October 1980

From The Space Library

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Current revision

NASA appointed Dr. Jack L. Kerrebrock, head of MIT's aeronautics and astronautics department, as associate administrator for aeronautics and space technology as of June 1, 1981: Replacing. Dr. James J. Kramer who retired in October 1979, he would be responsible for aeronautics; space and energy research, and technology programs. Dr. Walter B. Olstad would act as associate administrator in the interim. (NASA Release 80-156)

JSC announced that Dr. Edward G. Gibson, scientist-astronaut, would leave October 31 to become advanced systems manager for TRW Defense and Space Systems Group. The science pilot on the record 84-day Skylab 4 mission in 1973-1974, he had left NASA in 1974 to work for Aerospace Corporation and for ERNO but had rejoined the agency in March 1977. (JSC Release 80-057)

C.A. Syvertson, ARC director, named Angelo Guastaferro of the Headquarters Office of Space Science as his deputy, replacing A. Thomas Young, recently named director of GSFC. John Boyd, associate deputy director, would remain acting deputy director for six months. (ARC anno Oct 31/80; NASA Release 80-165)

The NAA newsletter reported that Maurice Bellonte, copilot of the first east-to-west transatlantic nonstop flight in 1930, was guest of honor at the National Air and Space Museum on the 50th anniversary of his flight from Le Bourget airfield near Paris to Curtiss Field, N.Y. In 1929 Bellonte and his copilot Dieudonne Coste had set a world record for longest nonstop flight, 4,788 miles from Paris to Manchuria in 51 hours, 39 minutes. The Atlantic crossing had taken 37 hours, 18 minutes. (NAA nsltr Sept-Oct 80, 2)

The New York Times reported that after long service in orbit and "a galaxy of discoveries" the astrophysics observatories Copernicus and Galileo were nearing the end of their useful lives. Copernicus (Oao 3, launched in August 1972 and named to honor the 500th birthday of the Polish astronomer) carried the first UV telescope above Earth's atmosphere and made precise measurements of the amount of deuterium in the universe. Galileo (HEAO 2, launched in November 1978) carried the only imaging X-ray telescope ever orbited and mapped X-ray emissions from every known quasar. (NY Times, Oct 31/80, A-19)

INTELSAT announced that its Italian signatory member, Telespazio, had set up an award of U.S. $10,000 for contributions to the field of satellite communications. Established on the 10th anniversary of the death of Dr. Piero Fanti, first general manager of Telespazio, the award would go every two years to a researcher or student in an INTELSAT member country who made a contribution of significant value to the field. (INTELSAT Release 80-22-1)

FBIS carried Tass reports during October on the flight of Popov and Ryumin aboard Salyut 6, beginning with resupply of water from the cargo vessel Progress 11 October 3 and completion of unloading by October 6, including resupply of air. On October 8 Tass said that the crew was measuring the dynamics of the orbital complex for use in designing new space systems. Launched September 29, 1977, Salyut 6 had received 13 Soyuz (7 with international crews), 2 Soyuz T, and 11 Progress craft during its three-year flight, manned about half that time by four main and eight visiting expeditions; 24 dockings occurred, plus 4 redockings from one port to another. On October 11, after Popov and Ryumin returned to Earth, Tass reported that no irreversible effects of weightlessness had occurred. The crew's diet included meat and dairy products, confectionery, beverages, and various seasonings. Fresh vegetables and fruits brought from Earth during the flight helped diversify the meals. On October 13, Tass said that the cosmonauts had gone for a walk in less than 24 hours after their return from six months in space and had met with journalists for interviews. Both said that working in space would be possible for longer than six months; Ryumin said that he felt better after his second prolonged flight, thanks to better ground training and better scheduling of on-board activity. A rest period every fourth day had made them "more eager to do exercises." Oh October 29, the cosmonauts reported to a meeting of the State Commission representing 400 organizations and agencies interested in their results oh the 3,500 photos and 40,000 atmospheric spectra, more than 70 materials experiments, and the medical and biological tests. (FBIS, Tass in English, Oct 3-29/80)

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