Jan 18 1973
From The Space Library
The European Space Research Organization Council met in Paris and unanimously authorized establishment of a project to develop the sortie laboratory to fly with NASA's space shuttle in the 1980s. Participating states would provide funding and would use ESRO facilities and assistance. The Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Spain would participate initially, with other ESRO member countries expected to join later. After definition studies of the research and applications module (RAM), the sortie lab final design would be agreed on by NASA and ESRO. ESRO would proceed to development phase, with delivery of the sortie lab to NASA scheduled for 1979. The laboratory would consist of a pressurized manned module to house equipment, experiments, data-processing equipment, electrical power and environmental control systems, and a six-scientist crew. An external, unpressurized instrument platform would house experiments and large instruments controlled remotely'from the laboratory. Project cost was estimated at $250 million to $300 million. Negotiations at agency and governmental levels would begin shortly. (ESRO Release, 1/19/73; NASA Release 73-12)
Advanced communications satellites were discussed at a joint 'meeting of the Cleveland Chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Institute of Electrical Engineers at Lewis Research Center. Joseph N. Sivo, head of LeRC's Advanced Communications Systems Study Office, said higher powered communications satellites offered "real potential in educational and health service areas." Communications satellites could beam educational TV to the people of India or Appalachia, link medical centers with patients in distant places, or speed mail service. Because of NASA program cutbacks, "industry will have to pick up where NASA left off.” (LeRC Release 73-3)
The Senate Committee on Appropriations assigned members to the Subcommittee on Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, Space Science, Veterans: Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.), Chairman; Sen. John O. Pastore (D-R.I.) ; Sen. John C. Stennis (D-Miss.) ; Sen. Mike Mansfield (D-Mont.) ; Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) ; Sen. Birch Bayh (D-Ind.) ; Sen. Lawton M. Chiles, Jr. (D-Fla) Sen. Charles M. Mathias, Jr. (R-Md.) ; Sen. Clifford P. Case (R-N.J.) ; Sen. Hiram L. Fong (R-Hawaii) ; Sen. Edward W. Brooke (D-Mass.) ; and Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). (CR, 1/18/73, D31)
Rep. Charles E. Bennett (D-Fla.) introduced H.J.R. 198, to redesignate Cape Kennedy as Cape Canaveral. (CR, 1/18/73, H365)
Selection of Fairchild Industries, Inc., for full-scale development of the Air Force A-X specialized close air support aircraft was announced by Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Secretary of the Air Force. The Fairchild A-10 had been selected after competitive evaluation with the Northrop A-9 aircraft. The Air Force would negotiate a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract with Fairchild for 10 preproduction aircraft. The full-production decision would be made late in 1975. (DOD Release 36-73)
NASA released a list of personal mementoes carried by Apollo 17 crew Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt on the Dec. 7-9, 1972, lunar mission. The crew had been permitted to carry 12 items each. Cernan had carried two Apollo 17 pins, a lunar module tie pin, wedding ring, moon flag pin, personal jewelry piece, $20 gold piece, religious memento, three Apollo 17 gold commemorative medals, and memento from Gemini 9 and Apollo 10.
Evans had carried a wrist watch, wedding ring set, gold brooch set, ring, three wedding diamonds, a moonstone gem, identification bracelet, and three Apollo 17 gold commemorative medals. Schmitt had carried eight moon pins, turquoise beads, a family memento set, and two Apollo 17 silver commemorative medals. (NASA PAO; lh Post, 1/20/73, A7)
The Senate confirmed the nomination of Claude S. Brinegar to be Secretary of Transportation. (CR, 1/18/73, S799)
NASA launched an Aerobee 200 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. solar physics experiment to a 245:3-km (152.4-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off)
Rep. Robert McClory (R-111.) and 20 cosponsors introduced H.R. 2351 to provide for systematic U.S. conversion to the metric system over a 10-yr period. (CR, 1/18/73, H361)
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