Mar 15 1978
From The Space Library
The Marshall Star reported that an MSFC researcher had been working to complete a weather experiment for the second Shuttle orbital flight test (OFT-2) scheduled for July 1979. His instrument, known as NOSL (nighttime-daylight optical survey of lightning), would obtain data on the many thunderstorms viewed by the Shuttle during a mission. The equipment consisted of a 16mm data-acquisition camera synchronized with a 2-channel cassette recorder, receiving the output of a photocell optical system serving as a sensor to pick up both visible and invisible lightning flashes and to record them as clicks on the tape.
Otha Vaughan, Jr., system developer, said he hoped to analyze the magnetic tapes containing cine photos and associated photo-optical data to get new insights into convective structure of cloud systems and lightning, the horizontal dimensions of lightning discharges, and possible electrical discharges that extend into the stratosphere. A successful experiment would permit adaptation of the data-acquisition and analysis technique to future meteorological satellites for identifying severe weather situations. (Marshall Star, Mar 15/78, 4)
NASA announced it had judged the UK 5 (Ariel 5) mission successful in prelaunch objectives. This Explorer-class x-ray mission launched in 1974 had contributed significantly to x-ray astronomy and astrophysics. Ariel 5, a cooperative program between the U.S. and the U.K. Science Research Council, had discovered many new transient x-ray sources, although most of its studies were of steady x-ray sources. The second Ariel 5 catalog had listed locations of 107 high-latitude x-ray sources, many of them extragalactic. The satellite had performed well, far beyond its 6mo design life, although gas for the attitude-control system had run out 2.5 yr after launch (18mo beyond prelaunch estimates). An onboard magnetic fine-torquing system had maintained attitude stability and allowed some spin-axis maneuvers. All 6 onboard instruments had performed as they did the first yr after launch and should continue to produce exceptional results. (MOR S-870-74-05 [postlaunch], Mar 15/78)
NASA announced LeRC had awarded a $43 million contract to Detroit Diesel Allison Division of General Motors Corp. for support of the Dept. of Energy in development of ceramic materials, fabrication techniques, and components for new energy-efficient gas-turbine automobile engines. This extension through 1983 of an earlier contract would require use of special materials composed of elements available in abundance (such as silicon, nitrogen, and carbon) to be designed into components for gas-turbine engines; techniques to fabricate the components; and integration of the new components into advanced turbine engine hardware. Allison Div. would test the components individually and in turbine engines, to verify the materials and the improvements needed to realize significant savings in fueling gas-turbine engines as well as to reduce costs of engine production. (NASA Release 78-43)
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