Oct 18 1971
From The Space Library
Heart problems encountered by Apollo 15 astronauts necessitated changes in diet and exercise regimen for Apollo 16 astronauts, Dr. Charles A. Berry, NASA Director of Life Sciences, said in speech before annual clinical meeting of American College of Surgeons in Atlantic City, N.J. All three Apollo 15 astronauts had experienced drops in potassium levels during July 26-Aug. 7 mission. Astronaut James B. Irwin had developed cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart-beat) for one minute after he returned to CM from lunar surface and ventricular contractions (premature heartbeats) for following hour. Astronaut David R. Scott also had developed cardiac contractions during mission. Because of findings, first Apollo 16 EVA would be shortened, astronauts would rest full eight hours between moonwalks, and more potassium would be added to Apollo 16 diet. (McGehan, B Sun, 10/19/71, A5)
Scientists and engineers at MIT described planned Apollo 17 surface electrical properties experiment to probe for water on moon, in telephone interview with New York Times. Experiment consisted of 6.8- kg (15-lb) radio transmitter with four 35-m (115-ft) lengths of wire which astronaut was to unreel on lunar surface in X pattern as antenna. Radio signals at varying frequencies would be beamed into lunar surface. Small receiver on LRV would receive signals bounced back from beneath lunar surface and signals would be recorded by tape recorder on LRV. Pattern, timing, and strength of reflected signals were expected to indicate presence of water, if any, and kind of material in lunar subsurface. Times said experiment's importance had been heightened by Oct. 15 announcement of discovery of water vapor on moon. (Wilford, NET, 10/19/71, 29)
NASA board investigating Jan. 23 helicopter crash in Indian River near KSC-in which pilot, Astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, escaped injury-had named misjudgment in estimating altitude as primary cause, NASA announced. Mitigating factors were lack of familiar objects on Indian River surface to help pilot judge altitude, possible visual focusing on false water surface because of water's smoothness, change in sun reflection on water caused by change in course, and possibility that Cernan's experience with high-speed aircraft might have contributed to altitude misjudgment in slower craft. Board said Cernan's survival training as astronaut and naval aviator was major factor in his escape from submerged wreckage and burning fuel. (NASA Release 71-206)
NASA announced receipt of three proposals for design and fabrication of two experimental, transport, STOL research aircraft with propulsive lift-from McDonnell Douglas Corp., from Boeing Co. with Grumman Corp., and from Lockheed Aircraft Corp. with North American Rockwell Corp., Bell Aerospace Co. Div of Textron, Inc., and Cornell Aeronautical Laboratories, Inc. Aircraft would provide data and experience for developing environmentally acceptable, economical, and safe fan-jet STOL transport systems in joint NASA-DOT-FAA-USAF program to relieve noise and congestion at busy airports. (NASA Release 71-207)
President Nixon announced appointment of Coleman duPont Donaldson as member of Air Quality Advisory Board to succeed William O. Doub, who was appointed AEC member Aug. 10. Donaldson, President of Aeronautical Research Assn. of Princeton, Inc., had been head of aerophysics section of NACA Gas Dynamics Laboratory. He had worked recently on development of techniques for computing dispersal of chemically reacting pollutants in atmosphere and generation of turbulence. Work had been supported by NASA and Environmental Protection Agency. (PD, 10/25/71, 1426)
NASA wished protocol officials who scheduled President Nixon's trip to Moscow for May could be assigned to handle space cooperation talks as well, Aviation Week & Space Technology said. Magazine quoted NASA official as saying, "Anyone who would schedule the summer session for Houston and the winter session for Moscow just can't be serious about an agreement." (Av Wk, 10/18/71, 11)
USAF Space and Missile Systems Organization planned conceptual design study by industry of spaceborne system for tracking Soviet satellites at altitudes beyond 480-km (300-mi) range of existing ground-based Spacetrack system, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. Five-month study was expected to begin in 1972, magazine said. (Av Wk, 10/18/71, 9)
U.S. technological society was product of past R&D efforts, President Charles A. Anderson of Stanford Research Institute said in Aviation Week & Space Technology editorial. Current assault on U.S. leadership in science and technology was "both external and internal." Western Europe, Japan, and U.S.S.R. were progressing in areas traditionally controlled by U.S. "In radio astronomy, high energy physics and conventional energy research we have already been surpassed. Internally, a new national distaste for science and technology is undermining the national research and development effort." (Av Wk, 10/18/71, 7)
October 18-21: Lunar Science Institute held conference on lunar geophysics at MSC. Scientists said new evidence from Apollo 15 heat flow experiment indicated moon was hotter than expected and might account for melting temperatures within moon and volcanic activity on lunar surface. Thermometers placed in two holes near Hadley Rile had shown that amount of heat from moon was one half that of heat measured from earth. Since moon was one fourth earth's size, relative abundance of radioactive isotopes which generated heat within planet might be greater in moon than in earth. Lunar scientists also were puzzled by area across Sea of Rains and Ocean of Storms several times more radioactive than rest of moon. Dr. James R. Arnold of Univ. of California at San Diego said, "It is not obvious why a whole geographic area on the moon would be different." Dr. John W. Freeman, Jr., of Rice Univ. referred to results of Apollo 12 and 14 suprathermal ion detector experiments that had discovered water vapor on moon [see Oct. 15]. Dr. Gary V. Latham, Apollo program chief seismic investigator, said neither he nor Dr. Freeman could locate source of tiny moonquakes that released gas from beneath lunar surface, including water vapor seen March 7. Dr. Latham described sudden and large surge from lunar surface detected by seismometer in April during series of moonquake swarms. Though he knew of no volcano on moon, he compared event-largest moonquake yet recorded-to volcanic activity on earth. (MSC Release 72-77; Maloney, H Post, 10/19/71; Brett, W Post, 10/21/71, F2)
October 18-29: Team of 10 NASA officials attended Oct. 18 ELDO Symposium on space shuttle technologies in Paris. Officials then divided into four working groups and visited industries in France, Italy, Germany, U.K., the Netherlands, and Belgium to review ELDO-sponsored space shuttle research and European technological capabilities. Team including Adelbert O. Tischler, Chief of Shuttle Technologies, DART; William A. Summerfelt, Engineering Director, Space Shuttle Program Office, OMSF; and James J. Gangler, Materials Branch Chief, Materials and Structures Div., DART. (NASA Release 71-209)
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