Oct 1 1971
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Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, said strong technology base was "absolutely vital" to U.S., in speech before 14th Annual Aerospace Luncheon of Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Indications from critics of lack of confidence in advancement of "greatest technological evolution in the history of mankind" was reminder that "we must do a better job of convincing the man-on-the-street of the [space] program's merits." Public needed information "to put its priorities in proper perspective." There was "something seriously wrong" when "as a nation we pay people more not to work and more in farm subsidies than we do on space research, a program which impacts our national economy and vitally affects our national security.. . I am convinced that further erosion of our technological leadership will start us on a downhill course from which it will be difficult to recover." But, "in our zeal to forge ahead in technical and scientific fields, it is possible to lose sight of the debt we owe to the great American public that so steadfastly sustained us during the early years." Average American had his priorities. "But he needs to be informed if he is to arrive at an intelligent decision about how to rank his priorities." Burden of convincing public of necessity for "continuing well-balanced space program for the 1970's and beyond" lay with those in program. Dr. Fletcher also said: "We want cooperation with the Soviets as well as with other nations throughout the world. We are ready to do our part to get it, but if we have learned the lessons of history, we should know that the Soviets will not be eager to cooperate with a second-rate power.... And that is what we will become if we do not proceed with the space shuttle in this decade. We cannot create the environment needed for space cooperation, or an era of enduring peace, by handing over a monopoly in the realm of orbital flight to the Soviet Union or anyone else." (Text)
Subcommittee on NASA Oversight transmitted report Review of Recent Launch Failures to House Committee on Science and Astronautics. Subcommittee had held hearings June 15-17 on failure of Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle to place ATS 4 in planned orbit Aug. 10, 1968, and failure to orbit OAO-B Nov. 30, 1970, and Mariner 8 May 8, 1971. Subcommittee concluded that NASA's decision not to attempt recovery program for unsuccessful Mariner 8 mission using proof-test model "seems justified" on grounds Mariner 9 (launched May 30) had been conceived as backup mission for Mariner 8 from beginning; to alter Atlas-Centaur for different project would have been "challenging;" and proof-test model could better be used as Mariner 9 backup, if necessary, or in 1973 Venus-Mercury and Viking projects. While NASA'S backup mission and recovery policies after failures "seem to have been sound in the past," decision not to have OAO-B recovery program "appears . . . to have been an unwise exception."
To forego OAO-B goals "which have occupied the talents and efforts of many scientists and engineers for more than a decade in order to initiate new astronomical experiments [HEAD Project] in different portions of the magnetic spectrum strikes the Committee as a decision of questionable merit." Committee recommended future use of prototype spacecraft that could be reengineered and launched as part of flight program to extract full value from expensive hardware. Manufacturing and quality control procedures in Centaur program could be improved. "It is quite clear that a great deal can and should be done short of `man-rating' Centaur, which would significantly improve its reliability." Centaur stage problems "seem serious enough to justify ... broad scale, independent examination by disinterested experts" so that Centaur, "which figures so importantly in the space program of the next decade, can be utilized with renewed confidence." (Text)
McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co. began 14-mo, $350 000 study continuation for system definition of reusable nuclear stage (RNS) for multipurpose space missions. Previous studies had determined that RNS could be launched by either Saturn or space shuttle booster. New study would focus on RNS concepts to be launched by space shuttle, but would consider two-stage, fully reusable shuttle, shuttle booster with expendable 2nd stage, and launch of RNS as complete unit or with components to be assembled in space. Study also would support NERVA program. (MSFC Release 71-174)
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for R&D Grant L. Hansen discussed space shuttle at Air Force Assn. meeting in Bethpage, N.Y. NASA and USAF work on shuttle engine had been helpful to shuttle program in areas of reusability and higher-pressure-engine technology. USAF had supported advanced development efforts on liquid-fuel rocket engines and had concluded hydrogen and oxygen high-performance-engine demonstration program. Work on XLR-129 reusable rocket engine had provided basis for shuttle's reusable high-pressure-rocket concept. Residual hardware of USAF XLR-129 program had been turned over to NASA for shuttle engine program. Development of shuttle main engine was to be conducted at USAF's Arnold Engineering Development Center. USAF would continue in 1972 to develop technology for high- energy orbit-to-orbit stages compatible with a shuttle to accomplish maneuvering missions for late 1970s and early 1980s. (AF Mag, 12/71, 34)
More than 15 astronauts were taste-testing three meals daily for five days in MSC experiment to evaluate proposed food items for 28- and 56-day Skylab missions in 1973, MSC announced. Tests would deter-mine astronauts' preferences and each astronaut's energy requirements. They were coordinated by Technology, Inc., and conducted in MSC Life Systems Laboratory. (MSC Release 71- 74)
Twenty-fifth anniversary of commissioning of Naval Air Missile Test Center at Point Mugu, Calif. Center, later renamed Pacific Missile Range, conducted R&D for Federal agencies, including NASA. (PMR Missile, 10/1/71, 1)
Completion of DOT study of general-aviation safety was announced by Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe. General-aviation industry consisted of 133 814 single-engine aircraft, 16 000 multi-engine aircraft, 2229 jet aircraft, 33 992 flight instructors, 2170 FAA- approved flight and ground schools, and 732 729 pilots, including 195 861 students. In 1970 general aviation had accounted for more than 25 million flight hours and nearly 6 billion km (nearly 4 billion mi) flown. Of 621 fatal general-aviation accidents in 1970, 201 had been identified as weather-caused. Study recommended biennial flight review of pilot competency, priority support of FAA General Aviation Accident Prevention Program, tightening of certification requirements for flight instructors and pilots, modernization of FAA flight service stations, improvement of FAA reporting of real-time weather data, review of FAA general-aviation structure, clarification by FAA of regulations covering general operating and flight rules, publication of FAA regulations in separate parts rather than in current volume format, and adoption of standard traffic pattern for uncontrolled airports. (nor Release 20271)
Impact of "leftish student movements" was described in Science by Harvard Univ. physicist Dr. Harvey Brooks; "Today some believe that the ... movements, which are worldwide, form the vanguard of a new revolution, the first true revolution in advanced industrial societies. If so, it will be the first in modern history which had not attempted to ally itself with science. So far as its ideology is discernible at all, it seems to be antiscientific and antirational, more akin to the early Christians than to the modern Marxists, despite the Marxist slogans." (Science, 10/1/71, 21-9)
October 1-5: Fourth International Symposium on Basic Environmental Problems of Man in Space was held jointly in Yerevan, U.S.S.R., by IAA and Soviet Academy of Sciences. Papers dealt with medical problems of prolonged space missions, studies of mechanism underlying single and combined stress effects and methods of ameliorating deleterious influences, and bioastronautical contributions to general medical science and practice. Symposium reviewed results of Soyuz 11-Salyut 1 mission, June 6-30, that ended with crew's accidental death on reentry. (IAA Annual Rpt, 8/31/71; FBIS-Sov-71-212, 11/3/71)
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