Mar 3 1972
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
U.S. had obtained clearance from Coordinating Committee on Trade in Strategic Materials (cocoM), whose members represented North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries and Japan, for sale of satellite ground station to Communist China, New York Times reported. Japan and other allies had interpreted sale as political act and "made it clear that they intend to use the same criterion. Japan . . . was reported to have insisted that the political aspect of the deal be entered into the record," and had accused U.S. of "selling equipment of advanced technology because it was politically advantageous but re-straining others from doing the same thing." Station had been installed at Shanghai Airport to cover President Nixon's visit to Communist China [see March 13]. (Giniger, NYT, 3/4/72, 2)
Robert Stern of Bellcomm, Inc., said in Washington, D.C., that his studies "tended to agree" with those of Rice Univ. scientists who had reported on Oct. 15, 1971, detection of possible water vapor being vented from lunar surface. Reuters had reported release March 2 of Bellcomm computer analysis suggesting vapors could have come from urine dumped into lunar orbit by Apollo 14 astronauts. (NYT, 3/4/72)
Physicist Dr. Ralph E. Lapp discussed space shuttle economics in letter published in Science. Cost and purpose of shuttle's projected 900-metric-ton (1000-short-ton) payload over 10 yrs needed careful evaluation "before the nation plunges ahead on a space project whose cost may well eclipse that of the Apollo program." Assuming NASA could slash payload costs to $2000 per 0.5 kg (1 lb) , "then 20 million pounds [9 million kg] in orbit represent a national investment of $40 billion." Shuttle development cost of $5.5 billion plus deployment and operation of shuttle system would cost from $11 to $16 billion. NASA estimate of less than $100 for lifting 0.5 kg (1 lb) of payload from earth to orbit was "easily disputed." Estimate of $11 billion for shuttle cost divided by 9 million kg amounted to $550 per 0.5 kg and not much less than the $700 per 0.5 kg that existing NASA launch vehicles had cost. Only "if orbital payloads can be reduced so they cost only several times more per pound than gold, is it meaningful to seek cheaper space transportation. Even then the nation ought to be asking what kind of space program is the space shuttle designed to support." (Science, 3/3/72, 944)
Manned Spacecraft Center would have reduction in force of 75 to 100 Civil Service positions by June 30, MSC announced. RIF was part of NASA-wide personnel reduction and would reduce MSC complement from 3944 to 3817 Civil Service positions. (MSC Release 72-52)
U.S.S.R. had dismantled about 100 of its older SS-4 and SS-5 medium- and intermediate-range missiles that could strike China and Europe, Dept. of Defense announced. Newer SS-11 ICBMs that could reach U.S. were replacing older missiles and were being stored in under- ground silos. DOD spokesman Jerry W. Friedheim said dismantling and storing appeared to be "a force modernization on their part" that had been going on for about five years at the rate of about 20 missiles per year. (W Post, 3/4/72)
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