Jul 11 1991
From The Space Library
The media reported that on July 10 the Senate Appropriations sub-committee, despite the strong opposition of the scientific community, approved $2.02 billion-the full amount requested by the Bush administration-to continue the Space Station project for one more year. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, Democrat of Maryland, and Senator Jake Garn, Republic of Utah, were key supporters of the Space Station funding. The Space Station vote was at the cost of cuts and delays in separate satellite programs and unmanned space exploration. (W Post, Jul 11/91; WSJ, Jul 11/91; W Times, Jul 11/91; USA Today, Jul 11/91; LA Times, Jul 11/91; AP, Jul 11/91)
According to the press, Senate budget leaders expressed concern over NASA's ability to launch the GOES-NEXT weather satellite in time to meet weather monitoring needs. They urged that the National Weather Service buy a $100 million backup satellite, possibly obtaining one from Japan. NASA Administrator Richard Truly said NASA accepted responsibility for the delays and cost overruns in the construction of the new satellites. (W Post, Jul 11/91; NY Times, Jul 11/91; C Trin, Jul 11/91; AP, Jul 11/91; UPI, Jul 11/91)
NASA announced that the U.S. and Spain had signed a space cooperation agreement providing for the use of Spanish bases and installations as alternative landing sites for the U.S. Space Shuttle. (NASA Release 91-109)
NASA announced that it would display a new exhibit, "NASA: Expanding the Frontiers of Flight," at the 39th Annual Experimental Aircraft Association International Fly-In Convention, July 26 - August 1, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. (NASA Release 91-110)
The press quoted the official Notimex news agency as reporting that the rocket that was to provide data about the sun during the total eclipse on July 11 failed to send back any data. The project was jointly sponsored by the Florida Institute of Technology and the National Autonomous University of Mexico. (AP, Jul 11/91; B Sun, Jul 12/91)
On the total solar eclipse, the media reported on the "spectacular" nature for some viewers but the confusing nature for some telescopes. Drake Deming of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt said his team was up most of the night but succeeded in time to solve a problem with one of their instruments. (AP, Jul 11/91; UPI, Jul 11/91; W Post, Jul 12/91)
According to AP, the National Research Council endorsed NASA's planned Earth Observation System, which it called "the largest single component of the most ambitious scientific enterprise ever undertaken." The Council stated it had some concern over the program's management, however, and urged the earth science and space research community to keep a close eye on the program. (AP, Jul 11/91; W Post, Jul 13/91)
The wire services reported that NASA managers reaffirmed their previous decision to resume routine Florida Shuttle landings. This occurred prior to the start of a two-day review to clear Atlantis for blastoff around July 23. (UPI, Jul 11/91; AP, Jul 12/91)
The Huntsville Times reported that Boeing's top space scientist, Harvey Willenberg, who had returned from a trip to the Soviet Union, was convinced from the Mir experiments he saw that NASA needed to build Space Station Freedom. The experiments in the area of microgravity were especially impressive. (Htsvl Tms, Jul 11/91)
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