Jun 14 1978
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(New page: NASA announced plans to launch Comstar-C on an Atlas Centaur launch vehicle for Comsat General, a subsidiary of ComSatCorp, on a fully reimbursable basis. NASA had successfully launche...)
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NASA announced plans to launch Comstar-C on an Atlas Centaur launch vehicle for Comsat General, a subsidiary of ComSatCorp, on a fully reimbursable basis. NASA had successfully launched Comstar 1A and Comstar B on May 13 and July 22, 1976, respectively; a fourth satellite being built would serve as a spare. KSC and its Expendable Vehicles Directorate would be responsible for preparing and launching the Atlas Centaur vehicles; a joint government-industry team would supervise all launch-vehicle and pad operations during countdown. The ETR, launch-vehicle contractor General Dynamics, and NASA would supply all personnel and equipment required to handle assembly, prelaunch checkout, and launch.
The Comstar spacecrafts used by American Telephone and Telegraph Co. as part of its nationwide communications network had a capacity of more than 14 000 high-quality 2-way voice circuits. In geostationary orbit at 22 300mi altitude, they could provide reliable communications to the 48 contiguous states, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Each Comstar carried centimeter-wave beacons to test higher frequency propagation at 19 and 28GHz, measuring the adverse effects of rainfall on signals at these frequencies, and leading to possible use of higher frequencies to future commercial comsat systems. Under an agreement with Comsat General, AT&T would lease the entire capacity of the three in-orbit Comstars; AT&T, which was building its own earth-station network, would integrate satellite communications with its terrestrial facilities to enhance its domestic U.S. services. (MOR M-491-201-78-01 [prelaunch summary] June 14/78; Spaceport News, June 23/78, 1)
MSFC reported that an invention by MSFC engineer Frank Nola to decrease energy consumed by electric motors [see May 2] had aroused the most public interest of any invention by the center. Accounts of the invention in Chemical and Engineering News and Industry Week drew more than 600 inquiries from readers. An item in Kiplinger Letter had produced about 1430 reader responses. George Porter, patent counsel in MSFC's Office of Chief Counsel, said his office had received three applications for licenses to manufacture the power-factor controller. MSFC's Technology Utilization Office also had received almost 300 letters and telephone calls. The invention had been tested in a textile mill in Alexander City, Ala., using 3700 industrial sewing machines operated by half-horsepower 3-phase motors. One of the motors equipped with the power-factor controller had recorded a power saving of 33% over an identical motor without it. (Marshall Star, June 14/78, 2)
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