Apr 15 1971
From The Space Library
France launched 90-kg (198-lb) D2-A satellite Tournesol (Sun-flower) from Kourou, French Guiana, by Diamant-B booster. Satellite, which would measure radiation for six months, entered orbit with 696-km (432.5-mi) apogee, 457-km (284-mi) perigee, 96.2-min period, and 46.3¦ inclination. (GSFC SSR, 4/30/71; SBD, 4/16/71, 239; SF, 6/71, 197; Spacewarn, 3/23/71, 6)
President Nixon transmitted to Congress World Weather Program, Plan for Fiscal Year 1972. Report described significant activities of program and planned participation of Federal agencies. In message of trans-mission President said: "Satellite technology is being used with increasing effectiveness to gather global information for earlier, more accurate predictions and warnings of hazardous weather. New stations are being established for long- term measurement of atmospheric change. Computers have been programmed to determine the effect of pollution upon the atmosphere. A major international experiment in the Atlantic Ocean is being prepared under the Global Atmospheric Research Program. During the past year many nations, including the United States, have indicated their support of this tropical experiment and have made tentative commitments to provide ships, aircraft, satellites, and other observing facilities. Linked with an increased computer capability to assess and integrate results, this experiment should be an important step toward attaining a true understanding of the global atmosphere." (PD, 4/19/71, 630)
President Nixon transmitted to Senate Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft and requested advice and consent to ratification. Convention "to ensure that all hijackers, wherever found, would be subject to severe punishment for an act which endangers the safety and lives of passengers and crew aboard" had been signed at Diplomatic Conference at The Hague Dec. 16, 1970. President said: "Because of the worldwide threat of hijacking, the Convention provides that all States may become parties. I hope that it will be applied universally." (PD, 4/19/71, 630)
New U.S.-U.S.S.R. missile gap was described by Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D-Wash.) in speech before American Society of Newspaper Editors: "Today the United States bomber force is less than 600, our sub-launched missiles have numbered 656 for four years, and our land-based missiles have totaled 1,054 for four years. During this time the Soviet bomber force has remained almost constant, but their submarine missile force has grown to almost 400 launchers and is expected to overtake ours in two to three years. And the Soviet land-based inter-continental force has risen to over 1,440 operational launchers-with more on the way. Thus, while the Soviets are gaining and will soon exceed us in missile weaponry at sea, we have already fallen distinctly behind them on land. " over the same period, the actual destructive power of the U.S. forces has continually decreased, while the Soviet's destructive power has greatly increased, until the total megatonnage that the Soviets could deliver a inst U.S. targets is several times our own. "The only strategic area in which we are staying ahead is in the number of individual warheads, and we are doing that only by going to small-yield multiples. Even here, the Soviets could in time overtake us, since their missile forces have considerably greater payloads than ours." (Text)
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