Jul 17 1972
From The Space Library
Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) press conference was held at Manned Spacecraft Center. Participants were Dr. Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., MSC Director; Glynn S. Lunney, ASTP Director for U.S.; Academician Boris N. Petrov, Chairman of Intercosmos Council of Soviet Academy of Sciences; and Konstantin D. Bushuyev, ASTP Director for U.S.S.R. Lunney said that during series of meetings that had begun July 6, U.S. and U.S.S.R. had discussed and agreed on "the technical content of three very important project level documents": project technical proposal that described mission and hardware elements, organizational plan that described how countries would work together in controlling project before and during flight, and schedule of activities. Officials had also concluded "technically detailed documents describing the agreements that we've reached on various systems," such as docking aids, docking targets, control systems, and docking mechanism. Further technical discussions would be held in U.S.S.R. in fall. Preliminary plans called for launch of Apollo spacecraft carrying three astronauts 71/2 hrs after launch of Soyuz with two cosmonauts. Second Soyuz would be ready as backup if Apollo could not be launched during one of three launch opportunities. On Apollo's 14th revolution spacecraft would rendezvous and dock, using U.S.-built docking mechanism on Apollo. After docking, two astronauts would pass through airlock into Soyuz and spend several hours with cosmonauts before returning to Apollo for night. Next day one astronaut and one cosmonaut would exchange places for whole day. After returning to own spacecraft, crews would undock vehicles and complete separate missions. Apollo would probably remain in orbit nine more days and Soyuz about one more day. Docking would be televised. Bushuyev praised "friendly atmosphere" and "wonderful conditions" of meetings and said friendliness was "the greatest achievement and the most important assurance for the success in our future work. The difficult tasks that we are called upon to solve ... would be impossible unless these conditions existed. We are on the first stage of a very long and difficult journey. I believe that the most important thing that we succeeded in achieving so far is the following: We succeeded in identifying and solving those basic and important problems without the solution of which further work ... would be impossible. These various problems which we have now solved will permit us to start the planning, design, and actual construction and manufacture of the various assemblies ... necessary for the realization of our project." (Transcript; NYTNS, W Star, 7/18/72, A4)
Discovery by instruments aboard Uhuru (Explorer 42 Small Astronomy Satellite launched Dec. 12, 1970) of regular pulse rhythm in x-ray pulsar was reported by Washington Post. Pulsar discovered in constellation Hercules by Uhuru in November 1971 pulsed for 9 days; then stopped pulsing for 27 days, in repeated pattern. Cornell Univ. astronomer Dr. Frank D. Drake had said discovery was "every bit as bewildering" as discovery of pulsar itself. "There is no known reason why a star should disappear and then reappear at such regular and predictable times." Possibilities advanced by astronomers included one that pulsar was orbiting another pulsar whose radio waves were unobservable by Uhuru and that second pulsar overwhelmed first for 27 out of 36 days. Second possibility was that Hercules pulsar was outermost of two stars circling third star in egg-shaped orbits and that eccentric orbits and eclipsing behavior of second orbiting star kept Hercules pulsar hidden from earth three fourths of time. Third and most likely possibility was that pulsar wobbled off orbiting path around its fellow star so that it cast beam into space, away from earth, for 27 out of 36 days. (O'Toole, W Post, 7/17/72, Al)
Manned Spacecraft Center announced contract awards for space shuttle work. Three companies had been awarded six-month extensions to contracts for continued development of new surface materials for shuttle orbiter stage. McDonnell Douglas Corp. received $350 000, General Electric Co. Aerospace Group $346 000, and Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. $345 000. Companies would deliver to MSC sample tiles of rigidized reusable surface insulation for special testing. CCI Aerospace Corp. Marquardt Co. had been awarded $181 846, cost-plus-fixed-fee, research and development contract to study helium regulator systems that could be used by shuttle orbiter. Martin Marietta Corp. had received $130 000, firm-fixed-price, R&D contract to design, build, and test couch to be used by passengers on shuttle. (MSC Releases 72-145, 72-146, 72-148)
Completion of 18-mo Skylab vibration and acoustics test program at Manned Spacecraft Center by MSFC-MSC-industry test team was announced. Modal (resonance frequencies) survey operations were conducted using automatic modal tuning analysis system developed to permit control by computer of all modal excitation and data processing on payload assembly. Test marked first time such an extensive test operation had been conducted with computer- controlled system. Skylab hardware cluster would be dismantled and shipped from MSC to MSFC on NASA barge Poseidon around Aug. 4. (MSFC Releases 72-87, 72-90)
American Telephone & Telegraph Co. and Communications Satellite Corp. asked Federal Communications Commission to reconsider its June 16 ruling permitting "multiple entry" of firms into communications satellite field but placing major operating restrictions on AT&T and ComSatCorp. AT&T protested FCC's barring proposed agreement under which ComSatCorp would lease satellites from AT&T and protested limitations on its initial use of satellites. ComSatCorp asked FCC to eliminate what it contended were unjustified restrictive conditions that jeopardized "viable, competitive domestic satellite service." (Shifrin, W Post, 7/18/72, D8)
Issuance of requests for proposals for new astronaut space suit was announced by Manned Spacecraft Center. Companies were asked to develop prototype space suit that would weigh less than 18 kg (40 lbs), be fully mobile with high degree of hand dexterity while pressurized at 55 200 newtons per sq m (8 psi), give trouble-free service in earth orbit for up to one year with 50, six-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) periods, and be repairable in space. (MSC Release 72-152)
West German government would demand that European Launcher Development Organization (ELDO) be scrapped at international space conference scheduled for September in Brussels, Wall Street Journal reported. Spokesman for West German Science Minister Klaus von Dohnanyi had said West Germany would suggest that U.S. rockets be purchased for launching European spacecraft. (WSJ, 7/17/72)
Detroit News editorial commented on Apollo 15 astronauts' carrying unauthorized postal covers on mission: "The trio did not follow through with the script but for the men to even contemplate the scheme was dead wrong. The nation has expended considerable money on them, trained them for national duty and paid them well. No one doubts their courage and skill but the spirit of the whole enterprise is tainted now the truth is out." Paper said NASA should cancel astronaut privilege of carrying personal items to moon on condition they not be used later for commercial purposes. (D News, 7/17/72)
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