Sep 27 1974
From The Space Library
Ats 6 Applications Technology Satellite (launched 30 May) and Sms 1 Synchronous Meteorological Satellite (launched 17 May) had caused substantial interference for radio telescopes in the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain, the Washington Post reported. Stars in the southwest sky with radio frequencies near those of the satellites could not be studied. Dr. Frank Kerr, spokesman for the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Radio Frequencies, described failed communications between NASA and radio astronomers. The astronomers had learned that Ats 6 would interfere with study of the sun, pulsars, and quasars only when it was too late to change the satellite's transmitter and that Sms 1 would overlap radio telescope signals only after the satellite had begun sending back weather pictures 17 May. (O'Toole, W Post, 27 Sept 74)
DeElroy E. Beeler, Flight Research Center Director for Center Development, left NASA to join private industry after 28 yrs of service. Beeler had joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics in 1941, specializing in high-speed aeronautics. He was appointed project engineer for the X-1, the world's first aircraft to reach supersonic speeds, and transferred in 1946 to what was to become FRC. There he was instrumental in research planning, design, and flight investigations of advanced research aircraft projects through X-15 and XB-70. In 1954
Beeler was named FRC's first Director of Research and in 1958 he became Deputy Director, a position he held until 1973. (FRC X-Press, 27 Sept 74, 2; NASA biog, 25 July 63)
Facilities at Marshall Space Flight Center were being modified to consolidate Concept Verification Test (CVT) simulation in a central location. The CTV project would determine by testing in simulators whether concepts generated during definition studies for space activities, especially Spacelab experiments, were valid, before commitments to proceed with final design and hardware fabrication. (MSFC Release 74-178)
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