May 1 1967
From The Space Library
NASA established the NASA Lunar and Planetary Missions Advisory Board to " . . . develop and review . . . scientific objectives and general strategy for manned and unmanned lunar and planetary missions [and to formulate] guidelines and specific recommendations for the design of missions and for the scientific payloads. . . ." The Board would have a close working relationship with all senior NASA officials involved in lunar and planetary exploration and would work ". . . through the Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications." (NMI-1156.12)
Five NASA officials were among 45 young business and Government executives from U.S. and abroad selected to receive MIT's 1967-68 Alfred P. Sloan Fellowships for one year of study at MIT's Sloan School of Management "to accelerate their development into positions of major executive responsibilities.' NASA recipients: R. Bryan Erb, Assistant Chief, Structures and Mechanics Div., MSC; Robert H. Kirby, Jr., Flight Mechanics and Technology Div., URC; Calvin E:. Perrine, Jr., Assistant Chief, Mission Operations Div., Apollo Spacecraft Program Office, MSC; Robert J. Schwinghamer, Technical Assistant to Director of Manufacturing and Engineering Laboratory, MSFC; and William E. Scott, Deputy Chief, Research Div., Office of University Affairs, NASA Hq. (NASA Release 67-104)
Orbit of second Vela nuclear detection satellite, launched April 28 by USAF Titan III-C booster, was circularized at 69,000-mi altitude. First Vela's orbit had been circularized April 29. Satellites were part of DOD's Vela program to monitor space for violations of nuclear test ban treaty. (AP, NYT, 5/2/67,16)
Field Enterprises Educational Corp. announced that it would not exercise its option to extend its rights for book and newspaper distribution of the personal stories of NASA astronauts and their families. Present four-year agreement, which paid the astronauts $320,000 annually for exclusive publishing rights and provided each astronaut with $50,000 life insurance policy, would expire Aug. 31. Field Enterprises president Bailey K. Howard said large number of astronauts now, compared with number four years ago, made continuation of the project impractical. (AP, NYT, 5/3/67,13; US News, 5/15/67)
Director of FAA SST Development B/G J. C. Maxwell signed the contracts for construction of two SST prototypes by Boeing Co. and General Electric Co. Industry representatives had signed earlier. President Johnson authorized FAA to proceed with Phase III (prototype construction) of SST program on April 29. (Sehlstadt, B Sun, 5/2/67,1)
U.S.S.R.'s May Day Parade was transmitted across US. for broadcast in Japan, but was not televised on American networks. The 10-hr program, transmitted through the cooperation of ComSatCorp and U.S.S.R., originated live in Moscow and was picked up by EARLY BIRD 1 over the Atlantic; relayed across US. by Andover, Me., and Brewster Flat, Wash., ground stations; and transmitted across Pacific via INTELSAT II for viewing in Tokyo. Japan paid approximately $30,000 for broadcast and transmission services. (Birger, M News, 5 15 167; ComSatCorp)
Washington Evening Star editorial praised Senate's unanimous approval of the space law treaty April 25: "The action lends timely support to President Johnson's policy of seeking to promote a spirit of detente through various types of agreements designed to build bridges between our country and the Communist East. . . . the new space treaty is at best only a modest step in the direction of improved Soviet-American relations. Still, it is a step forward, and a good one. Anybody who objects to it on security grounds can rest assured: It will not interfere in the slightest with our country's ability to detect Russian cheating between us and the stars if such cheating actually takes place." (W Star, 5/1/67)
Haste might have contributed to the April 24 crash-landing of Soyuz I in which Cosmonaut Vladimir M. Komarov died, Edmund Stevens suggested in Washington Evening Star. He speculated that Soviet leaders, influenced by the goal of orbiting men around the moon by Nov. 7-50th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution-had launched Soyuz I before it was fully man-rated. (Stevens, W Star, 5/1/67, A1, A6)
May 1-3: NASA's SURVEYOR III spacecraft continued photography and digging operations on lunar surface. On May 3, communications with spacecraft were halted to conserve battery power during two-week lunar night. Photos taken during mission since April 19 soft-landing on the moon totaled 6,315. (NASA Proj Off)
American Astronautical Society's (AAS) 13th Annual Convention, "Commercial Utilization of Space," was held in Dallas. MSFC Director Dr. Wernher von Braun stressed the importance of space exploration to man's general welfare: "The space program is providing us with new and valuable scientific information about our environment in this universe. The space budget cannot be justified, however, solely on the basis of expanding scientific knowledge, even though the discoveries may be regarded priceless by one segment of society. Space technology must continue and expand its contributions to the satisfaction of the needs and desires of society in general if it is to become a permanent outlet for man's creativity and energies." Dr. von Braun later suggested to the press that the lunar module (LM) might not be ready for the Apollo lunar mission as soon as the other launch vehicle and spacecraft elements. In that event, he said, NASA might decide to "fly the lunar mission [as a manned circumlunar flight] , but just not activate one phase of it." (Text, Av Wk, 5/8/67, 17)
Future potentials of navigation satellites were outlined by Eugene Ehrlich, Navigation and Traffic Control Program Chief, OSSA. Navigation satellites could provide : (1) high-accuracy position determination service to craft, people, and shore stations; (2) communications service to pilots, traffic controllers, and passengers; (3) air traffic control and maritime coordination; (4) SST radiation warning; (5) search and rescue aid during emergencies; (6) weather routing for aircraft and ships; (7) iceberg warning; and (8 ) data on migratory habits of marine, land, and sea life. (Text)
George S. Trimble, Director of Advanced Planning, OMSF, called for increased industry responsibility in space exploration. NASA builds "the roads into space. It is beholden on . . . industry to make certain that we build the proper ones for . . . future use. . . . As we look forward to missions of ever-increasing complexity, it is important that we continue to insure the most effective accomplishment of the most worthwhile experiments that this country can devise." (Text)
Rep. Joseph E. Karth (D-Minn.) , describing industry's attempts to capitalize on non-Government space business opportunities as "substantially insufficient," urged industry to submit imaginative proposals for commercial development of space and to solicit Congress' support for the effort. (Av Wk, 5/15/67,67)
A more realistic basis for determining space transportation costs should be devised to reflect actual use of the object in space, KSC Director Dr. Kurt H. Debus suggested. Although cost reductions were being studied, prospective commercial users of space should expect to spend about 10% of their overall program costs for launch operations, he said. He emphasized that more substantial savings could be realized in other areas such as reusable boosters and payload; increased life cycle of payload; reserviceable payload; and booster and spacecraft propulsion. (Text, Av Wk, 5/15/67,69)
NASA Assistant Administrator for International Affairs Arnold W. Frutkin noted that space program had to defend itself continuously to enlist international support : "In ten years of space development, no nation has been harmed in any way. We must point to this record constantly in order to improve the atmosphere and wisdom of international consideration . . . [and] emphasize the expansion of benefits rather than restrictions upon progress. The record makes clear that we can address the more complicated questions of international organization on an evolutionary basis with the advantage of growing experience. The needs of the developing world and the magnificent record of space applications so far combine to show that the issues of international organization are secondary to the task of accelerating benefits for the world." (Text)
MIT Head of Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics Dr. Raymond L. Bisplinghoff and NASA Assistant Associate Administrator for Advanced Research and Technology John L. Sloop discussed selection of technology and optimum conditions for its development. They pointed out how such development ". . . triggered vast areas of accomplishment in [its] wake [and] produced a sustained and long-term stimulus to education [and provided] influence [that is] one of spirit rather than power. . . . Turning to discussion of impact of space program on engineering practices, they cited a major stimulus which was produced by ". . . the extreme environment of outer space combined with the requirements for low weight, small size, and exceptional reliability." They pointed to the new stimulus to "imagination and creativity" among engineers. Among important reasons for having a space program they listed satisfaction of society's needs; developing technology should serve as " . . . a solution to an existing or foreseeable social problem." Calling attention to the international arena of technological development, the speakers urged "a balance of technologies in our favor [which] will . . . require wisdom in the selection of new technologies . . . so vital to our national well-being and survival that [we] must, to the greatest extent of our ability, use imagination, good judgment, and energy in their planning and execution." (Text)
TRW Systems Group President Dr. Ruben F. Mettler suggested that space environmental characteristics could be useful and, in some ways, unique for certain manufacturing operations. He stated: "An environment so widely different from that to which we are accustomed suggests we [determine] whether the new features can be used for making conventional products of improved quality or performance or at lower cost, whether they can support new processes previously considered impractical, or if they can lead to new products of such characteristics that they create new and currently unidentified markets." Mettler suggested these environmental characteristics for space operations which would be of interest to "possible specialized manufacturing operations": low temperatures, approaching absolute zero with use of space cryostat; high temperatures with use of solar concentrator; near-perfect vacuum of infinite extent; weightlessness in orbit; low gravitational forces on moon; and radiation environment. (Text)
Awards for achievement in 1966 presented at convention included: (1) AAS Space Flight Award to MSC Director Dr. Robert R. Gilruth for "distinguished contributions to aeronautical and space research . . . direction of continuing investigation of man's capabilities in space, and . . . active participation in the scientific community for the public good"; (2) AAS Flight Achievement Award to Astronauts Charles Conrad and Richard F. Gordon for "their new space flight altitude record and the world's first one-orbit rendezvous on Gemini XI"; (3) Melbourne Boynton Award to Col. William K. Douglas (USAF), Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Bioastronautics and Medicine, AFSC, for exceptional accomplishments as the first flight surgeon in charge of astronaut medical operations; (4) W. Randolph Lovelace II Award to Dr. Robert M. Page, former Director of Research, Naval Research Laboratory, for pioneering work in rocket astronomy and contributions to radar development; and (5) AAS Fellowships to MSC Director of Medical Research and Operations Dr. Charles A. Berry "for providing exceptional medical support for the NASA manned spacecraft programs," and to MSC Director of Engineering and Development Maxime A. Faget for "contributions to the basic conceptual design of the Mercury spacecraft and . . . subsequent engineering efforts" on Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo Projects. (MSC Release 67-15)
North American Aviation, he. (NAA) , NASA's prime Apollo spacecraft contractor, announced major management changes: (1) William B. Bergen, former President of Martin Marietta Co., who joined NAA April 7, replaced Harrison A. Storms, Jr., as President of Space Div.- formerly Space and Information Systems Div.; (2) Ralph H. Ruud, corporate vice president in charge of manufacturing, replaced William Snelling as executive vice president of Space Div. Snelling assumed new post of assistant vice president; (3) Bastian Hello, former Martin Marietta co. executive, assumed new post of vice president in charge of Space Div.'s launch operations at KSC; and (4) Paul R. Vogt, former vice president of engineering at NAA's Rocketdyne Div., assumed new post of assistant to President of Space Div. in charge of quality control. (Clark, NYT, 5/2/67,1,53; UPI, W Star, 5/2/67, A13; O'Toole, W Post, 5/2/67, A4; Wilford, NYT, 5/4/67,9)
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