Oct 15 1973
From The Space Library
The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 599 from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 276-km (171.5-mi) apogee, 208-km (129.3-mi) perigee, 89.3-min period, and 65.0° inclination. The satellite reentered Oct. 28. Western observers speculated that Cosmos 599, with three other Soviet satellites-Cosmos 596, 597, and 598, launched Oct. 3, 6, and 10-had monitored the Arab-Israeli war that had broken out Oct. 6. The quick succession of launches and recoveries were seen as evidence of almost continuous Soviet observation of the fighting by orbiting cam-eras. A Washington, D.C., source had said that the Cosmos orbits had permitted them to pass over the Middle East several times at altitudes of 196 to 322 km (122 to 200 mi) before reentry. The New York Times said the U.S. also could have been receiving information on the war from an Air Force satellite launched Sept. 27. Cosmos 600, 602, and 603 closely followed the first four Oct. 16, 21, and 27 and were also shortly returned. They were believed to be continuing the observation of tank battles, troop movements, aircraft strike damage, and even of supply centers in the U.S. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/73; SBD, 10/16/73, 228; 10/18/73, 241; 10/24/73, 266; 11/12/73, 60; Wilford, NYT, 10/18/73, 21; Gatland, CSM, 11/13/73)
Three aerospace firms had received eight-month National Science Foundation study contracts to explore use of solar energy to heat, cool, and provide hot water for buildings, Aviation Week & Space Technology re-ported. General Electric Co. would receive $547 000, TRW Inc. $486 000, and Westinghouse Electric Corp. $503 000. Also cooperating would be the Univ. of Pennsylvania, Arizona State Univ., Colorado State Univ., and Carnegie-Mellon Univ. (Av Wk, 10/15/73, 24)
The U.S.S.R. had launched its second nuclear-powered icebreaker, Arktika, in a Leningrad shipyard, Tass reported. The 14.5-million-kg (32-million-lb) ship was part of a growing fleet of modern icebreakers to keep the Arctic seaway open all year for Soviet trade. (FBIS-Sov, 10/30/73, U3; Shabad, NYT, 10/25/73, 4)
A New York Times editorial criticized "boom-and-bust science": Scholar-ship and research were "caught between the penny-pinching of economy-minded conservatives and the hostility of those, at the other end of the spectrum, who equate science expenditures with support of the military. A more realistic view of national needs should make it evident that none of the nation's and the world's critical problems-from environmental issues to the urgent need for food, energy and transportation-will be solved without the innovative contributions of trained minds. The continued boom-and-bust cycles in support of education and research constitute a costly waste of the nation's human resources. Perhaps the President's recent presentation of the National Medal of Science to eleven top scientists-the first such awards since 1970-represents a signal of Administration desire for a sounder approach." (NYT, 10/15/73, 36)
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