Nov 1 1978
From The Space Library
NASA announced it would rotate the Skylab space station 180° in its orbit Nov. 3 because of low temperatures encountered by one of the control moment gyros (CMG) as a result of periodic long-term shading from the sun. The sun angle was a function of the orbit inclination (in Skylab's case, 50° relative to the equator), the position of the earth around the sun, and certain other seasonal factors. When the CMG, essential to Skylab's holding a stable attitude, was in shadow for excessive periods, the bearing temperature dropped, interfering with lubrication and increasing friction on the bearings that could lead to possible CMG failure. Turning the Skylab in its orbit before mid-November would expose the CMG to more sun and maintain normal bearing temperatures. The reversed position was not expected to change Skylab's orbital-life predictions significantly. The maneuver would use none of the remaining nitrogen thruster fuel now on reserve for docking with the teleoperator-retrieval system, planned for the second Space Shuttle flight. (NASA Release 78-172; Marshall Star, Nov 8/78, 2; JSC Roundup, Nov 10/78,1; W Post, Nov 4/78, A-6; Av Wk, Nov 13/78, 65)
NASA Administrator Dr. Robert Frosch had announced establishment of a $250 000 Center Director's Discretionary Fund to support innovative ideas in research and technology at NASA centers, the Marshall Star reported. Funds would be used exclusively for pursuit of research and technology tasks, not for facility, personnel, travel, or R&D project problems. Priority would be given to support of in-house activities as opposed to studies or research by contractors.
Dr. William Lucas, director of Marshall Space Flight Center, said he considered establishment of the fund a significant and favorable step, and he intended to be personally involved in all facets of the use of the fund and to retain direct control of all fund allocations. A small advisory panel of center personnel would assist the director in evaluating proposed fund uses and the progress of approved activities. (Marshall Star, Nov 1/78, 1)
The Marshall Star reported that industry was being invited to bid on a cost-sharing contract to commercialize an electricity-saving device invented by MSFC engineer Frank Nola [see May 2, June 14]. The inexpensive power-factor controller could reduce markedly the power consumed by millions of electric motors in use throughout the U.S. MSFC's RFP specified that the contractor selected "shall have capability of manufacturing 30,000 units per month, and should provide as a part of this effort the estimated production costs based on production rates of 10,000, 20,000 and 30,000 units per month." This type of cost-sharing contract had been one method used by MSFC's Technology Utilization (TU) Office to make new technology available to the public, as required by the Space Act of 1958, and to demonstrate the utility and reliability of the technology. "By joining with industry in this type of project," Aubrey Smith, TU director, said, "we encourage the transfer of new space technology to the private sector." (Marshall Star, Nov 1/78, 1)
Wallops Flight Center announced it had launched a two-stage solid propellant sounding rocket, the Taurus-Tomahawk, at 2:47p.m. Oct. 31. Both the Taurus and Tomahawk rocket motors were currently in use, but this was the first test flight of the combined configuration, which would be used for future NASA sounding-rocket launches. Peak altitude was 554km (344 statute mi), and the successful test flight qualified the vehicle to launch scientific payloads. First operational launches would be in March 1979 from Poker Flat Research Range in Fairbanks, Alaska, to carry a 27.4kg (601b) payload to an altitude of 575km to conduct scientific experiments in the near-earth environment. (WFC Release 78-21)
Despite tight new restraints on federal spending, President Carter had instructed his aides to give special protection to R&D programs - currently scheduled to get $28 billion-in the FY80 federal budget, the Washington Post reported. This came a day after the President had announced an anti-inflation program that included spending cuts plus reduction of the FY80 budget deficit to $30 billion or less, a goal at least $3 billion tighter than his previously announced target.
In a handwritten note Carter instructed his aides: "I want to maintain our strong support for R&D as (percentage) of budget." This meant high priority for spending consideration in a field usually considered a prime target for any budget-cutting program. One White House aide indicated Carter's instructions meant that R&D would be virtually exempt from new federal spending constraints; another said that R&D might still face some restraints if inflation did not ease.
The President had previously expressed special concern that basic research (which accounted for $3.5 billion of the total R&D budget and had been dwindling until the Ford Administration reversed the trend) be protected from any budget-cutting considerations. Frank Press, Carter's science adviser, said Carter's decision constituted the nation's "first presidential expression of an overall science and technology policy." (W Post, Nov 1/78, A-6)
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