September 1968

From The Space Library

Bureau of the Budget released Summer Review of the Budget. From action taken on five regular appropriations bills to date, Congress was expected to reduce remaining appropriations by approxi­mately $9.3 billion. On completion, further reductions required to com­ply with Revenue and Expenditure Control Act of 1968 would be deter­mined by President. For portion of budget covered by required reduc­tion under P.L. 90-364, total outlays were estimated at $6 billion below January budget estimate. Overall $6-billion reduction would be made approximately 50% in DOD and 50% in civilian agencies. NASA out­lays beyond those for manned lunar landing would be held to $100-mil­lion level below that resulting from Congressional action. (Text)

Astronautics & Aeronautics noted that NASA-sponsored translations of Russian historical works compiled 1963-68 were available from Clear­inghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Va. 22151. It was a credit to NASA's historians "that they have not ne­glected bringing to our attention the products of their opposing num­bers." (Stehling, A&A, 9/68, 76)

Astronautics & Aeronautics published letter from J. Gordon Vaeth of ESSA's National Environmental Satellite Center: With emphasis of space technology on applications and practical benefits, it was "curious that .. little is apparently being said or done about using communications satellites to 'carry' the mail over intercontinental distances." Facsimile techniques were available for scanning and electronic transmission of letter mail by geostationary spacecraft. "In-depth professional consider­ation of this satellite application is overdue" (A&A, 9/68, 17-20)

P. J. Parker listed in Spaceflight "typical examples of space-inspired technology" which had either appeared or were expected to emerge from future space activity: low-weight, high-calorie "spacefoods" devel­oped for mass-feeding undernourished peoples; adaptation of Saturn V air-bearing to other large items such as refrigerators; use of spacecraft automatic monitoring unit in hospitals for relaying data on patient's heart condition to central point; use of high-pressure oxygen in astro­nauts' suits to reduce lung collapse and to save lives of premature ba­bies; potential cure for stuttering from examination of voice communi­cation problems; electric switch adapted for use by paralyzed patients to operate hospital call boards and wheelchairs; and lunar exploration vehicle redesigned into walking-chair with reciprocating legs. Industrial applications included solar cells used to drive small out­board motorboats and "outback" telephone booster units; heat-resist­ant coatings for spacecraft used in furnaces, aircraft, and domestic cookers; and new precision tooling methods that worked to nearest mil­lionth of an inch. (Spaceflight, 9/68, 306-7)

National Science Foundation issued Employment of Scientists and Engi­neers in the United States, 1950-1966. Such employment had risen from 550,800 in 1950 to 1,412,500 in 1966-156%. Scientific occupa­tions had increased by 185%, from 146,300 to 416,800, engineering had increased 146%, from 404,600 to 996,000. Chemists accounted for more than 25% of scientists in 1966, while medical scientists more than dou­bled rate for all scientific occupations. Between 1950 and 1966, number of R&D scientists and engineers rose 242%. Proportion of R&D personnel grew from 28% of all scientists and engineers in 1950 to 37% in 1966. Private industry employed 71% of total scientists and engineers; government, 16%; universities and col­leges, 13%; and nonprofit institutions about 1%. Employment increased more rapidly in nonprofit sector (359% between 1950 and 1966). Gov­ernment employment (excluding public educational institutions) showed lowest growth-106%. (Text)

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