Jan 25 1978
From The Space Library
NASA announced results of two November 1977 meetings with the USSR Academy of Sciences on further cooperation in space. An agreement reached in May 1977 focused on ways to benefit from the different attributes of Salyut and a reusable-Shuttle type of spacecraft. Dr. Noel Hinners, associate administrator for space science at NASA, had headed the U.S. delegation; Dr. Boris Petrov, chairman of the Intercosmos Council of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, had led the Soviet delegation. The groups had agreed to meet in 'the U.S. in late March or early April, in Moscow in July, and again in the U.S. in October.
The eighth annual meeting at Wallops Flight Center Nov. 19-25 of the NASA-Soviet Space Biology and Medicine Working Group had discussed biomedical findings: preliminary results of the Soviet Cosmos 936 unmanned flight carrying U.S. experiments, and of the Salyut 5/Soyuz 21 and 24 missions. The USSR had invited the U.S. to participate in Soviet biosatellite flights in 1980 and 1981. A workshop on simulated weightlessness held in Bethesda, Md., had preceded the meeting. Dr. David Winter, NASA director for life sciences, had headed the U.S. life sciences delegation and Dr. Rufus Hessberg, NASA director of space medicine, the workshop delegation. Soviet leader at both meetings was Dr. Nikolai Gurovsky of the USSR Ministry of Health. The ninth meeting would take place in the USSR in the second half of 1978. The workshop and meeting had been part of a program set up under a 1971 Science and Applications Agreement between NASA and the Soviet Academy of Sciences. (NASA Release 78-10)
LeRC announced it had worked with Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit to reduce and regulate pressure inside the eye during glaucoma surgery using a device based on fluid-systems and components technology developed by NASA. The pressure-reduction system could mechanically lower intraocular pressure (inside the eye) to any level desired by the physician over a set time and in a controlled manner. A fluid supply with pressure matched to existing intraocular pressure would enter the anterior (front) chamber of the eye through a tiny tube inserted near the edge of the cornea; controlled reduction of fluid-supply pressure would reduce intraocular pressure by the same amount and at the same rate. The system would permit investigation and assistance in reduction of some post-eye surgery complications such as cataract formation, vascular-membrane detachment, flat anterior chamber, and malignant glaucoma. NASA planned to continue development of the device under controlled clinical conditions. (NASA Release 78-12)
MSFC announced plans for two runs by a high-speed sled in Feb. at the Sandia sled track, Albuquerque, N.M., to test the "broadside deployment phase" of the Space Shuttle's solid-fuel rocket booster parachute recovery system. The sled tests would deploy only the pilot chute to determine if the nosecap when ejected would clear the vehicle without becoming entangled, as boosters would come in flat, not sideways like an arrow, and air would flow across the nose cone at right angles. MSFC had developed the SRB and its recovery system. (Marshall Star, Jan 25/78, 4)
INTELSAT announced appointment of 3 deputy directors and 4 division directors. New deputy director generals were Andrea Caruso, administration; Reginald Westlake, finance; and H. William Wood (former NASA deputy associate administrator for networks, OSTDS), operations and development. New division directors were Francis Latapie, procurement; Emeric Podraczky, engineering; William Geddes, operations; and NandKishore Chitre, systems planning. After INTELSAT's contract with ComSatCorp for management services expired in Feb., INTELSAT would assume responsibility for all technical, operational, and procurement functions previously performed by ComSatCorp, which would continue to provide certain technical tasks under two service contracts. (INTELSAT Release 78-4-I)
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