Nov 11 1976
From The Space Library
Ames Research Center announced that a NOAA scientist, Dr. Peter M. Kuhn, had discovered a way to give airplane pilots up to 12 min. warning of air turbulence ahead, during his investigation of infrared radiation emitted from atmospheric water vapor using ARC's Convair aircraft. While measuring background infrared radiation in the atmosphere to define sources of astronomical infrared, Dr. Kuhn had seen sudden drastic changes in water-vapor content followed closely by turbulence. A radiometer in the aircraft wheel well of the Galileo Ii flying laboratory could detect atmospheric infrared from water vapor, and predict accompanying turbulence with an 81% reliability. Experiments with varying infrared wavelengths had permitted detection of turbulence more than 100 km ahead of the plane. The water-vapor anomalies resulted from wave motions in the atmosphere caused by lee waves over high terrain or by sudden shifts in wind speed or direction with resulting friction between adjacent streams of air. Although water-vapor content would usually be fairly constant, the wave motions would thin the vapor in one place and concentrate it in another, making the turbulence detectable. (ARC Release 76-80; Av Wk, 15 Nov 76, 25; NOAH Release 76-251)
NASA announced appointment of Glynn S. Lunney, manager of the Shuttle payload integration and development program office at JSC, as Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Flight at NASA Hq, replacing Dr. William C. Schneider. Dr. Schneider had been assigned as director of project management at GSFC. Lunney's NASA career began at LeRC in 1958; he transferred to the Space Task Group at LaRC in 1959, and moved with that group to JSC. He was manager of the Apollo spacecraft program in 1972, and served as technical director of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. (NASA' Release 76-183; JSC Release 76-71; JSC Roundup, 19 Nov 76, 1)
Despite lower profits in its work on the Space Shuttle and increased losses in business aircraft, Rockwell Intl. reported higher sales and earnings for both the last quarter and the full fiscal year ending 30 Sept. 1976. Earnings were $121.1 million, up 29% in fiscal 1976, and sales increased 8% to a record $5.2 billion. The figures did not include discontinued operations in Rockwell's industrial components area, sold in Dec. 1975. Four of the company's five operating areas reflected better management and lower interest costs: automotive operations, electronics operations, consumer operations, and utility and industrial operations. The aerospace operations figures reflected fewer award-fee opportunities, Rockwell said. (Rockwell Release R-40)
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