Jun 11 1973
From The Space Library
Skylab 3's Saturn IB launch vehicle and Apollo command module were moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center to Launch Complex 39, Pad B, for the July 27 launch of the second Skylab crewAlan L. Bean, Dr. Owen K. Garriott, and Jack R. Lousma. The astronauts would join the Skylab Workshop (orbited May 14) for 56 days of experiments and observations. (KSC Release 124-73; W Post, 6/12/73, A13)
A Chicago Tribune editorial commented on "the brave men of Skylab" as the Skylab 2 astronauts (launched May 25 as the first crew to man the Skylab 1 Workshop launched May 14) continued to conduct experiments in space: In repairing the Workshop's protective shield they had "behaved with such matter-of-fact competence, tinged with homely humor and flashes of exasperation when things refused to go right, that one almost overlooked the fact that this was an act of incredible sustained bravery." (C Trib, 6/11/73)
NASA announced issuance of a request for proposals for an aircraft to replace the instrumented Convair 990 jet aircraft Galileo, lost April 12 in a mid-air collision over Moffett Field, Calif. The request called for a lease-purchase arrangement, for one year with three annual option periods, for an aircraft to make earth and sky surveys with infrared radiometers, microwave radiometers, cameras, telescopes, and other instruments for research and earth resource studies. NASA also was considering modification of any other Government aircraft. The replacement aircraft would be operated by Ames Research Center as a national scientific research facility. (NASA Release 73-116)
Selection of 36 scientists, representing 27 organizations and 4 countries, to define experiments for the Large Space Telescope to be launched by the space shuttle in the 1980s was announced by NASA. The instrument evaluation teams had been selected after evaluation of 118 proposals submitted to NASA'S Space Science and Applications Steering Committee. (NASA Release 73-109)
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Special Subcommittee on the National Science Foundation of the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, introduced S. 1977, $704 million FY 1974 NSF authorization bill. The bill would establish an Energy Research Div. and would authorize not less than $50 million for energy research programs. (CR, 6/11/73, S10810-12)
NASA launched an Aerobee 200A sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. solar physics experiment to a 220.6-km (137.1-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off)
June 11-13: A Workshop on Wind Energy Conversion Systems, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and organized by Lewis Research Center, was held in Washington, D.C. The meetings, attended by scientists and industry and Government representatives from the U.S. and foreign countries, discussed past developments, wind characteristics and siting problems, rotor characteristics, energy conversion systems, small windpower systems for remote and individual applications, wind-power systems for large-scale applications, and tower structures. The object of NSF'S wind energy conversion program was to provide a reliable energy supply, in usable form, at a cost competitive with alternative systems. (NASA Release 73-114)
June 11-15: The Hugh O'Brian Youth Foundation sponsored a seminar at Kennedy Space Center in cooperation with NASA, the U.S. Junior Chambers of Commerce, and the National Assn. of Student Councils. Participants-67 high school sophomores from the U.S. and 6 foreign countries-toured KSC and were briefed on Skylab, the space shuttle, and astronaut training. (KSC Release 127-73)
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