Nov 12 1981
From The Space Library
November 13-15: President Reagan became the first incumbent chief executive to visit JSC's mission-control center during a flight, when he came on the second day of STS-2's flight to sit in the capsule communicator chair and talk briefly to the astronauts. After his conversation, the president had a short talk with the Engle and Truly families and left for a dinner in Houston. Two days later, November 15, JSC played host to Vice President Bush at breakfast with the STS-1 and STS-2 crews at the recreation center. This was the first back-to-back visit to JSC of the two highest U.S. officials.
The New York Times said that workers were already ahead of schedule November 13 in a 3- to 4-week cleanup of the launch compound at Cape Canaveral. A shock-absorber water-trough system worked "better than expected," said Merrill Oakley, design engineer on the launch pad, cutting shockwaves to a fifth of the first launch's intensity. After a washdown and system checks, Oakley said all that remained was replacement of some bricks that blew out of a flame trench and painting.
The STS-2 crew flew to Ellington Air Force Base, in Texas shortly after landing the Columbia at Edwards Air Force Base ending "a troubled but scientifically rewarding 54-hour mission," the New York Times said. Welcomed on their 9:50 p.m. arrival in Texas by about 400 JSC employees, the astronauts breakfasted the next morning with Bush, JSC director Christopher C. Kraft, and the first shuttle crewmen John W. Young and Robert L. Crippen among the 23 guests. Although Bush said "the people here at the NASA complex are a national treasure," he said that he could not promise any easing of budget constraints on the agency.
Preparations were already under way for the third shuttle flight, now scheduled for March 1982. Damage to the launch pad from the second mission was "minimal and superficial," Oakley said. (Public Papers of the President; W Post, Nov 14/81. A-7; NY Times, Nov 15/81. 35; Nov 16/81, A-1, A-19; JSC Sp NRdP, Nov 20/81, 1)
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