Nov 12 1973
From The Space Library
Kennedy Space Center ground crews working to replace eight damaged fins discovered on the Skylab 4 Saturn IB launch vehicle Nov. 6 discovered additional cracks in seven of eight structural beams in the aft intersection of the rocket. Because of the new discovery and the subsequent necessary examinations and evaluations of other susceptible sections of the rocket, Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider announced at a KSC press briefing a further postponement of the Nov. 15 launch. A new launch date would be set after the situation was assessed. Director of Launch Operations Walter J. Kapryan said that the newly discovered cracks might have been the "result of residual stresses left in the forgings from the fabrication process." (Transcript)
Richard C. McCurdy, Associate Administrator for Organization and Management since Oct. 1, 1970, had resigned effective Dec. 12, NASA announced. In accepting the resignation, Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, said: "He brought much to NASA in managerial know-how from his former capacity as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Shell Oil Company. . .. He made NASA a better organization-in our dealing with industry and in our handling of internal affairs." (NASA Ann)
Ames Research Center biologists Paul H. Deal and Kenneth A. Souza had discovered an earth organism that could survive and grow in an environment resembling that of the outer planets of the solar system, NASA announced. The rod-shaped bacteria were swimming, growing, and reproducing in a highly alkaline solution of sodium hydroxide. The atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus were believed by some scientists to be highly alkaline. The discovery renewed questions of possible life on Jupiter, since the planet's extreme alkalinity had been cited as a major deterrent to life. (NASA Release 73-238)
Johnson Space Center announced a $4 374 813, one-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee extension to its contract with Boeing Co. for reliability, quality assurance, and safety engineering support services at JSC. The extension increased funding of the multiyear contract to $12 452 722. (JSC Release 73-146)
The National Science Foundation released Research and Development in Industry 1971: Funds, 1971; Scientists & Engineers, January 1972 (NSF 73-305). Industry spent $18.3 billion on R&D activities in 1971- a gain of 1% over the 1970 level. Company R&D funds increased by 4% 1970-1971, with the companies financing 58% of total U.S. R&D effort; R&D decreased only in the aircraft and missiles industry. Aircraft firms spent 6% less on R&D in 1971 than in 1970. The ratio of R&D spending to net sales had declined steadily from its 1964 peak. In 1971 the ratio was 3.5%-the lowest since 1957. The number of R&D scientists and engineers in industry also continued to decline. Between January 1969 and January 1972 the number decreased by 9%, to 325 200. During this period R&D professionals in the aircraft industry dropped by 27%. (Text)
NASA launched two Aerobee 170 sounding rockets from Woomera, Australia. The first carried a Univ. of Wisconsin astronomy experiment to a 171.9-km (106.8-mi) altitude. The second, launched 50 min later, carried a Naval Research Laboratory astronomy experiment to a 154.5-km (96.mi) altitude. Both rockets and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off)
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