Apr 11 1975
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
President Ford, in a White House ceremony, presented the National Space Club's Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy to Skylab 4 Commander Gerald P. Carr on behalf of the nine astronauts who inhabited the Skylab Orbital Workshop (launched 14 May 1973) during periods in 1973 and 1974. The astronauts were cited for their "exceptional accomplishments in the Skylab program . . . . When the entire mission was jeopardized the first crew, through uncommon ingenuity, saved the mission. The scientific content of the program is of extraordinary significance, in all disciplines. The demonstration that men can live and work in space for extended periods sets the stage for future exploration of space." At the Space Club's 18th annual Goddard memorial dinner, the following awards were presented: (PD, 14 April 75, 372; program)
NASA's Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Director Chester M. Lee said at a NASA Headquarters press briefing that a number of modifications had been made on the Apollo command and service modules to accommodate the special requirements of the July U.S.-U.S.S.R. ASTP mission.
Changes to the command module included a modified umbilical to accommodate docking-module functions, an additional TV camera and recorder for coverage of joint activities, modified controls and displays for new equipment and experiments, additional equipment for communications and TV coverage via Ats 6 (Applications Technology Satellite, launched 30 May 1974), modified stowage, added intervehicular intercom, and additional VHF-FM communications capability at the U.S.S.R. frequency.
Changes in the service module included added heaters and insulation of propellant systems for solar inertial attitude, added propellant storage module for increased attitude-control and backup deorbit capability, and deletion of the unused main propellant tank.
The docking module would be carried in the same position in which the lunar module had been during lunar landing missions. It would be extracted in the same manner, by separating the CSM from the booster once in orbit, turning around, and pulling out the docking module with the nose of the CSM: In response to questioning, Lee said that the U.S. cost of the ASTP mission would fall within the $245-million congressional authorization. Although the Soviets had not quoted a specific amount, Lee believed that the launch of the two unmanned Soyuz spacecraft to check out modifications made for ASTP, the launch of a manned mission, and the preparations for two complete spacecraft and crews would indicate that the Soviets were investing "at least the equivalent" in resources. (Transcript)
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