Nov 26 1971
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(New page: Univ. of Michigan physicist Lawrence C. Jones was quoted in Kansas City Times as saying use of liquid hydrogen as nonpolluting automobile fuel was "not only technically and economically fe...)
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Univ. of Michigan physicist Lawrence C. Jones was quoted in Kansas City Times as saying use of liquid hydrogen as nonpolluting automobile fuel was "not only technically and economically feasible" but also "desirable" and "may even be inevitable." Hydrogen could be used in conventional aircraft and automobile gasoline engines and "has the desirable feature of burning very efficiently." (KC Times, 11/26/71)
Pravda Vostoka newspaper of Tashkent, Uzbek Republic, published account of autumn 1966 detonation by U.S.S.R. of underground nuclear charge of "unprecedented force" to extinguish natural gas fire that raged out of control for three years in Central Asia. New York Times said later that successful experiment was believed to be first use of nuclear explosion to quell gas-well fire, explosion was assumed to have been of low-yield, and disclosure of test had marked first Soviet pin-pointing of location of peaceful nuclear blast. (Shabad, NYT, 12/2/71, 2)
New initiatives in technology were discussed in Science editorial by Philip H. Abelson: In FY 1972, 77% of Federal R&D funding would go to atomic energy, space, and defense research. "Most citizens would agree that in view of our many domestic needs this proportion is out of line." Most "would view favorably the prospect of engaging presently unemployed resources of men and organizations in meeting social needs." Two major factors made this difficult. "First one cannot identify a single goal that has the kind of dramatic appeal that the moon venture had in the circumstances in which it was announced. Announcement of a lesser single goal would be certain to draw partisan sniping and could prove to be a political liability. Second . many of the possible initiatives represent a further invasion by the federal government of matters that have previously been considered the domain of private enterprise." Cynics would discount new initiatives as election year ploy. "However, win or lose, there will remain after the election a residue in the form of a further penetration of government into the management of the nation's life. There could also remain a residue of real progress, for goals once enunciated tend to carry with them a momentum of their own." (Science, 11/26/71, 895)
November 26-27: Mariner 9 (launched toward Mars May 30) took man's first close photo of Martian moon Deimos on spacecraft's 25th revolution of Mars Nov. 26. Mariner 9 was 10 300 km (6400 mi) from Mars and 8500 km (5300 mi) from Deimos when photo was taken. Picture told scientists that Deimos was almost 12.9 km (8 mi) in diameter and was shaped more like potato than grapefruit. Dr. Carl Sagan, director of Cornell University's Laboratory for Planetary Studies, cautioned against speculation on moon's makeup, but said "whatever its origins the Mariner mission represents a wonderful opportunity to study it." Deimos was discovered along with other Martian moon Phobos in 1877 by American astronomer Asaph Hall, who named moons after two sons of Greek mythological god Ares-Mars in Roman mythology- as given by Homer in Iliad. On Nov. 27 Mariner 9 failed in attempt at closeup photograph of Martian moon Phobos. JPL ground controllers said spacecraft's camera wasn't pointed correctly when attempt was made. Orbit of Phobos was not known precisely enough to ensure getting photo. Successful photo of Phobos would have shown greater detail than recent picture of Deimos, Mars' other moon, since Phobos was twice as large as Deimos and spacecraft passed 1600 km (100 mi) closer. Mariner 9 had photographed Phobos Nov. 13 from 150 000 km (93 000 mi) out. (O'Toole, W Post, 11/27/71, A4; W Star, 11/28/71, A6)
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