Mar 22 1972

From The Space Library

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Current revision

U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 479 from Plesetsk into orbit with 541-km (336,2-mi) apogee, 514-tan (3194-mi) perigee, 95.1- min period, and 74° inclination. (GSFC SSR, 3/31/72; SBD, 3/24/72, 138)

Apollo 16 countdown demonstration test (CDDT) without propellants began at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for launch toward moon April 16. (KSC Release 55-72)

NASA TF-8A aircraft, equipped with supercritical wing and piloted by Thomas C. McMurtry, completed 31st flight from Flight Research Center. Primary objective was to evaluate aircraft's longitudinal stability with augmentation off at altitudes from 11 300 to 13 700 m (37 000 to 45 000 ft) and mach 0.8 to 1.0. Survey equipment was re-moved. Angles of attack up to 17° and normal accelerations as high as 3.7 g were covered. (NASA proj off) [[ Apollo 15]] Astronauts David R. Scott, James B. Irwin, and Alfred M. Worden and Manned Spacecraft Center Director, Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, were named by National Aeronautic Assn. to receive 1972 Robert J. Collier Trophy May 31. (AP, W Star, 3/22/72, A25)

Charles W. Mathews, NASA Associate Administrator for Applications, testified on future applications of NASA research in domestic communications before Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences during NASA FY 1973 authorization hearings: "Domestic communications systems will make available many television-bandwidth channels, for both public and commercial use, to all the population . . including remote and sparsely populated regions. Several ... channels could be available for educational and instructional use. There are likely to be universities of the air which will permit many students .. . to achieve college degrees while spending only a small . . time in academic residence." Improved systems would "permit an increase in the number of people who could receive actual pre-school training and training in early- childhood education and health-care practices." Health care could be improved and costs reduced through broad public access to health-care services and information, while centralized health-record-keeping could aid hospital personnel, administrators, and private physicians. Two-way television teleconferences between health professionals could become possible. In law enforcement, "fingerprints and other criminal records and data could be almost instantaneously available anywhere in the country, and television conferencing could make possible the remote taking of testimony as well as remote identification procedures."

Postal service would improve "with the advent of electronic mail handling. Satellite links may be expected to carry a majority of the long distance letter mail, making inexpensive overnight delivery possible to all but the most remote locations. New satellite systems for aviation and maritime traffic management will reduce the accident rate and increase the efficiency of transoceanic and coastal transportation of goods and people. NASA Deep Space Network support of Mariner 9 mission (launched May 30 1970) was described by Gerald M. Truszynski, Associate Administrator for Tracking and Data Acquisition: "From lift-off on May 30 to insertion into its egg-shaped orbit around Mars on November 13 and continuing during orbital operations around Mars, Mariner 9 has been monitored and controlled by the deep space network. The navigational accuracy required to insert Mariner 9 into Martian orbit was unprecedented in prior flights into deep space. The aiming point .. . after a flight of about 380 million kilometers (240 million miles) was an area only 160 kilometers (100 miles) square. This represents an aiming area some 100,000 times smaller than was attainable for the Mariner 2 flight to Venus in 1962. Since the network issued the commands for retroengine firing and Mariner 9 was injected into orbit .. . the spacecraft has been completing two orbits of Mars each earth day and recording some 30 television pictures of the Martian surface on each orbit. After each orbit, when the spacecraft can be `seen' by the Goldstone 64- meter [70-yard] antenna, Mariner 9 transmits back the tape recorded pictures upon command from the network" (Transcript)

Langley Research Center awarded 31-mo, $4 128 864 contract to Univ. of Iowa for design, construction, integration, test, and launch support for Injun-F spacecraft and onboard experiments. Injun-F would be launched from Western Test Range by Scout booster in 1974 to study interaction of solar winds with geomagnetosphere at large radial distances over earth's north polar cap. Orbit would be highly elliptical and would traverse an area of space not previously surveyed. Space-craft would weigh 27 kg (60 lbs) and would carry three principal experiments : magnetometer to map geomagnetic field over polar caps, low-energy proton electron differential energy analyzer to provide data on population density of charged particles, and extremely-low frequency and very-low-frequency (ELF-VLF) experiment to determine nature of electrostatic and electromagnetic fields. Experiments might lead to understanding of way in which natural radiation belts surrounding earth maintained their supply of charged particles. Principal investigator would be Dr. James A. Van Allen, discoverer of Van Allen belts. (NASA Release 72-65)

Director Bruce T. Lundin of Lewis Research Center announced major organizational changes to strengthen and streamline LeRC for its assumption of greater leadership in aeronautics, space communications, and electrical power field. Changes-which had yet to be formally approved by NASA- included creation of new position of Deputy Director, Management, filled by Henry C. Barnett, and creation of two new directorates: Space Communications, headed by J. Howard Childs, and Launch Vehicles, headed by Edmund R. Jonash. Dr. John C. Evvard was named Chief Scientist to provide "greater organizational visibility" in basic research. Laser power group and applications group were established, strengthening of computer management was begun, several divisions were restructured, and new offices were established. Lundin said changes would strengthen LeRC coordination and parallel research organization at NASA Hq. (Lewis News, 3/24/72, 1; Lundin Off)

Apollo 10 command module and mock-up of Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle were part of exhibition "Research and Development in the U.S.A." that opened in Moscow. Exhibit had been in Tbilisi, capital of Soviet Georgia, earlier, in scheduled tour of six Soviet cities. (Reuters, NYT, 3/23/72, 6)

Soviet tests of three-part warhead for giant SS-9 intercontinental ballistic missiles had failed to demonstrate sufficient accuracy to seek out and destroy three separate U.S. Minuteman missiles in their steel and concrete silos, Dr. John S. Foster, Director of Defense Research and Engineering in Dept. of Defense, said in testimony before Senate Committee on Armed Services. U.S. intelligence had concluded that U.S.S.R.'s projected ability to destroy large part of U.S. Minuteman force by mid-1970s might not materialize until 1980s. (Beecher, NYT, 3/22/72, 1)

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