Apr 17 1973
From The Space Library
NASA announced the signing of a definitive contract with Rockwell International Corp.'s Space Diva for design, development, and production of the orbiter vehicle and for the integration of all space shuttle system elements. The cost-reimbursement, fixed-fee, and award-fee contract would have a $477 400 000 initial increment. The contract superseded an Aug. 9, 1972, letter contract and would continue through Aug. 3, 1974. A second work increment-the balance of design, development, test, and evaluation, plus delivery of two orbiters-was planned to begin Aug. 4, 1974. Rockwell planned to subcontract to firms and suppliers in almost every state. (NASA Release 73-76)
The appointment of Gerald D. Griffin-flight director on the Apollo 12, 15, and 17 missions-as NASA Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs effective April 23 was announced by Johnson Space Center. He would succeed H. Dale Grubbs, who was leaving after holding the post since 1970. Griffin had received NASA's Exceptional Service Medal for his work on Apollo 12 and 15 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom Group Achievement Award for Apollo 13. He joined JSC (then the Manned Spacecraft Center) in 1964 and was named a flight director in 1968. (JSC Release 73-39)
Dr. John S. Foster, Jr., Director of Defense Research and Engineering in the Dept. of Defense, testified before the Senate Committee on Armed Services on the Soviet thrust for military and technological superiority: "The United States reacted to one Soviet technological advance-the Sputnik-with a successful ten-year effort to restore our technological superiority in space. Now we are lagging again in some technology areas and it may well require another decade after some new jolt before the United States regains an acceptable technological posture." The U.S.S.R. was "at such levels of technical competence in broad areas of defense technology that technological breakthroughs of major significance are possible. They could seriously destabilize the balance of world power and weaken our strength for deterrence and negotiations. They could encourage military opportunism in any of a number of areas and raise the risk of war or armed confrontation.” (Testimony)
The exhibit "The Image of the Moon-Galileo to Apollo Xl," from the art collection of Anthony Michaelis, opened at the Univ. of Houston in Clear Lake City, Tex., in cooperation with the Univ. of Houston Libraries. (Invitation)
Cost-plus-fixed-fee contract awards for demonstrator programs for turbofan engine technology were announced by the Air Force: $6 080 000 to United Aircraft Corp. and $1141633 to Teledyne Industries, Inc. (DOD Release 193-73)
Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, introduced S. 1610 to amend the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to require installation of airborne, cooperative collision avoidance systems on certain military and civilian aircraft. (CR, 4/17/73, S7546-7)
Sen. Edward J. Gurney (R-Fla.) reintroduced S.J. R. 94, to redesignate Cape Kennedy Cape Canaveral. (CR, 4/17/73, S7554-5)
A New York Times editorial criticized the inclusion in the FY 1974 Federal budget of $5.8 million for further studies of the supersonic transport's possible effect on the stratosphere: "While there may be no harm in pursuing a scientific study of the question, the Government's intent clearly goes beyond pure research or the problem raised by foreign and military supersonic planes. A high Administration official has bluntly stated that the study would be `prefatory to possible introduction of an SST program at a later date.' The option `is held open. With an array of fiscal, political and scientific factors against it, the case for the SST at this late date would seem to rest solely on the advantage to a tiny handful of people crossing the oceans in three or four hours instead of six or seven-scarcely a reason for reviving a discredited project which is still being liquidated at public expense.” (NYT, 4/17/73, 39)
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