Sep 19 1972
From The Space Library
Cosmos 520 was launched by U.S.S.R. into orbit with 39 319-km (24 431.7-mi) apogee, 652-km (405.1-mi) perigee, 710- min period, and 62.8° inclination. Western observers of Soviet space pro-gram noted that spacecraft reached orbit similar to that for communications satellites, although perigee was slightly higher and inclination slightly different from orbits of past Molniya satellites. U.S.S.R. later announced launch under name Cosmos 520. [See also Sept. 28.] (Spacewarn, 10/3/72; GSFC SSR, 9/30/72; SBD, 9/26/72, 106)
House Committee on Public Works favorably reported H.R. 16645, bill to amend Public Buildings Act of 1959 to provide for construction of Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Bicentennial Civic Center in District of Columbia. Committee in Report recommended honoring certain members of Congress by naming public works buildings for them, including renaming Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., "H. Allen Smith Jet Propulsion Laboratory." New name would honor Rep. H. Allen Smith (R-Calif.), who would be retiring after 16 vrs in House. Laboratory was operated by Cal Tech for NASA. (H Rpt 92-1410)
NASA and Soviet Academy of Sciences had approved results of fourth meeting of joint working groups on Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) at Manned Spacecraft Center July 6-18, NASA announced. Groups had agreed to base future work on three ASTP documents: Project Technical Proposal, Organization Plan, and Project Schedules. Number of working groups would be increased to five. Groups had agreed to launch Soyuz spacecraft before Apollo spacecraft and had decided that sufficient progress had been made to proceed with system design and development for 1975 joint mission. Areas requiring future study included possible crew transfer by extravehicular activity (EVA) in emergency situation, possibility of changing spacecraft pressure to shorten time required for crew transfer, TV system for docking, and choice of specific July 1975 date for mission. Next meeting of working groups was scheduled for October in Moscow. (NASA Release 72-190)
Grumman Aerospace Corp. had said it would assume major portion of work it had been subcontracting on its F-14A jet fighter aircraft for Navy, Wall Street Journal reported. Grumman President Joseph G. Gavin, Jr., had said plan to reduce subcontracting was necessary to "increase program efficiency and reduce costs." First subcontractor to feel effect would be Republic Aviation Div. of Fairchild Industries Inc. (WSJ, 9/19/72, 13)
Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe announced award of $498 487 Federal Aviation Administration contract to Council for Airport Opportunity for training program to assist some 900 minority workers in New York area in qualifying for better jobs in aviation. (DOT Release 80-72)
September 19-21: U.S.-U.S.S.R. Joint Committee on Cooperation in the Field of Environmental Protection met in Moscow to discuss joint projects to benefit and protect environment of both countries. Committee had been established under treaty signed in Moscow by President Nixon and Soviet President Nikolay V. Podgorny May 23. Memorandum of Implementation of Environmental Agreement, signed at meeting, provided for 30 joint environmental projects to protect cities, farms, rivers, lakes, and air. Projects would include exchange of U.S. and Soviet scientists and would focus on air and water pollution, oil spills, seismic research, urban problems, pest- management to reduce use of chemical pesticides, atmospheric pollution by super-sonic transports, and permafrost. (Smith, NYT, 9/22/72, 1; Sci Pol Rev, Vol 5, No 4)
September 19-27: Annual conference of Soviet and French scientists and specialists on cooperation and research in peaceful uses of space was held in Tbilisi, U.S.S.R. Conference examined results of space cooperation in 1971 and plans for joint work in space chemistry, meteorology, biology, medicine, and communications and in aeronautics. Also discussed were data on northern lights obtained by French satellite Oreol (launched by U.S.S.R. Dec. 27, 1971) and study of low-energy particles by Prognoz 2 (launched June 29). (Tass, FBIS-Sov, 9/27/72, L8; 10/6/72, F5)
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