Oct 1 1975
From The Space Library
NASA and Rockwell International Corp. Space Div. had signed a $1.8-billion supplemental agreement for the follow-on development of the Space Shuttle Orbiter, NASA announced. The agreement formally incorporated into an existing contract awarded for Orbiter design, development, and test and evaluation, the construction of Orbiters 101 and 102, approach and landing tests, and six orbital flight tests. The supplemental agreement for the additional work brought the value of the Rockwell contract to more than $2.7 billion. (NASA Release 75-266; JSC Release 75-90)
Marshall Space Flight Center had opened for competition a research and development program to develop and demonstrate cryogenic components for the Space Tug vehicle. Work would include design of a reusable cryogenic storage system, and fabrication and evaluation of a testing system. Proposals were to be submitted by 31 October. (SBD, 1 Sept 75, 159)
NASA and the U.S. Coast Guard were jointly designing and developing a lightweight portable firefighting module to combat shipboard and dock fires, NASA announced. The module, a completely self-contained pumping system including pumps, hose, and firefighting suits, would pump sea water at a rate of up to 7300 liters per min (2000 gallons per min) for periods up to 3 hr. Marshall Space Flight Center was designing a prototype scheduled for construction early in 1976 and for testing 18 mos later. The Coast Guard had asked NASA to participate in the project because of its long experience with high-capacity lightweight fuel pumps developed for rocket engines. The project was being managed for NASA by MSFC's Technology Utilization Office. (NASA Release 75-267)
NASA announced selection of Bendix Field Engineering Corp. and Raytheon Service Co. for competitive negotiations leading to award of a single contract to operate and maintain portions of NASA's worldwide Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network. Contractor services would include technical support, operation, and maintenance of the Goddard Space Flight Center's Network Operations Control Center, GSFC's Network Test and Training Facility, ten STDN stations, and the laser tracking subnet-one fixed station at Goddard Space Flight Center and 8 mobile stations at various sites around the world to support the San Andreas Fault Experiment, the Laser Geodynamic Satellite network, and the Geodynamic Experimental Ocean Satellite program-as well as operation of the magnetic-tape certification facility at GSFC. (NASA Release 75-268)
Dr. Walter C. Williams' appointment as NASA Chief Engineer became effective. In his new position, Dr. Williams, who had been vice president and general manager of the Aerospace Corp. Vehicle Systems Div., would be responsible for reviewing the technical excellence of all NASA programs and for assuring their development on a sound engineering basis with proper programmatic controls.
From 1940 to 1958 Dr. Williams had been employed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and, after 1958, by NASA. His previous positions included chief of the High-Speed Flight Station, Associate Director of Manned Space Center, Associate Director of Mercury's Space Task Group at Langley Research Center, and Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Flight Operations at NASA Headquarters. (MSFC Marshall Star, 10 Sept 75, 2)
The appointment of Paul E. Cotton as Assistant Administrator for Center Operations became effective. Cotton would be responsible for special studies and analyses relating to institutional and organizational activities, and for implementing decisions resulting from these studies. Cotton joined NASA in 1958, serving in various management capacities until 1972, when he joined the Social Security Administration. He had returned to NASA in 1974 as special assistant to the Associate Administrator for Center Operations. (NASA anno, 1 Sept 75)
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