April 1972
From The Space Library
Soviet Space Program, 1971 was released by Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences as supplement to Senate Document 92-51 [see Jan. 6 and 22]. Report-prepared by Library of Congress under direction of Dr. Charles S. Sheldon II, Chief of Science Policy Research Div.-said 1971 had been peak year in Soviet space activity, with 83 successful launches against 31 for U.S. Soviet successes had included "remarkable performance of the roving lunar vehicle, Lunokhod 1, the versatile manned space station Salyut in which a manned world duration record was set, the arrival in Mars orbit of two very heavy payloads, Mars 2 and 3, and the placing in lunar orbit of the heavy automated laboratory Luna 19." On negative side had been inability to develop large G booster, death of Soyuz cosmonauts, crash of Luna 18 on moon, failure of first Mars probe, and failure of Mars 2 and 3 landers to carry out planned experiments. U.S.S.R. in 1971 had flown manned- precursor spacecraft "with greater maneuverability than' the present ones, quite possibly testing the advanced propulsion needed for manned lunar flight. Soviet spokesmen had reiterated commitment to manned space stations, applications satellites, and unmanned planetary exploration throughout solar system. Manned lunar and planetary flights "continued to get mention as a later goal." U.S.S.R. was expected to launch another Salyut to be visited by Soyuz 12 and 13 for long stay. Thus far U.S.S.R. had given space program "continued verbal support" and had demonstrated "commitment of hardware which has been rising for the 15 years flights have been undertaken." (Committee Print)
Space shuttle was "investment in the future," Rep. Olin E. Teague (D- Tex.), Chairman of House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Manned Space Flight, said in Aerospace article. Controversy over manned versus unmanned space flight had been "negated" by advancing technology that provided "entirely new approach to space operations." Shuttle combined "advantages of man in the cycle with a degree of economy hitherto unobtainable." Fundamental reason for shuttle program was "to make 'available a means of routine access to space, to remove the constraints imposed by an earlier level of technology, to progress from space adolescence to full maturity." (Aerospace, 4/72, 3-9)
Relation of U.S. space program to national interest was discussed in Foreign Affairs article by Dr. Robert Jastrow, Director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate Administrator: "To some, space is, or should be, pure science; to others, it is prestige and the American image; to still others, space means national security." Some space program students had said "its impact will be felt in other respects than the cost-accounting of economic productivity versus technological investment. There has been much discussion of the influence of space exploration on the mind and spirit of man, as an extension of the revolution in thought that was initiated by Copernicus and continued by Newton and Darwin. A study of the history and pre- history of man suggests that the human drive is expressed through just such tentative movements out of the world of tried experience into a new world of untested promise. "Sputnik and the moon landing signaled the opening of a new frontier across which man can now travel into the endless reaches of outer space. The new frontier of space will not be closed quickly, for astronomical knowledge shows that billions of stars, some undoubtedly accompanied by earthlike planets, surround us in the galaxy. Space exploration has brought home to more people than ever before the reality of this vast complex of stars and planets. 'Out there' is really there, a place that one can get to. Never again can we make the mistake of identifying our speck of planetary matter as the universe." (Foreign Affairs, 4/72, 532-44)
British press correspondent Arthur Smith presented British view of U.S. and U.S.S.R. space programs since Apollo 11 (July 16-24, 1969) in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: "Two major events in space marked 1971-both of them signs that America's formidable lead in space exploration is being whittled away by the incredibly dynamic program" of U.S.S.R.: launch of Soyuz 11, which put U.S.S.R. ahead of U.S. in total launches for first time since 1953, and U.S.S.R.'s landing of Mars 3 capsule on Mars-"relatively unproductive from the scientific point of view," but impressive. "These two events demonstrate that the Soviet space program is now making great strides after many years of relatively minor achievement in both manned and unmanned exploration and application. The characteristic pattern was a Soviet achievement announced to a surprised world, followed some months later by a more sophisticated and more useful U.S. version of the same mission, yielding far more scientific data, but little prestige."
U.S.S.R. program was characterized by excessive secrecy because, according to Soviet officials, rockets used in space program were similar to those used in military program. Smith said genuine reason for secrecy "is the desire to guard against a failure in the full blaze of world publicity." U.S.S.R. "guards against ever having to admit failure by announcing launches only post facto. If there is a launch pad failure there is no announcement at all. If orbit is reached by the spacecraft, but it does not function as planned, no mention is made of this in the curt bulletin." If lunar or planetary probe failed to enter planned trajectory, mission objective "is not mentioned, and the spacecraft is merely allocated a number in the catch-all Cosmos series.... It is impossible to be absolutely certain how many of these escape stage failures there have been, but there may have been as many as 10 or 15 aimed at Venus and Mars alone." Soviet program had "little . . of the technical virtuosity of the American approach," but had more impetus and would "obviously continue on a growing scale. Apart from the progress in individual projects, the ever increasing number of Soviet launches demonstrates that the Russian equivalent of NASA is financially more secure. And the speed with which the Soviet space establishment can respond to a failure is also a pointer to the massive scale of the back-up precautions which are taken," Soviet program, by its nature, was ensured greater financial security. "By their very success in being able to reach an unparalleled level of technology in their spacecraft, the American engineers have been working against their own best interests." (Bull Atom Sci, 4/72, 18- 24)
NASA published Apollo 15 Preliminary Science Report (NASA SP-289) containing mission description, summary of scientific results, photo- graphic summary, crew observations, findings from geologic investigation of landing site, findings from lunar sample examination, and results of specific experiments on July 26-Aug. 7, 1971, mission. (Text)
Finance magazine devoted entire issue to "Corporate Continuity in Space: The Case for NASA's Future." Preface noted that in 1960s, NASA had "achieved its mandate to the moon and back with time to spare. For the Seventies and beyond, its new goals are a balanced mix of manned aeronautical work in near-earth orbit and unmanned research flights into deep space. While NASA administrator James C. Fletcher works with Congress to implement more stable funding concepts, the agency and its industrial contractors continue to provide security and scientific benefits for an earth-bound society while pushing forward the frontiers of aerospace technology." (Finance, 4/72)
Lunar Nomenclature Committee of International Astronomical Union, meeting in Paris, decided to name lunar crater after internationally known astrophysicist Dr. Charles G. Abbot to honor Abbot's 100th birthday May 31. Abbot became 13th exception to rule that lunar sites must be named only for persons deceased. Other 12 exceptions were astronauts and cosmonauts. Soviet members of Committee had proposed Abbot's name in 1967 under mistaken impression he had died. (Casey, W Post, 5/11/72, Cl)
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