Feb 9 1973
From The Space Library
Aspects of President Nixon's FY 1974 budget requests were discussed in a Science article: The space program seemed "alive and well as it makes the transition into the post-Apollo era, despite recent fears . . . that its activities might be cut back severely:" NASA officials seemed confident the space shuttle would be built. The President had supported the project "although his new budget message contained no mention of the space program" and, "in Congress, it has survived handily all past attempts to kill it. The fact that the project helps sustain an aerospace industry that has suffered grievously from layoffs is a point lost on no one. And then too, NASA has going for it the fact that, both in Apollo and in the unmanned programs, it has generally met its goals and stayed within its budget." Evidence existed "that the President does indeed look to a possible revival" of the supersonic transport "but not until later in the 1970's. The new NASA budget contains $28 million-more than twice as much as last year's budget-for research and development on supersonic technology. The work focuses on problems of noise, pollution, and efficiency of configuration.” (Carter, Science, 2/9/73, 551-2)
The United Nations Working Group on Remote Sensing of Earth by Satellite reported the success of U.S. and Soviet programs in identifying soil types, mapping minerals, charting geological features, locating fish schools, and producing "highly accurate" maps in areas incompletely mapped by conventional methods. Data had come largely from ERTS 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite launched by NASA July 23, 1972. The Group suggested satellites might eventually detect underground water and record snowfalls. Valuable but incomplete information had been obtained about oceans. The Group urged priority research to develop' methods of mixing carbon dioxide and ozone in the atmosphere, so satellites could monitor air pollution, and proposed putting a sensing system on the moon to monitor the earth's atmosphere. (LA Times, 2/10/73; Atlanta JC, 2/22/73)
Dr. Thomas O. Paine, Vice President and Group Executive of General Electric Co. and former NASA Administrator, cited technological advances in power systems by the space program in a speech on the national energy crisis before the Morgan Guaranty International Council in San Francisco: "As we meet here today five small isotope generators on the moon are powering unmanned research stations there. Such technological advances by the U.S. aerospace industry promise to have major future impacts on world power systems, from fuel cells and the safe handling of hydrogen in the Apollo program to high temperature military jet engine technology for gas turbines and semiconductor technology for high voltage DC transmission.” (Text)
NASA launched two sounding rockets, one from Sweden and one from White Sands Missile Range. A Nike-Tomahawk launched from Kiruna, Sweden, carried a Swedish Space Corp. aeronomy experiment to a 1802-km (112-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily.
A Black Brant VC was launched from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Univ. of California astronomy experiment to a 212.4-km (132-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily but the payload was damaged in recovery. (GSFC proj off)
The Federal Aviation Administration announced award of a $735 213 contract to Collins Radio Co. to develop new area aviation techniques to increase airport and airways capacity. The two-year study would emphasize two-dimensional (positional and altitude guidance) and three-dimensional (added time element) area navigation concepts. (FAA Release 73-30)
February 9-19: The U.S.S.R. ground control commanded the lunar explorer Lunokhod 2 to unfold its solar battery panel and begin its second lunar day of exploration. The moon car explored its parking area-a small deep crater with outcroppings of bedrock at its edge, formed 3 million yrs ago by a large meteorite that hit the surface of congealed lava. Lunokhod 2 made measurements of the magnetic field inside the crater by approaching it four times from different directions and making 120 precision maneuvers. The vehicle moved southeasterly to the Taurus Mountains. En route it measured physicomechanical properties of the soil and tension of the local magnetic fields, took panoramic photos of surrounding terrain, and tested riding characteristics of the lunar vehicle in various modes of operation. A monolith one meter (three feet) long of unusual lunar material was discovered Feb. 13. The plate had a strong, smooth surface unlike surrounding pockmarked stones and appeared to be much younger.
During exploration of the giant crater Lunokhod 2 skidded and swerved over 2.3 km (1.4 mi) of difficult terrain with slopes up to 25° and sank in dust to the hub of its wheels as it ascended the rim of the crater. At the top of the rim, TV cameras showed a complex surface with ejecta piled on the rims of lunar holes formed when three meteorites hit the area within millions of years. Lunokhod 2 descended the slope of a 100-m (330-ft) crater, leaving deep ruts in loose rock. The difficult ascent was interrupted for 20 hrs to replenish electrical energy Feb. 19. Lunokhod 2 had covered 9.6 km (6.0 mi) since landing on the moon Jan. 16. (Tass, FBIS-Sov, 2/14/73, Ll; 2/15/73, L2-L3; 2/21/73, L2-L3)
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