Jul 18 1972
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First Skylab command and service module (CSM-116), which would transport astronauts to and from Skylab orbital workshop in 1973, was shipped by aircraft from North American Rockwell Corp.'s Downey, Calif., plant to Cape Kennedy, Fla., for start of prelaunch operations, Other Skylab segments-including Orbital Workshop, multiple docking adapter, airlock module, and Apollo Telescope Mount -were undergoing final checkout at contractor plants and at Manned Spacecraft Center. (MSC Release 72-144)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of Dept. of Commerce released The World Weather Program for Fiscal Year' 1973. Major U.S. contributions to World Weather Watch in FY 1973 would include improvement of existing operational satellite system, development of next-generation system, establishment of expanded atmospheric-monitoring capability, increase in computer-processing capacity, and assistance to weather services of developing nations. No-sponsored polar-orbiting TIROS satellites would be launched by NASA to provide temperature soundings and day and night cloud- cover images. NASA would launch Synchronous Meteorological Satellite (SMS) for 24-hr viewing of severe storms and cloud cover by spacecraft that was prototype of NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) system. First Arctic baseline station for atmospheric measurement would be established at Barrow, Alaska, by NOAA; National Science Foundation would support expansion of Antarctic monitoring program; and Atomic Energy Commission would begin measurement of tropospheric radionuclides on Pacific island. U.S. would provide ground-receiving equipment for acquiring weather satellite photos to developing nations and establish regional telecommunications networks linking several South American cities with Washington, D.C., and national networks within six other nations. (NOAA Release 72-94)
Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Secretary of the Air Force, discussed future air superiority aircraft in speech before Aero Club of Washington in Washington, D.C. Air Force had not developed new fighter aircraft that could maintain air superiority in battle area in 20 yrs, while U.S.S.R. had developed "whole family of sophisticated fighters." F-15 program should give U.S. "what we need for the air superiority mission." For allies, U.S. had developed F-5E international fighter, "a simple design that cost about half that of our present long-range, multipurpose aircraft." It would "play a particularly vital role in improving the self-defense capabilities of our Asian allies. . In modernizing our forces, we have learned an important lesson in the last few years. You cannot build an aircraft with every possible new technological device and expect to buy enough of them to get the job done. . . . The unit cost of high performance aircraft has increased tenfold every 18 years." Avionics was factor in driving up cost of new aircraft systems. F-111D included Mark II avionics system costing over $4 million. To lower unit cost of systems, Air Force was tailoring new aircraft for "somewhat narrower purposes." Through specialization "we hope to obtain aircraft that can both survive and perform more effectively in their individual mission and . . . we will be able to afford many more of these aircraft than we could obtain in the case of one super-capable, multipurpose plane." (Text)
Mackay Trophy for 1971 was awarded to L/C Thomas B. Estes (USAF) and L/c Dewain C. Vick (USAF) by Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. John D. Ryan, in Washington, D.C., ceremony. Award was for April 27, 1971, 24 000-km (15 000-mi) nonstop flight at speeds over mach 3 in Lockheed SR-71 strategic reconnaissance aircraft. (NAA News, 8/72, 1)
General Accounting Office reported increase of $28.7 billion in original cost estimates of 77 major U.S. weapon systems. Report was based on latest quarterly figures supplied by Dept. of Defense. GAO said it had analyzed 78 major weapon systems but had not included proposed Trident long-range missile-firing submarine because project had not yet been given final approval. Overrun was 31%, down from 1971 overrun of 40%. (AP, W Star & News, 7/18/72, A6)
U.S. Patent No. 3 678 180 was issued to Donald S. Bond of Radio Corp. of America (RCA) Electronics Div. for system to deliver third-class mail to multiple addresses on mailing lists via radio facsimiles relayed by satellite. (NYT, 7/22/72, 37; Pat Off pio)
U.S. Patent No. 3 677 502 was issued to Soviet aircraft designer Aleksey A. Tupolev and seven associates for Tu-144 Soviet supersonic aircraft. Tupolev had carried on work of his father Andrey N. Tupolev on Tu-144. Earlier applications had been filed for Soviet patents and other American patents were pending on specific features of aircraft. Patent indicated that aircraft design was intended to prevent engine exhaust from contacting tail portion of fuselage. (Jones, NYT, 7/22/72, 33; Pat Off PIO)
NASA announced appointment of J. Lloyd Jones, Jr., as Director of Aerodynamics and Vehicle Systems Div., Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology, effective Aug, 6. Jones had been Research Assistant to Director of Ames Research Center since 1970. (NASA Release 72-147)
Flight Research Center announced selection of RCA Service Co. for final negotiation of contract to support NASA Aerodynamic Test Rangeradar/communication sites 550 km (340 mi) apart that provided high-speed flight corridor 1850 km (1150 mi) long from mid-Washington state to Edwards, Calif. Negotiations were for four- year, $359 000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with four one-year options. (FRC Release 13-72)
Office of Senate Republican Leader Hugh Scott (R-Pa.) said Sen. Scott would nominate President Nixon for Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded in winter 1972. Scott aide said Senator was preparing documentation citing President's initiatives in People's Republic of China visit and Soviet summit meetings. (uFt, NYT, 7/19/72, 15)
Lombardo Mint's Apollo 16 medal was among "most exciting" commemorative issues on mission offered, Baltimore Sun reported. Obverse featured Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) patrolling Descartes region of moon, with view of earth on moon's horizon and portraits of Apollo 16 crew on lower portion. Legend read: "April 16, 1972- The Descartes Region Mission-Thomas K. Mattingly, John W. Young, Charles M. Duke, Jr." Reverse pictured official Apollo 16 shoulder patch super-imposed over lunar surface. (Gould, B Sun, 7/18/72)
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