Sep 23 1977
From The Space Library
The W Post said that the U.S. had "quietly decided" to build a device for destroying enemy satellites in space: a small (ft-long, 8in-dia) heat-sensing vehicle "resembling a tomato can" without explosives but relying on collision at thousands of mph to accomplish its purpose. The Post said the USAF had "carefully camouflaged" this step in a Sept. 8 release announcing award to Vought Corp. of a $58.7 million contract "for development and test of hardware in support of the Space Defense Technology Program." A 1967 treaty between the U.S and USSR had prohibited both nations from orbiting any object "carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction. . ."; both sides had apparently decided this did not outlaw shooting at their own target satellites. U.S. military officials deduced that certain USSR launches were tests of hunter-killer satellites with non-nuclear charges to blow up on approach to a target. William J. Perry, DOD research chief, told the Post that the U.S. could either build antisatellite weapons also, or provide more protection for U.S. satellites. The DOD had begun on defensive measures such as making satellite wiring less vulnerable, but had also decided on offensive measures as shown in the Vought contract.
The small highly maneuverable U.S. device would have sensors allowing it to home in on slight temperature variations between a target spacecraft and its surroundings; it would be so light that a single launch vehicle could carry several into effective orbit. (W Post, Sept 23/77, Al)
NASA announced it had joined with Rockwell International Corp. in granting funds for a new solid-state electronics facility at Howard Univ., Washington, D.C., dedicated Sept. 20 at ceremonies with NASA Administrator Dr. Robert A. Frosch as speaker, attended by more than 200 persons from NASA, Rockwell, Cornell Univ., ERDA, Bell Laboratories, and other public and private groups. Cornell Univ., a leading school in electronics research, had helped set up the Howard project at the request of Rockwell. (NASA Release 77-201)
LaRC announced NASA had awarded Lockheed Aircraft Corp. a contract to produce advanced-composite ailerons to decrease weight of the L-1011 transport aircraft. Lockheed, working with Avco Corp. in Nashville, Tenn., would demonstrate techniques of designing and fabricating 10 shipsets of composite ailerons for FAA approval. Costs of the 4yr contract, like those with other firms in NASA's aircraft energy efficiency program (ACEE) to reduce fuel needs of civil-transport aircraft by 50% [see May 5, July 7], would be shared, $5.85 million to be contributed by NASA and $650 000 by Lockheed. LaRC would manage the contract. (LaRC Release 77-43; NASA Release 77-204)
WFC announced it would officially open a new management education center Sept. 30 with Dr. Robert A. Frosch, NASA administrator, presiding. A unit of the Hq office of professional development, the center would offer short-term residential programs (3-day seminars to 2-wk courses) designed to train future agency leaders. (WFC Release 77-12; NASA Release 77-202)
MSFC announced it was developing a coal mining machine using technology borrowed from the lunar rover to make mining safer, more productive, and more economical. The Interior Dept.'s Bureau of Mines had asked NASA to automate the mechanics of mining and eliminate the need for human operators in the unsafe and unhealthy environment of the cutting operation.
The longwall-shearing machine in current use would grind coal from the face of a seam in a linear direction, sending the coal out on a conveyor and advancing with its roof supports as it went deeper in the seam. Operators could not mine coal to the edge of a seam at roof or floor without breaking into surrounding shale, so that much coal was left unmined. An operator would find guidance difficult and progress slow because of poor visibility from dust.
An automated guidance and control system would allow removal of nearly all the coal at a much faster rate, recovering more of the coal left by other methods, in a purer state with less rock and other matter. The system would also reduce wear on the longwall machine's cutters and minimize downtime. The contractor to be selected would work with results of a 2yr MSFC study of a system using sensors such as gamma rays, radar, impact devices, and reflected light to guide a shear's cutting drums. (MSFC Release 77-175)
FBIS reported that the USSR had opened a television station in Duki, town of Khabarov Krai on the Pacific coast of Siberia near Bering Strait and the Sea of Okhotsk, permitting reception of both central and local programs in all villages of the area. (FBIS, Moscow Dom Svc in Russian, Sept 23/77)
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