Feb 17 1970
From The Space Library
Agreement to ensure that space transportation system (STS) would be of maximum utility to both NASA and DOD was signed in Washington, D.C., by NASA Administrator, Dr. Thomas O. Paine, and Secretary of the Air Force, Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr. STS was to provide U.S. with "economical capability for delivering payloads of men, equipment, supplies, and other spacecraft to and from space by reducing operating costs an order of magnitude below those of present systems." Program would include international participation and use. NASA would manage STS development, with project generally unclassified. STS would consist of "earth-to-orbit Space Shuttle." Agreement established NASA-USAF STS Committee to conduct continuing review of STS program and recommend steps to achieve "system that meets DOD and NASA requirements." Recommendations would include, but not be limited to, "development and operational aspects, technology status and needs, resource considerations, and interagency relationships." (Text)
Dr. Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator, opened testimony before House Committee on Science and Astronautics on NASA FY 1971 authorization: "Apollo 11 and 12 demonstrated that we can fly across a quarter of a million miles [400 000 km] of space, land with precision, carry out research and exploration, and return safely to earth. We met our commitments for the decade of the sixties. Now we must chart a new course for the next decade in space. The Congress again shares with the Administration the responsibility for continuing progress and leadership in space and aeronautics. At the same time, NASA is going through a difficult period of redirection, and austere budget goals must be met. This is therefore a time of great challenge. But I firmly believe that with your support we can continue to forge ahead in space exploration, in science, in applications, and in aerospace technology. The program which we will lay before you, although austere, provides for balanced progress toward the challenging goals for the 1970' and the decades to follow." NASA budget as it came from President included "major reduction in space program," to achieve balanced U.S. budget in "time of inflation." By reducing operating base, making selective cut-backs, and deferring new starts NASA had developed program permitting progress toward Space Task Group's Option 11 goals, but at reduced pace. [see Jan. 13 and Feb. 2]. Dr. Paine noted it was significant that, "in a sharply reduced total budget, we have been able to increase our space applications efforts. Our aeronautics effort will also continue to be strengthened." He urged Committee to keep in mind that proposed program "could not be conducted in the face of further cuts." NASA had no plans to fly astronauts in space between last Apollo flight in 1974 and the time Space Shuttle would be operative in late 1970s. "Any significant reduction in our FY 1971 request will further extend this gap in American manned space flight, and reduce other important programs." (Testimony)
Apollo 12 LM in final moments of descent to lunar surface had caused dust shower that pocked Surveyor III and sand-blasted camera, NASA announced. Burton G. Cour-Palais, Chief of Meteoroid Sciences Branch at MSC, reported that Surveyor III TV camera experienced little meteoroid damage during 950 days of exposure to space environment, but had numerous shallow craters of recent origin apparently caused by LM 183 m (600 ft) away. LM-caused craters were "shallow. . .mostly of recent origin, as indicated by their whiteness against the sandy brown color of the TV camera housing painted surface." White craters were concentrated on arc of TV camera facing LM, 10 to 100 times as many as on side away from LM. Preliminary assessment of meteoroid impacts indicated more than five impacts on camera housing and four on polished tube. (NASA Release 70-23)
ESSA announced it had received NASA contract to investigate lightning hazards to rockets as part of NASA effort to develop lightning-warning system and techniques for lightning suppression. Dr. Heinz W. Kasemir, head of ESSA research project, said that "launching a rocket through thunder or rain clouds can be hazardous, not so much because the rocket will be hit accidentally by natural lightning, but because the rocket itself may trigger a lightning stroke m the storm." NASA's Apollo 12 had suffered temporary power failure from lightning during launch through storm at KSC Nov. 14, 1969. Suspected triggering effect of rockets in thunderheads had been demonstrated when specially equipped ESSA DC-6 research aircraft operated by ESSA's Research Flight Facility was struck by lightning three separate times under similar meteorological conditions during thunderstorm research project near Flagstaff, Ariz. Each time lightning struck, aircraft was in dissipating thunderhead near freezing level and in area of cloud that contained both ice and water. Corona discharge had been audibly detected on aircraft communications system for two seconds before each lightning strike. Observations of electrical field within the storm before and after lightning bolts suggested that aircraft itself, moving through thunderhead, might have triggered discharges. (ESSA Release 70-8-30)
First public TV programming via satellite was inaugurated by transmission of South Carolina ETV Network program from Columbia, S.C., via NASA's ATS III to public TV network station in Los Angeles. Program featured John W. Macy, Jr., President of Corp. for Public Broadcasting, addressing special "Satellite Dinner" in Columbia honoring South Carolina General Assembly. CPB would reimburse NASA for costs of experiment. (NASA Release 70-22)
NASA announced award of $3 300 000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to Boeing Co. Aerospace Systems Div. for engineering support of Apollo Lunar Exploration program. Contract covered engineering evaluation, flight readiness reviews, and mission evaluations Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. (NASA Release 70-25)
Abolition of 21-day quarantine for astronauts returning from moon was recommended to NAS panel by NASA officials and representatives of Interagency Committee on Back Contamination. Panel Chairman, Dr. Allan H. Brown of Univ. of Pennsylvania, said his. group would relay decision to NASA Administrator, Dr. Thomas O. Paine. (UPI, NYT, 2/18/70, C17)
Apollo 12 astronauts, on 40-day tour, arrived in Lima, Peru, from Caracas, Venezuela. They were greeted by about 5000 persons. (AP, W Post, 2/19/70, C7)
Sen. Barry M. Goldwater (R-Ariz.) urged construction of air and space museum at Smithsonian Institution to house aeronautical and astronautical displays. (CR, 2/17/70, 51757)
President Nixon presented National Science Medals in White House ceremony. Recipients had been announced Dec. 31, 1969; Purdue Univ. chemist Herbert C. Brown, Princeton Univ. mathematician William Feller, Jack S. C. Kilby of Texas Instruments Inc., and Wolfgang K. H. Panofsky, Director of Stanford Univ. Linear Accelerator Center. (PD, 2/23/70, 190-1; 1/5/70, 10-1)
U.S.S.R. was constructing. astrophysical observatory atop 5633-m (18 481-ft) Mt. Elbrus in Caucasus mountains to house 599-cm (236in) altazimuthal telescope, Los Angeles Times said. Instrument would be largest optical telescope in the world. Its mirror would be tested in autumn 1971, with observations to begin in autumn 1972. Telescope would be used for extragalactic exploration; study of nebulae and stars, particularly faint stars; and planetary research. (Bengelsdorf, LA Times, 2/170)
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