Oct 9 1972
From The Space Library
President Nixon announced new policy making U.S. launch assistance available to interested countries and international organizations for satellites intended for peaceful purposes consistent with relevant international agreements. Launch assistance from U.S. sites would be on cooperative or reimbursable basis similar to that available to non-Government U.S. users. Assistance with launches from foreign sites would be available with purchase of U.S. launch vehicle. With foreign launches, U.S. would require assurance that launch vehicles would not be made available to third parties without its permission. Under policy terms U.S. would provide launch assistance for telecommunications satellites recommended by International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium. In absence of INTELSAT recommendation, U.S. would assist systems it had supported within INTELSAT. For communications satellite system not recommended by INTELSAT and not previously supported by U.S., U.S. would decide on request for launch assistance after considering degree to which proposed system would be modified to meet INTELSAT approval. Future operational satellite applications without broad international acceptance would be considered for U.S. launch assistance only after international acceptance had been obtained. (White House Release; PD, 10/16/72, 1508)
Nike-Apache sounding rocket launched by NASA from Kiruna, Sweden, carried Dudley Observatory experiment to 108.7-km (67.5-mi) altitude. Launch was second in series of three to collect and identify cosmic dust particles from Giacobini meteor shower [see Oct. 8]. Rocket and instruments performed satisfactorily and good data were obtained. (NASA Rpt SRL)
Col. Thomas G. Lamphier (USA, Ret.), veteran pilot and former Deputy Administrator of Veterans Administration, died in San Diego, Calif., at 82. He had helped Charles A. Lindbergh plan routes for first U.S. passenger airline in 1928 and had served as Vice President of first airline-Transcontinental Air Transport-after retirement from Army in 1929. Col. Lamphier had testified in defense of Gen. William (Billy) Mitchell at general's court martial for insubordination in 1925. (AP, NYT, 10/12/72, 46)
October 9-15: International Astronautical Federation held 23rd Congress in Vienna. Dr. H. Guyford Stever, Director . of National Science Foundation, stressed Congress theme "Space for World Development" in opening address: "This is the year of ever- increasing cooperative interests in space ventures, including the joint, manned space effort by the Soviet Union and the United States, Thanks to the genius of our early pioneers, . . . results of an era of experimentation now show us clearly the promise which the orderly and determined use of space and space vehicles has to offer." (Text; Congress Release, 10/9/72)
Soviet attendance at Congress was limited to 21 including Cosmonauts Anatoly V. Filipchenko and Valery N. Kubasov. More than half of scheduled Soviet participants failed to arrive or to send papers. Proxy readings of Soviet papers that were included eliminated most opportunities for clarification and discussion by panelists. Lack of Soviet participation had been attributed by Western scientists to U.S.S.R.'s downgrading of IAF in wake of increased space cooperation with U.S. and France and to Soviet budgetary hold-down. (Av Wk, 10/16/72, 16)
Dr. George E. Mueller, President of System Development Corp. and former NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, said in interview following opening session that it would be technically feasible to put crews of mixed nationalities on Mars within 20 to 30 yrs. "Even the money is there. It's getting it allocated for the project that's difficult." He envisioned crew of 12 or more in giant spacecraft possibly powered by nuclear energy taking 12 to 18 mos to reach Mars. Special shuttle would be needed to carry supplies. "Such an expedition will require lots of resources . . . best ... supplied by the world as a whole." (Reuters, B Sun, 10/10/72)
Dr. James H. Bredt of Advanced Missions Program Office in NASA Office of Manned Space Flight described new space processing experiments for Skylab missions in 1973. Experiments would broaden scope of experiments to correspond to program's increased area of interest, to gain experience with new techniques in order to develop advanced equipment for future missions, and to enable materials scientists and engineers to demonstrate value of space laboratories for applied materials research. Apparatus and experimental samples would be delivered to Kennedy Space Center for installation in spacecraft during first week of December. Experiments were to be performed by third and final Skylab crew in November and December 1973. Analysis of samples would begin immediately after their return to earth, and principal investigators probably would present preliminary reports of results at 25th 1AF Congress. (Text)
Frank J. Malina, Chairman of International Academy of Astronautics' Manned Research on Celestial Bodies (MARECEBO) Committee, told 5th Lunar International Laboratory Symposium Oct. 10 that 1964 estimate of 1975-1985 decade for initiation of permanent lunar laboratory might have been "too optimistic." Men and machines had provided "great deal of hard working knowledge on the Moon and on men working there," but people and governments needed to be convinced that necessary funding should be provided. (Text)
Manned Spacecraft Center Skylab Program Manager Kenneth S. Kleinknecht discussed mission's rescue capability during 5th International Space Rescue Symposium. Special kit to be installed in Skylab command and service module (CSM) would permit CSM to rendezvous and dock with orbital workshop, using two-man crew. CSM then would be able to accept three stranded astronauts from work-shop, undock, and reorbit with five persons on board. Rescue could be effected 48 days after alarm early in mission and as quickly as 10 days late in mission. Reason for variation in time required was that 22 days were needed to refurbish launch umbilical tower after previous launch. (Text)
Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP)-joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. rendezvous and docking mission scheduled for 1975-was discussed at Oct. 10 press conference. Participants were Cosmonauts Filipchenko and Kubasov; Soviet academician Dr. Leonid I. Sedov; Dr. Wernher von Braun, Corporate Vice President for Engineering and Development with Fairchild Industries and former NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Planning; and Dr. Krafft A. Ehricke, North American Rockwell Corp, scientist. Dr. von Braun said transition from lower pressured Apollo spacecraft to higher pressured Soyuz would be easy for astronauts, while Soviet cosmonauts would have to spend about two hours in airlock to adjust to Apollo system. Dr. Sedov said U.S.S.R. had not accepted invitation from U.S. for joint mission when first proposed because of sensitive political situation. With successful Moscow summit meetings in May, situation had become "favorable." (IAF Release, 10/10/72)
Scout launch vehicle system was discussed in paper at Congress prepared by R. D. English of Langley Research Center and M. Green of LTV Aerospace Corp., presented by Green. Since inception of program in 1959, Scout vehicle had successfully launched 67 payloads. Studies had been made to ensure that system would provide flexibility for "unique missions to supplement the space shuttle." (Pamphlet reprint of Text)
Dale D. Myers, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, said European Launcher Development Organization (ELDO) studies of space tug had been discontinued but NASA studies were continuing. "Our present belief is that the required technical advances combined with the budgetary demands that the space shuttle will make . . . will make it impossible to develop within this decade the `full capability' that we feel will eventually be necessary." NASA was investigating alternate approaches "to providing a Space Shuttle third stage which will give us a reduced but acceptable capability for the delivery of payloads during the early years of shuttle operation." Alternatives being considered were: to modify existing stage for use as expendable third stage; to make major modifications to existing cryogenic- or storable- propellant stage to enable it to carry payload to geosynchronous orbit and return to shuttle orbit for reuse; or to build new vehicle with less capability than needed, as part of evolutionary program leading to vehicle with required capability. Studies of first alternative were under way; contracted studies within next year were expected to examine latter two alternatives. (Text)
Sixth International History of Astronautics Symposium, held Oct. 13, was chaired by Dr. Eugene M. Emme, NASA Historian. In introduction Dr. Emme pointed out that 57 men had flown in space since October 1957, 10 had walked on lunar surface, 22 had flown around moon, and 2 (Astronauts James A. Lovell, Jr., and John W. Young) had traveled to moon twice and made two earth-orbiting flights. Papers presented included "Hungarian Rocketry in the 19th Century" by Istvan G. Nagy, "Origins of Astronautics in Switzerland" by A. Waldis of Swiss Transport Museum, and "Development of the Technology of Rocketry and Space Research in Poland" by M. Subotowicz. Papers read in absentia were "Astronautic Pioneers" (analysis of rocket achievements of F. A. Tsander) by L. S. Bushkin and Ye. K. Moshkin and "Basic Stages of the Development of the Theory of Ramjet Engines" by I. A. Merkulov of Soviet Academy of Sciences. Memoir papers presented included "From GALCIT to Explorer 1, 1944-57" by Dr. William H. Pickering, Director of Jet Propulsion Laboratory; "From Wallops Island to Mercury, 1945-58" by Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, MSC Director; and "The Viking Rocket" by Milton W. Rosen, Senior Scientist in NASA Office of Dept. of Defense and Interagency Affairs. (Program; IAF Release)
Daniel and Florence Guggenheim International Astronautics Award for 1972 was presented to Dr. Reimar Luest, Director of Max Planck Institute and astrophysicist known for work on solar winds and inter-planetary matter. (Program; IAA Annual Rpt, 8/31/72)
October 9-19: U.S. and U.S.S.R. representatives met in Moscow on Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), joint rendezvous and docking mission scheduled for 1975. Meetings agreed on July 15, 1975, target launch date for Soyuz, with five launch opportunities for Apollo beginning 71/2 hrs after Soviet launch-an addition of two opportunities. Atmospheric pressures of cabins would be adjusted while spacecraft were docked, to avoid necessity of prebreathing pure oxygen before transfer of crewmen from Soyuz to Apollo cabins. Soyuz pressure would be lowered from its normal 101 kilonewtons per sq m to 69 (from 14.7 psi to 10) ; Apollo pressure would remain at 35 kilonewtons per sq m (5 psi). First joint crew training session was scheduled for summer of 1973, with cosmonauts visiting U.S. for several weeks. Astronauts would train equal time in U.S.S.R. in fall of 1973. Soviet two-fifths scale model of docking mechanism would be tested with U.S. model during Moscow meeting in December 1972. Further consideration of extra-vehicular crew transfer would be deleted; if any emergency prevented return of crewmen to their own ships, they would land in spacecraft they were visiting. Sufficient propellant would be budgeted for Apollo spacecraft to allow it to maintain attitude control while docked. Exchange of working groups would be more frequent, with meetings at MSC in November, in Moscow in December, and at MSC in March 1973. U.S. delegation included representatives of prime contractor North American Rockwell Corp. and three of five working groups established in July 6-18 meetings at MSC to define mission elements. Working group members included Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford. NASA delegation was headed by ASTP Director Glynn S. Lunney. Senior member of Soviet delegation was Prof. Konstantin D. Bushuyev, U.S.S.R.'s ASTP Director. (NASA Releases 72-198, 72-207, 72-211; AP, C Trib, 10/20/72)
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