Dec 31 1968
From The Space Library
White House announced from Johnson City, Tex., that President Johnson would present NASA Distinguished Service Medals to Apollo 8 Astronauts Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, Jr., and William A. Anders during "Astronaut Day" ceremonies in Washington, D.C., Jan. 9, 1969. (AP, W Star, 12/31/68, A5; UPI, NYT, 1/1/69, 10; W Post, 1/1/69, 2)
Soviet test pilot Eudard V. Yelyan test-flew Tu-144, U.S.S.R.'s delta-wing supersonic transport, on successful 38-min maiden flight from airport near Moscow. Tass reported "the equipment on board the airliner operated normally." Aircraft was designed to carry 120-135 passengers at speeds to 1,600 mph over 4,000-mi range. It was equipped with four Kuznetsov N.K.-144 turbofan engines. Tass said sonic boom "is almost not felt" on earth because Tu-144 reached maximum speed at high altitudes. Later, New York Times editorial commented: "The long international debate about supersonic airliners is sure to be stepped up in the wake of the news that the Soviet entry, the TU-144, has made its first flight. Since it has not been claimed that this initial trial reached supersonic speeds, the likelihood is that the TU-144 was kept subsonic on its first outing. But Soviet airplane designers and builders have manufactured enough supersonic military planes to suggest that on a subsequent flight the TU-144 will fly faster than the speed of sound. . . . In this country, the Soviet first will undoubtedly spur those who want to pour still more Government funds into the Boeing project to build an advanced supersonic plane that is faster and larger than the TU-144. Fortunately, this country's technological prestige is now higher than ever in the wake of the Apollo 8 moon journey. That fact should help the incoming Nixon Administration to see that there are better uses for the nation's scarce resources than to engage in a supersonic plane race whose economics are dubious and whose product's contribution to noise pollution is all too loud." (Shabad, NYT, 1/1/69, 1; UPI, W Star, 1/1/69, A7; Winters, B Sun, 1/1/69, Al; NYT, 1/2/69, 30)
Earth Resources Satellite System, report by Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications for Subcommittee on NASA Oversight, House Committee on Science and Astronautics, was transmitted to committee and subcommittee. ERS system "unquestionably presents NASA with . . perhaps the best possible opportunity to achieve tangible economic returns from the substantial investment already made by the American taxpayer in the U.S. space program." Pace of program to date had been "much too leisurely" and financial support, "inadequate." Report recommended "NASA concentrate a much larger portion of its efforts and resources on this project" and "give the most serious consideration to the recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences' summer study to the effect that funding for the applications satellite program should be at least doubled, perhaps tripled." (Text)
National Science Foundation released Federal Funds for Research, Development, and Other Scientific Activities: Fiscal Years 1967, 1968, and 1969. Federal obligations for basic research, applied research, and development (plant excluded) totaled $16.5 billion in FY 1967 and were expected to total $16.2 billion in FY 1968, first drop since 1955. Obligations had been expected to total $17.3 billion in FY 1969, but, because of appropriations and apportionment actions, probably would be even less than in 1968. Basic research obligations totaled $2.0 billion in FY 1967 and were expected to be $2.1 billion in 1968. Applied research obligations totaled $3.3 billion in FY 1967, with $3.3 billion estimated for 1968. Originally expected increases in FY 1969 obligations, to $2.4 billion for basic research and $3.6 billion for applied research, probably would not occur because of cutbacks in FY 1969 budget. Development obligations were $11.3 billion in 1967, highest ever reported, but were expected to drop to $10.8 billion in 1968. Originally expected rise to $11.3 billion in 1969 probably would not be achieved. In FY 1967, obligations for R&D plant totaled $620 million, with estimated $517 million for 1968 and $777 million for 1969. DOD, NASA, and AEC provided bulk of R&D funds, with 90% average share during 1960-66 and 85% during 1967-69. DOD, NASA, and AEC together supported 60% of Federal research total and more than 95% of development total in 1968. During 1967-69, 80% of Federal R&D funds were scheduled for extramural performers, chiefly U.S. industrial firms. In 1968 they received 60%. (Text)
New York Gov. Nelson B. Rockefeller announced Apollo 8 astronauts had accepted invitation to come to New York for special day of observance Jan. 10. (Fox, NYT, 1/1/69, 1)
Senator-elect Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.) test-rode F-111A and took controls during part of 90-min flight to and from Nellis AFB, Nev. Later he said aircraft had been victim of politics, not by party, but by "bungling in the Defense Department." Goldwater said he had not opposed aircraft but objected to way DOD had awarded contract to General Dynamics Corp. He said USAF had done good job in "taking the bugs out of this airplane." (AP, W Post, 1/1/69, A9)
USAF awarded contracts totaling $28.8 million to Fairchild Hiller Corp., McDonnell Douglas Corp., and North American Rockwell Corp. for contract definition for ZF-15A advanced air superiority fighter aircraft. (DOD Release 1147-68)
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