Aug 28 1967
From The Space Library
National Academy of Sciences had concurred in House Committee on Government Operations recommendation that outside experts as well as those in Government be used to advise decision makers of R&D deficiencies and remedies. Committee released report of NAS and Bureau of the Budget comments on recommendations to improve Federal R&D decision making process, which also showed NAS had concurred that Executive Office should examine program-level recommendations but had warned of danger of attempting to determine gaps or establish levels of support on too centralized a basis. NAS also had voiced strong reservations on a cost-benefit approach to R&D evaluation. (Text)
Ralph W. Tyner, former Industrial Relations Officer at GSFC, became Deputy Director for Labor Relations at NASA Hq, replacing C. Stuart Broad, who transferred to DOD July 17. (NASA Ann, 8/25/67)
NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications Dr. Homer E. Newell wrote to the Editor of Aerospace Technology: "In 1973, NASA proposes to conduct the first of the Voyager series of missions to Mars, using the Saturn launch vehicle. We wish to call the attention of the scientific community to the opportunity of proposing experiments for this initial flight. . . ". . . Regardless of the level of funding support obtained for Voyager this fiscal year, it is our plan to begin evaluating scientific proposals on Nov. 1, 1967, and to select scientists for participation in the planning and development steps by Feb. 1968. . . ." (Aero Tech, 8/28/67,8)
ARC was expected to award a one-year $100,000-$150,000 study contract within a few months to define the characteristics of an economical general aviation aircraft engine for 1985, Aviation Week reported. Contract would be part of NASA's renewed emphasis on general aviation and would be designed to support in-house work that ARC had been conducting for the last year. Basic objective was to find areas where new technology could be applied to present or future propulsion systems that would lead to a more economical general aviation engine. (Av Wk, 8/28/67,113)
Report released by House Committee on Government Operations' Subcommittee on Military Operations said that DOD's Initial Defense Communications Satellite Program (IDCSP) had many inadequacies and urged that steps be taken "forthwith" to reinforce it by adding synchronous satellites. Report argued that undue reliance on present system would stretch it "skintight," impairing its capabilities if unexpected failures developed. The subcommittee expressed concern over DOD's apparent intent to use IDCSP "for a longer period than originally planned" and its tendency to lean "rather heavily on the future promise of technological breakthroughs and improvements in the state-of-the-art." It conceded it would be wrong to settle for a limited system when new technological advances could be made, but also felt it would be an error to inflate the possibilities of present system as an excuse to defer needed improvements. (Jones, M /S Daily, 8/29/67)
USAF had awarded letter contract to Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. to begin Program 612, a new reconnaissance satellite system, Aerospace Technology reported. It was estimated that program would cost $350 million. (Aero Tech, 8/28/67,3)
European aerospace industry assn., Eurospace, was urging formation .of an optional regional communications satellite system to provide TV and telephone coverage for Europe, Donald E. Fink reported in Aviation Week. An expanded version was also being studied to link the continent with the entire Mediterranean basin, the Middle East, and major portions of Africa. Designated Eurosat, system would consist of one 375-1b comsat launched into stationary orbit by an ELDO Europa II booster and at least 18 ground stations in Europe and North Africa. Fabrication of satellite and ground stations would be restricted to European aerospace companies. Initial cost estimate for satellite system was $100 million. (Fink, Av Wk, 8/28/67,29)
ComSatCorp had requested proposals for construction of its new laboratories near Clarksburg, Montgomery County, Md., to house initial staff of about 300 [see May 5]. Mission of laboratories would include research in radio-frequency transmission, communications processing, spacecraft systems, and physics. (ComSatCorp Release 67-41)
August 28-30: AIAA meeting on "Space Program Issues of the '70's" was held in Seattle. Rep. Joseph E. Karth (D-Minn.), Chairman of House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Space Science and Applications Subcommittee, said in panel discussion that the civilian part of the Nation's space program "no longer has a very high priority," partly because of the Vietnam war and partly because NASA had not convinced the public and Congress of the economic and technological benefits of space research. Spending on space exploration was not likely to be increased significantly for several years and accomplishments in the 1970s could be "severely limited." He said: "Recent Congressional action on the 1968 NASA budget was a direct reflection of these changing [economic, political, and social] values; it was also a reflection of how the mood of a majority of those in the Congress has changed [and] there is little doubt that the worth of the space program, in terms of economic, political and social values, has been judged and found wanting by large numbers of the public and their representatives in government." He added that, "in spite of great advances, scientific and technological programs are among the least understood of our national efforts [but, on the other hand] every nation in the world that is unable or fails to carry out an aggressive R&D program also fails to develop an economy that educates, feeds, houses and clothes its people." Karth urged that NASA consider "an evolution to a functional organizational arrangement . . . on such a breakdown as: earth orbital, lunar, solar, planetary and deep space." He hoped to see "the emergence of a better system" for long-range planning which was not simply a "pasting together of manned and unmanned plans," but said that "long-range prospects for progress are enormous [and] these prospects must be sold to the public and top policy-makers in terms of what makes sense for the overall benefit of society." (Text, Wilford, NYT, 8/30/67, 17)
NASC Executive Secretary Dr. Edward C. Welsh described national space program planning as having "characteristics of complexity, flexibility, and continuity." He recalled that NASC had recommended to the President that the Nation undertake the Apollo program, with its "within this decade schedule" and added: "Apollo project was planned at a time when we were in a secondary position to the Soviets in space competence [and] when we needed a policy decision and specific plans to accomplish that decision in order to. energize our entire space effort. Along with a number of other space projects, this major project has given substantial spirit and substance to our program and we are no longer behind any country in over-all space performance." Welsh concluded: `"this country does not now need such a special source of impetus [like Apollo] to keep it going in the right direction in space [and] to maintain our competence or sense of purpose." (Text)
Dr. Albert J. Kelley, formerly Deputy Director of ERC and currently Dean of Boston College's Graduate School and School of Business Administration, argued that clearly defined post-Apollo goals had to be formulated if full potential of the Nation's space program were to be realized. "If we set forward well-defined goals and plans we have a good possibility of continuing to maintain a strong national space program; if not, then we stand a chance of losing by default much of our gains to date, but even more important of not realizing our potential payoffs in the 70's." (SBD, 8/30/67,312)
August 28-31 Aviation Subcommittee of Senate Committee on Commerce held hearings to explore needs, problems, and means of maintaining an adequate airport system for a forecast 400% air passenger growth by 1980. Proposals heard on financing included passenger head tax, fuel tax, landing fees, Federal loan program, interest subsidy, and expanded FAAP funds. Among other proposals were noise standards, engine and airframe redesign, CAB diversion of traffic, reliever airports, air taxis, helicopter service, and high-speed ground transportation. Also recommended to the committee were increased state participation, tightened congressional control, and a national air transport system. (Text)
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