Sep 9 1974
From The Space Library
NASA and the Maritime Administration demonstrated that satellites could be used for high-quality ship-to-shore communications in L-band frequencies. Test transmissions from the National Maritime Re-search Center in New York were relayed by NASA's Ats 6 Applications Technology Satellite (launched 30 May) to a commercial container ship en route from Virginia to France. Ats 6 could provide two-way communications between ground stations and mobile units operating in a 1080-km-wide area and would permit transmittal of cargo manifests and documentation before ship arrival in port, transmittal of payroll data for shore processing, and remote monitoring of ship machinery performance. (NASA Release 74-255; GSFC PIO, interview, 24 June 75)
Johnson Space Center announced award of a 12-mo, $300 000 contract to Martin Marietta Corp. Denver Div. to study technical and operational concepts for manned and automated assembly of space systems from the space shuttle orbiter. Martin was asked to consider use of manipulative devices, an astronaut maneuvering unit, and simple docking systems. (JSC Release 74-251)
NHK Technical Research Laboratory of Japan had developed a TV receiving system that could bring satellite-to-home transmission within five years, Broadcasting journal reported. With General Electric Co., NHK was constructing an experimental 12-ghz broadcast satellite designed to transmit signals within the FM band. An AM-FM converter attached to a standard receiver would transform the image into a standard TV signal. The experimental satellite was scheduled for launch in early 1977. (Broadcasting, 9 Sept 74, 68)
9-13 September: A Lighter-than-Air Workshop sponsored by NASA, the Dept. of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the U.S. Navy attracted 200 persons from nine nations to Monterey, Calif., to explore the technical and economic feasibility of LTA vehicles. The work-shop was conducted by the Flight Transportation Laboratory of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Among the speakers, Ames Research Center representatives argued that LTA vehicles would be economically competitive with aircraft on established freight routes and would be suitable for heavy-load low-level transportation. Nuclear power units, agricultural products, and ore could be transported to and from under-developed countries. (MIT, FTL Report R75-2; NASA Release 74-229; ARC PIO, interview, 24 June 75; O'Lone, Av Wk, 30 Sept 74, 42-46)
9-14 September: A review of "Technology in the Service of Man" at Lewis Research Center featured a ferrofluid separator for recycling scrap metals. Based on the magnetized fluid concept devised for taking showers in space, the recycling process could separate nonmagnetic solids of different densities-like copper, brass, and zinc-by magnetically con-trolling the apparent density of the ferrofluid. The method could also detect metals in waste materials at incinerators and retrieve titanium used in aircraft construction and weaponry.
The review, attended by 11 000 persons, included presentations on technology for safer aircraft, supersonic and hypersonic aircraft, energy-efficient flight, low-speed aircraft, quieter airport communities, protection of the marine environment, preservation of the earth's atmosphere, exploration of the planetary environment, and energy sources and use. (NASA Tech Brief B73-10463; LeRC PIO, interviews, 24 June, 24 July 75; Biggins, Newport News, Va, Times-Herald, 11 Sept 74; NASA Activities, Oct 74,11-12)
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