Nov 21 1972

From The Space Library

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Current revision

Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt, and Ronald E. Evans participated in final prelaunch test aboard spacecraft. Astronauts wore spacesuits for simulated liftoff of Saturn V rocket. Following test, launch crew began to ready command module "America" and lunar module "Challenger" for start of actual countdown scheduled for Nov. 30. (AP, B Sun, 11/22/72, A5)

Crowd estimated at more than half million would witness nighttime launch of Apollo 17, which experts believed would be visible within 800-km (500-mi) radius, Associated Press reported. Lester T. Keene of Kennedy Space Center Data Systems Div. had said exhaust from Saturn V rocket would be equivalent to brilliance of sunlight. Peak visibility would be reached about 2 min 30 sec after launch, when Saturn V was at 68-km (42-mi) altitude and 90 km (56 mi) northeast of Cape Kennedy, and before shutdown of 1st-stage engines that burned fuel producing orange flame. Pale blue flame of 2nd stage would not be seen for as great distance. (B Sun, 11/21/72, A8)

NASA's M2-F3 lifting body, piloted by John A. Manke, completed 23rd flight from Flight Research Center after air-launch from B-52 aircraft to evaluate command augmentation system. Additional flight objectives were to obtain stability and control data at mach 1.1, mach 0.8, and mach 0.7 and to check out pitch-reaction augmentation system. M2-F3 reached 19 800-m (65 000-ft) altitude and mach 1.3. All objectives were achieved. (NASA proj off)

U.S. and U.S.S.R. opened second round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT ii) in Geneva in effort toward comprehensive and permanent agreement to limit strategic nuclear weapons. SALT I, begun Nov. 17, 1969, had brought limitation accords signed May 26 during President Nixon's visit to Moscow. (Tuohy, W Post, 11/22/72, Al0)

Marshall Space Flight Center announced issuance of requests for proposals on space tug systems. Tug-space shuttle 3rd stage- would extend capability of shuttle booster and orbital stages by adding propulsion for higher orbit. Propulsion would be provided by temporary use of existing rocket stage adapted for launch from shuttle cargo bay or by use of interim tug. Studies of rocket stage use were under way. REPS had been issued for possible interim tug development. Three $750 000 contracts would be awarded-two for work on cryogenic tug using liquid-hydrogen and liquid-oxygen propellants and one for study of tug using storable propellants. Proposals were due Dec. 22, with contracts to be awarded during first quarter of 1973. Air Force would assist in funding cryogenic tug studies and in selection of contractors and study management. Interim tug would he developed for use in space shuttle's first flight scheduled for late 1970s. (msFE Release 72-155)

Langley Research Center team working with Environmental Protection Agency had developed telescope-mounted laser to detect air- polluting gases from industrial smokestacks, NASA announced. Laser was beamed at smoke emitted and detected reflected light from pollutants through optical filters. EPA was interested in laser for remote sensing of industrial plants. Tests were being conducted at Asheville, N.C., plant of Carolina Power and Light Co., which had offered to cooperate with Government agencies in experiments. (NASA Release 72-222)

Concorde 001, British prototype of Anglo-French supersonic transport, completed 300th and final flight in assigned test program. Flight brought combined total of Concorde 001 and 002 and preproduction aircraft 01 flights to total 654, representing 1354 hrs 50 min with 348 hrs 24 min at supersonic speeds. (RAE Newsletter, 12/9/72, 2)

Measurement of speed of light "more accurately than ever before" with infrared laser was announced by National Bureau of Standards. NBS scientists using laser that generated extremely pure light beam, uncluttered by jumbled frequencies and wavelengths, had arrived at new light speed figure of 299 792.472 km per sec (186 282.396 mps) . New value was 100 times more accurate than value that had been accepted for past 15 yrs and had opened up "new possibilities for an increase of 1,000 times in the number of frequency bands" used in communications. (NBS Release)

Results of analyses of data collected by City of Cleveland's Air Pollution Control Div. from 1968 through 1971 were reported by Lewis Research Center scientists. State of Ohio standards for total suspended particulate and nitrogen dioxide had not been met in Cleveland; sulfur dioxide standards had been met only in limited residential areas. Air quality had improved in industrial valley but only sulfur dioxide pollution showed consistent decrease in remainder of city, and suspended particulate levels had increased to west of Cuyahoga River with decrease to east. Trends had been determined by LeRC Environmental Research Office from data obtained during two-year joint LeRC and City of Cleveland project. (1,eRC Release 72-102)

Officials of Corp. for Public Broadcasting (CPB), Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), and National Public Affairs Center for TV (NPACT) met to discuss NPACT feasibility study of possible special scientific coverage of Apollo 17 EVAs by PBS [see Nov. 9]. Following discussion cm President Henry Loomis issued message to PBS stations. Decision had been made that "live coverage would be impractical for public television and that alternate idea for space project programming would be considered." Decision was based on study conclusions that time was too short to gather required staff, mission delays might disrupt TV schedules, and coverage by commercial networks would be more extensive than first expected. There was agreement that "scientific findings of the entire Apollo project, which concludes with Apollo, merited serious treatment on public television." (Text)

Second delegation of scientists from People's Republic of China-seven specialists in physical and biological sciences-arrived in Washington, D.C., to begin four-week tour of major U.S. research centers and universities. Delegation included Chien Wei-chang, professor of Engineering at Chinghua Univ. in Peking, who had worked at Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1940 to 1946. At National Academy of Sciences press conference Chien said: "We welcome and congratulate the work on space done by American scientists. We also congratulate you on the success of this problem; this is why we pay so much attention to work on space." In answer to question, Chien said his country was seeking to develop communications satellites but had no plans to put men in orbit. Visit was sponsored by National Academy of Sciences, Social Science Research Council, and American Council of Learned Societies. Delegation of physicians from PRC had toured U.S. in October. (McGehan, B Sun, 11/22/72; Schmeck, NYT, 11/22/72, 43)

First successful experimental demonstration in U.S. of magnetic levitation system (MAGLEV) was announced by Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe. MAGLEV-system for suspending vehicle above guideway with power supplied by supercooled magnets-would permit trains to travel at speeds up to 480 km per hr (300 mph) without physical contact with rails or guideway. Test was performed in Menlo Park, Calif., by Stan-ford Research Institute under contract to Dept, of Transportation. (DoT Release 100-72)

November 21-30: NASA successfully launched European Space Research Organization's Esro 4 by four-stage Scout-D launch vehicle from Western Test Range at 4:17 PST. Satellite entered orbit with 1187-km (737.6-mi) apogee, 253-km (157.2-mi) perigee, 99-min period, and 91.1° inclination. Primary NASA objectives were to place spacecraft-eighth in ESRO flight program on U.S. vehicles-in earth orbit that would permit investigations of phenomena in polar atmosphere and to provide tracking and telemetry support. By Nov. 30, flight data indicated objectives were met and mission was adjudged success. Esro 4 carried six experiments from four countries: study of positive ions in ionosphere (United Kingdom) ; study of composition and total mass density of natural gas in upper atmosphere and exosphere (West Germany) ; study of low- energy-particle precipitation in auroral zones (Sweden) ; investigation of polar-cap-absorption events (Nether-lands) ; measurement of flux and energy spectrum of solar flare particles, trapped particles in lower radiation belt of earth, and galactic and nonsolar energetic particles (West Germany) ; space-flight qualification of infrared horizon-sensing instrument for altitude measurements of spinning satellites (Netherlands). European-designed and -built spacecraft weighed 114 kg (251 abs) and was cylindrical, with body-mounted solar cells and four booms. ESRO would reimburse NASA for launch under December 1966 Memorandum of Understanding. NASA Office of Space Science directed project for NASA; Langley Research Center managed Scout program. (NASA proj off; NASA Release 72-214)

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