Nov 5 1979
From The Space Library
The Washington Post said NASAs inspector general and the DOD were investigating charges that Rockwell International's Space System Group beginning in 1977 had hidden cost overruns by charging expenses to the wrong projects. Work on the USAF's Navstar satellite was charged to NASA's Space Shuttle contract, employees alleged, and current costs of Shuttle development were charged to future operations, in violation of government budget rules.
Present and former Rockwell employees had provided company documents to back up their statements. Ray Sena, an employee who had complained to higher management and to NASA officials, was formally suspended by Rockwell. Company officials admitted an investigation was in progress but refused comment. Although NASA learned of the situation in 1977, it only recently admitted that the Shuttle was at least $500 million over budget. (W Post, Nov 5/79, A-2)
The New York Times said President Carter planned to meet with NASA officials to review Shuttle management and funding. The report said NASA administrator Dr. Robert A. Frosch would ask for more money to prevent further serious delays in Shuttle production and testing. Estimated Shuttle spending for FY81 would be $1 billion. NASAs original estimate of Shuttle cost was $5.15 billion in 1971 dollars, to include delivery of two of four of the planned spacecraft; current estimate was $6.1 billion in 1971 dollars, a 20% increase. Rockwell International had delivered only one flight vehicle, now at KSC for preflight checks and installation of insulating tiles. (NY Times, Nov 5179, A-1)
NASA reported that a scheduled 510-second firing of the main Shuttle propulsion system test article's three-engine cluster at the National Space Technology Laboratories had failed November 4 when a sensor detected excessive pressure in the oxygen pump of the No. 3 engine and shut the test down after 9 seconds. The No. 1 engine was damaged during the cutoff sequence, when a hydrogen line ruptured near the base of the engine nozzle. Extent of the damage was unknown; the engine would be sent to Rockwell's California plant for inspection and repair.
MSFC and the contractor were investigating the failure and the possibility of replacing the damaged article in the test stand. Impact on Shuttle schedules had not been assessed. Meanwhile, the orbiter Columbia had successfully passed a series of " hot fire" tests at KSC of the auxiliary power units to steer main-engine nozzles during launch and to drive control surfaces during atmospheric flight. The tests simulated ascent and descent phases of a Shuttle mission. Next milestone for Columbia would be an integrated test of all systems. (NASA Release 79-146; MSFC Release 79-122)
NASA declared successful the May 4 launch of FltSatcom 2 from ETR on an Atlas Centaur into a transfer orbit. An apogee kick motor fired May 6 had put the spacecraft into the desired synchronous orbit. All spacecraft systems were operating normally. John F. Yardley declared November 1 that NASA objectives had been accomplished. (NASA MOR M-491-202-79-02 [postlaunch] Nov 5179)
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