Mar 13 1969
From The Space Library
Shortly after Apollo 9 splashdown [see March 3-13] Dr. George E. Mueller, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, told press at MSC, mission was "as successful a flight as . . any of us have ever seen." It had "fully achieved all of its primary objectives and in numerical count, we accomplished more than the planned number of detailed test objectives." Apollo Program would move toward greater scientific content each mission as NASA developed its capabilities. ". . we have been remarkably successful thus far in the Apollo Program. The hardware has worked better than anyone should have expected, and better than any of us did expect." Mission profile for Apollo 10, scheduled for launch May 17, would be released March 24 after careful evaluation of Apollo 9 results. "We are doing the planning for . . . 10 vehicles beyond Apollo 11." After first landing NASA would stretch out flight schedule to allow time to make modifications and to understand results, with about two or three landings per year. NASA had equipment for scientific payloads for first four Apollo vehicles-of which two would land in lunar maria and two in highland areas-which would provide capability for later pinpoint landings at points of unique scientific interest outside Apollo landing zone. NASA would emplace on lunar surface network of 10 seismographs, series of heat-measuring probes, cameras, and other geophysical instruments to determine environment of lunar surface. Astronauts would wear new, "constant volume" spacesuits which would enable them to move around lunar surface very freely to conduct experiments. (Transcript)
Listen to the press conference on this day with George E. Mueller, Samuel C. Phillips, Robert Gilruth and Eberhard Rees
Apollo 9 Commentary Flight transcript
Apollo 9 Composite Flight transcript
Apollo 9 Lunar Module flight recorder transcript
Apollo 9 Command Module flight recorder transcript pt1
Apollo 9 Command Module flight recorder transcript pt2
Dr. Lee A. DuBridge, President's Science Adviser, told AIAA board luncheon in Washington, D.C." that President's Space Task Group had forged ahead with plans for new space program by Apollo Program's end but he did not see specific mechanism in Nixon Administration for handling "tremendous" aviation problems. He had raised question at first Task Group meeting, but budget squeeze had cut DOT request for civil aviation research by two-thirds. Noise would be dealt with by Cabinet-level committee on environmental quality. President Nixon was "anxious to extend our technical and scientific collaboration with other nations." Recent visit to U.S.S.R. by U.S. scientists had led to plans for more extensive collaboration in high-energy physics. (A&A, 4/69, 5; AIAA PIO)
NASA Aerobee 150 sounding rocket launched from WSMR with Naval Research Laboratory experiment collected data that led to discovery of x-ray pulsar in Crab Nebula. Sounding rocket carried several UV detectors and gas proportional counters to 103-mi (153.5-km) altitude to obtain x-ray spectra in Crab Nebula, region in galactic plane, region near cluster of galaxies, and region toward earth. All detectors gave good data and NRL scientists later reported pulsations were observed at frequency closely matching radio and optical pulsations with 5% of total x-ray power of nebula appearing in pulsed component. Pulsations included main pulse and interpulse separated by about 12 milliseconds. (NASA Rpt gm; Fritz, Henry, Meekins, Chubb, Friedman, Science, 5/9/69, 709-12)
Orr E. Reynolds, NASA Director of Bioscience Programs, OSSA, testified before Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications of House Committee on Science and Astronautics that species used in NASA Biosatellite II radiation experiments-drosophila, lysogenic bacteria, flour beetles, neurospora, and spiderwort-had been used as biological experiments on Zond V. "The fact that both nations are using many of the same species of organisms for space radiation studies," he said, "offers a considerable advantage to both for comparison and confirmation of experimental results." Reynolds also said that space flight offered bioscientists only known keys to number of life phenomena, "some fundamentals of life that must be sought here in . . . the space program, because scientists know of no other experimental environment that will serve." Role of gravity in life processes, cyclical behavior of living organisms, and origin and character of life in universe were areas for which NASA had unique research capabilities. (Testimony)
Senate approved nuclear nonproliferation treaty without change by vote of 83 to 15, in what Joseph Sterne in Baltimore Sun called most "lopsided" margin accorded to major pact involving U.S.S.R. "since the cold war began." It gave President Nixon "clear signal to pursue his policy of 'negotiation rather than confrontation, with the Kremlin." Pact had been signed by 87 nations and ratified by 9. It would go into effect when ratified by U.S." U.S.S.R." U.K." and 40 other nations. (CR, 3/13/69, D180; B Sun,, 3/14/69, Al)
President Nixon transmitted to Congress first annual plan for U.S. participation in World Weather Program: "This project, and our role in it . . . have great political significance." Program had "developed into a most impressive example of international cooperation. On a scale never attempted until this decade, scientists and governments in many countries are joining hands across national boundaries to serve the entire human community. Their example should be instructive for all of us as we pursue lasting peace and order for our world." (PD, 3/17/69, 399-400)
MSFC announced it had completed negotiations with North American Rockwell Corp. Rocketdyne Div. on $4,075,490 contract modification extending F-1 engine deliveries through June 1970 to align engine effort to stretchout in production rate of Saturn V boosters. F-1 engines for initial order of 15 Saturn V boosters had been slated for April 1969 delivery. MSFC also announced award of $1,239,045 contract modification to IBM for work in connection with 31 launch-vehicle data adapters and 31 launch-vehicle digital computers. Adjustments, necessitated by changes in Apollo launch schedule, provided for streamlining contractor's plan for product identification control and accounting system. (MSFC Releases 69-78, 69-81)
Senate confirmed nomination of former NASA Associate Administrator for Advanced Research and Technology James M. Beggs as Under Secretary of Transportation. (CR, 3/13/69, S2833)
Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr." Secretary of the Air Force, resigned as president of AIAA. Letter of resignation said, "It is not in the best interest of either the Air Force or the AIAA for me to continue with AIAA responsibility." AIAA board of directors elected Dr. Ronald Smelt, Vice President and Chief Scientist, Lockheed Aircraft Corp." to replace Dr. Seamans. (AIAA Release)
Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) claimed world heavy-lift helicopter record for U.S.S.R., citing 68,266-lb payload carried to 9,675-ft altitude by V-12 helicopter at 595-ft-per-min rate of climb. Four world records in 15-, 20-, 25-, and 30-ton-weight categories at 2,950-m altitude also were claimed. (AFJ, 3/22/69, 6)
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