Nov 19 1969
From The Space Library
In international reaction to Apollo 12 moon walk Moscow Radio announced landing eight minutes after touchdown, followed with brief progress bulletins, and broadcast seven-minute film on event seven hours after LM landed on moon. Foreigners in Moscow said BBC broadcast was jammed by two stronger stations just before lunar touchdown. Pope Paul VI at Vatican watched astronauts on TV, then knelt for short prayer. He sent message to President Nixon: "Many, many congratulations to you and the American nation on yet another magnificent step for the human race." Sir Bernard Lovell, Director of U.K.'s Jodrell Bank Experimental Station, saluted "precision and accuracy" of Apollo 12 lunar landing. He said, "Until the Russians achieve a rocket with the thrust of the order of Saturn V, or greater, it is unlikely they will be able to stage any manned flight comparable with Apollo." London's morning newspapers put Apollo 12 story well down on front pages in contrast to Apollo 11 banner headlines. In Helsinki, Finland, Soviet diplomats attending strategic arms limitation talks toasted Apollo 12 crew. Tokyo TV dealers expressed unhappiness because repeat of run on color sets after Apollo 11 landing failed to materialize. West German Foreign Minister Walter Scheel said Apollo 12 was an invitation to Europe to organize its own space potential. Egyptian newspapers gave Apollo 12 second billing to continuing conflict with Israel. In Poland millions watched lunar landing by direct TV transmission. In Sweden TV reception was poor and viewer interest lagged. Former Argentine President Arturo U. Illia, in Buenos Aires, called lunar landing "a victory for democracy." Australians watched landing 10 secs before U.S. because of time lag. In France many viewers were unable to watch landing because of electric utility strikes. Moon walk was one of few programs shown on Italian TV during day of general strike. Shah of Iran sent congratulations to President Nixon and Apollo 12 crew for "untiring endeavor." Landing was shown live on Iranian TV. West Germany's Wickert Public Opinion Institute estimated 82% of German adults watched TV shots of lunar landing, 92% watched Apollo 11. It concluded Apollo 12 lacked suspense that attended first moon shot. (AP, B Sun, 11/20/69, Al; Robinson, NYT, 11/20/69, 30; W Post, 11/20/69, A16; Spencer, W Star, 11/21/69, A6)
Reaction to Apollo 12 lunar landing was "almost a ho-hum," Associated Press reported. "It seemed to indicate they are now taking moon voyages for granted." At White House, President and Mrs. Nixon arose before dawn to watch moon walk on TV. President had commented it was "first time anybody has sung from the moon," as Astronaut Charles P. Conrad, Jr., hummed while conducting lunar tasks. In Philadelphia's Franklin Institute, where thousands had gathered in July to watch Apollo 11 lunar landing, only 45 persons showed up to watch Apollo 12. Of 12 New Yorkers interviewed by New York Times, only Bernard Granite of the Bronx had watched lunar landing. He said, "The first one was more exciting. This one was anticlimactic, but I still think they are justified in spending the money." Portland, Ore. secretary Jeanne Paulson said, "I'm at the point where I think the money should go to the poverty program. There are too many starving people in the slum ghettos." Des Moines, Iowa, secretary Eileen Brown said, "The biggest concern seemed to be that they couldn't make the TV work rather than whether they could perform their assignments. What do we think they are up there for, anyway, to put a show on for us?" Police in Los Angeles, Calif., attributed sharp drop in reported crime to Apollo 12 moon landing and walk. In Washington, D.C., McKinley High School teacher said, "This doesn't concern us at all. There are far more important things going on here." Question for his pupils was "whether we will survive to the year 2000." (AP, B Sun, 11/20/69, Al; Robinson, NYT, 11/20/69, 31; W Post, 11/20/69, A16; Spencer, W Star, 11/21/69, A6)
NASA Launch Vehicle Review Board recommended resumption of launch operations for spacecraft using Delta booster. In interim report board said recommendation was based on findings of Failure Review Board which had investigated failures of Delta 71 (July 25) and Delta 73 (Aug. 27). Delta 71, carrying Intelsat-III F-5, had failed because of motor case rupture or nozzle failure; Delta 73, carrying Pioneer E, had failed because of vibrating relief valve which caused hydraulic oil leak. Failure Review Board suggested additional internal insulation, pressure tests, equipment x-rays, installation of specially tested and selected valves, and new acceptance tests of hydraulic system. Next mission scheduled with Delta was U.K.'s Skynet comsat Nov. 21. (NASA Release 69-152)
NASA announced selection of Aerojet-General Corp. to receive $5- illion, cost-plus-award-fee contract for development of advanced optical communications experiment-first laser communications system to be used on satellite. Lasers provided extremely wideband communications function and would be able to transmit hundreds of TV channels around the world, greatly increasing microwave capability. Experiment would be placed on board ATS-F, scheduled for launch in 1972, and could be expanded to include spacecraft-to-spacecraft communications between ATSBF and ATS-G, to be launched in 1974. (NASA Release 69-153)
Delegation of 10 Soviet scientists visited Brookhaven National Laboratory at Upton, N.Y. During luncheon they peered through microscope at 12-gm piece of lunar matter brought back by Apollo 11 for study at laboratory's nuclear research facilities. Scientists were on two-week tour arranged through memorandum of cooperation on peaceful uses of atomic energy. Group of U.S. scientists would pay reciprocal visit to U.S.S.R. early in 1970. (Kaufman, NYT, 11/20/69, 45)
DOD announced Martin Marietta Corp. would receive $2,313,740 supplemental agreement to previously awarded USAF contract for design, development, fabrication, and delivery of Titan III booster. Contract would be managed by Space and Missile Systems Organization. (DOD Release 1003-69)
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