Dec 26 1973
From The Space Library
The U.S.S.R. launched Oreol 2 from Plesetsk into orbit with a 1974-km (1226.6-mi) apogee, 399-km (247.9-mi) perigee, 109.1-min period, and 73.9° inclination. The satellite, a Soviet-French co-operative mission, would continue the program begun by Oreol 1 (launched Dec. 27, 1971) to study the upper atmosphere at high latitudes and the nature of the polar lights. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/73; Tass, FBIS-Sov, 12/27/73, Ul; UN Registry)
The retirement, effective Dec. 31, of Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate Administrator, and Vincent L. Johnson, Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Science, was announced by Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator. Dr. Newell had transferred to NASA in October 1958 from the Naval Research Laboratory, where he had been Science Program Coordinator for Project Vanguard, the Nation's first satellite program, and Acting Superintendent of the Atmosphere and Astrophysics Div. He served four years as NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications before becoming Associate Administrator in 1967. Dr. Newell held the American Institute of Aeronautics' Pendray Award, the American Astronautical Society's Space Flight Award, the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, among other honors. Dr. Fletcher said: "Dr. Newell's efforts in the space program ante-date the birth of NASA. He has served this agency with distinction and dedication and he will be sorely missed." Johnson, who had joined NASA from the Navy in 1960, had served as Deputy Associate Administrator of the Office of Space Science and Applications from 1970. He had assumed his present post in 1971. "Mr. Johnson has been an able and conscientious leader in advancing our unmanned space programs and we are sorry to see him go," Dr. Fletcher said. (NASA Ann; NASA Releases 74-4, 74-5)
Mobile launcher 3, used for five manned Apollo/Saturn V launches, was being deactivated at Kennedy Space Center. A task team of NASA and contractor employees, organized by the KSC Support Operations Directorate, was removing and storing reusable equipment from the platform that was two stories high, 49 m (160 ft) long, 41 m (135 ft) wide. Nine swing arms had already been removed; other items to go included an acceptance checkout equipment room; a computer station; racks of electronic, timing and communications gear; and instrument cables. Cable salvage alone was expected to cover half the deactivation cost. With completion of deactivation in mid-1974, equipment worth millions would have been salvaged for future use in space shuttle and other pro-grams. The basic launcher structure would be modified for use in space shuttle launches. (KSC Release 288-73)
A Univ. of Alaska Geophysical Institute team headed by Dr. Gerd Windler was examining potential of high-resolution satellite images in providing information on Alaska's environmental conditions and hazards in a one-year pilot project of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA announced. The project was using radiometer images received twice daily at NOAA's Gilmore Creek Command Data and Acquisition Center near Fairbanks from Noaa 2 and 3 satellites launched for NOAA by NASA Oct. 15, 1972, and Nov. 6, 1973. (NOAA Release 73-243)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
