Oct 20 1971
From The Space Library
Apollo 16 preliminary timeline was announced by NASA. Launch was scheduled for 1:03 pm EST March 17, 1972. Translunar insertion would occur at 3;40 pm. Lunar landing was planned for 5:25 pm March 21, with EVA to start at 9:18 pm. Second EVA was scheduled for 7:48 pm March 22, and third for 7:13 pm March 23. LM would leave moon at 6:23 pm March 24 and earth landing was scheduled for 4:14 pm March 29. (NASA Release 71-211)
Flight path of Mariner 9, en route to Mars, was reported sufficiently precise for orbital insertion without scheduled second midcourse correction. Next critical event for Mariner 9 would be Mars orbit insertion Nov. 13, when spacecraft would begin to collect atmospheric and surface data and map 70% of Martian surface during 90 days in orbit. At 9:00 am EDT, after 142.4 days in flight, Mariner 9 was 88 847 850 km (55 207 500 mi) from earth. Spacecraft was traveling at 59 220 km per hr (36 800 mph) relative to earth and had traveled total distance of more than 349 452 100 km (217 139 500 mi) since May 30 launch. (NASA Proj Off)
NASA and Soviet Academy of Sciences had agreed to rapid exchange of findings on Mars from U.S. and U.S.S.R. probes nearing that planet, NASA announced. Recommendations of Joint Working Groups of U.S. and Soviet scientists who met in Moscow Aug. 2-6 to negotiate agreement on joint projects and exchanges in space research and applications had all been approved. Included was telegraphic exchange of findings of special interest by NASA's Mariner 9 (launched May 30) and Soviet Mars 2 (launched May 19) and Mars 3 (launched May 28). All three spacecraft were scheduled to reach Mars orbit in November. NASA and Soviet Academy also had agreed on joint seminars to facilitate analysis of data, exploration of feasibility of transmitting magnetometer data from U.S.S.R. ground-based observing stations in real-time to U.S. satellite ATS-F (scheduled for mid-1972 launch) and retransmitting data to ground with data from onboard magnetometer; and bilateral discussions on scientific results, objectives, and strategy of planetary exploration. Further agreements were to exchange information on photography from past and future missions and all lunar maps, to continue exchange of lunar samples, to con-duct multipurpose aerospace and field experiments on environment, and to make joint efforts in remote sensing of ocean. Technical Note would be exchanged on temperature sounding from satellites to develop joint experiment over Western Europe in 1973 and 1974. Information on methods of microwave measurement and of data on cloud emissivity would also be exchanged. Efforts would be made to achieve similarity in U.S. and Soviet requirements for ground receiving equipment. NASA and Soviet Academy also had agreed to research topics for meteorological sounding rocket investigations by both nations, to exchange alerts of stratospheric warmings, to conduct rocket system intercomparison tests, and to present scientific results in regular seminars and symposia. (Text; NASA Release 71-210)
GAO said USAF had not charged ComSatCorp for more than $6 million in launch service costs for comsats. Agency blamed $3.1 million of loss on USAF accounting procedures and said other $3 million was not charged because of DOD-NASA agreement. GAO could find no legal basis for changing method to determine costs chargeable to ComSatCorp but recommended ComSatCorp be assessed on full user-charge basis for future launches and Intelsat IV series that began in January. (um, W Post, 10/21/71, A15)
Lockheed Aircraft Corp. Chairman Daniel J. Haughton told firm's annual meeting that "we are now on an upward track." He reported net income for quarter ended Sept. 30 of $2.2 million, or 19 cents per share, up from $2 million, or 18 cents per share, in 1970 period. Sales had climbed from $565 million in 1970 to $667 million. Sales for all of 1971 were estimated at close to $3 billion, although major percentage would be booked at no profit because of Lockheed's settlement with Government on C-5A military transport aircraft and Cheyenne helicopter contracts. Haughton said 1972 sales should be at 1970 level of just over $2.5 billion. (Wright, NYT, 10/21/71, 69)
Shift in AEC's role from promoting atomic energy to protecting public interest in nuclear affairs was announced by Dr. James R. Schlesinger, AEC Chairman, at annual meeting of Atomic Industrial Forum and American Nuclear Society in Rai Harbour, Fla. It was AEC's responsibility to "develop new technical options and to bring those options to the point of commercial application," not to "solve industry's problems which may crop up in the course of commercial exploitation. That is industry's responsibility, to be settled among industry, Congress, and the public." AEC's role was "primarily to perform as a referee serving the public interest." (Text)
President Nixon submitted to Senate nomination of Albert C. Hall, Vice President for Engineering and Research with Martin Marietta Corp., to be Assistant Secretary of Defense (Administration). Hall would succeed Robert F. Froehlke, who had become Secretary of the Army July 1. (PD, 10/25/71, 1430, 1441; USA No)
NASA signed $195 400 000 supplemental agreement to Apollo LM contract with Grumman Corp. for changes to increase lunar staytime, activity support, and other features of LM. (NASA Activities, 11/15/71, 187)
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