Mar 22 1973

From The Space Library

Cosmos 552 was launched from Plesetsk by the U.S.S.R. into orbit with 308-km (191.4-mi) apogee, 202-km (125.5-mi) perigee, 89.5-min period, and 72.8° inclination and reentered April 3. (GSFC SSR, 3/31/73; 4/30/73; SBD, 3/23/73, 32)

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, continued testimony before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics during hearings on the FY 1974 NASA authorization. Dr. Fletcher explained the decision to cancel the quiet, experimental, short takeoff and landing (QUESTOL) aircraft program because of FY 1974 budgetary restrictions. "The Air Force STOL program turned out to use some of the advanced concepts that we had developed in NASA and some of which we were planning to use on the QUESTOL." The main difficulty with the Air Force ad­vanced medium STOL transport (AMST) "is that it doesn't have the proper engine-you couldn't operate a noisy transport like that for com­mercial uses, especially in a city-and we are proceeding post haste with the advancement of technology for an engine for missions such as that, in the quiet, clean, STOL experimental engine (QCSEE) program." It was not clear when the STOL would be phased into the current fleet. "The technology would be developed by and large for commercial air­craft, with quiet engines and at some later date either we or more probably a commercial company can put these technologies together and develop that STOL as the need requires.” (Transcript)

The success of Project Boomerang, first earth-orbital flight of a balloon carrying scientific instruments, was announced by NASA. The 19-m (64-ft) balloon (launched Jan. 24 for NASA by the U.S. National Scientific Balloon Facility from Oakey Airfield, Queensland, Australia) had circled the earth 36 days at 24 000-m (78 000-ft) altitude and made two orbits before being brought back. A second balloon, launched Jan. 28, was still aloft but had been slowed by changes in the prevailing winds. It was expected to complete its second orbit by the month's end. Each balloon had carried about 40 kg (90 lbs) of passive experiments to study cosmic rays and their effect on corn seedlings and other vegeta­tion and to collect micro meteorites. The first balloon's payload had parachuted to within 15 km (9 mi) of the launch site. Project Boom­erang was primarily an engineering test in NASA's balloon program to study near-earth phenomena. The program's goal was to build super­pressure balloons that would orbit at altitudes to 40 000 m (130 000 ft), stay aloft for six months or more, and carry up to 227 kg (500 lbs) of scientific instruments. (NASA Release 73-48 NASA PIO)

The Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences continued FY 1974 NASA authorization hearings with testimony by NASA Associate Administrator for Tracking and Data Acquisition Gerald M. Truszynski: The NASA Communications Network (NASCOM) "during the life of the Apollo program advanced the expansion of communications satellites throughout the world by relying solely on them for direct reliable com­munications from certain remote tracking stations where previously marginal communications were available." Innovations in data trans­mission had been introduced to meet Apollo program data requirements, "and many of these new techniques have been adopted by other Govern­ment agencies, industry, and the developing countries of the world." Ex­amples included network technical control and monitor techniques, high-data-rate transmission at low error rates, and the use of a single wideband channel for voice, data, or teletype, or any combination of them. "World standards for data transmission which were unique for Apollo . . . are now becoming commonplace. The NASCOM . . . has not only successfully completed every task assigned to it in support of our complex program, but during the process ... has advanced the level of performance in overall communications systems."

Assistant Administrator for Institutional Management Joseph F. Malaga and Associate Administrator for Organization and Management Richard C. McCurdy testified on NASA manpower adjustments necessi­tated by FY 1974 budgetary restrictions. A prepared statement by McCurdy said that college recruiting figures showed junior professionals recruited by NASA had dropped from 965 in 1966 to 56 in FY 1972 and rose only to 118 for the first half of FY 1973. "The necessary reinvigora­tion of the organization through the introduction of new blood is thus not yet in sight, nor will it be until some stability in staffing and sup­porting funding has been assured."

Assistant Administrator for International Affairs Arnold W. Frutkin testified on the 1975 Apollo Soyuz Test Project: "The cooperation achieved with the Soviet Union seems to offer very consider­able promise. If United States and Soviet manned spacecraft can rendezvous, dock, and transfer crew members, both countries will have increased their chance of rescuing astronauts under stress without com­mensurate increases in the cost of standby rescue capabilities." If suc­cessful, the ASTP mission would "point the way to future joint activities which should help both countries gain more in space than they would from separate programs.” (Transcript)

Declining jobs at Kennedy Space Center would level off at about 9600 total for contractors and Civil Service in 1976 when the space shuttle buildup began, Today quoted KSC Director of Administration George A. Van Staden as saying. The number would be a drop from the current 14 500 but would mean community stability in employment for the first time. Previously NASA had projected 6000 to 7000 jobs for shuttle operations. Employment would fall by 3000 at the end of 1973, with completion of Skylab, and would drop again after the mid-1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission. When the 9600 level was reached in 1976, jobs would gradually build up for two years, to about 10 800 in 1978 when shuttle testing began. (Today, 3/22/73, Al)

American Telephone & Telegraph Corp. planned to sell its stock owner­ship in the Communications Satellite Corp. to the public, the Washing­ton Star and Daily News reported. AT&T had purchased 2 895 750 shares, 29/0 of the total, in 1964 and would have to sell as a condition set by the Federal Communications Commission for participation in a domestic satellite system. (W Star & News, 3/22/73, A20)

The Florida Senate Natural Resources Committee had unanimously en­dorsed a proposal to restore the name "Cape Canaveral" to Cape Kennedy, Today reported. If the bill-sponsored by State Sen. Henry Sayler (R-St. Petersburg), State Sen. John Vogt (D-Merritt Island), and State Sen. Lori Wilson (I-Merritt Island)-became law, "Cape Canav­eral" would appear on all official state maps and publications. (Today, 3/22/72, BI)

General Dynamics Corp. successfully completed static and failsafe tests of a composite aircraft fuselage structure that was 47% graphic-epoxy, 12% boron-epoxy, and 14% fiber-epoxy. The structure demonstrated the applicability of advanced composite materials to primary aircraft fuselage construction in a program to develop techniques that would make composite fabrication competitive with conventional metal con­struction. (Av Wk-, 4/2/73, 24)

The House passed H.J.R. 5 to designate the week of April 23 as Nicolaus Copernicus Week, marking the quinquicentennial of the pioneer astron­omer's birth. (CR, 3/22/73, D286)

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