Mar 12 1967
From The Space Library
Apollo program was six months behind schedule because of Jan. 27 accident, but time could be made up later, MSFC Director Dr. Wernher von Braun told Stuttgart, West Germany, audience. In Stuttgart to receive gold Boelsche medal for scientific achievement, Dr. von Braun said: "We have in no way lost our chance to fulfill the mission given to us: the landing of a man on the moon in this decade. I admit that the time has become tight. If further snags develop, this decade may run out . . . [but] we are firmly resolved not to take any undue risks." (AP, B Sun, 3/13/67; UPI, C Trib, 3/13/67)
Technology gap was beginning to strain U.S.-European relations, Henry R. Lieberman wrote in the New York Times. Western Europeans, he said, expressed fear that "a widening gulf threatens to leave them further and further behind as the United States assumes command of the future by its grip on the `high technologies'-computers, microelectronics, space, communications, nuclear energy, aircraft." Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara had suggested that Europeans' complaint "is that we are so surpassing them in industrial development that we will eventually create a technological imperialism." Noting that Europeans' frustration and resentment might cause increased nationalism, Lieberman cited recent warning by Vice President Humphrey: "Unless we are careful, our concept of the Atlantic partnership can be eroded by the fear and concern about the power of the American capital and technology." (Lieberman, NYT, 3/12/67, 1)
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos CXLVII into orbit with 317-km (197-mi) apogee, 198-km (123 mi) perigee, 89.5-min period, and 65° inclination. Equipment functioned normally. Satellite reentered Mar. 21 (UPI, NYT, 3/14/67,3; GSFC SSR, 3/31/67)
March 12 At the insistence of Sen. Albert Gore (D-Tenn.), the Senate Foreign Relations Committee agreed to qualify in its forthcoming report its interpretation of two clauses in the space law treaty [see March 71. One clause questioned said benefits of space exploration "shall be the province of all mankind"; the other said that each nation would be liable for damages to another caused by its space vehicles. Committee specified that (1) nothing would "diminish or alter the right of the United States to determine how it shares the benefits and results of its space activities"; and (2) damage "pertains only to physical, non-electronic damage." Senator Gore had suggested that if there were two competing US. and Soviet space communications networks, one nation might sue the other for damage from electronic interference of one system on the other. (W Post, 3/14/67, A7; Finney, NYT, 3/14/67, 20)
NASA was negotiating nine-month, $275,000 contract with Planning Research Corp. to identify, analyze, and evaluate potential economic returns from possible space station activities in mid-1970's. Earth-oriented application areas such as natural resources, meteorology, and communications would be considered as they might affect both the national and world economy. Univ. of Michigan would be major sub-contractor to Planning Research in technical feasibility of remote sensing. Contract would be managed by OMSF Advanced Manned Missions Program. (NASA Release 6754)
NASA had agreed to fly four DOD experiments on Apollo Applications (AA) missions to support USAF's Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL), Aviation Week reported; more would be added. Experiments selected to date included: study of an inflatable elastic air lock; use of alternate restraints to determine standard workshop technique in weightlessness; evaluation of suit donning and sleep stations; and integration of multi-purpose equipment maintenance. (NASA Proj Off; Av Wk, 3/13/67,18)
Advanced Defense Satellite Communications Project (ADSCP) currently being revised by DOD was expected to reach capacity of 100-200 voice grade circuits, according to Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Aviation Week reported. In letter to Rep. Chet Holifield (D-Calif.) McNamara said that capacity expansion was being made in accordance with recommendations by House Government Operations Committee's Subcommittee on Military Operations. (Committee Off.; Av Wk, 3/13/67, 12)
Technology Week editorial criticized Los Angeles Times editor Marvin Miles' accusation that Jan. 27 Apollo accident was caused in large part by NASA's shortsightedness and that NASA was trying to hide its negligence. "Mr. Miles discusses the hatch hazard and NASA's failure to provide an explosive hatch and its failure to develop a fire suppression system. Then comes the ringing finale . . . `The nation should be told the whole truth.' "It is our impression that the agency is trying valiantly to come up with just such information and we don't understand the implication of a Cover-up. Editorial noted that in the past NASA had often been criticized for being too stringent and that despite d precautions, "something somewhere went wrong. . . . "We think the agency's standard of conduct has been high. Its statement before Congress was a frank and honest appraisal of the fact that, despite very strong efforts, somehow it had failed to take the steps to protect against the unlikely chain of circumstances that led to disaster." (Coughlin, Tech Wk, 3/13/67,50)
Dr. Marshall L. Rosenbluth, Univ. of California at San Diego, was selected to receive Princeton Univ. Institute for Advanced Study's $5,000 Albert Einstein Award for 1967 for his outstanding contributions in the area of plasma physics." Selection of Dr. Rosenbluth, who helped develop the hydrogen bomb, was announced by Dr. Carl Kaysen, Director of the Institute. (AP, W Post, 3/14/67, A9)
Final report of New England Assembly on Nuclear Proliferation endorsed a nonproliferation treaty as "a modest but progressive stride toward nuclear control," and urged that US. cancel Project Plowshare program of peaceful nuclear explosions, the Washington Post reported. Assembly concluded: "No present or immediate economic gains are apparent that are worth the political costs. We recommend that implementation of this program be stopped and not resumed unless its economic value is proven and suitable international controls agreed to." (McElheny, W Post, 3/13/67, AS)
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