Jan 25 1972
From The Space Library
Apollo 16 spacecraft had developed fuel leak in reaction control system and would be removed from launch pad for replacement of fuel tank, NASA announced. Leak had apparently been caused by overpressurization of teflon bladder by ground support equipment. NASA later said repair was not expected to delay launch, scheduled for April 16. (Reuters, NYT, 1/26/72, 27; W Post, 1/28/72, A5)
Cosmos 472 was launched from Plesetsk by U.S.S.R. Orbital parameters: 1536-km (954.4-mi) apogee, 193-km (119.9-mi) perigee, 142.2-min period, and 82° inclination. Satellite reentered Aug. 18. (GSFC SSR, 1/31/72; 8/31/72; SF, 6/72, 262)
Subcommittee on NASA Oversight submitted to House Committee on Science and Astronautics Space Shuttle-Skylab: Manned Space Flight in the 1970's, status report prepared by Committee staff at request of Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Olin E. Teague, from information from NASA space flight Centers and key industrial contractors. Conclusions on Skylab program were that program was within projected costs; bulk of equipment and systems were meeting design requirements in performance and reliability; and, despite some problems in procuring and integrating experiments, schedules were being met and no flight delays or significant cost increases were anticipated. Serious consideration was recommended for several options: possibility of flying backup Skylab B in 1974-1976 period; possible revisits to Skylab A after first three flights; and use of remaining Saturn lB launch vehicles in earth resources and applications flights after Skylab A program, during 1974-1978 period. Conclusions on space shuttle program were: Sufficient technology existed to undertake development of fully reusable, low- operation-cost, earth-orbital shuttle. Number of design possibilities had been studied, covering range of development costs. Regardless of design chosen, as development costs were reduced, system recurring operating costs increased. In addition to reducing cost of near-space operations by order of magnitude, shuttle offered many opportunities for increased flexibility of earth resource surveys and management, space manufacturing, and short-term rapid-response laboratory facilities. And shuttle could also be used to improve national security position. (Text)
Tenth anniversary of start of Saturn V project at Marshall Space Flight Center. Since inauguration of Advanced Saturn development Jan. 25, 1962, Saturn V launch vehicles had been used successfully to launch eight manned space flights. Apollo 16 Saturn V booster would be 26th Saturn launch vehicle flown from Kennedy Space Center since firing of first Saturn I Oct. 27, 1961, (MSFC Release 72-3)
Tass said Soviet test of lunar iron samples from Luna 16 and Apollo 11 had shown lunar iron resisted rust better than iron found on earth. (Reuters, C Trib, 1/26/72)
President Nixon submitted to Senate nominations of Kenneth Rush to succeed David Packard as Deputy Secretary of Defense and of Eberhardt Rechtin to new post of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Telecommunications. Packard's resignation was effective Dec. 13, 1971. (PD, 1/31/72, 119-20, 152)
Manned Spacecraft Center announced award of $407 630 to General Electric Space Div. for development of checkout system for space shuttle software. GE would develop system specifications, computer program compatible with MSC system, procedural documents, and demonstration plan; would document results; and would demonstrate system. (MSC Release 72-21)
"Political advantages and votes" were in the 50 000 jobs of space shuttle program, New York Times said, "and in the lift it would give to the nation's ailing aerospace industry." Shuttle jobs over next four fiscal years would offset expected losses in jobs that would occur as Apollo and Skylab programs ended. "Thus, if President Nixon's plan is approved, private employment under Government space contracts will level out during this period at not much less than its present total of 111,000 jobs." Administration's proposed $5.5-billion shuttle investment was to be augmented by up to $2 billion before program became operational in later 1980s. "During that decade, $3-billion to $4-billion more will probably be spent on shuttle operations-one-third of them for military flights-if the current plan is followed." Annual shuttle spending would double in FY 1973 to $200 million, triple in FY 1974 to $600 million, and reach $1 billion in FY 1975. (Lyons, NYT, 1/25/72, 16)
January 25-27: House Committee on Science and Astronautics held 13th meeting with Panel on Science and Technology, with theme of remote sensing of earth resources. Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, said in theme address that key element of long- range earth survey program was development of machine capability to accept raw data from sensors in air, in space, on ground-infrared, microwave, etc. This level of machine capability did not yet exist. "What we will need are computers of a different level, of sophistication that can adapt from their own experience and changing information needs as they digest continuing inputs. This work will lead, in turn, to the development of models of the natural world." Earth resources, meteorological, and environmental satellite data and data relay capabilities would force "quantum jumps necessary to create the kinds of interconnected models of natural and human action that will be essential in the not too distant future." Ability to observe and measure phenomena affecting everyday life was "one of the most important products of our space program." Dr. H. Guyford Stever, National Science Foundation Director, said in keynote address U.S. had necessary equipment and techniques for remote sensing. "The scientific potential in geology, oceanography, hydrology, and a host of other disciplines is well known. . . . What we don't know very well is the impact of the application of remote sensing technology on society and its goals and values." " Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Presidential Science Adviser, said that it was easier to acquire data than to interpret it and that "traditionally, unfortunately, interpretation is neglected until it is too late." Automatic processing and retrieval of images would be major resource. Machine processing of images, still in infancy, would be a most important part of earth resources experiment. (Transcript)
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