Jun 10 1968

From The Space Library

Senate passed by vote of 66 to 4 H.R. 15856, NASA FY 1969 au­thorization bill of $4.013 billion-$357 million less than Administra­tion's requested $4.37 billion, $18 million less than sum voted by House, and $136.4 million less than sum recommended by Senate Com­mittee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. Bill provided $3.37 million for R&D, $39.6 million for construction of facilities, and $603.17 mil­lion for administrative operations. During debate Sen. Carl T. Curtis (R.-Neb.) successfully proposed amendment to bar NASA space research grants to colleges and universities that refused to allow armed forces re­cruiters on their campuses. (CR, 6/10/68, S6943-77; W Post, 6/11/68, A3; B Sun, 6/11/68, 1; SBD, 6/11/68, 198; AP, NYT, 6/12/68, 11)

Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched by NASA from WSMR carried 115-lb Dudley Observatory payload to 95-mi (152.4-km) altitude to collect micrometeoroid particles during meteor shower and recover payload for analysis and flux determination. Rocket and instruments performed satisfactorily; good data were obtained from telemetry. Pay. load parachuted successfully but early efforts at recovery were not suc­cessful. (NASA Rpt SRL)

House passed H.R. 3400 giving FAA authority to set standards and make regulations for control and abatement of aircraft noise and sonic boom. Bill amended Title VI of Federal Aviation Act of 1958. (NASA LAR VII/59; Science, 6/21/68, 1321)

NASA awarded $200,000 fixed-priced contract to Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. Space System Div. for eight-month study of earth orbital flight emergency escape device. Contract called for development of con­ceptual design of three-man entry vehicle for emergency escape from ve­hicle in earth orbit up to 300 mi. Device could be launched into orbit with future space vehicles and remain in orbit until needed. (NASA Re­lease 68-103)

Press reported recently released testimony at February hearings of House Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Department of De­fense. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. McConnell had described Foxbat as only Soviet fighter aircraft "that we cannot match." Un­dergoing late stages of testing, it had estimated mach 3 maximum speed, 70,000- to 75,000-ft maximum altitude, 1,600-mi combat range with­out external fuel tanks, and 1,400-mph cruise speed at 50,000-ft alti­tude. U.S. observers believed fighter-bomber version could be opera­tional in 1969 or 1970; advanced radar-equipped interceptor version with internally carried missiles could be in squadron service by 1970 or 1971. Secretary of the Air Force, Dr. Harold Brown, had testified that U.S. was not behind U.S.S.R. in aircraft development, while Gen. McConnell had said that F-X (fighter experimental), U.S. fighter in Foxbat class, was still being designed and was "a little late." (Tran­script; Corddry, B Sun, 6/11/68, 1)

U.N. General Assembly's Political Committee by vote of 92-4, with 22 abstentions, endorsed draft treaty to halt spread of nuclear weapons. Chief U.S. delegate Arthur Goldberg called vote "a milestone on the road to a more peaceful and secure international order." (de Onis, NYT, 6/11/68, 1)

Pratt & Whitney Div. of United Aircraft Corp. announced it had reached agreement with USN on prices covering all military aircraft engine pro­grams during 1968-1970. Week before, USN had informed the company that top price it was prepared to pay for 1,640 jet engines built for the F-111 was $180 million less than asked by the company. (Text: WSJ, 6/11/68, 34; Kelly, W Star, 6/11/68, B5)

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