Jul 16 1973
From The Space Library
ITOS-E Improved Tiros Operational Satellite, launched by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, failed to reach orbit after a 10:10 am PDT liftoff from Western Test Range on a two-stage, long-tank, thrust-augmented Thor-Delta booster. Early flight data indicated that abrupt cessation of the hydraulic pump output 270 sec after 2nd-stage ignition had caused loss of hydraulic pressure and thrust vector control. The spacecraft tumbled and failed to achieve or-bital velocity. Investigation was begun immediately at Goddard Space Flight Center. The meteorological spacecraft had been intended for sun-synchronous orbit to make day and night cloud-cover observations, to make continuous observations of weather features from its synchronous altitude, and to obtain global-scale quantitative measurements of the earth's atmospheric structure. ITOS-E, which was to have been christened Noaa 3, was the fourth spacecraft in a series of second-generation meteorological satellites. Noaa 1 (ITOS-A) was launched Dec. 11, 1970, and was operational for nine months. ITOS-B was launched Oct. 21, 1971, but did not achieve orbit be-cause of a Delta 2nd-stage failure. Noaa 2 (ITOS-D) was launched suc-cessfully Oct. 15, 1972, and had been NOAA's primary operational space-craft. (NASA prog off)
Marshall Space Flight Center issued a request for proposals for space shuttle solid-fueled rocket motor (SRM) development to Aerojet Solid Pro-pulsion Co., Lockheed Propulsion Co., Thiokol Chemical Corp., and United Technology Center. Technical proposals were due Aug. 27 and cost proposals Aug. 30. The program would include increments for de-sign, development, and test (including production of sufficient hardware for six development flights) ; for production of new and refurbished SRMs for 54 flights; and for delivery of new and refurbished units for 385 flights. (NASA Release 73-133)
NASA announced the appointment of Harold E. Pryor to succeed Dr. Dudley G. McConnell as Director, Scientific and Technical Information Office, effective July 22. Dr. McConnell had been named Assistant Administra-tor for NASA'S Equal Opportunity Programs. Pryor, Management Sys-tems Office Director, had joined NASA in 1964. (NASA Hq WB)
A lunar sample brought back from the moon by Apollo 17 (Dec. 7-19, 1972, lunar mission) was presented to President Henryk Jablonski of the Polish Council of State by U.S. Ambassador to Poland Richard T. Davies in Warsaw. Ambassador Davies invited Poland to participate in the U.S. Bicentennial celebration in 1976. (Warsaw PAP, FBIS-Poland, 7/17/73, Gl)
The U.S.S.R. announced that its atomic breeder reactor at Shevchenko on the Caspian Sea had started commercial operation. It had been under-going tests since its startup in December 1972. The power-generating and water-desalinization facility-first power source of its kind-would yield 150 000 kw of electrical power and convert 113 400 cu m (30 million gal) of sea water into fresh water daily on reaching its full de-sign capacity of 350 000 kw. (Shabad, NYT, 7/17/73, 9)
Prospects were immense for solar energy practical for area heating and cooling, "but not yet for central power stations," a New York Times editorial said. "The R&D work in this field is more one of spreading the word than inventing the devices, for solar equipment is technologically at hand and in use in other countries." The greatest long-term promise would be in generating power through nuclear fusion. "The agreement with the Soviet Union to coordinate both superpowers' fusion research, concluded during Mr. Brezhnev's visit to Washington, could give long-needed impetus to development of this energy source even before the end of the century." (NYT, 7/16/73, 28)
Capt. John T. Geary (uSN) became Director of the Naval Research Labora-tory, succeeding Capt. Earle W. Sapp who was reassigned. Capt. Geary had been Deputy Commander for Planning, Programming and Resources with the Naval Electronics System Command. (Naval Research Reviews, 8/73, 27; NRL PIO)
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