Apr 6 1973
From The Space Library
The U.S. and Brazil governments confirmed the Memorandum of Understanding signed by NASA and the Brazilian Institute for Space Research March 27. The agreement called for extension of a cooperative project in earth resources remote sensing. (NASA Release 73-82)
NASA announced the appointment of Edward Z. Gray, Assistant to the President of Grumman Aerospace Corp., as Assistant Administrator for Industry Affairs and Technology Utilization, effective April 16. Gray, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, had been with NASA's Office of Manned Space Flight for four years before joining Grumman in 1967. From 1940 to 1963 he was with Boeing Co. (NASA Release 73-54)
The Senate confirmed the nomination of Col. Michael Collins (USAF, R.) to be a brigadier general. Gen. Collins, Apollo 11 command module pilot, was Director of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. (CR, 4/6/73, 56858; NASA Astronauts)
Discovery of the most distant quasar yet detected was reported in the British journal Nature by Univ. of Arizona astrophysicists. Quasar OH471 appeared to be receding from the Milky Way galaxy at a speed 910/0 of the speed of light. The previous most distant quasar had been calculated to be receding at an 89% speed. (Carswell, Strettmatter, Nature, 4/6/73, 394)
NASA Associate Deputy Administrator Willis H. Shapley testified on improved opportunities and working conditions for black employees at NASA's tracking and data-acquisition station near Johannesburg, South Africa, before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Africa: "We believe that since 1971 we have made reasonable advances in obtaining the cooperation of the South-African authorities in efforts to improve conditions for blacks employed at the station. While the situation will never be satisfactory to us as long as South Africa's apartheid practices continue, we believe that within the constraints of the existing situation ... some concrete gains have been achieved and others will follow.” (Testimony)
President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of Dr. Fred C. Ickle to be Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. The nomination was confirmed June 30. Ickle, a RAND Corp. executive and former Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, would succeed Gerard C. Smith, who had resigned. (PD, 4/16/73, 340, 378; Kilpatrick, W Post, 4/7/73, A2; CR, 6/30/73, 512726)
The dismantling of the Federal fellowship program would liquidate some excesses but, "on balance, is a destructive move" at a time "when the need for some kinds of scientists and engineers is actually growing;" a Science editorial said. "After Sputnik was launched, this nation engaged in a frantic effort to expand its scientific capabilities. For a number of years government funds available for research in the physical and biomedical sciences increased rapidly. At the same time, the Apollo program was implemented. These developments created a shortage of scientists and engineers." When Government support ceased to grow and unemployment arose, those in the Government who wanted to dismantle the fellowship program had had a useful excuse. But the unemployment argument was no longer valid. "The index of employment opportunities has climbed above 100. In some regions there already are shortages of engineers." In years ahead, "this nation will encounter many unexpected problems requiring the skills of scientists and engineers. We may well come to regret bitterly the fact that we have been unable to do better than follow destructive blow-hot, blow-cold educational policies. We should adopt the more realistic assumption that this nation must have good science, good medicine, and good engineering, and we should make it possible for the top students, regardless of financial ability, to participate.” (Abelson, Science, 4/6/73, 13)
April 6-13: Two satellites, five aircraft, and ten surface vessels were used to study the New York Bight. The waters extending from Staten Island to more than 32 km (20 mi) east of Asbury Park, N.J.-used as a dump for sewer sludge, acid wastes, and dredging and excavation materials were dyed green. Water circulation at and near the surface was mapped to plan balanced use of the coastal environment and to assess the impact of natural and man-made substances on the coastal zone. Data gathered by sensors on the aircraft and on ERTS 1 (launched July 23, 1972) and Noaa 2 (launched Oct. 15, 1972) were checked for accuracy by measurements gathered by surface vessels. The program was managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with participation by NASA and the Navy, Environmental Protection Agency, Coast Guard, Federal Aviation Administration, and State of New Jersey. (NOAA Release 73-60)
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