Mar 17 1972
From The Space Library
Air Force launched unidentified reconnaissance satellite on Titan IIIB-Agena booster from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 9:00 am PsT. Orbital parameters: 396-km (246-mi) apogee, 141-km (88- mi) perigee, 89.8-min period, and 110.9° inclination. Satellite reentered April 11. (Pres Rpt 73; Sov Aero, 3/27/72, 91; Av Wk, 3/27/72, 17)
NASA issued requests for proposals to industry for development of orbiter vehicle and systems integration for space shuttle orbiter's external propellant tank, solid-fueled rocket booster, orbiter main engine, and orbiter air-breathing engine [see March 15], (NASA Space Shuttle Fact Sheet, 5/72)
Apollo 16 astronauts John W. Young, Charles M. Duke, Jr., and Thomas K. Mattingly II announced code names for Apollo 16 lunar module and command module at Manned Spacecraft Center press conference. LM would be called "Orion" for constellation-also known as the Hunter-which would be visible to crew throughout mission. CM would be called "Casper" after cartoon character Casper the Friendly Ghost. In response to press comment that crew members were all from the South and that exploration site terrain had been designated with Southern names, Duke said only other Southern thing planned would be "a new first . . . to take along some grits for breakfast." (Transcript; NYT, 3/18/72, 21)
NASA TF-8A aircraft, equipped with supercritical wing and piloted by Thomas C. McMurtry, completed 30th flight from FRC. Purpose of flight was to check out new instrumentation and angle-of-attack and airspeed calibrations. Fixed rakes and rotating survey probes were checked out and angle-of-attack calibrations were obtained at 13 700-m (45 000-ft) altitude from mach 0.9 to 1.1. (NASA proj off) [[ Vanguard 1]], second U.S. satellite, began 15th year in orbit. When launched March 17, 1958, satellite's lifetime was estimated at 5-10 yrs; current estimate was 200 to 2000 yrs. Vanguard 1 was one of 5865 man-made space objects cataloged by North American Air Defense Command Space Defense Center. Of these, 2659- including 504 payloads and 2155 pieces of debris-were still orbiting earth. (Miles, LA Times, 3/13/72; GSFC PAO)
Cameras on board NASA'S Mariner 9 Mars probe (launched May 30 1971) were turned off to check out malfunction in onboard computer. (NASA Release 72-67)
NASA launched Aerobee 150 sounding rocket from Churchill Research Range, Canada, carrying Johns Hopkins Univ. auroral studies experiment. Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (SR list)
NASA Associate Administrator for Organization and Management Richard C. McCurdy testified on decrease in research and program management (R&PM) budget in House Committee on Science and Astronautics hearings on FY 1973 NASA authorization: Requested $700.8 million was decrease of $26.5 million from FY 1972. Ceiling of 26 850 was pro-posed for Civil Service component of NASA in- house work force, 1500 lower than original 1972 ceiling-bringing total reduction since 1968 peak to 8300 positions, or 25%. NASA had planned to achieve 1973 ceiling by normal attrition, but rate of attrition was running 22% lower than required and Center directors had been instructed to use reduction-in-force procedures as necessary to reach ceilings. Deputy Associate Administrator for Organization and Management Bernard Moritz testified that under FY 1973 authorization bill all NASA facility projects would be presented for approval and funding under full disclosure concept.
M/G Robert H. Curtin (USAF, Ret.), Director of Facilities in Office of Administration, entered prepared statement detailing $77.3- million FY 1973 request for construction of facilities and explained $8 million request for facility planning and design within that total. First $3.5 million was for "regular recurrent" requirements and $4.5 million for "special" requirements. Of the $4.5, $3.75 million was for space shuttle facilities, including preliminary engineering reports for larger 1974 and 1975 programs. Second portion was for large aeronautical facility -$750 000 for design of full-scale subsonic wind tunnel that would ultimately cost $150 million to $200 million if approved, with total design cost of $7 million to $10 million. Requested FY 1973 funds would complete design on drive section of tunnel. Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and Space Technology George W. Cherry described FY 1973 disbursements for aeronautics: Important part dealt with reduction of jet aircraft noise, with $28.5 million requested for research and technology to continue this work. Roughly one half was for research and technology attacking noise generation and noise propagation; $12.4 million' was for programs for near-term relief from jet aircraft noise. Of the $12.4 million, $9 million was requested for engine- modification development program and $3.4 million for development of operational procedures for noise abatement. Cherry presented audiovisual demonstration of effectiveness of engine modifications and operational procedures. (Transcript)
Philadelphia Inquirer quoted Lockheed spokesman as saying last C-5 Galaxy military transport aircraft to be built under Government con- tract was on assembly line and was expected to be completed in mid-1973. Lockheed was selling 81 C-5s to Air Force for $4.9 billion. (P Inq, 3/17/72, 89)
Assignment by President Nixon of Gen. Horace M. Wade, Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq. Allied Powers Europe, as Vice Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, was announced by Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird. (DOD Release 195-72)
President Nixon signed S. 3244, bill increasing funds for international aeronautical exposition from $3 million to $5 million. Bill became P.L. 92-251. (CR, 3/21/72, D293)
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