Sep 8 1977
From The Space Library
NASA announced that GSFC and Marshall Space Flight Center would join the USAF in solving a yrs old problem of comsat makers and users: flying in a synchronous orbit at about 34 500km (22 000mi) altitude, the comsats routinely encountered electrically charged particles from the magnetosphere that built up static electricity on the spacecraft surface, causing arcing that could damage solar-power cells and thermal insulation, interfere with signal transmission, and switch spacecraft functions erroneously. The joint project called SCATHA (satellite charging at high altitudes) would obtain specific data on the phenomenon. The USAF planned to launch a satellite in Jan. 1979 to study electrostatics at geostationary orbit. MSFC would provide 3 light ion-mass spectrometers to measure speed, temperature, and density of low-energy ions and detect their points of origin. GSFC would provide two instruments, one to measure space electric fields, the other to measure space magnetic fields. (NASA Release 77-183; MSFC Release 77-164)
NASA announced plans to develop a prosthetic urinary sphincter for patients losing control of bladder functions because of injury or disease. Patients now used external collection devices, implanted catheters, or prosthetics difficult to operate. John Richardson of MSFC s technology utilization office said NASA's biomedical applications office had recommended MSFC for this job because of its expertise in design, manufacture, assembly, and operation of miniature valving. MSFC would have a contractor design and test the device and prepare documents for Food and Drug Administration approval, as well as manufacture the device commercially. A successful device would permit safe and quick emptying of the bladder and avoid infection, the prime source of fatal kidney failure among those without bladder control. (NASA Release 77-184; MSFC Release 77-163)
NASA announced that the Office of Management and Budget had called for an agency ceiling of 23 237 permanent positions by the end of FY 1978, 500 fewer than current. Dr. Alan M. Lovelace, deputy administrator, said work force adjustments to meet the goal would include greater use of contractor R&D; consolidation of applications work at ARC, GSFC, and the Natl. Space Technology Laboratories; reduction of support manpower at JSC, KSC, and MSFC; consolidation of GSFC data management; transfer of helicopter research from Langley Research Center to ARC; and reductions in support office and facility staff agencywide. MSFC would lose 150; Lewis Research Center, 108; JSC, 90; KSC, 80; LaRC, 77; GSFC, 74. DFRC, Hq, and Wallops Flight Center would lose 30, 20, and 5, respectively. The shift in programs would add 45 to ARC and 6 to NSTL. (NASA Release 77-185)
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