Aug 6 1974
From The Space Library
An automated blood pressure monitoring system developed for the NASA integrated medical and behavioral laboratory measurement sys-tem (IMBLMS) program was being evaluated for use in studies on control of high blood pressure, Johnson Space Center announced. Using Skylab technology, the system combined a blood pressure cuff with a pressure ramp programmer for continuous monitoring and a numerical display. Dr. Ted Andrechuk of Texas Tech Univ. was evaluating the system, which was providing hypertensive subjects with biosensory data for a biofeedback conditioning program. The conditioning would allow the patient to lower his blood pressure permanently. (JSC Release 74- 184)
6, 8, 9 August: The Senate Aeronautical and Space Sciences Committee con-ducted hearings on S. 2350 and S. 3484, bills to establish an Office of Earth Resources Survey Systems within NASA and an Earth Resources Observation Administration within the Dept. of the Interior. Both proposals were designed to move the Earth Resources Technology Satellite system from an experimental to an operational phase. Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, opposed the organizational changes pro-posed by the bills. He argued that S. 2350 would erect barriers in NASA between the ERTS system and related programs in NASA's Office of Applications; keeping these programs together would facilitate hard-ware development and data reduction and handling. S. 3484 would limit NASA'S research and development in earth resources to activities sup-ported and funded by the Dept. of the Interior.
Citing the need for more spectral channels, more rapid handling of data, and more frequent repetitive coverage with ERTS-class satellites, Dr. Fletcher stated that there was no clear-cut distinction between experimental and operational phases in the earth resources program. What was needed was "a continuous evolutionary approach, in which operationally useful data from space are provided to users for research, for experimental demonstrations, and for routine operations when they are ready, while at the same time and with the same satellites necessary improvements to the system can be developed and used." Proponents of the bills argued that ERTS data would be exploited fully only when users could be guaranteed the continuously available data offered by an operational system. Hearings would be continued 18 Sept. (Transcript)
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