Apr 14 1980
From The Space Library
NASA reported that it was studying options for restructuring the Landsat D project because of persistent engineering and management problems in manufacturing the spacecraft instruments and ground systems. Fourth and most advanced of NASA's experimental Earth-resources monitoring spacecraft, Landsat D was designed to carry an advanced scanner called a thematic mapper, to provide Earth images in more spectral bands and with twice the resolution (30 meters) of earlier Landsats. Hughes Aircraft problems with the mapper resulted in increased cost estimates and delivery delays. Mission-system contractor General Electric was also having problems and had projected schedule delays that would increase costs of both the flight system and the ground system it was building for Landsat D. Both sets of problems would effect Landsat D's launch schedule, increasing the risk of a gap in data for present users. Landsat 3, launched in March 1978, was still operating but had had problems with its sensor, a multispectral scanner that collected data for conversion to images of Earth's natural resources.
NASA was considering three possibilities: launch Landsat D as soon as possible with a thematic mapper and a multispectral scanner like that carried on Landsat 3; launch Landsat D as soon as possible with only a multispectral scanner, following as soon as possible with another Landsat carrying the thematic mapper and a multispectral scanner; or launch Landsat D with Landsat D Prime (the backup) each carrying only a multispectral scanner. The decision weighing budget constraints against providing an ongoing Landsat Data capability should take weeks, NASA said, including consultations with NOAA, which President Carter had designated to manage a follow-on remote sensing satellite system. (NASA Release 80-46)
JSC announced the award of a $63,640,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to Canadian Commercial Corporation, Hull, Quebec, for production of three remote-manipulator systems for the Shuttle. The system, a. 50-foot jointed arm, would be operable from inside the crew Compartment to deploy or retrieve payloads in space. Under a 1975 agreement between NASA and Canada's National Research Council, Canada would develop the first flight unit of the remote manipulator and provide it free to NASA; NASA would buy additional systems from Canada as necessary. (JSC Release 80-023; NASA Release 80-47)
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