Sep 5 1971
From The Space Library
NATO intelligence had reported U.S.S.R. was flight- testing swing-wing supersonic strategic bomber designed to fly at twice speed of sound and equipped for low-level penetration of enemy defenses, New York Times said. Aircraft, christened "Backfire" by NATO, could become operational late in 1973. Western military intelligence specialists believed Backfire marked "emergence of entirely new Soviet air weapons system." (Szulc, NYT, 9/5/71, 1)
Exhibits at new $6-million Air Force Museum near Dayton, Ohio, were described by New York Times: DC-6 Independence used by President Truman; Constellation Columbine III and 47J Sioux helicopter used by President Eisenhower, reproduction of Wright 1909 Military Flyer; B-70, only remaining ultrasonic bomber; Douglas World Cruiser New Orleans, which flew around world in 1924; Soviet Mig-15; and relics of Wright brothers' Kitty Hawk. Museum, "first permanent repository of Air Force memorabilia," was 244 m (800 ft) long, 91 m (300 ft) wide, and 24 m (80 ft) tall and housed 150 aircraft. It was built with funds provided by private gifts. (NYT, 9/5/71, 28; NASA Hist Off )
MIT-"probably the world's greatest technological university"-had committed itself to seeking change in current U.S. attitude of hostility toward technology, Washington Post reported. In series of statements that "can be taken jointly as a new scientists' manifesto," MIT leaders had urged change in national attitude toward "harnessing technology while not bowing to it," urged end to scientists disclaiming responsibility for the effects of their work, and pledged to make profound changes in their own teaching and research. MIT led U.S. universities in obtaining Federal research funding, with $92 million in FY 1970, more than double that of its nearest rival, Stanford Univ., which had received $39 million. (Cohn, W Post, 9/5/71, D2)
September 5-11: First U.S, U.S.S.R. conference on Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CETI) was held at Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory in Soviet Armenia. Conference was sponsored jointly by U.S. and Soviet Academies of Science and organized by Soviet astronomer Dr. Yosif S. Shklovsky and Cornell Univ. astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan. Later Dr. Sagan and Cornell Univ. astronomer Dr. Frank D. Drake reported conference conclusions to NAS. Group of scientists had concluded that civilization in another solar system "a few hundred light years away" might be trying to communicate with other bodies, including earth. Man had acknowledged existence of other universes and scientific evidence had shown that amino acids-building blocks of life-could be made from materials and energy sources in space. Scientists had recommended coordinated worldwide effort to intercept messages by searching sky with powerful radio-telescopes. (Sullivan, NYT, 9/19/71, 4:8, Auerbach, W Post, 9/23/71, A4; NAS PIO )
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