May 13 1985
From The Space Library
The National Space Institute (NSI) announced establishment of "Space Outreach '85," a program to acquire original ideas from the public as to potential uses of space for social and economic benefit. The program was intended to broaden what appeared to be a too narrow debate on a new and clarified set of long-term civilian space goals.
Rules for the program were that ideas could not exceed 750 words; submissions could not include projects already under review by the federal government; and proposals must be creative, innovative, and feasible.
The NSI would present all ideas received during the program to Congress, NASA, and, in particular, the newly created National Commission on Space [see Mar. 30].
Judges for the program, which had the support of the Sophron Foundation of McLean, Virginia, were Walter Boyne, director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum; Evert Clark, technology editor, Business Week, former astronaut Michael Collins; and Robert Cowen, science writer for The Christian Science Monitor.
The NSI would present awards for the outstanding entries, with the writer of the most innovative suggestion receiving an all-expense-paid trip to see a Space Shuttle launch. (NSI Release, May 13/85)
General Electric pleaded guilty to 108 counts of making false claims to the government for work on the Minuteman Mark-12 reentry vehicle systems for January 1, 1980 to April 1983, during which time they had claimed more than $800,00 on nonreimbursable overrun labor costs by altering employees' time cards, Defense Daily reported.
GE faced a maximum penalty of $1.04 million. Because there was not a plea agreement to halt indictment of officials within GE, the investigation would continue in order to find which GE managers were criminally responsible.
A company spokesman said, "We changed our plea because of new information given to us and to the U.S. Attorney's office and the attorney for a former employee. Four years of investigation by GE and various government agencies revealed errors in time card charging in 1980. From the beginning, we offered to reimburse the government for any incorrect charges. However, until now, GE was unable to conclude that any individual has engaged in criminal activity." (D/D, May 14/85, 73)
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