Oct 13 1970
From The Space Library
NASA Hq. press briefing cited background events leading to scheduled U.S.-U.S.S.R. Moscow meeting on compatible space docking procedures and hardware [see Oct. 12]. Arnold W. Frutkin, Assistant Administrator for International Affairs, said government to-government discussions with U.S.S.R. had begun in 1962 "when some substantive possibilities were explored and... first agreements were reached." These had included coordinated meteorological satellite projects, joint mapping of earth's magnetic field in space for joint use of Echo satellites, and joint approach to publication of U.S. and U.S.S.R. achievements in space medicine and biology. There had been "continuing overtures" since 1962, which "moved to a more accelerated pace beginning in... April 1970, when Dr. Paine took a personal interest in the problem and addressed a number of letters... to academician Keldysh... President of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union." Compatible docking procedures had been discussed for first time by Or. Paine and Soviet academician Dr. Anatoly A. Blagonravov in New York in April 1970. Subject had been discussed on subsequent Moscow visits by Dr. Philip Handler, NAS President; Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator; and Apollo 8 Astronaut Frank Borman. First formal proposal for exploration of subject had been made by Dr. Paine in letter to Keldysh July 31, 1970. Frutkin said U.S.S.R. had chosen compatible docking for discussion out of "long list of initiatives from the U.S. side." Space rescue and joint experiments had not been discussed. Release of news of impending U.S.-U.S.S.R. discussions [at future IAF space rescue committee meeting] from IAF conference in Constance, Germany, Oct. 8 had been coincidence; NASA overtures had been direct, not through IAF. (Transcript)
NASA announced it was conducting experiments with NCAR to locate high-flying balloons and measure atmospheric pressure and temperature via IRLS (interrogation, recording, and location system) on board orbiting Nimbus IV satellite. Thirteen balloons, carrying 4.5-kg (10-lb) balloon interrogation packages (BIP), had been launched May 27 through July 8 from Ascension Island and had been floating around earth at altitudes of 20 700-24 000 m (68 000-79 000 ft). Seven were still flying and four were still transmitting to Nimbus IV. Fifteen more balloons were being readied for mid-October launch. Experiment was expected to provide extensive data on global wind circulation for research to improve worldwide weather forecasting. (NASA Release 70-169)
President Nixon praised ICAO's action calling on member states to take strong measures against international aircraft hijacking, in letter to ICAO Council President Walter Binaghi: "I have instructed my representatives to put before the Organization's Legal Committee a draft convention which would implement these principles." (PD, 10/19/70,1372-3)
Apollo 13 astronauts, on European goodwill tour, arrived in Dublin for three-day visit that would include meeting with clergyman who had held all-night vigil for them during Apollo 13 mission abort. (Reuters, NYT, 10/14/70)
NASA sources quoted by New York Times said Soyuz IX Cosmonauts Andrian G. Nikolayev and Vitaly 1. Sevastyanov-due in Washington, D.C., Oct. 18 for 10-day NASA tour-had not yet accepted NASA invitation to visit KSC. Acceptance would signify thaw in U.S.U.S.S.R. space relations, since there was tacit understanding that U.S.S.R. would have to reciprocate with invitation to tour Soviet launch facilities. (NYT, 10/1470)
October 13-15. Technical symposium on blackout of radio communications with spacecraft and missiles during atmosphere entry was held at LaRC. (Langley Researcher, 10/16/70, 1)
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