Aug 25 1969
From The Space Library
Postmaster General Winton M. Blount announced that "First Man on the Moon" postage stamp would be issued Sept 9 in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with National Postal Forum. Printed from master die carried to moon on Apollo 11 mission (July 16-24), 10-cent airmail stamp would be 50% larger than conventional commemorative stamps and would be dedicated in special ceremony attended by Apollo 11 Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr." and Michael Collins. Post Office had received 500,000 first-day cover requests within three weeks after stamp was announced July 9 and was still receiving 60,000-80,000 requests daily-one-fifth from foreign countries. (PO Dept Release 130)
Dr. Harry H. Hess, Chairman of NAS---NRC Space Science Board and member of NASA's Science and Technology Advisory Committee for Manned Space Flight since 1963, died of heart attack suffered while attending Board meeting at Woods Hole, Mass. Dr. Hess, Blair professor of geology at Princeton Univ., was one of scientists who had analyzed Apollo 11 lunar samples. In 1960 he had advanced theory that volcanic activity on ocean floor caused continental drift. He had been past president of Mineralogical Society of America and of Geological Society of America, chairman of site-selection committee for NSF's Project Mohole, and adviser to numerous other Federal agencies. (UPI, W Post, 8/27/69, A10; Science, 8/29/69, 882)
Robert E. Bernier, former ComSatCorp systems engineer for Intelsat III program, became NASA European Representative in Office of International Affairs. He replaced Clotaire Wood, who would return to Office of Advanced Research and Technology at NASA Hq. Bernier would begin his duties at American Embassy in Paris in early October . (NASA Release 69-125)
Scientist-astronaut Dr. William E. Thornton, who had been grounded in spring, received USAF clearance to continue jet pilot training. Thornton had had difficulty landing because of distortion of vision called aniseikonia, which reduced his depth perception. Vision had been corrected with special glasses. ( W Star, 8/26/69, A3; W Post, 8/26/69, A9)
Washington Post published results of July 30-Aug. 4 Harris survey of 1,577 U.S. households to determine attitude toward spending $4 billion annually for decade to explore moon and other planets. While 53% of those polled approved funding for lunar landing, narrow plurality of 47% was opposed to further $4 billion annually; 44% favored. Persons under 30 favored extension of space program 60% to 34% but those over 50 opposed it 59% to 30%. Black citizens were opposed 68% to 19%. (W Post, 8/25/69)
August 25-30: Eighth International Symposium on Space Technology, first major international space meeting since Apollo 11 launch, was held in Tokyo. In opening speech, general chairman Tsuyoshi Hayashi expressed world's appreciation to U.S. for making "a great leap for mankind" but said many other nations had contributed to scientific knowledge that made lunar landing possible. He asked recognition of moon as international territory. Among 400 scientists from 19 countries attending meeting were NASA Apollo Applications Program Director William C. Schneider ; Dr. Christopher C. Kraft, Jr." MSC Director of Flight Operations, and M. P. Frank from MSC ; Herbert A. Wilson, Jr." Chief of Applied Materials Div." from Law ; OGO Project Manager Wilfred E. Scull from GSFC ; Dr. Thomas Vrebalovich from JPL ; and Leon C. Hamiter, Jr., MSFC engineer. Hamiter presented paper on increased computer capacity and lighter weight flight hardware. Prof. Masahiko Kido of Japan's Ehime Univ. said legal status should be developed for moon before disputes arose over lunar real estate. Other participants urged steps to outlaw military use of moon. Dr. Werner J. Kleen, Director of European Space Research and Technology Center, said ESRO had been given permission to put comsat into orbit and would start work in autumn. Japan announced its space development corporation would begin operations Oct. 1 and would launch MS-4 three-stage rocket in early 1970, followed by comsat launch. (Shabecoff, NYT, 8/26/69, 11; MSFC Release 69-181; NASA Int Aff)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
