Aug 23 1971
From The Space Library
Apollo 15 Astronauts James B. Irwin, Alfred M. Worden, and David R. Scott addressed National Press Club luncheon in Washington, D.C., before flying to New York for official welcome by city and appearance at U.N. Scott called for greater cooperation in space and said he looked forward to flight with Soviet cosmonaut. "I know six cosmonauts personally, and I would be glad to fly with any one of them any day. And I hope we get that chance." Scott said core sample 3 m (81/2 ft) long he had brought from moon contained 55 separate layers of soil that illustrated last 2.4 billion yrs of lunar history. Layers, discovered through x-ray examination, would show changes occurring over billions of years in sun's radiation as it hit lunar surface. Later, in telephone interview with Washington Post, LRL scientist Dr. John F. Lindsay said layers ranged in thickness from 12.7 mm (1/2 in) to 127 mm (5 in) with each stratum probably representing different meteorite impact on lunar surface. While no analysis of core could be made until it was opened by geologists in January, Dr. Lindsay said x-rays had indicated that Scott had not drilled through solid rock. (UPI, NYT, 8/24/71, 25; Auerbach, W Post, 8/24/71, A3)
NASA had laid off approximately 740 employees effective Oct. 1 to reduce to authorized FY 1972 level of 28 352, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. MSC had dismissed 132; MSFC, 197; GSFC, 149; LeRC, 123; LaRC, 54; ARC, 78; FRC, 12; and NASA Pasadena Office, 2. Force reductions at Hq. and rise had been made entirely through attrition. (Av Wk, 8/23/71, 21)
U.S.S.R. had improved reliability and performance of Molniya I comsat; expanded network of Orbita system ground receiving stations to 35, including Cuban station and station at Ulan Bator in Mongolia; and would build six to eight additional ground stations annually for indefinite period, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. Mongolian station had been activated in February 1970. (Av Wk, 8/23/71, 51-2)
President Nixon sent memorandum and statement of Government patent policy to heads of executive departments and agencies. Improvements in 1963 policy statement would provide agency heads with authority to permit contractors greater rights to inventions where necessary to achieve use or where equitable circumstances justified, additional guidance in promoting use of Government-sponsored inventions, clarification of states' and municipal governments' rights in Federal Government-licensed inventions, and more definitive data base for evaluating patent policy's administration and effectiveness. (PD, 8/30/71, 1209)
August 23-24: Scientific results from Oao 2 were reported during Univ. of Massachusetts symposium held in conjunction with AAS conference. GSFC, Lehigh Univ., and Univ. of Wisconsin scientists reported discovery of "black hole" in space, remnant of star that had shrunk to such density that no light could leave it. Black hole would be result of collapsing process in which material remaining from burned-out star was drawn in upon itself by its own gravity. Densities of black holes were said to be so great that globe with 3.2-km (2-mi) radius could collapse to size of pinhead and still retain its original mass. (NYT, 9/2/71, 14)
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 31
