Sep 10 1970
From The Space Library
Construction and launch of orbiting sun reflector with diameter of 914 m (3000 ft), to light entire metropolitan areas of large cities with five times the brightness of full moon was technologically feasible, NR Space Div. scientific adviser Dr. Krafft A. Ehricke said during NASA conference on space application technology at Mountain View, Calif. Reflector could be important crime deterrent. (AP, Glendale News-Press, 9/11/70)
Misgivings about NASA's cancellation of Apollo 15 and 19 missions were expressed by 39 leading lunar scientists in letter to Rep. George P. Miller (D-Calif.), Chairman of House Committee on Science and Astronautics: "The NASA policy leading to the cancellation appears to be one favoring the early construction of large manned earth orbital systems following after Skylab A, and the effort and funds saved by the curtailment will probably go towards these-The merit of these programs for science or applications should be investigated, and the very important decision regarding their funding should in our view be made a separate step. At present, it appears that the approved and scientifically most fruitful lunar program will suffer in favor of an as yet unapproved program for whose scientific value there is no consensus, and whose purpose is unclear." (Text)
MSFC announced award of six-month, $195 000 contract to Ball Brothers Research Corp. to define requirements for 66-CM (26-in) solar telescope to be used in new ATM experiment on Skylab missions. (MSFC Release 70-183)
City of Boston, Mass., had filed $10.2-million noise pollution suit in U.S. District Court against 19 airlines and Massachusetts Port Authority, Washington Post reported. Boston Mayor Kevin H. White had said suit was to pay city $4.5-million cost of soundproofing 15 East Boston schools near Logan International Airport. Remainder would reimburse city for usurping air rights over city property without compensation, depreciating land values, and making land unfit for educational purposes. (W Post, 9/10/70, A24)
First charting of exact locations of six continental land masses as they drifted across globe for millions of years at rate of about 10 CM (4 in) annually was reported by ESSA marine geologists Dr. Robert S. Dietz and John C. Holden in Journal of Geophysical Research. Calculations, made by using geological landmarks to plot maps, showed that original "supercontinent" of Pangaea had split midway through Triassic geological period, about 200 million yrs ago, into land masses of Laurasia (now North America, Europe, and Asia) and Gondwana (now Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, and India) through sea floor's spreading, welling up of molten material called magma from earth's mantle through rift in ocean bed. Subsequent spreading had separated continents. (Journ of Geophysical Research, 9/10/70,4939-55)
London Times report that British historian Charles H. Gibbs-Smith had discovered drawing of toy helicopter that predated design of helicopter by Leonardo da Vinci by 150 yrs was published by New York Times. Drawing had been discovered in Flemish manuscript dated about 1325 in Royal Library in Copenhagen. Gibbs-Smith had said it was "earliest known illustration in history of a powered aircraft. The fact that a fairly sophisticated drawing of it appeared in a manuscript of this ate suggests that this toy was in use before 1300." (NYT, 9/10/70, 30)
Invention of hovercraft in 1950s by British boat builder Sir Christopher Cockerell had been described by In Britain, publication of British Tourist Authority, New York Times said. Sir Christopher had eliminated problem of "drag" on boat hull from friction of water by interposing air cushion as lubricant between hull and water. In 1956 be had demonstrated invention at British Ministry of Supply in London. First public demonstration in 1958 had led to purchase by British government of experimental manned model from Saunders Roe, Ltd. 'Launched on July 25, 1959, the 3175-kg (3.5 ton), 19-m (30-ft) SRN 1 became first hovercraft to cross English Channel. (NYT, 9/10/70, 29)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
