Apr 27 1972
From The Space Library
President Nixon telephoned Apollo 16 astronauts aboard U.S.S. Ticonderoga following splashdown, to offer congratulations on successful completion of mission. He invited astronauts to be special guests at state dinner for Mexican President Luis Echeverria Alvarez in June and said he would nominate L/Cdr Thomas K. Mattingly II (USN) for rank of commander and L/C Charles M. Duke, Jr. (USAF), for rank of colonel. President then issued statement from Key Biscayne, Fla.: "The journey of Apollo 16 has ended, but the contributions of this mission to scientific progress have only begun. Rarely if ever has so much new information been made available to science in such a brief period. As the work of evaluation and analysis goes forward, the impact of Apollo 16 will be felt for many years to come. "On behalf of all Americans, I am pleased to welcome Astronauts Young, Duke, and Mattingly back to earth and to salute them for a job well done. Their skill, their courage, and their enthusiasm have written another proud chapter in the stirring story of mankind's struggle to unlock the mysteries of the unknown." White House press officer later said President had asked possibility of promoting Capt. John W. Young to admiral. He was told Capt. Young had received two recent promotions and Navy would not permit third at this time. (PD, 5/1/72, 796; NYT, 4/28/72, 22)
NASA's TF-8A aircraft, equipped with supercritical wing, completed two flights from Flight Research Center. Objective was to check repeat- ability with two different pilots-Thomas C. McMurtry and Gary Krier. Wake surveys and pressure distributions were run at constant dynamic pressure of 9600 newtons per sq m (200 psf) and mach 0.90, 0.95, 0.97, and 0.99. (NASA proj off)
Low-altitude qualification test of Viking parachute-decelerator system to slow Viking spacecraft for softlanding on Mars 1976-was conducted by NASA at Dept. of Defense Joint Parachute Test Facility in El Centro, Calif. Parachute, 16-m (53-ft) in diameter and deployed by mortar, was dropped from B-57 aircraft. It opened on schedule, but dropped payload. Test was first of two low-altitude tests planned for 1972 and followed series of six development tests. High-altitude tests with balloon-launched parachute would be conducted during summer. Investigation was under way to determine cause of failure. (FRC Release 6-72; W News, 4/28/72, 45)
Marshall Space Flight Center announced selection of Ball Brothers Research Corp. for negotiation of contract to develop heavy nuclei experiment for High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAD-A), scheduled for launch in 1975. Experiment would measure charge- to-mass ratio, abundance, and energy of cosmic ray particles. (MSFC Release 72-53)
Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird announced appointment of L/G Samuel C. Phillips (USAF) as Director of National Security Agency, effective Aug. 1. Gen. Phillips, assigned to NASA in 1964, had been Apollo Program Director at NASA Hq. until Sept. 1, 1969, when he became Commander of Air Force Space and Missile Systems Organization. He would replace Adm. Noel A. M. Gayler (USN), who would become U.S. commander in chief in Pacific area. (W Star, 4/27/72, A2)
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