Aug 4 1971
From The Space Library
Apollo 15 Orbital Science press conference is hosted by Dr George F. Esenwein. Including Dr James Arnold, Dr Isidore Adler, Dr Paul Gorenstein, Dr John Hoffman, Dr Fred Doyle, Dr William L. Sjogren, Dr Floyd Roberson, Harold Mazursky.
NASA issued RFPS to major airframe manufacturers for design and fabrication of two experimental transport jet STOL aircraft to start Quiet-STOL program to relieve airport noise and congestion. Aircraft, incorporating propulsive lift principles, would provide technological data and experience for developing environmentally accept-able, economical, and safe fan-jet STOL transport system in NASA-DOT-FAA-USAF program. Program would implement major recommendations of joint NASA-DOT Civil Aviation Research and Development (CARD) Study by providing industry with basis for STOL development, Government regulatory agencies with rules for STOL certification and operation, and USAF with modernized tactical airlift capability. (NASA Release 71-146)
Committee for the Future-group of wealthy private citizens-was seeking to finance return trip to Hadley Rille, Apollo 15 landing site, with surplus Apollo spacecraft, Reuters reported in Baltimore Sun. Group hoped to recover contemplated $400-million investment by selling moon rocks, TV film, and photographic and literary rights, and by charging for scientific experiments conducted. Group had announced proposal to operate mission "Harvest Moon" after final Apollo flight in 1972 because it seemed incredible that man could invest $25 billion and 10 yrs to reach moon and then "stop without . looking at the moon's value to man and his future." Members of committee had spoken informally with NASA officials, Reuters said. Officials had said privately that plan stood little chance of approval. (B Sun, 8/4/71, A6)
NASA, National Weather Service and Environmental Data Service spokesmen, questioned by Washington Post, said their agencies had received complaints from public that Apollo 15 mission had caused heavy rainfall over Washington, D.C., area. They denied that mission was responsible and that rains accompanying Apollo 13 and 14 missions had been anything more than coincidence. (Cohen, W Post, 8/5/71, Bl)
Senate Committee on Armed Services unanimously approved H.R.8687, $21-billion FY 1972 military procurement authorization, decrease of $100 million over House-passed figure of $21.1 billion. Committee, at Administration's request, restored $801 million for procurement of 48 F-147 carrier-based fighter aircraft built for USN by Grumman Aerospace Corp. (CR, 8/4/71, D824; Finney, NYT, 8/5/71, 11)
August 4-13: ARC'S specially equipped Convair 990 jet aircraft Galileo carried 29 scientists and 4500 kg (10 000 lbs) of instruments on series of flights from Hickham AFB, Hawaii. Purpose of flights was to investigate Mars' invisible infrared light radiations while flying above 99% of earth's occluding atmospheric water vapor during Mars' closest approach to earth since 1671. Flight path was 869 km (540 mi) south of Hawaii along 13° north latitude meridian. Mars was about 56 mil-lion km (35 million mi) from earth. Galileo also carried vector magnetometer to investigate continental drift and sea floor spreading in ARC experiment. Expedition was sponsored by ARC Airborne Science Office. (NASA Release 71-145; UPI, NYT, 8/7/71, 8; ARC Astrogram, 8/19/ 71, 1)
August 4-20: Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, outgoing AEC Chairman, and group of U.S. nuclear scientists toured peaceful nuclear energy facilities in U.S.S.R. at invitation of Chairman Andronik Petrosyants of Soviet State Committee for Nuclear Energy. (AEC Release 0-126; AEC PIO)
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