Oct 31 1972

From The Space Library

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Current revision

U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 527 from Plesetsk into orbit with 295-km (183.3-mi) apogee, 177-km (110-mi) perigee, 89.1-min period, and 65.4° inclination. Satellite reentered Nov. 13. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/72; 11/31[30]/72; SBD, 11/2/72, 2)

Overview of Apollo 17 mission, scheduled for Dec. 6 launch, was given by Mission Director Chester M. Lee at NASA_Hq. press briefing. Mission experiments would include lunar surface gravimeter to detect possible lunar surface deformation from pull of earth and sun and to confirm existence of gravity waves; lunar ejects and meteorite experiment to determine mass, velocity, and frequency of meteorite impacts on moon and nature of their ejecta; lunar seismic profiling experiment to acquire data on lunar near-surface structure and layering; lunar atmospheric composition experiment (MASSPEC) ; experiment to measure solar flares; and lunar traverse gravimeter with receiver carried on Lunar Roving Vehicle Rover to survey anomalies of gravity at all science stops.

Among major new experiments on Apollo 17 mission would be surface electrical properties experiment to determine lunar surface layering and measure electrical properties of material; lunar neutron probe to measure capture rate of low-energy cosmic ray secondary neutrons and neutron energy spectrum as function of depth; and medical experiment BIOCORE to be carried in command module (CM). BIOCORE would carry six pocket mice in environmentally controlled situation. On return to earth, mice would be returned to principal investigators for examination for effects of high-Z particles. New experiments to be carried in scientific instrument module (SIM) bay were far-ultraviolet spectrometer to determine composition density of lunar atmosphere; infrared scan radiometer to obtain data to correlate and confirm earth-produced thermal maps; and lunar sounder module to probe lunar near subsurface to depths of 1 to 1.05 km (0.6 to 1 mi) . First Apollo 17 launch window would open at 9:53 pm EST Dec. 6 and close at 1:31 am EST Dec. 7. Alternate launch windows would occur in January and February. To reach moon at optimum sun angle, Apollo 17 would be launched at night; entry into trajectory toward moon would be made over Atlantic rather than over Pacific as on previous Apollo missions. "This means the TLI [translunar insertion] will occur about 45 minutes later than ... in the past." Countdown preparations were proceeding normally.

Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt were scheduled to land Dec. 11 on flat valley 9.7 km (6 mi) wide near southeastern edge of Sea of Serenity on northeastern side of moon's front face. Landing site was more difficult than that of previous Apollo missions, Lee said, because "here we're faced with a scarp that is a number of kilometers down." Site was surrounded with "sculptured hills at the east, the north massif and the south massif; you are coming into a little tighter valley, but we have ... plenty of clearance." Astronauts would remain on moon for record 75 hrs, would make three traverses in Taurus-Littrow valley during three 7-hr extravehicular activity periods, and would drive electrified, four-wheeled Rover record 33.8 km (21 mi), including one drive that would take them almost 8 km (5 mi) from lunar module. Astronaut Ronald E. Evans would remain in lunar orbit in command module. Cernan and Schmitt were to rejoin cM at 5:56 pm EST Dec. 16. Splashdown was scheduled for 2:24 pm EST Dec. 19 in Pacific 560 km (350 mi) southeast of Samoa. Recovery ship would be U.S.S. Ticonderoga. (Transcript)

Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator, described functions of Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite (launched July 23) in speech before First International Conference on Computer Satellites in Agriculture at Ohio State Univ. Satellite "now circles the earth 14 times a day in near-polar orbit. Each pass covers a region 185 km (115 miles) wide. After 18 days, the satellite returns to the same position. The ERTS Multispectral Scanner scans the earth in four wave-length bands." Green band enhanced features within water, since they were transparent in band. Red band showed contrast between vegetation and man-made structures and was good for land use mapping. Infrared band was invisible to human eye but "vegetation strongly reflects this energy, and thus appears bright on film. Water absorbs it, and appears dark: This band is often used to identify plants or crops, since the brightness of the image depends greatly on the type of vegetation. It is also used to determine the health of plants, because healthy crops will appear to be much brighter than those which are diseased." Data to date had shown earth resources satellites like Erts 1 would be able to take large-scale inventories of crop type and crop health. ERTS data "lend themselves to rapid automated area calculation procedures for all kinds of agricultural production parameters." (Text)

NASA authorized construction of two additional buildings to augment visitor facilities at Kennedy Space Center. Buildings, designed by Charles Luckman Associates, would add some 3580 sq m (38 600 sq ft) of air-conditioned space for exhibits, films, lectures, snack bar, and ticket sale area. Extension of facilities, necessitated by increased public attendance, had been authorized by Congress. (KSC Release 298-72)

Lewis Research Center announced award of two-year, $2-million- plus extension to contract with Martin Marietta Corp, for integration of Centaur upper-stage rocket and Titan III booster. Contract included proof test-flight of new launch vehicle combination in early 1974 and launch of Helios spacecraft later that year. (LeRC Release 72-93)

Boston Museum of Science named New York Times Science Editor Walter S. Sullivan to receive 1972 Bradford Washburn Award for increasing public understanding of science. Award, gold medal and $5000 honorarium, would be presented Nov. 19. (NYT, 11/1/72, 9)

Soviet aircraft designer Andrey N. Tupolev received Sickle and Hammer gold medal and title "Hero of Socialist Labor" from Soviet President Nikolay V. Podgorny in Kremlin ceremony. Award was for exceptional services in development of Soviet aircraft construction. Tupolev had designed Soviet Tu-144 supersonic transport aircraft. (Tass, FBIS-Sov, 11/2/72, Ji; 11/6/72, J1)

Prominent Soviet astrophysicist Kronid A. Lubrasky had been sentenced to five years in labor camp for anti-Soviet activities, dissident sources in Moscow said. (AP, H Post, 11/1/72)

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