October 1970
From The Space Library
Scientists at Boeing Space Center in Kent, Wash., were studying piece of Surveyor III, 5 CM (2 in) long, returned from moon by Apollo 12 astronauts, to determine why original white paint had discolored, Boeing Co. said. White paint reflected intense solar rays in space and helped prevent heat buildup inside spacecraft. Boeing researchers thought paint degraded in space because of contaminating film from rocket exhaust, constant proton bombardment, or other radiation from sun. If discoloring came from contamination, paint could be restored to whiteness through oxygen plasma process. If paint had changed through radiation damage, Boeing could replenish depleted atoms. Results of study would enable Boeing to renew reflective paint of future spacecraft which might need to function for 10 to 20 yrs. (Boeing Release S-0788)
Time was ripe for U.S.-European space partnership, William Leavitt said in Air Force and Space Digest. "Europe... seems to be working, at long last, toward the creation of a European 'NASA' that would bring together the expertise, and create a focus for energies and' resources, of the principal European countries." In U.S., "prestige-fired fiscal support of multibillion-dollar space projects is rapidly shrinking." There was opportunity for real partnership. "More cooks in today's kitchen would enrich the broth. To such a combination, the U.S. could bring its vast experience of the past decade and certainly some significant funding, even in a tightened money situation. The Europeans could bring fresh enthusiasm, a good deal of skill, financial support, and developmental philosophies that might be a good deal more. frugal, since they have been accustomed to small budgets. Money and time could be saved all round." (AF/SD, 10/70, 66-7)
NAS announced appointment of special committee for celebration of Copernicus Quinquecentennial in 1973 to "facilitate participation of U.S. science in national and international observations. . and to propose and implement plans... to explain... the significance of the work of Copernicus in the history of science." (NAS-NRC-NAE News Rpt, 10/70, 1)
Progress of Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP) was described in Astronautics & Aeronautics by ESSA scientist David S. Johnson. NASA's ITOS I, launched Jan. 23, was in sun-synchronous orbit. Operational sounding capability would be added to system in 1972. Third-generation operational satellite was planned for 1975 launch. Synchronous Meteorological Satellite scheduled for 1972 launch would be operational prototype of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite that would complement ITOS I. Initially, U.S. would keep one geostationary spacecraft operating continuously. It was hoped second would be launched before first GARP global experiment scheduled for one-year period about 1976. France and Japan were considering synchronous satellites for first GARP global experiment. ESRO and U.K. might build polar-orbit meteorological satellites for experiment. U.S.S.R. was operating meteorological satellites in quasi-polar orbit and was developing sounding instruments. Space-based observing system apparently would furnish major portion of data for GARP global experiment, by which time "U.S. operational meteorological satellite system will approach the coverage needed, except for the four synchronous satellites. Promising signs of significant contributions towards these have come from other countries." (A&A, 10/70, 28-32)
Work of NASA's six regional Dissemination Centers was described in Mechanical Engineering. Part of NASA's specialized information services, centers had been established at universities and nonprofit research institutes "to help potential users of new technology obtain it in packages appropriate to their needs." Cost of individual retrospective searches of full NASA file averaged $200, charged against minimum annual client fee commitment. Client could be kept current in particular subject for about $80 per month. Computer tapes bearing 6000 or more new monthly citations of scientific and technical reports were searched each month by machine matching "interest profile" of client's objectives against indexed descriptions of aerospace researchers' findings. (Kotel, Mechanical Engineering, 10/70,16-23)
First Doctor of Civil Law degree in field of air and space law was awarded by McGill Univ. in Montreal to George S. Robinson, Jr., of Alexandria, Va. (Vienna [Va.] Globe, 1/7/71,1)
Stages in development of Soviet space stations were described by Boris Petrov in Soviet Academy of Sciences journal Vestnik Akademii Nauk SSSR: "First ... small stations... with three to twelve men, with a period of existence of from one month to a year or slightly longer, will be put into circumterrestrial orbit.... Well elaborated and tested compartments of space vehicles and individual stages of carrier rockets will be used as the main units of those stations." Orbital stations could be orbited in assembled state by carrier rockets or in parts, with one or two dockings. Station crew could be delivered by transport space vehicle and crews exchanged. One of main tasks of stations would be medical and biological experiments. Orbital stations would be created "of block design. assembled in circumterrestrial orbit in parts," with maximum 10-yr life and 12- to 20-member crew. Petrov saw advisability "of very large multipurpose orbital base stations" for crews of 50 to 70 and, ultimately 100 to 120. U.S.S.R. had in view not simply space station but system of space stations. (AF Mag, 6/71, 54-9)
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