 sounding rocket was launched by NASA from WSMR carrying Cal Tech soft x-ray astronomy experiment. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily. (SR list)
Preliminary results of experiment in which two clocks were flown around the world to test Einstein theory of relativity had indicated "clock paradox" of theory was correct, Dr. J. C. Hafele, Washington Univ. in St. Louis scientist, told meeting of American Assn. of Physics Teachers in Rolla, Mo. Clocks, carried in two separate aircraft, had not kept same time as master clock at Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. Einstein theory said that as body approached speed of light, variables in time, size, and weight changed. (W Star, 10/24/71, A3)
Dangers inherent in separation of science and government were discussed in New York Times article by Dr. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian biochemist at Marine Biological Laboratories in Woods Hole, Mass. "Among our 450 representatives in Washington there is not a single scientist, so they do not know that problems are like equations which cannot be solved by trickery, blows or bombs, not even atomic bombs." With different assumptions different self-consistent systems could be constructed; each seemingly logical. "Ptolemy placed the earth at the center of the universe, Copernicus the sun. Each system is perfectly logical and self-contained. Copernicus himself never dared to give preference to his own. The only way to decide between the two is to see where they lead. An astronaut basing his calculation on Ptolemy would end in the nowhere. Our present political system leads to poverty, inflation, unemployment, crime, drugs, war and the neglect of our priorities toward a final catastrophe. The solution. is not separating science from politics . . . but making it penetrate into politics." (NYT, 10/23/71, 33)
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