Apr 16 1969
From The Space Library
NASA would require $5- to $5.6-billion annual budget "within three years" for simultaneous development of orbiting space station and lunar exploration in 1970 and onward, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, Dr. Homer E. Newell, said in Washington Post interview. (Cohn, W Post, 4/17/69, A3)
Aerobee 150 MI sounding rocket launched by NASA from WSMR with VAM-20 booster carried Naval Research Laboratory payload to 117.0-mi (188.3-km) altitude to record white-light corona of sun from three to nine solar radii with package containing two externally occulted coronagraphs and three related experiments. Rocket and instruments functioned satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt SRL)
NASA noted new level of maturity in conduct of Apollo 8 mission, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, Dr. Homer E. Newell, told National Space Club in Washington, D.C. "We got the feeling that the people . . . handling the operations had now a new tool that fit the hand." Maturing of total space capability was seen in use of Pioneers and earth orbiting satellites during Apollo 8 "to keep track of what the sun was doing so that the directors of the Apollo operation could know what radiation conditions in space were relative to . . . crew safety." Mission also used weather satellites and communication satellites, "not only to transmit pictures . . but also as an integral part of the operation, to transmit data. . . ." Asked NASA's priority on space station versus lunar exploration in view of increase in funding request for lunar landing program, Dr. Newell said: "Now you have touched upon what I think is going to be the most difficult question for the country to resolve in the months ahead." There was general agreement that manned space flight should continue. Debate would be over whether it would be done by continued lunar exploration, earth orbital operations, or both. "Our own feeling is that the country ought to do both. Certainly after having put all the investment into landing a man on the moon and developing the capability to do so we must continue to explore the moon. And we cannot foresee any reasonable or rational national program in which we do not continue that exploration. At the same time . . . we haven't finished developing the manned space flight capability. We have got to . . . get that permanent foothold in space and that is where the space station comes in." (Transcript)
LaRC and JPL announced formation of management teams to direct Viking Mars 1973 program to send two instrumented lander-and-orbiter spacecraft to Mars in 1973. LaRC had responsibility for overall project management and for lander portion of spacecraft. JPL would manage orbiter portion and tracking and data acquisition. James S. Martin, Jr." was LaRC project manager, with Henry W. Norris named Viking orbiter manager at JPL. (NASA Release 69-54; JPL Release 512)
MSFC announced award of eight-month identical $400,000 contracts to Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp. and Bendix Corp. for preliminary design and definition studies of dual-mode lunar roving vehicles. DLRV Would provide mobility for one astronaut on lunar surface and could be operated by remote control from earth while making automated, long-range traverses of large lunar areas. DLRC would be delivered to moon aboard Apollo M. After astronauts left, it would be placed in remote control for geological and geophysical trips of 600 mi or more for one year, during which it would collect up to 200 lbs of lunar samples and measure lunar terrain. It would then rendezvous with manned spacecraft and transfer samples for return to earth for analysis. (MSFC Release 69-110)
At closed session of Senate Armed Services Committee Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr." Secretary of the Air Force, and Gen. John P. McConnell, Air Force Chief of Staff, said development of new intercontinental supersonic bomber was "perhaps our most urgent requirement." Aircraft, with proposed ABM system, would "provide insurance against unexpected Soviet developments." (Homan, W Post, 4/17/69, A9)
U.S.S.R. announced it would conduct series of rocket tests in Pacific from April 17 to June 15. Aircraft and ships were asked to avoid 55-nm-dia circular area north of Midway Island with center at 35°23' north latitude and 172°24' west longitude. (UPI, W News, 4/17/69, 9; SBD Space Log supplement, 4/18/69)
At Vienna peace conference, following three-day secret talks, AEC member Gerald F. Tape and Dr. Yevgeny K. Fedorov, head of Soviet Weather Bureau, issued joint communique expressing concern about amount of harmful radioactivity that would be released by nuclear explosions when used for such projects as canal digging. Tape predicted widespread use of nuclear explosion for benefit of nonnuclear countries was still five years away; Fedorov said Soviet technology would permit general use of some types before 1974, but applications would come later. (Hamilton, NYT, 4/17/69, 8)
MIT and USN unveiled in Boston computerized guidance and control system to enable pilot of deep-diving rescue vessel to rendezvous and dock with disabled submarines at depths to 5,000 ft. It would be used in Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles new class of USN Submarines scheduled for first test dive in June 1969. (Wilford, NYT, 4/17/69, 94; W Post, 4/17/69, A4)
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