May 4 1971
From The Space Library
Apollo 15 Astronauts David R. Scott and James B. Irwin demonstrated LRV Rover for press at KSC. Newsmen were permitted to take turns driving vehicle at maximum 16-km-per-hr (10-mph) speed. Scott told press, "We expect this little buggy to work just fine on the moon. It's really a very straightforward little vehicle, just like driving your own automobile" On first LRV excursion,. Scott and Irwin would drive about one kilometer (six tenths mile) from Apollo 15 landing site at Hadley Rille to west edge of foothill for Hadley Delta at average speed of eight kilometers per hour (five miles per hour). On second excursion next day, they would drive to location as far as eight kilometers (five miles) from landing site and seek place to climb front and survey valley. "We'll be looking for bedrock or some unique feature that might have sprung up from the moon with the front," Irwin told press. "If we see it and the trail upward looks traversable, we might climb as high as 600 ft [180 m] to get to it." Third and last trip on third day on moon would take astronauts to edge of Hadley Rille and north along ravine to sample crater cluster that appeared to scientists to be volcanic in origin. On return, astronauts would park LRV 90 m (300 ft) east of LM with TV camera pointed directly at LM. Irwin told press if all went well worldwide TV audience would get first live picture of spacecraft rocketing off moon on first leg of return journey to earth. (O'Toole, W Post, 5/5/71)
MSFC announced plans to launch 914-mm (36-in) Stratoscope II balloon-borne astronomical telescope from MSFC in August. Objective of mission was to study Galaxies M31 and M32, Planetary Nebula (NGC 7662), Orion Nebula, and planet Saturn. Stratoscope II project management, previously directed by Princeton Univ., had been recently assigned to MSFC as part of project reorganization. Seven previous launches had been from National Center for Atmospheric Research's Scientific Balloon Flight Station at Palestine, Tex. (MSFC Release 71-78)
Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong received 14th annual Sylvanus Thayer Award from U.S. Military Academy Assn. of Graduates in ceremony at West Point, N.Y. Citation read: "For his selfless devotion to this nation's aviation and space efforts reflecting the ideals symbolized in the West Point motto-Duty, Honor, Country. His outstanding accomplishments, spanning more than two decades of aeronautical history, have made him an acknowledged leader among American space pioneers. Earlier he received sabre from 1800-member cadet corps and told cadets, "As I stood on the Sea of Tranquility and looked up at the Earth, my impression was of the importance of the small, fragile, remote blue planet." Asked about future of U.S. space programs, Armstrong told press, "I am certainly optimistic, but we're doing considerably less than we'd like to. But space is here to stay for all humanity." (NASA PAO; Everly, AP, NY Post, 5/5/71, 17)
U.S. space program was "beyond the days of reacting to each major Soviet space event," Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator, said in speech before Aviation/Space Writers Assn. meeting in Wichita, Kans. NASA's FY 1972 request was typical of those to come for several years; "we have made no commitment to any new program beyond the 1972 budget." In response to questions, Dr. Low said Soviet Salyut 1-Soyuz 10 mission was "not clearly successful or unsuccessful." It was "inconceivable" that total planned mission was 48-hr flight to rendezvous and dock briefly. But U.S.S.R. had "strong program. They are concentrating very hard on a major space effort." (Aero Daily, 5/10/71)
NASA planned to study "dial-a-plane" system in which computer would accept telephone requests, determine best aircraft itinerary to minimize trip lengths and passenger waiting, and provide effective air transportation system for smaller cities and less densely populated areas, NASA announced. If studies proved concept feasible, proposal for demonstration project would be made to DOT and FAA, with NASA supplying route-scheduling computer and software. (NASA Release 71-79)
Spokesman for Army Corps of Engineers announced personnel at ICSC District Office would be cut from 30 to 15, effective June 30. Change was "result of a greatly diminished workload for NASA and the Air Force in the Cape Kennedy area." (Cocoa, Fla, Today, 5/5/71, B1)
U.S.S.R. had been running more than seven years behind U.S. in development of third-generation computers using integrated circuits, Mikhail Y. Rakovsky, Deputy Chairman of Soviet State Planning Committee, said at Moscow news conference. Integrated circuit computers had appeared in U.S. in 1964 but were scheduled for production in U.S.S.R. under five-year plan that went into effect this year. U.S.S.R. ranked fifth among world's computer users, behind U.S., West Germany, U.K., and Japan. (Shabad, NYT, 5/5/71, 13)
Bipartisan 115-member congressional group-Members of Congress for Peace Through Law-issued report criticizing proposed B-1 bomber aircraft as unnecessary, ineffective, and obsolete in nuclear age. Re-port was prepared by Sen. George S. McGovern (D-S.D.) and Rep. John F. Seiberling (D-Ohio). (CR, 5/5/71, H3558-63)
May 4-6: Conference on aircraft safety and operating problems was held at LaRC. NASA speakers reported on supercritical wing work, effects of aircraft noise, general aviation aircraft experience, STOL operations, collision hazard warning, steep instrument approaches, ditching, trailing vortex, exhaust pollutants, and sonic booms. (NASA Release 71-76; LaRC PIO)
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