Jul 9 1976
From The Space Library
Marshall Space Flight Center announced selection of 3 firms to negotiate contracts for development of solar heating and cooling systems for residential and commercial use, under an agreement with the Energy Research and Development Administration to install and demonstrate such systems in a substantial number of residential and commercial structures in a wide range of geographic locations [see 1 July]. Firms selected were AiResearch Manufacturing Co. of Calif., General Electric Co. Space Div., and Honeywell Inc. Each of the contractors would deliver prototype solar heating or heating-and-cooling systems, at an estimated cost for the 3 contracts of about $14 million over 3 yrs. (MSFC Release 76-125)
NASA announced that Dr. Noel J. Hinners, Associate Administrator for Space Science, had selected Drs. Charles R. Chappell and James L. Burch of Marshall Space Flight Center as members of the flight team for the proposed Electrodynamics Explorer (EE) satellite mission, consisting of 2 satellites in polar orbit to study physical processes in the atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere from high and low orbit. Dr. Chappell's proposal for the mission was a cold-plasma instrument, a retarding ion-mass .spectrometer; Dr. Burch proposed a high-altitude instrument for measuring medium-energy plasma. The 2 scientists participated in the project study phase during the past yr, and would work on the flight team with the EE study office at Goddard Space Flight Center in preparing a project plan for the dual-satellite mission. (NASA Release 76-123)
9-18 July: NASA announced plans to launch a 4-stage Javelin sounding rocket from Wallops Flight Center carrying a 76-kg payload that would release red, white, and blue chemical clouds visible along the East Coast from Charleston, S.C., to Boston and as far inland as Cleveland, 0h. Observation of the rocket's trails would enable the measuring of winds and magnetic and electrical fields in space. The rocket, launched at 9:23 pro local time 18 July from Wallops, fell into the Atlantic before releasing its chemicals. According to a spokesman at the center, "We really won't know what happened for several days, after we've studied ground trackings, but ground observation indicates there was a mechanical failure of some sort." (NASA Release 76-124; WSC Release 76-9; W Post, 18 July 76, B-2)
9-10 July: NASA Administrator Dr. James C. Fletcher, carrying greetings from President Ford, was among foreign dignitaries attending the celebration in Yugoslavia of the 120th anniversary of the birth of inventor Nikola Tesla, Born in 1856 in Croatia (then part of Austria-Hungary), Tesla emigrated to the U.S. in 1884, became naturalized, and worked for a time at the Edison company in N.J. His concept of a rotating magnetic field led to many improvements in the fields of radio and electricity: the Tesla coil, the Tesla reduction motor and system of alternating-current transmission, generators of high-frequency current, a transformer to increase oscillating currents to high potentials, and systems for wireless communication and wireless transmission of electric power. Tesla designed the power system at Niagara Falls, N.Y., and lived to be 93.
At ceremonies in the town of Smiljan, Tesla's birthplace, President Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia praised the "orientation" of Tesla and his compatriots in the U.S. in their support for Yugoslavia during World War II. Later, at a luncheon, Tito reviewed Tesla's achievements and urged the Yugoslavs to create conditions that would induce talented youths to remain and not leave their country to go abroad. At an informal meeting Dr. Fletcher presented Tito with photographs of Yugoslavia taken by a U.S. satellite, and received from the celebration committee a "golden plaque" bearing Tesla's picture to be presented to President Ford. President Ford's message at the ceremonies had stated that Tesla's work "stands as a link between our two countries in the history of notable accomplishments in science and engineering." (FBIS, Tanjug Domestic Service, 9-10 July 76, 11-16)
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