KHR-8 

October 1, 1984 

(NASA-Til-87400) CHbGYGLOGY OE KSC Am KSC 185-13927 

BELAIED EVEI’IS EC6 1983 (liASA) 118 p 

BC AO~/~E ANCSCL 05D 

Unclaa 

63/99 01355 

Chronology of KSC and 

KSC Related Events for 1983 

25th Anniversary 

9% -283 

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administrat:on 

John F. Kennedy Space Center 

KSC FORM 10-12 (REV. a1761 
CHRONOLOGY OF 

KSC AND KSC-RELATED 

EVENTS FOR 

1983 

SELECTED 

By Ken Nail, Jr. 

New World Services, Inc. 

ARCHIVIST 
FOREhORD 

Space Shuttle Challenqer successfully completed its maiden voyage 

in April, then in June was ayain launched with a crew that 

included America's first woman astronaut. NASA's 25th birthday 

was commemorated ill 1983. President Reagan stated that in its 

life, the agency had amassed "an unsurpassed record of scientific 

and technical achievements which established the United States as 

the world leader in aerospace research and administration.' 

Dr. Kurt H. Debus, tiit. first director of the Kennedy Space 

Center, died in October at the aqe of 74, Lockheed Space Operations Company was awarded the largest space services contract 

ever in winning the multi-billion dollar Shuttle Processing 

Contract. 

Materials for this chronolGqy were selected from Aviation Week 

and Space Technology, Defense Daily, lvliami Herald, Sentinel Star 

(Orlando), Today (Cocoa), Spaceport News (KSC) , NASA News 

Releases, and other sources. The document is intended to serve 

as a record of XSC events and as a reference source for historians and other researchers. Arrarrgement is by month; items are by 

date of the published sources. Actual date of the event may be 

indicated in parenthesis, when the article itself does not make 

that information explicit. 

Research of materials and preparation for publishiriq were by 

Historian-archivist Ken Nail, Jr , with the assistance of €laine 

Liston, both of New World Services, Irx. 

Send comments on the chronology to Jonn F. Kennedy Space Center, 

SI-SAT-52, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, 32599, 

M, Konjegich 

Information Services 
Page 

January ........................................... 1 

February .......................................... 8 

March ............................................. 14 

Illustration ................................. 22 

A.ril ............................................. 23 

May .............................................. 30 

Illustration ................................. 34 

Illustration ................................. 37 

Juce .............................................. 40 

Juiy .............................................. 51 

August ............................................ 57 

 illustration.........^....................... 64 

Septem.r ......................................... 68 

0cto.r ........................................... 77 

Illustration ................................. 84 

November .......................................... 96 

Dece.er .......................................... 108 

Appendix A ........................................ 113 

Appendix B ........................................ 114 
JANUARY 1983 

January 3: Butler Construction Company (Rockledge, Florida) was 

awarded a $l6l,OOO fixed-price contract by KSC to construct 

a 26-trailer complex south of the Operations and Checkout 

Building in the Industrial Area. The contract runs from 

December 21, 1982, through March 21, 1983. [Malone. NASA 

NEWS RELEASE No. 1-83, Jan. 3, 1983.1 

<> Launch pad engineers were unsuccessful in attempts to find 

the source of a hydrogen leak in Challenger's rear engine 

compartment. The leak was first discovered following a 20- 

second test firing of the three main engines December 18. 

Launch was delayed until April 4. [Adams. TODAY, p. lA, 

Jan. 48 1983. Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 14A, Apr. 58 

1983. I 

January 5: Five space shuttle launches and nine unmanned 

launches were scheduled for 1983 as of this date. See 

Appendices for complete listing of 1983 launches. 

["Challenger Poised for Maiden Flight," THE TRIBUNE, p. 4A, 

Jan. 5, 1983.1 

<> "After a three-hour teleconference between officials in 

Washington, Houston, and the Kennedy Space Center, Shuttle 

program director General James Abrahamson said if the 

Challenger engines have to be throttled in another test 

firing, the launch could slip well into February." A second 

flight readiness firing test was conducted January 25, 

1983. [Adams. TODAY, p. lA, Jan. 6, 1983. Adams. TODAY, 

pp. 1A & 14A8 Jan. 26, 1983.1 

January 10: A failure in an electronics box was responsible for 

a 24-hour delay in the Shuttle countdown dress rehearsal. 

The small box, designed by Westinghouse Electric Corp. 

(Lima, Ohio) converts direct current from the ground into 

alternating current. [Adams. TODAY, pp. 1A 6 l2A, Jan. 11, 

1983.1 

<> Kennedy Space Center awarded United Space Boosters, Inc. 

(Huntsville, Alabama) a $13,860,875 extension of its current 

contract to peri'orm processing operations for the Shuttle's c; -1- 
solid rocket boosters. The cost-plus-incentive-fee/award 

fee contract runs from January 1 through September 30, 

1983. [Tucker. NASA NEWS HELEASE No. 8-83, Jan. 18, 1983.) 

January 11: The second firing test of Challenger's main engine 

was predicted to cost NASA $1.5 million, according to Edwin 

Dale, spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget in 

Washington, D.C. [Adams. TODAY, pp. 1A & 16A, Jan. 12, 

1983 ] 

<> Shuttle crewmen Dr. Story Musgrave, Paul Weitz, Karol Bobko 

and Donald Peterson crawled into the Challenger's cockpit 

and made a simulated and silent liftoff at 11:04 a.m. The 

astronauts had to override computers that improperly 

registered helium pressures at 30 seconds before the mock 

liftoff. [Adams. TODAY, p. 16A, Jan. 12, 1983.1 

January 12: Boeing Services International was awarded a $13 

million contract expansion at KSC. "he expansion adds small 

purchase and receiving functions to BSI's contract for 

supply and transportation services. ["Boeing bvins $13 

Million Contract Expansion," TODAY, p. 14C, Jan. 12, 1983.1 

January 17: Ham, the first chimpanzee to ride a rocket into 

space, died at age 26 at the North Carolina Zoological Park 

where he had lived for the past 2 1/2 years. Ham rode a 

Redstone rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in a 

sub-orbital flight January 31, 1961, after which he was 

transferred to the National Zoo in Washington until 1980. 

["Ham, the First Chimp to Ride Rocket Into Space, Dies," 

TODAY, p. lA, Jan. 19, 1983.1 

January 19: "EG&G 'wants to be a good neighbor,' the firm's 

highest-ranking Florida executive assured Brevard County 

business representatives .... 

"The Massachusetts-based firm took over operation and 

maintenance at Kennedy Space Center 19 days ago and everything is falling into place, Jim Dubay, president and 

general manager of EG&G Florida, said...." [Stephens. THE 

TRIBUNE, p. 3A, Jan. 19, 1983.) 

- 2- 
<> "C.E.M. Enterprises, Inc., doing business as Sunshine 

I Services, Inc., for the complete refurbishment of the 

Painting of Orlando," was awarded a "$92,299 contract by TWA 

Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center outdoor exhibits, 

including rockets, swing arm and lunar module. 

- 

"Also awarded a contract by TWA Services, InC.8 was the 

J.P. Goodwin Corp., of Merritt Island. It will refurbish 

and modify handicapped restroom facilities at the Visitors 

Center. Both contracts are part of the $8.5 million 

expansion program currently under way at the center." ("TWA 

Awards Contracts," THE TRIBUNE, p. 5At Jan. 191 1983.1 

January 20: "NASA officiols...ruled out a proposed move of 

United Space Boosters8 Inc., from Kennedy Space Center to a 

private site north of the Canaveral Barge Canal on Merritt 

Island. The space agency's announcement came...in the form 

of a letter from Air Force Lt. Gen. James Abrahamson, the 

agency's associate administrator for space flight, to East 

Merritt Island Homeowners Association President Sde 

Ford...." [Yacenda. TODAY, p. Jan. 21, 1983.1 

<> The second firing of Challenger's main engines was scheduled 

for January 258 1983. 

NASA also announced that it wouid acceTt proposals from 

American industry for the Shuttle Processing Contract to 

maintain and launch the Shuttle. (A team of contractors 

headed by Lockheed Corporation was awarded the $6 billion 

contract on September 7, 1983.) [Adams. TODAY, F. 16At 

Jan. 21, 1983. Stein. THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, pp. A-1 & A-7, 

Sept. 88 1983.1 

January 21: Richard Greenup, former KSC engineer from 1965 to 

1970, was named to head the mass transit division of 

Florida's Departnent of Trancportation. ["Former KSC 

Engineer Named to DOT Post," TODAY, p. 28, Jan. 25, 1983.1 

January 24: NASA announced that the seventh Shuttle mission 

would land at Kennedy Space Center with Edwards AFB as 

backup landing site. 

iL 

- 3- 
(STS-7 landed at Edwards on June 24 following its June 18 

launch from KSC.) ["Shuttle 7 Planned for Kennedy Space 

Center Landing," AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY, p. 29, 

Jan. 24, 1983. "Challenger Hustles for Home," TODAY, p. 

12A, Jun. 28, 1983. Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 18A, Jun. 19, 

1983 ] 

January 25: "As in the first engine test December 18, engineers 

discovered a leak of hydrogen gas in the 18-foot-long 

compartment just forward of the three engine nozzles." Lt. 

Gen. James Abrahamson, associate administrator, said that a 

late February launch "is not achievable." The mission was 

originally scheduled to commence on January 20, 1983. 

(Adams. TODAY, pp. 1.4 & 14A, Jan. 26, 1383.1 

<> The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IUS) was launched at 

6:17 p.m. PST aboard a two-stage Delta rocket from 

Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. ["Delta Rocket Lifts 

Infrared Telescope Into Space," TODAY, p. 14A, Jan. 26, 

1983 . 1 

January 26: Jobear, Inc. (Indialantic, Florida) was awarded 

a $240,685 KSC contract to modify the existinq wastewater 

treatment plant which processes sewage for the launch 

complex 39 area. The award is a small business set-aside, 

according to Lisa Malone, KSC spokeswoman. ["Jobear, T.3 !. , Wins Contract at KSC," THE TRIBUNE, p. 2A, Jan. 26, 1983.1 

<> NASA headquarters officials considered using expendable 

Delta rockets "to put some of the Space Shuttle's 

communication satellites into space because of the domino 

effect of delayed Shuttle launches..." [Adams. TODAY, pp. 

1A 6r 14A, Jan. 27, 1983.1 

January 27: The Apollo 204 fire occurred 16 years ago; it 

claimed the lives of astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and 

Roger Chaffee. ["16 Years Since Tragedy," TODAY, p. 12A, 

Jan. 27, 1983.1 

January 29: The hydrogen leak which delayed the maiden voyage 

of Space Shuttle Challenger was caused by a tiny crack in 

the spacecraft's No. 1 engine, said Dick Young, spokesman 

-4- 
for Kennedy Space Center. The crack was located in the 

combustion chamber mknifold. ["NASA Traces Leak to Engine 

Crack," TODAY, p. lA, Jan. 30, 1983.1 

January 31: Explorer 1, this country's first satellite into 

space, was launched from LC 26 at 10:48 p.m. EST aboard a 

Jupiter C rocket on January 31, 1958. [Adams. TODAY, p. 

IS, Jan. 31, 1983.1 

- 5- 
February 1: Father Bruce Medaris, pastor emeritus of the 

Anglican Church of the Incarnation in Orlando, Florida, 

celebrated his 80th birthday on this date. Twenty-five 

years ago, he was Army Major General John Bruce Medaris and 

in charge of the Redstone Arsenal at Huntsville, Alabama, 

when America's first satellite, Explorer 1- was launched. 

[Wadsworth. THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, p. E-2, Feb. 1, 1983.1 

<> Arthur Boschen, president of New World Construction 

(Titusville, Florida) and Phillip Akwa, president of Capital 

Communications Corp. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) - NASA 

contractors - were convicted of "tryrng to defraud the 

government at the Kennedy Space Center." They were given 

three-year prison sentences by a federal judge and their 

companies were hit dith large fines. ["The Space Coast: 

NASA Contractors Sentenced, Fined," TODAY, p. 2B, Feb. 2, 

1983.1 

February 3: An eight person NASA review team concluded that 

electronic sensors in the fan motors of astrcnaut Joseph 

Allen's spacesuit [during STS-51 had been exposed to 

moisture from breath and perspiration because of inadequate 

sealing. Other "avoidable mistakes by the contractors" 

included the failure of a motor powering a circulation fan, 

water separator and water pump in Allen's suit and a control 

regulating oxygen pressure in william ienoir's suit failed, 

too. ["Avoidable Mistakes Uy Contractors Blamed for 

Spacesuit Failures," DEFENSE DAILY, p. 195, Feb. 3, 1983.1 

<> NASA Associate Administrator Gen. James ADrahamson said a 

decision has yet to be made on whether to relocate the solid 

rocket booster reassembly plant from PSC to Marshall Space 

Flight Center in Hur.tsville, Alabama. 

NASA officials announced on May 17 that the refurbishment 

plmt for the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters would be 

built on Kennedy Space Center preperty after the current 

booster contract (held by USBI) expires in 1986. [Mecham 

and Yacenda. TODAY, p. In, Feb. 4, 1983. Dickersm. 

TODAY, p. lA, May 18, 1983.1 

-6- 
February 8: A series of critical tests of Space Shuttle 

Challenger's ability to communicate (from Kennedy Space 

Center) with Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in 

Houston, Texas, were successfully conducted. Houston sent 

cmmands to Challenger via satellite communications links 

during the all-day Mission Control Interface Test. 

Tests were also conducted on new Shuttle rocket motors. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. 12A, Feb. 9, 1983.1 

February 9: Chemko (Titusville, Florida) won NASA/KSC contracts 

- worth $137,778 - for the procurement of one gaseous 

nitrogen regulator panel, one pipe and support assembly 

reyulatov panel and supporting documentation used in vehicle 

purging and pressurizing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. 

The firm-fixed-price contract runs from Feb. 2, 1983, to 

April 16, 1984. [Malone. KSC NEWS RELEASE No. 22-83, Feb. 

9, 1983.1 

February 10: The Holloway Corporation (Titusville, Floridaj was 

awarded a firm-fixed-price contract worth $149,270 by 

Kennedy Space Center for the procurement of two range safety 

checkout systems. These would be installed in Mobile 

Launcher Platform 3 at KSC and Space Launch Complex 6 at 

VAFB. Thc contract runs from February 8, 1983, to January 

9, 1984. [Malone. KSC KEWS RELEASE No. 23-83, Feb. 10, 

1983. I 

February 12: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's launch sites 

were recommended for placement on the National Register of 

Historic Places as the result of a study by National Parks 

Service staffer Harry A. Butowski. 

Approval Of +.he designation would mean that the Air Force 

has to consult with a board of historians before altering 

sites considered historic. [Cone. TODAY, pp. 1E3 h 3B, 

Feb. 12, 1983.1 

February 14: Space shuttle program officials plan to use the 

shuttle Enterprise at Edwards AFB, California, to 

demonstrate the feasibility of conducting towing and 

-7- 
convoying operations at night in preparation for the 

scheduled space shuttle landing this summer at the 

conclusion of the eighth mission. The Enterprise has been 

used during approach and landing tests. ('Ilndustry 

Observer," AVIATION WEEK AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY, p. 13, Feb. 

14, 1983.1 

<> NASA told contractors it wants to get out of the Delta 

launch vehicle program after 12 more flights, but the agency 

may buy at least three additional Deltas because of shuttle 

delays. NASA Administrator James M. Beggs must decide how 

many more Deltas the agency is willing to fund. Contractors 

asked for an early decision to end uncertainties regarding 

manpower and supplier contracting. [Kolcum. AVIATION WZEK 

AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY, p. 22, Feb. 14, 1983.1 

February 15: Engineers checking Space Shuttle Challenger's 

replacement engine confirmed that the motor had an oxygen 

leak. . . .The announcement made it certain that Challenyer's 

maiden launch - already delayed from late January - would be 

set back to at least mid- or late-March....KSC spokesman Jim 

Ball said technicians located the leak - which NASA termed 

"very small" but still yreater than tolerance levels - in d 

line that leads into the oxygen heat exchanger .... Hoping to 

keep further delays to a minimum, NASA decided to bring two 

other engines to KSC. 

KSC workers prepared to load a 2 1/2-ton communications 

satellite into the spaceplane's cargo bay. . ..The NASA 

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) was Eueled over the 

weekend and technicians completed last-minute checks before 

installation, expected February 16....Hydrazine was also 

loaded into Challenger's auxiliary power units despite winds 

gusting up t-o 38 knots. (Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 14A, 

Feb. 15, 19d3.1 

February 16: Kennedy Space Center awarded Behe and Umholtz 

Electrical Contractors, an Orlando, Florida small business 

firm, a $97,700 contract in connection with the renovation 

of a portion of the Launch Control Center.,..Ths fixedprice contract calls for Behe and Umholtz to perform 

electrical work in the modifications of Firing Room 4 at the 

eastern end of the LCC. Firing Room 4, which now houses the 

computer consoles and data display boards, would be turned 

into additional office space and a conference room.... 

[Tucker. KSC NEWS RELEASE No. 25-83, Feb. 16, 1983.1 

-8- 
<> Indonesia's telecoinmunication chief Sukarno Abdul Rachman 

visited Kennedy Space Center and said he doesn't expect 

delays in the sixth Space Shuttle mission to seriously 

affect his country's satellite program.. . .Meanwhile, 

preparations for a mid- or late-March launch of the Shuttle 

Challenger got another boost from February 15's successful 

test-firing of a possible replacement engine. 

Abdul Kachman and four other Indonesian officials got a look 

at their spacecraft, called a Palapa-B, during a stop at 

KSC. Rachman said his country prefers to keep its launches 

with the Shuttle, mainly because of the cheaper cost, 

compared with single-use rockets. He said, however, that 

Indonesia would not rule out other vehicles, including the 

competing European Ariane and the American Delta rockets.. . Technicians continued modifying electricity-producing fuel 

cells aboard Challenger. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 18A, Feb. 17, 

1983 . 1 

<> Computer Science Corp. (Falls Church, Virginia) won a $33.9 

million contract extension to provide communications and 

instrumentation services for the Space Shuttle program at 

Kennedy Space Center. [Kassak. TODAY, p. 14C, Feb. 16, 

1983. I 

February 18: A NASA investigating panel concluded in its final 

report that the loss of the two solid rocket boosters, which 

helped power the fourth Space Shuttle fliyiit to orbit, was 

caused by a switch in the booster's decelerator systems.... 

Tne cause of the malfunction in the STS-4 solid rocket 

booster decelerator system was found to be the premature 

separation of one of the two riser attachments on each of 

the main parachutes. This occurred at approximately 365 

seconds qfter liftoff co-incident with the planned 

raparation of the frustrums froin the boosters, rather than 

at water impact as intended.... [Garrett. NASA NEWS 

RELEASE No. 83-19, Feb. 18, 1983.1 

February 20: Britain's Prince Andrew and a buddy from the Royal 

Navy - Sub-Lt. Ian Hendry - got a special private tour of 

the Kennedy Space Center and its space shuttle facilities. 

-9- 
Andrew, a helicopter pilot on the Invincible, an antisubmarine aircraft carrier, and Hendry saw the Columbia, now 

being refurbished in the Orbiter Processing Facility; the 

massive Vehicle Assembly Building; the Launch Control Center 

and Challenger being prepared for its first mission. 

"He was very enthusiastic about the center," Huyh Harris, 

KSC spokesman, said. "He is reparted to have asked a lot of 

good questions, based on his background knowledge as a 

pilot, and seemed to be very knowledgeable about the shuttle 

program in general." ["Prince, Comrade Visit Space Center," 

THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, Feb. 22, 1983.1 

<> A possible replacement for one of challenger's three main 

engines arrived at Kennedy Space Center late on February 

20th....The engine, which formerly powered Columbia on its 

five flights, srrived by truck from Rocketdyne's Canoga 

Park, California facility wh..re technicians were running the 

motor through a series of tests. A second possible 

replacement engine was expected to arrive February 28 from 

NASA's National Space Technology Laboratories in Bay St. 

Louis, Mississippi. Engineers perferred to use that second 

engine in Challenger and hoped to install it as soon as it 

arrived at KSC. ["Substitute Engine Arrives," TODAY, p. 

18A, Feb. 23, 1983.1 

February 22: NASA officials laid out a new strategy €or meeting 

the Space Shuttle's increasingly tight 1983 launch schedule, 

and said Shuttle Challenger could begin its maiden voyage on 

March 19 or 20...Lt. Gen. James A. Abrahamson, NASA 

associate administrator and chief of shuttle operations, 

called the tentative dates for Challenger's launch 

"optimistic" possibilities and conceded that neither 

Challenger nor the Shuttle program are out of the woods 

yet....Through what Abrahamson called a "reallocation of 

resources," workers for both NASA and private contractors at 

KSC will immediately increase operations from three to four 

shifts, working around the clock and weekends until 

Challenger is launched. 

The agency had no accurate figures on how much Challenger's 

delays would cost in overtime pay, equipment and other 

extra expenses. Abrahamson said the speedup was designed to 

keep overtime to a minimum. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 18A, 

Feb. 23, 1983.1 

-10- 
Pebruary 23: NASA was preparing to destroy the gantry from 

which Apollo 11 went to the moon when national and state 

historical preservation organizations threatened to sue. 

The tower was also used to laulicn several Skylab missions 

and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. 

NASA had to decide whether to disassemble the tower for 

later restoration or to destroy the tower entirely, selling 

the steel and other metals for scrap as has happened to 

other Apolio-era launch towers. 

Best Wrecking Co. (Detroit, Michigan) hired by NASA to 

dismantle the tower estimated it would cost $574,601 to 

demolish the tower; it would cost an additional $1.8 million 

to dismantle in a manner which would allow later 

restoration. NASA had estimated the original expense at 

closer to $4 million. (Orlando. THE TRIBUNE, p. lA, Feb. 

23, 1983. Yacenda. TODAY, p. 28, Mar. 23, 1983.1 

<> Replacement of a defective electricity-producing cell aboard 

the Space Shuttle Challenger took longer than expected, 

prompting NASA officials to postpone loading Challenger's 

cargo for one more day....Installation of the new fuel cell 

was completed February 24...Workers spent the remainder of 

the day cleaning Challenger's cargo area. Installation of 

the cargo was expected to be cGcpleted February 26. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. 12A, Feb. 25, 1983.1 

February 24: Testing of the two Iflain rocket engines still 

aboard Challenger continued. Heat shields were installed 

around the engines and the No. 2 motor was checked for gas 

leaks, NASA said. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 12A, Feb. 25, 1983.1 

February 25: Technicians checking Challenger's engines found 

yet another gas leak, this time in the Orbiter's No. 2 

engine....NASA officials said it was premature to say 

whether another lengthy dela, would result from this latest 

leak. KSC Chief spacesman Hugh Harris said officials 

planned to confer on the 26th to consider what to do about 

this third leak....Harris said the conference would be 

conducted by telephone to involve specialists at other space 

centers and officials at NASA's Washington, D.C. 

headquarters. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, Feb. 26, 1983.1 

-1 1- 
February 26: Following a teleconference among various centers 

specialists and administrators at its Washington 

headquarters, NASA officials decided to remove Challenger's 

defective No. 2 engine and KSC workers immediately set about 

the task....NASA spokesmen had no estimate of how much more 

- if any - Challenger's maiden flight would be 

delayed....The motor was expected to oe removed by late on 

the 27th....NASA associate administrator Lt. Gen. James A. 

Abrahamson was visiting in south Florida when the problem 

was discovered and came to KSC where he inspected the 

Orbiter atop launch pad 39A. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, Feb. 

27, 1983.1 

February 28: The major space shuttle processing contractors and 

NASA developed a recovery plan for the seventh through the 

tenth shuttle launches. The plan vas aimed at restoring the 

program schedule for the ninth mission, Spacelab, and the 

tenth, a DOD payload. 

The plan had a number of unusual work features: 

* Work weeks were to be nonstandard in that a working 

period might begin and end any day of the week. 

Workers and managers would be interchanged among 

processing contractors..., 

the work flow. ["Shuttle Schedule Recovery Plan Approved," 

AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY, p. 20, Feb. 28, 1983.) 

A control center would be established to track and manage 

<> West German payload specialists Ernst Messerschmid and 

Reinhard Furrer, scheduled to fly aboard Spacelab in July 

1985, visited KSC. Messerschmid and Furrer were zlso 

scheduled to visit Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space 

Flisht Center, and NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. 12A, Mar. 1, 1983.1 

<> Challenger's engine No, 2 was removed from the Orbiter and 

No. 3 was expected to be removed March 1. Both engines were 

to be brought to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair 

work. Hugh Harris, KSC spokesman, said officials still 

hoped for a March liftoff for Challenger's f ive-day 

mission. Harris characterized NASA associate administrator 

Abrahamson as "anlry ana disappointed," but said it was 

-12- 
premature to say whether criticism was pointed at Rocketdyne 

(motor manufacturer) or whether any penalties would be 

levied against the contractor. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, 

Mar. 1, 1983.1 

-1 3- 
UARCH 1983 

Harch 1: Some 146,950 persons toured Kennedy Space Center in 

February. This represented a 2.3 percent increase over the 

same period in 1982. Arnold Hichman, chief of the Visitors 

Services Branch, said: "Already we're ahead of figures" for 

1981 and 1982, "so we could be headed for our biggest year 

yet." [Tucker. NASA NEWS RELEASE No. 33-83, War. 4, 1983.1 

<> Wiltech of Florida Corporation won a $3 million-plus 

contract extension from KSC. Wiltech, a small business 

f inn, is responsible for component refurbishment and 

chemical analysis services at KSC. The contract runs from 

March 1, 1983, through February 28, 1984. [Tucker. NASA 

NEWS RELEASE NO. 31-83, Har. 1, 1983.1 

<> The head of NASA's Space Station study team told Congress 

that the agency believes it can build and deploy an 

evolutionary, modest Space Station at a cost of $4 to $6 

billion (in constant dollars) and have it i.1 operation by 

1991 . 

"It is NASA's view that a Space Station will be the next 

logical step in space and our current activities are 

directed toward developing cufficient information for 

Congress and the AdministratiLn to make an informed decision 

on the appropriate course of action," John D. Hodge, 

director of NASA's Space Station Task Fcrcef told the House 

Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications ....[ "NASA 

Says Modest Space Station Can Be Built For $4-$6 Billion," 

DEFENSE DAILY, p. 21, Mar. 3, 1983.1 

Harch 2: Kennedy Space Center officials said that preliminary 

disassembly work to make way for the repairs had started on 

Challenger's leaky No. 2 and No. 3 main engines...NASA gave 

no reason for the one-day delay, and KSC spokesman Mark Hess 

called the delay "just d logistical thing." The shipment of 

yet another engine to replace Challenger's No. 1 power 

plant, disabled by a leak in a hydrogen-carrying manifold 

and removed in early February, was also delayed a day. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. 12Af Mar. 3, 1983.j 

-14- 
Uarcn 3: John F. Kennedy Space Center awarded Specialty 

Maintenance and Construction, Inc. (Lakeland, Florida) a 

contract valued at $1,268,836, for the procurement of a 

second payload canister for Space Shuttle operations. 

contract, one set aside for small business firms, runs from 

March 3, 1983, through February 18, 1984. [Malone. NASA 

NEWS RELEASE No. 30-83, Mar. 3, 1983.1 

The 

<> Rocket specialists began repairing two of Challenger's three 

disabled main engines at Kennedy Space Center, KSC officials 

said. The surgery-like repair entails cutting out a 10-inch 

length of cracked hydrogen line and welding in a replacexent 

section. Initial x-ray checks showed a similar repair on a 

test engine at NASA's Mississippi test center was 

successful. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 16A, Mar. 4, 1983.1 

@larch 4: The launch window for Challenger's maiden launch was 

expected to be a mere 16.9 minutes from 1:30 p.m. to 1:47 

p.m. This would be the first afternoon Shuttle launch. 

The brevity of the launch window - reduced from an original 

four hours - was determined by the need for daylight landing 

conditions at an emergency landing site at Dakar, Senegal, 

near Africa's western-most tip. 

NASA hopes to send Challenger on its five-day mission 

sometime between March 26 and March 31. [Yacenda. TODAY, 

pp. 1A 6 16A, Mar. 4, 1983.1 

<> Kennedy Space Center awarded Rockwell International 

Corporation (KSC, Florida) a $31,389,000 contract for Space 

Shuttle support at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Californiz. 

The cost-plus-award-fee contract runs from February 28, 

1983, through September, 1984, and calls for the design, 

development, and activation of VAFB Launch and Landing Site 

Ground Support System equipment and facilities for Air Force 

Space Shuttle launch operations. [Malone. NASA NEWS 

RELEASE NO. 34-83, Mar. 4, 1983.1 

<> NASA officials said that repair work on two of the Space 

Shuttle Challenger's three main engi?es was going well. 

NASA also announced that "some kind of contaminant" had been 

-15- 
observed on Challenger's cargo, the Tracking and Data Relay 

Satellite (TDRSS) due for deployment during the STS-6 

mission. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 8A, Mar. 5, 1983.1 

March 7: NASA officials said emergency surgery on the three 

leaking engines had been completed. Technicians examined 

x-rays of the repairs to determine if the work was 

successful....Challenger's stalled launch schedule got 

another boost when initial test showed a contaminant 

discovered on the Shuttle's cargo probably would not pose a 

problem....NASA said processing of the cargo would continue 

pending the final outcoine of tests, expected in about a 

week. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, Mar. 8, 1983.1 

March 9: KSC's dress rehearsal for the STS-6 mission went 

exactly as planned. "Simulated ignition of the Shuttle's 

main engines came right on time at 1:30 Wednesday (March 9) 

afternoon, concluding a flawless 16-hour countdown," said a 

NASA spokesman. STS-6 crewmen - commander Paul mleitz, pilot 

Karol Bobko, and flight specialists Story Musgrave and 

Donald Peterson - were on hand for the mock liftoff. NASA 

said no real problems were encountered during the 

exercise....[Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 16A, Mar. 10, 1983.1 

Harch 10: NOAA announced that President Reagan approved a plan 

to sell the U.S. meteorological satellite and Landsat Earth 

Resources Satellites to the private sector, with the $1.5 

billion system sold to the highest bidder....The plan was 

killed in legislation President Reagan signed in December. 

(see Dec. 19.) ["President Decides to Sell Metsat/Landsat 

Systems to Private Sector," DEFENSE DAILY, g. 59, Mar. 10, 

1983. "Weather Satellites," AVIArION NEEK & SPACE 

TECHNOLOGY, p. 53, Dec. 19, 1983.1 

<> Lt. Gen. James A. Abrahamson, NASA's associate administrator 

who heads the Shuttle program, said the STS-6 mission will 

be grounded until "no earlier than the first week of April" 

while technicians examine and possibly repair the satellite 

that Challenger will carry. 

NASA determined the satellite was contaminated by 

'particulate matter" - mostly sand and salt - thrown up by 

storm winds as high as 70 mph that shook the Cape Canaveral 

launch site February 28. 

-16- 
Abrahamson said no launch date would be set until after the 

2 1/2-ton TDW is removed from Challenger, checked, and, if 

necessary, cleaned and repaired. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, 

Mar. 11, 1983.1 

<? The launches of two expendable rockets were postponed from 

this month until April. The RCA-F mission was rescheduled 

from March 31 to April 8. Intelsat, originally due for 

launch on March 178 has been delayed at least till April 7 

and, perhaps, April 14. RCA-F had a wiring problem and a 

mate of Intelsat had a defective switch. [Ydcenda. TODAY, 

p. lOA, Mar. 11, 1983.1 

March 14: Kennedy Space Center awarded a $7,037,785 contract 

extension to the Martin Marietta Corporation, Michoud 

Operations (New Orleans, Louisiana) to provide engineering 

services for the processing of the external tank and its 

related ground systems equipment at Vandenberg Air Force 

Base, California. The company will also develop plans for 

the entire Cryogenic Storage Transfer System used in the 

Shuttle and for site activation of the ground systems 

facilities....The cost-plus-award-fee contract runs from 

March 1, 1983, through September 30, 1984, and bZilr$S the 

total value of Martin Marietta's contract with NASA to 

$71,149,883. [Tucker. NASA NEWS HELEASE NO. 36-83, Mar. 

14, 1983.1 

<> KSC workers began wiping down and vacuuming the interior of 

Challenger's cargo bay to remove sand, salt, dust and other 

fine debris sprayed into the craft by storm winds February 

28. . . .A special technical team also began evaluating the 

extent of contamination and possible damage sustained by the 

2 1/2-ton TDRS that was aboard Challenger when the storm 

struck....A third work crew continued the electrical and 

mechanical checks needed to determine whether the Shuttle's 

three main engines were ready to launch Challenger.... 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. l2A, Mar. 158 1983.1 

march 15: Former Boeing technician Barry Nicholson sued Boeing 

Services International and four of its middle-level 

supervisors for more than $5,000 for "malicious 

interference" in what Nicholson contended should have been 

his transfer from Boeing to EG&G when the latter became the 

base operations contractor. ~icholson, 26, a former life 

-17- 
support technician, claims Boeing officials misplaced his 

position on a seniority list that went to EG&G.... 

[Thomas. TODAY, 28, Mar. 16, 1983.1 

<> Playalinda Beach will continue to be closed to the public 

because of stepped-up security for military Space Shuttle 

payloads, Kennedy Space Center Director Richard Smith said 

in Tallahassee. Smith and Air Force Colonel Maruin Jones, 

commander of the Eastern Space and Missile Command, were in 

the state capital to discuss the space program's future with 

Governor Bob Graham and the Cabinet at a governor's mansion 

luncheon....[Johnson. TODAY, Po 28, Mar. 16, 1983.1 

Harch 17: KSC workers finished cleaning particles of 

sand, salt, dust and other debris on Challenger's TDRS cargo 

and planned to have the photovoltaic solar panels on the 

satellite retracted again by midnight on March 18.. . .Workers 

were expected to begin the final series of leak checks on 

Challenger's three main engines on the 18th. . . . [Yacenda. 

TODAY, p. 16A, Mar. 18, 1983.1 

March 18: NASA officials announced that April 4 is tne new date 

for Space Shuttle Challencjer's inaugural launch....Space 

agency officials found that contamination of the Tracking 

and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) cargo that Challenger will 

deploy was not as serious as fezred. Ed Smylie, NASA's 

associate administrator for space tracking and data systems, 

said the hinges, which allow electricity-generating 

photovoltaic solar panels to extend upon deployment, were 

cleaned - as was the cargo bay ....[ Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 

10At Mar. 19, 1983.1 

Harch 21: The test firing of a "souped-up" version of the Space 

Shuttle's solid rocket booster motors was a complete 

success, NASA officials said of the test which took place in 

Brigham City, Utah, at the Wasatch Division o€ the Morton 

Thiokol Corporation. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. l2A, Mar. 22, 

1983 . I 

<> KSC worke,s checked the electrical connections between 

Challenger and its satellite cargo. TDRS was returned to 

the cargo bay on March 19th and NASA spokesman Kocky Raab 

also said that the Shuttle's main engines "were swung like 

-18- 
bells" in order to assur2 sufficient clearance existed for 

steering maneuvers during the f ive-day STS-6 mission. . . The two spacesuits to be used for the first Shuttle 

spacewalk arrived and a backup suit was expected to arrive 

from Johnson Space Center on March 22 or 23. [Yacenda. 

TODAY, p. 12A, Mar. 22, 1983.1 

Uarch 22: Behe and Umholtz Electrical Contractors of Orlando, 

Florida, was awarded a $1,277,800 f ixed-price contract by 

NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center. The contract, which 

runs from March 16, 1983, through October 12, 1983, calls 

for the LCC's Firing Room 4 and other arefs to be modified. 

[Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE No. 39-83, Mar. 22, 1983.1 

<> NASA officials identified the substances that were found 

earlier to be contaminating the TDRS....Edwin Johnson, KSC 

technical assistant for launch operations, said hydrated 

silica - particles of Challenger's white tiles - made up 60% 

of the contamination, followed by smaller quantities of 

metal chips, salt, sand and an assortment of such other 

materials as man-made fibers, steel weld beads, and assorted 

types of paint chips....Johnson said much of the 

contamination came not only from a late February storm but 

also from work going on near the TDRS, from chafing of the 

Orbiter against the seals that were designed to keep dirt 

out of the cargo bay, and from the length of time the 

satellite was on the pad. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 18A, 

Mar. 23, 1983.1 

Uarch 23: KSC awarded Reynolds, Smlth and Hills (Merritt 

Island, Florida) a contract extension for the refurbishment 

of a third Mobile Launcher platform to support the Space Transportation System. The $917,569 fixed-price contract 

runs from March 10, 1983, to January 10, 1984. The original 

contract began October 29, 1982. [Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS 

RELEASE No. 49-83, Mar. 23, 1983.1 

<> Kennedy Space Center awarded Holloway Corporation 

(Titusville, Florida) a $61,700 fixed-price contract to 

modify the existing Utility Control System in the KSC 

Industrial Area. The contract runs from March 7, 1983, to 

January 13, 1984. [Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE No. 

52-83, Mar. 23, 1983.1 

-1 9- 
<> The six-man crew of the maiden Spacelab mission arrived at 

KSC to begin two-and-one-half weeks of training for the 

mission. Crew members include John Young, commander; 

Brewster Shaw, pilot; mission specialists, Dr. Owen Garriott 

and Dr. Bob Parker; and payload specialists Byron 

Lichtenberg and Ulf Merbold, the first European to fly on an 

American space mission. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 10A, Mar. 26, 

1983 . 1 

Uarch 24: NASA's Kennedy Space Center awarded a $i,511,000 

extension of a current contract to the Federal Systems 

Division Jf International Business Machines Corporation 

(Oswego, New York)....The contract calls for IBM to 

manufacture and deliver one general purpose computer system 

for the support of the Air Force Orbiter Functional 

Simulator at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, by 

January 1985....The Orbiter Functional Simulator is the Air 

Force's version of NASA's Cargo Integration Test Equipment 

(CITE) facility, which verifies the compatibility of 

payloads within the Shuttle. [Tucker. NASA/KSC NEWS 

RELEASE No. 41-83, Mar. 24, 1983.) 

Uarch 25: Ulf Merbold, the first Europear. slated to fly aboard 

the Space Shuttle, said that the future European cooperation 

with the United States depends on the success of the 

Spacelab mission planned for the fall of 1983...."The best 

thing for Europe is to demonstrate to the public the value 

of the scientific mission, and that is to make the first 

Spacelab mission very said Merbold, a German 

scientist assigned as a payload specialist on the orbiting 

laboratory's maiden voyage.. ..Merbold said Shuttle delays 

could jeopardize the Spacelab mission if problems hold up 

launch and testing of the second in a pair of exotic 

tracking and data relay satellites the Shuttle will take 

into space. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lOA, Mar. 26, 1983.1 

Uarch 28: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

announced that complaints from astrcnauts - and concern over 

the Federal Privacy Act - prompted a new policy that bars 

disclosure of sickness unless it threatens a mission. 

Challenger commander Paul Weitz said, "The specifics of my 

state of health is privileged information and belongs only 

between me and my physician until one of us, or both of us, 

decide it should be otherwise." ["NASA Bags News On Space 

Sickness," USA TODAY, p. 3A, Mar. 29, 1983.1 

-20- 
Uarch 30: Grumman Technical Services, Inc. was formed by 

Grumman Carp. to help Lockheed Corporation win the Shuttle 

processing contract. The new subsidiary was to be based in 

Titusville, Florida; Fred Haise, former Apollo and Shuttle 

astronaut, was named president of the new company....George 

Skurla, president of Grumman Aerospace Corporation, called 

the race for tne processing job "the largest NASA 

competition of the decade." [Hodges. TODAY, p. 18c, Mar. 

31, 1983.1 

<> The final countdown for STS-6 began at 2:OO p.m. EST and 

should run for 93 hours, plus an additional 26 1/2 hours for 

pre-planned holds....KSC chief spokesman Hugh Harris said 

the long-awaited countdown began "absolutely right on the 

second," on time. With the call to stations given by NASA 

Test Director Frank J. Merlino, more than thirty engineers 

and technicians manned their stations at the LCC. Launch 

controllers verif ied that pre-count tests were completed 

successfully, and preparations were begun to power-up the 

Orbiter and ground support systems. Along with contractor 

representatives, NASA support personnel, and telephone 

installers, the international press began arriving at the 

Complex 39 Press Center. Harris said as many as 1500 

reporters and camera personnel were expected for the April 4 

launch....KSC officials reported that 138 press passes had 

been issued by 3:50 p.m. March 30th....NASA said that glitch 

with a computer program that switches power sources for the 

batteries on the inertial upper stage rocket that will take 

Challenger's satellite cargo into orbit had been corrected 

to prevent a recurrence of the problem. [Yacenda. TODAY, 

pp. 1A & 18A, Mar. 31, 1383.1 

Uarch 31: NASA Test Director Frank J. Merlino reporteu that all 

preparations of Challenger proceeded "essentially on 

schedule" as the countdown continued toward the spaceplane's 

launch, still set for April 4 at 1:30 p.m. EST....A heavy 

rain began at 4:OO a.m. on the 30th but did not hamper 

launch teams as they coiitinued readying Challenger, said KSC 

spokesman Rocky Raab. Early on the 31st, workers began 

pressurizing fuel and helium tanks on Challenger's orbital 

maneuvering and reaction control systems. That work was 

finished and technicians began systems closeout. The 

orbiter's twin mass memory computer units were checked to 

ascertain whether the units contain the information they 

were supposed to hold. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 20A, 

Apr. 1, 1983.1 

-21- 

APRIL 1983 

April I: The final countdown to the maiden launch of Space 

Shuttle Challenger - scheduled for April 4 - proceeded 

flawlessly, but NASA's pre-launch concern shifted from the 

ground to the high-powered winds whistling through the upper 

atmosphere above Cape Canaveral. While weather conditions 

at the Kennedy Space Center were nearly perfect on the 31st, 

Air Force weather watchers focnd high-altitude winds at 100 

knots (120 mph). Computerized flight simulations conducted 

by Johnson Space Center in Houston showed that the jet 

stream winds, 40,000 feet up, could damage the Shuttle's 

structure....[Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 8A, Apr. 2, 1983.1 

April 2: Harris Corp. (Melbourne, Florida) won a $1.2 nillion 

contract extension from NASX to manufacture and deliver the 

orbiter functional simulator at Vandenberg Air Force Base, 

California, ir: support of Space Shuttle cargo operations. 

[Kassak. TODAY, p. 12C, Apr. 2, 1983.1 

April 4: A crowd estimated at 5G0,OOU lined Brevard County 

Beaches and saw Challenger begin its maiden voyage at eight 

one-hundredths of a second past 1:30 p.m. EST. Smoke from 

the mai;i engines was visible for forty miles around. 

Because Challeiiger's engines were four percent more powerful 

than Columbia's, the rumble and roar shook the ground more 

than any previous flight. The launch attracted 1,138 

journalists, the smallest press attendance of any of the six 

Shuttle launches. By coinparison, 3,500 ]ournalists covered 

the launch of Apollo 11. Celebrities in attendance for the 

STS-6 launch included sinyer John Denver, author Geora? 

Plimpton, French astronaut Jean LOUP Chretien, 

Representative Don Fuqua, chairman of the Hause Scier.,e and 

Technology Committee, and former astronaut General Tom 

Stafford. [Adams. TODAY, pp. 1A & 14A, Apr. 5, 1983.1 

<> High-altitude jet stream winds raging above the Cape 

Canaveral launch site cooperated by easing up at the last 

minute to allow Challenger to launch on time. The winds, 

which dropped from 160 mph to a more tolerable 100 mph, 

almost caused postponement of the launch. NASA Launch 

Director A1 O'Hara said instruments detected no fuel leaks 

at all in Challenger's engine compartment during launch. At 

one point lust seconds after liftoff, Mission Control in 

-2*- 
Houston reported Challenger taking a slightly lower 

trajectory than planned; the problem was considered 

insignificant, and Challenger adjusted course before 

continuing its upward trajectory. STS-6 was the first to 

use a new lightweight external fuel tank and also had new 

lightweight solid rocket boosters. NASA reported the 

boosters were located quickly and appeared to be in good 

shape. USBIIs recovery ships retrieved the boosters 2t 

about 2:15 p.m. EST. iYacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A 6 14A, Apr. 

5, 1983.1 

April 5: United Space Boosters, Inc.'s shuttle refurbishing 

operation will stay ill Brevard County, according to U.S. 

Representative Bill Nelson (I)-Melbourne). "We have great 

news. The 700 jobs at USBI will remain in Brevard. NASA 

Administrator James Beggs just called me. The decision 

today was Kent?€ y Space Center versds Huntsville." He said 

Beggs told him che USBI solid rockec booster manufacturing 

activity "will remain at KSC or nearby." ["USBI Jobs Stay 

Here," THE TRIBUNE, p. lA, Apr. 6, 1983.1 

<> The shuttle's launch p;3 sustained comparatively little 

damage from the liftoff of STS-6. KSC officials credited an 

ongoing program to "harden" the concrete and steei 

structure. Sgt. Wayne Ranow, a U.S. Air Force launch pad 

operations manager, said only aboclt 10 electrical boxes had 

been damaged compared to a high of 25 on earlier launches. 

Ranow also said none of the four-inch thick bricks that pave 

the pad were shattered by the rocket thrust. During the 

first two launches as many as 100 such bricks were hurled 

1500 feet into fences. After STS-2, a solid coat of 

concrete was poured over the area directly tinder the rocket 

flame to keep the bricks in place. [Adams. TODAY, p. 10A, 

Apr. 6, 19b3.1 

<> Challenger's two 93-ton booster rockets were returned to a 

Cape Canaveral Air Force StatioR hangar and USHI reported 

that they would be used again in early and mid-1984. "They 

are in excellent shape. It was a model recovery," said Paul 

Burton, USBI spokesman. The rockets were recovered 188 

miles offshore one half-hour after liftoff. Farts of these 

rockets were used during STS-1 in April, 1981, and the 

parachutes were used in November, 1981, for STS-2. [Adams. 

TODAY, p. 16A, Apr. 6, 1983.1 

! 'I 
April 7: County Civil Defense Director Jim Adkins asked \ Brevard's county commissioners to seek federal money on 

behalf of the c'unty and municipalities to offset the cost 

of providing emergency services during shuttle launches. 

The county and its cities now spend between $20,000 and 

$25,000 in emergency services per launch. The request for 

money would be sent to U.S. Rep. Bill Nelson who would be 

asked to submit it to the appropriate federal agency. 

[Holmes. TODAY, p. 18, Apr. 8, 1983.1 

<> NASA's KSC awarded Zero Corporation (Monson, Massachusetts) 

a contract for- aluminum racks that support electronic 

equipment used in Launch Processing Systems for the Space 

Shuttle. The racks are due to be delivered by September 7, 

1983.1 

1983. [Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE NO. 85-83, Apr. 26, 

April 11: SATCOM 1R was launched just after 5:39 p.m. EST 

aboard Lslta 3924 from launch pad i7B. The RCA satellite 

was the second of the company's advanced solid state 

satellites and would act as an "in-orbit spare" for other 

protected services, such as cablenet services and the SATCOM 

5 satellite launched in October 1982 to provide Alaskans 

with improved long-distance telephone and television 

service. [Sharn. TODAY, p. lOA, Fpr. 12, 1983.1 

April 14: KSC officials annoumed that NASA had approved a 

$250,000 study to determine the feasibility of constructing 

an estinated $100 million energy plant that would furnish 

the Shuttle with liquid hyccrogen and gaseous nitrogen, The 

plant - using a revolutionary process called polygeneration 

- w9uld replace the expensive natural gas now used to 

develop Shuttle fuel with more plentiful and less expensive 

coal. As B side benefit, heat produced during the 

manufacturing of Shuttle fuel could be turned into 

electricity for use throughout the space center. The low 

cost energy could save ds much as $1 million per shuttle 

launch, said Peter Minderman, KSC's director of engineering 

development. [Cone. TODAY, pp. lk & 16A, Apr. 13, 1983.1 

April. 16: The Spaceweek Information and Work Center, sponsored 

by the Canaveral Council of Tschrrical Societies and the 

Spacecoast Chapter of the L-5 Society, opened in the 

Searstown Mall on U.S. 1 in Titusville, Florida. ["Space 

Bowters Open Center for Public," TODAY, p. 3B, Apr. 20, 

1983 1 

-25- 
<> Challenger, described as the "cleanest" spacecraft to return 

from space, arrived at the Kennedy Space Center at 12:45 

p.m. EST, ridiq atop a 747 jet. The mated pair of ylanes % 

approached the Space Center from the south, flew over the 

runway once and circled back over the Indian River. At KSC, 

about 2,nOO tourists and KSC workers and their families saw 

the landing from close-up. Challenqer was then denated and 

towed to the orbiter processing facility. NASA spokesman 

Mark Hess said Chalienger not only was cleaner in 

appearance, but also encountered fewer problems than was the 

case with Columbia. [Baird. THE TRIBUNE, p. 3A, Apr. 20, 

1983.1 

April 17: Challenger was wheeled into its quarters at the 

Orbiter Processing Facility and NASA officials said 

preparations for the seventh Shuttle mission had already 

begun. ["Challenger Hheels In for Spring Cleaning," TODAY, 

p. 12A, Apr. 18, 1983.1 

April 19: With the deadline for saving Kennedy Space Center's 

last remaining Apollo-era launch tower just days away, six 

national and Florida groups hoping to preserve the historic 

structure took NASA into court. Led by the National Trust 

for Historic Preservation, the groups filed suit in U.S. 

District Court in Washington, D.C., seeking a temporary 

restraining order blocking the space agency from proceeding 

with plans to demolish the tower. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 18, 

Apr. 20, 1983-: 

April 20: Assistant Attorney General Robert Seldon, 

representing NASA, told u.S. Magistrate Louis Oberdorfer 

than no action would be taken to demolish the last surviving 

Apollo-era launch tower at KSC until the preservationists 

had their day in court on May 9. Based on NASA's 

assurances, preservationists withheld their planned requesz 

for an injunction. In Congress, U.S. Rep. Bill Nelson 

predicted that funding would be approved to enable NASA to 

?reserve the tower. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lB, Apr. 21, 

1983.1 

April 22: The Shuttle Pailet Satellite (SPAS-01) was unveiled 

at Kennedy Space Center. The $13 million spacecrsft was 

butlt in West Germany by the firm of Nesserschmitt-BolkowBkohm GmbH {MBB). SPAS-01 is essentially a platform for 

-26- 
holding interchangeable experiments and will be the first 

recoverable "free-flier" to be carried aboard the Shuttle. 

It will be deployed in June from STS-7. [Yacenda. TODAY, 

p. lA, Apr. 23, 1983.1 

April 25: The launch of shuttle mission 6 marked the first 

reuse of Morton Thiokol solid rocket motor hardware flown on 

earlier shuttle flights, a cost-saving program goal. 

Booster hardware added to the motors by United Space 

Boosters, Inc. to complete the power plants, also was 

reflown for the first time durifig the space shuttle 

program. The reuse of several tons of previously flown 

booster hardware saved over a million dollars in Mission 6 

launch Costs# according to Thiokol. Additional xinor 

components that had been part of earlier ground test motor 

firings at Thiokol in Utah also were flown on the mission 

boosters. !'his hardware came primarily from the first and 

second qualirication motor firings that occurred in June and 

September, 1979, respectively. Similar ground test hardware 

also had flown some previous missions. ["Shuttle 6 Reused 

Solid Motor Hardware," AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY, p. 

116, Apr. 25, 1983.1 

<> NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel recommended a shuttle 

engine redesign for 109% operations - a requirement for many 

Vandenberg AFB launches. The panel said: "There is a 

growing body of opinion that the origin of the problems of 

the (engine turbomachinery) is of a *systems * nature rather 

than a set of discrete component difficulties. It would 

seem prudent, therefore, to undertake a major redesign of 

the turbopumps ds the long-range solution to the 

problems....n["NASA to Seek Redesign of Snuttie Engine 

Parts," AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY, p. 115, Apr. 25, 

1983. J 

<> David Boland, Inc., Titusville-based general contractor, 

started work on new facilities for the.U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Merritt Island Wildlife Refcge. The 

$1,119,000 project includes a new headquarters building and 

new maintenance facilities. Stephen Gard, assistant refuc_ 

manager, said the headquarters building will include 

offices, a visitors contact station, a wildlife exhibit, a 

small auditorium that seats about 30, and possibly a 

boardwalk and rail trail around the complex. Four new 

maintenance buildings will also be built: a warehouse, 

carpentry shop, f illincj station and vehicle storage 

facility. The current headquarters facilities were homes 

-27- 
left an the refuge when NASA purchased the property, Gard 

said. ['Contractor Begins $1 Million Project For Wildlife 

Service," THE TRIBUNE, p. SA, Apr. 278 1983.) 

April 26: Kennedy Space Center awarded Reynolds, Smith and 

Hills (Merritt Island, Florida) an ertension on its fixedprice contract for $269,000. The contract, which runs from 

March 10, 1983, through December 10, 1983, is for 

architectural and engineering services connected with a 

review of the disassembly drawings and surveillance of 

stripping and the disassembly of an Apollo Mobile Launcher 

to be modified for use in the Space Shuttle program. 

(Malone. NA!%/KSC NEWS RELEASE No. 84-83, Apr. 26, 1983.1 

April 27: NASA awarded a $123,983 contract extension as a joint 

venture to Planning Research Corp. with Briel, Rhame, 

Poynter and Houser (Cocoa Beach, Florida) for architectural 

services on facility modifications for the Shuttle/Centaur 

upper stage vehicle at KSC. [Kassak. TODAY, p. 16C, Apr. 

27, 1983.1 

<> Hollaway Corp. (Titusville, Florida) won a $1.3 million 

contract from NASA to modify solid rocket booster 

refurbishment facilities in the Vehicle Assembly Building 

and Hangar N at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. [Kassak. 

TODAY, p- 16c1 Apr. 27, 1983.1 

<> Two men who were in the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) at 

Kennedy Space Center during a leak of highly toxic hydrazine 

rocket fuel on April 17 returned to a Titusville, Florida, 

hospital suffering from respiratory problems. Both men - 

photographer Alex Bosmeny, 61, and firefighter Vernon 

Woodard, 32 - said on April 26 that no alarm had sounded 

after the spill, thereby increasing their exposure to the 

harmful gas. KSC spokesman Hugh Harris said it was possible 

the high bay where the leak occurrdd was cleared by word of 

mouth rather than by an announcerneEt over the public address 

system. He also said that there was as yet no evidence that 

the two men had been f-njured by hydrazine. Harris said, 

further, that a KSC committee had been formed to investigate 

the incident. Area Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration Dj rector Bill Demery said that OSHA would 

investigate as well. [Sharn. TODAY, pp. 16 & 3B, Apr. 27, 

1983.1 

-28- 
<> Astronauts Bob Overmyer and Bill Lenoir, who flew on STS-5, 

called on the United States to establish a permanent manned 

space station. Speaking at the 20th Annual Space Congress 

in Cocoa Beach, Florida, Overmyer speculated that a 

civilian-military "joint-use" space facility was feasible 

and Lenoir said that he thought commercial demands would 

eventually bring about the establishment of a space 

station. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 20A, Apr. 28, 1983.1 

April 28: John Hodge, director of NASA's Space Station Task 

Force told the final session of the 20th Annual Space 

Congress that the "gee-whiz" period of space exploration is 

yielding to a time of commercial space exploitation. "We've 

got to get used to the idea that we're going to do lots of 

things in space," Hodge told the Cocoa Beach, Florida, 

gathering of space experts and enthusiasts. The need for 

affordable space systems will require NASA to change the way 

the agency does business, Hodqe remarked. "Whatever it is 

that we're goiny to be doing, it has to be customer-driven," 

he said. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 28, Apr. 298 1983.1 

<> Isaac Gillam IV, head of the plans and policy section of 

NASA's Office of Space Flight, told the 20th Annual Space 

Congress in Cocoa Beach, Florida, that current ager,cy plans 

call for launching a space station in 1991. Congressional 

attention directed toward NASA's space station study has 

led, Gillam said, to "an air of cautious optimism" that 

Congress will fund a space station project; actual work on 

the project could begin in 1986. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. ZB, 

Apr. 29, 1983.) 

-29- 
Uay 2: A 41 1/2-minute test firing of NASA's sophisticated new 

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite indicated to project 

engineers the spacecraft could be successfully maneuvered to 

a proper geosynchronous orbit. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, May 

3, 1983.1 

Nay 3: Routine testing of Challenger's electrical system began 

in anticipation of a mid-Guns launch. Also begun were 

checks of the electrical systems of Challenger's four major 

payloads and tests to assure compatibility of those systems 

with that of the Orbiter. NASA anticipated loading cargoes 

aboard Challenger later in May. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 20A, 

May 4, 1983.1 

Hay 4: Twelve central Brevard students were selected to 

participate in NASA's Nurture program: Cameron Vigil, Garry 

Rooney and Tracy Thompson (Rockledge High School); Chris 

Beadle, Amy Howald, Jennifer Woolbright and Ronda Carman 

(Cocoa High School); Dana Weaber (Cocoa Beach High School); 

and Michelle Portera, Steve Davis, Arthur Johnson, Jr., and 

Chung Kim (Jefferson Junior High on Merritt Island). The 

students will make routine visits to Kennedy Space Center 

during their last three years of high school and will gain 

hands-on experience in specific and preferred fields of 

science. ["NASA Nurtures Local Students," THE TRIBUNE, p. 

7A, May 4, 1983.1 

<> Harris Corp.'s Government Systems Division (Melbourne, 

Florida) was awarded a $1,245,107 fixed-price contract 

extension by NASA to manufacture and deliver three separate 

pieces 9f equipment in support of the Orbiter Functional 

Simulator at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, by 

August I, 1984. ["Harris Wins Shuttle Contract," THE 

TRIBUNE, p. SA, May 4, 1983.1 

<> Martin Marietta formed a subsidiary company to perform 

launch services for the space shuttle program, the 

corporation announced. The new firm, Martin Marietta Launch 

Services Corp., would operate at both Kennedy Space Center 

and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and would employ 

-30- 
over a thousand persons. Martin Marietta is a member of the 

Rockwell International team which is competing against a 

Lockheed-led team for the shuttle processing contract. 

["Martin Marietta Forms Shuttle Firm," TODAY, p. 2OC, May 

5, 1983.) 

<> Technicians continued checking out a new Ku-band antenna 

installed on Challenger, (expected to launch June 15). The 

new antenna would allow the crew to communicate with the 

ground via NASA's sophisticated TDRS system and would also 

be used as a radar antenna for other orbiting satellites. 

KSC spokesman Jim Ball said technicians were able to shave a 

day off the allotted time for testing the electronic systems 

of three of Challenger's payloads for the upcoming STS-7 

mission. Preparations for Challenger's fourth major cargo, 

the OSTA-2 onboard experimental payload, continued at the 

space center's Operations and Checkout Building. [Yacenda. 

TODAY, PO 2OA, May 58 1983.1 

Hay 5: Astronauts Sally Ride, John Fabian and Anna Fisher took 

part in mission simulation exercises on the ground at 

Kennedy Space Center. The exercises simulated what Ride and 

Fabian would do to prepare one of Challenger's three major 

payloads for deployment during the orbiter's second-flight 

in mid-June. They would release Canadian and Indonesian 

communication satellites and operate experiments on a West 

German scientific pallet. Although the instruments used for 

the simulations were similar to those that the astronauts 

would encounter on the shuttle, some improvisations took 

place; music stands were used to hold program manuals and a 

sheet of foam rubber was taped up to keep glare from the 

astronauts' eyes. The astronauts seemed to be in good 

spirits during the simulations, their jokes eliciting 

frequent, if restrained, laughter. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 

18A8 May 6, 1983.1 

<> NASA's Kennedy Space Center awarded Godfrey Manufacturing, 

Inc. (Oldsmar; Florida) a contract to manufacture and 

deliver strobe lights for Shuttle Landing Facilities at 

Kennedy Space Center ?lorida, Dryden Flight Research 

Facility, California, and White Sands Missile Range, New 

Mexico. The firm-fixed-price contract was initiated on 

April 22, 1983, and the lights are to be delivered by June 

1983. The contract has a dollar value of $27,1C9 and is one 

set aside for award to a small business firm. [Malone. 

NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE NO. 93-83, May 5, 1983.1 

-31- 
Hay 5: NASA announced it would display the space shuttle 

orbiter Enterprise, the non-flying shuttle, at the Paris Air 

Show May 26 - June 5, where it will be the keystone of the 

U.S. aerospace exhibit. [DEFENSE DAILY, p. 32, May 5, 

1983 J 

<> NASA Administrator James Beggs said NASA had not made a 

final decision on whether to launch the second TDRS 

satellite aboard the STS-8 mission in August but that he is 

"somewhat pessimistic" that it can be included on the 

mission because of the time needed to correct the problem 

with the Inertial Upper Stage, which caused the TDRS-1 to go 

into improper orbit. [DEFENSE DAILY, p. 30, May 5, 1983.1 

;> "These hearinqs represent a significant milestone in this 

nation's space program. They are noteworthy in that the 

question being addressed today is no longer whether space 

has commercial promise but rather how best to proceed to 

maximize that promise for national economic well-being," 

said NASA Administrator James M. Beggs, at a hearing by the 

House Subcommittee on Space Science & Applications on 

commercial activities in space. [DEFENSE DAILY, p. 30, May 

5, 1983.1 

<> Twenty-two years ago Alan B. Shepard, Jr. became the first 

American astronaut to be launched into space. Shepard's 

Freedom 7 Mercury was launched aboard a Redstone rocket at 

9:34 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral. Freedom 7 is now on 

permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution in 

Washington, D.C. Today Shepard a successful businessman 

in Houston, Texas; he has interests in real estate and beer 

distribution. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp.lA & 20A, May 3, 1983.1 

May 6: NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center chose three central 

Florida firms for special recognition during the center's 

observance of Small Business Week from May 9 through May 

13. Awards were presented by KSC Director Richard G. Smith 

to Greer Electrical Contractors (Rockledge) New World 

Services, Inc. (Orlando) and BAMSI (Titusville, Florida). 

Greer was chosen as the "Small Business Prime Contractor of 

the Year;" NWSI was recognized as the "Woman-Owned Business 

Contractor of the Year;" and BAMSI was recognized as the 

"Minority Business Contractor of the Year." [Malone. 

NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE NO. 94-83, May 6, 1983.) 

-32- 
Hay 9: Kennedy Space Center awarded a $39,247 fixed-price 

contract to Vic Lane Construction, Inc, (Merritt Island, 

Florida). The contract, for modifications to the hazardous 

waste treatment fecility at KSC's fire training area, is one 

set aside for a small business firm. [Tucker. NASA/KSC 

NEWS RELEASE No, 92-83, May 5, 1983.1 

<> Harold and Patricia Lamb and their two daughters Jennifer 

and Jon1 were recognized as the 19 millionth visitors to the 

space center. The family - from Rouseville, Pennsylvania - 

was treated to lunch, a personal tour of the visitors 

center, a bus tour of the spaceport, and framed photographs 

of the shuttle taking off, landing, and resting atop its 747 

carrier jet, [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 3B, May 10, 1983.1 

Nay 10: NASA announced that the launch of STS-7 would occur at 

7:33 a.m. EST on June 18, 1983, 63 calendar days of 

processing time since the return of Challenger on the STS-6 

mission. STS-7 was expected to land at KSC between 6:58 and 

7:46 a.m. EST on the morning of June 24, 1983. The crew 

will include Bob Crippen, Fred Hauck, Sally Ride, John 

Fabian and Dr. Norman Thagard. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A C 

12A, May 11, 1983.1 

Hay 11: Avtec, Inc. (Titusville, Florida) headed by 

Harry Merritt, Jr,, was awarded a contract with EGCG 

Florida, Inc., to refurbish the hydrocarbon fuel storage 

tank at Kennedy Space Center. The $14,007 contract began 

March 29, 1983. ["Avtec Wins EG&G Contract,'' THE TRIBUNE, 

p. SA, May 11, 1983.1 

May 12: NASA decided to evaluate two alternative "payload-ofopportunity" carriers for the space shuttle, which would be 

used to carry a wide variety of payloads into space at quick 

notice and low cost, and be able to be reflown within six 

months: the program was designated "Hitchhiker." ["NASA 

Evaluating Two 'Hitchhiker' Carriers for Shuttle," DEFENSE 

DAILY, p. 70, May 12, 1983.1 

Hay 16: President Reagan announced the government would allow 

commercial firms to buy Delta, Atlas and Titan rockets and 

launch them from existing pads to encourage private 

enterprise in space. The move comes as the government 

-33- 




will extend to December 10, 1983. ["KSC Awards Contract 

Extension,' THE TRIBUNE, p. 6A, Way 25, 1983.1 

my 26s Challenger traveled from the VA0 to its launch pad 

three and a half miles away. The journey was begun at 12:30 

p.m. EST and ended at 7:30 p.m. EST when the shuttle arrived 

at pad 39A and was set firmly in place. Workers began 

checking the connections that carry propellants, gases, 

electricity and data to the shuttle from the ground. NASA 

Lauri,h Director A1 O'tiara said that one significant problem 

uncovered prior to Challenger's departure from the VAB 

should not delay the launch schedule. The glitch involved 

links between the orbiter and one of the twin solid rocket 

boosters attached to the shuttle's external fuel tank. The 

7:33 a.m. EST June 18 launch was not considered in 

jeopardy. [Yacenaa. TODAY, pp. 1A & 16A, Hay 27, 1983.1 

Ihy 27: It's finally official. The Apollo-era launch tower 

threatened with demolition has gotten a new lease on life. 

'It's official as official can be that NASA is saving the 

tower,. said Ian Spatz, counsel for the National Trust for 

Historic Preservation. The National Trust and five other 

preservation groups that filed suit to block NASA from 

destroying the 19-year-old tower reached an agreement with 

the space agency that was presented in court and which keeps 

the tower off the scrap heap. under the terms of the 

agreement, the tower will be disassembled so pieces can be 

preserved, stored and later re-erected on another site as an 

historical monruaent....[Yacenda. TODAY, p. lB, May 28, 

1983.1 

Ray 28: David Boland, Inc. (Titusville, Florida) was awarded a 

$500,000 TWA Services contract to convert the souvenir sales 

building at KSC's Visitors Information Center into a food 

service facility. [Kassak. TODAY, p. 16C, May 28, 1983.) 

my 29: NASA announced that it was scratching the second in a 

series of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites planned for 

launch aboard the space shuttle in late summer. An Air 

Force-developed booster rocket sent the first satellite or 

TDRS aff course fol!,wing deployment from challenger in 

April. A joint NASA-Air Force investigation board set up to 

look into the incident has yet to conclude what caused the 

problem. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, May 29, 1983.1 $-'I e, -, 

-38- 
Hay 30% NASA announced plans to recompete the job of 

refurbishing recovered non-motor parts of solid rocket 

boosters and asserrbling complete boosters. The winner would 

be required to build a new refcrbishment facility on the 

grounds of the center. The job is now being done by United 

Space Boosters, Inc., a United Technologies subsidiary, in 

the low bay area of the Vehicle Assembly Building and at 

several other locations at Cape Canaveral Air Force 

Station. Uorton Thiokol refurbishes and reloads -tor 

segments in Brigham City, Utah, under a separate contract. 

The recovery operation and operation of the vessels Liberty 

and Freedom will remain d United Space Boosters 

responsibility. ["NASA to Recompete Booster Refurbishment," 

AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLEY, p. 297, Hay 30, 1983.) 

-39- 
JONB 1983 

June 1: Following a lunch with President Reagan in Washington, 

the STS-7 crew flew to Kennedy Space Center for the next 

stage in their preflight preparations. Mission commander 

Bob Crippen and flight pilot Frederick Hauck were scheduled 

to fly simulated shuttle landings at the spaceport's 3-milelong Shuttle Landing Facility (SLP). Following that 

exercise, they would he joined by fellow crewmembers John 

Fabian, Sally Ride and Norman Thagard to check out flight 

equipment. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 16A, Jun. 2, 1983.1 

June 6: Orlando International Airport was considered as a 

future space shuttle alternate landing facility in the event 

bad weather closes the KSC shuttle runway after an orbiter 

reentry has started toward the launch site. ['Shuttle 

Officials Study Orlando as Alternate Landing Facility," 

AVIATION WEEK C SPACE TECHNOLOGY, p. 78, June 6, 1983.) 

June 8: The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 

threatened to walk out on KSC contractors RCA and EGcG. The 

union represents 300 RCA workers and 40 with EGG. A 

federal mediator was called into the talks at the Cocoa 

Beach Holiday Inn. [&dams. TODAY, p. lB, Jun. 98 1983.1 

June 13: Pioneer 10 slipped out of the solar system, destined 

to wander in space forever. The spacecraft was launched 

more than 11 years ago to observe the planets and, as it 

left the solar system, most of its systems continued to 

function. [Associated Press. TODAY, p. 4A8 Jun. 19, 1983.1 

<> As preparations proceeded for the shuttle's seventh mission, 

NASA annouwed that it would probably have to cancel the 

STS-10 mission set for November because its military payload 

was not going to be ready. "The Air Force is not going to 

fly tnat mission, so we are just scrcbbing it,' said 

spokesman David Garrett at NASA's Washington, D.C., 

headquarters. He said negotiations were under way between 

the Air Force and NASA to arrange a new flight schedule for 

the delayed cargo. Under an agreement with NASA, the Air 

Force has the right to pre-empt non-defense cargos on the 

shuttle for its own payloads. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 

l2A, Jun. 141 1983.1 

-40- 
<> A mechanical failure in the second stage control mechanism 

on an Air Force-developed upper-stage rocket caused a 

sophisticated communication satellite to go astray after 

launch fram the Space Shuttle in April, said Air Force Space 

Division spokesman Col. Jeff Baker. The Los Anqeles-bcsed 

Col. Baker said work was already under way to assure the 

problem does not recur on similar inertial upper stage (IS) 

rackets under construction for future flights. .There have 

been reports that everything is on hold for the IUS and 

that's not true,. Baker said. [Yacenda. I3DAY, p. 12, 

Jun. 14, 1983.) 

(- 5 

June 15: Challenger's flight crew arrived at Kennedy Space 

Center and expressed their readiness for June 18th'~ planned 

7:33 a.m. EDT launch of the space sb.i:tle. Meanwhile, 

launch crews were set for the call to stations, scheduled to 

be made at 3 a.m. EDT, June 16, kicking off the final 

countdown. Flying into the three-mile-long Shuttle Landing 

Facility (SLP) runway at about 5:40 p.m. SDT, the 

five-person STS-7 crew - consisting of commander Bob 

Crippen, pilot Rick Hauck, and mission specialists Sally 

Ride, John Fabian, and Norman Thagard - was greeted at the 

spaceport by a contingent of media representatives and NASA 

personnel. The crew had few words for the greeters. 'We're 

ready to go on Saturday,' Crippen reassured reporters. 

"Sure tkank you for coming out," was the brief comment from 

Ride, who will be the first American woman to fly in space. 

Weather-watchers predicted good conditions for the launch - 

low, scattered clouds in the 2,000-foot to 6,500-foot 

altitude range, light and variable winds, temperatures 

around 738 and no thunderstorms expected - according to Air 

Force spokesman Don Engel. For about two hours after dark, 

workers practiced a simulated rescue operation on the KSC 

runway using the mock Shuttle cabin built for such tests. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 20A8 Jun. 16, 1983.) 

June 16: Challenger's five-astronaut crew spent the day 

brushing up on mission skills prior to their launch on the 

18th. Beginning at 5:OO a.m. EST, the crew spent the first 

part of the laorning checking their flight equipment for fit 

and reviewing mission information. While they were doing 

that, their skipper, mission commander Bob Crippen, was out 

in a modified Gulfstream jet aircraft flying simulated 

Shultle approaches to the SLF. Later in the morning, 

Crippen and his crew took turns zipping around in the sleek 

T-38 jets the astronauts fly. 

-41- 
On the mechanical side of things, a last-minute computer 

Controllers (HECs) located aboard Challenger. The devices, 

among other functions, relay commands from the Orbiter's 

general purpose computers to explosive devices that separate 

the huge external fuel tank and the twin solid rocket 

boosters from the shuttle during flight. The affected UEC 

was a backup device, but the function it supports is 

critical to the safety of the flight crew. After clearing 

the computer logic in the device and successfully running a 

series of test simulations, engineers from both NASA and 

Rockwell International, which built the device, decided the 

problem was related on to the initial powering of the box 

and had been resolved. The suspected problem with the 

electrical controller "...will be no problem at all,* KSC 

spokesman Rocky Raab said. 

glitch involved one of two devices called Haster Events * 

Further, the payload bay doors were opened so that engineers 

could verify that proper electrical connections were made 

between the orbiter and the McDonnell Douglas-built Payload 

Assist nodule (PM) booster rockets that will transport two 

communications satellites into geosynchronous orbit after 

leaving the shuttle. 

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers planned 

to picket against EGfiG, the space center's main ground 

support contractor, but KSC labor relations chief Hal Gooch 

said a walkout by the approximately 40 computer operators 

and data processors would have no effect on the launch.... 

[Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 20A, Jun. 17, 1983.1 

JUIW 17: About two dozen electrical union picketers stood along 

Kennedy Space Center entrance roads saying they were 

protesting their inability to negotiate with EGslG Inc. 

KSC's base operations contractor. Bill Hamilton, business 

manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical 

Workers Local 2088, said attempts since April to reach 

agreement on a new contract have failed. The union plans to 

continue the informational pickets for as long as necessary, 

he said. Hamilton would not comment on the possibility of a 

strike. [Dickerson. TODAY, p. 38, Jun. 18, 1983.1 

<> At a NASA-sponsored reception for VIPs held at KSC's 

Visitors Information Center, master of ceremonies NASA 

Administrator James Beggs said, "We're here to honor women, 

such as Sally Ride, and all those who've helped her be where 

she is today." The 30-minute program was attended by nearly 

-4 2- 
900. Relaxing with wine and cheese, the guests heard a 

message from President Reagan read by presidential aid Faith 

Whittlesy and a speech by Congresswoman Lindy Boggs. 

Also, women in the audience in ranking government and 

military positions and heads of national women@s 

organizations were introduced. John Denver, a space buff 

who has attended sang a song - "High Flight" - especially 

prepared for the VIP gathering. aI@ll sing it especially for Sally Ride, of course, and for all the women involved in 

the flight," Denver said. Before reading Reagan's speech, 

Whittlesey said, "Whether we be husbands, wives, brothers or 

sisters, we all realize the significance of Sally Ride's 

journey into space. The president s message, wishing the 

five astronauts a "smooth journey and a safe return,' also 

noted, "This mission will Isark...the first ascent of an 

American woman into space.' 

Congresswoman Boggs, noting the fact that she was present 

because she serves on the NASA Appropriations Conunittee, 

said, aTomrrow is a particularly thrilling experience for 

the women of America and the women of the world. When Sally 

Ride goes up tomorrow, we will help to lift her with our 

hopes and our prayers." [Clark. TODAY, p. 28, JUn. 18, 

1983.1 

June 18: President and Mrs. Reagan may greet Sally Ride and her 

four male shuttle crewmate- on their return to Earth at 

Kennedy Space Center on June 24th. The White House press 

office wouldn't confirm the report, and only said any 

announcement of a presidential visit would be made two days 

before the landing. The Associated Press quoted an unnamed 

Washington source as saying the president would watch the 

landing at KSC and participate in a ceremony welcoming the 

astronauts back from their six-day mission. [Adams. TODAY, 

p. lA, June 18, 1983.) 

<> An estimated 500,000 people were on hand to witness the 

launch of STS-7 and the first American woman's voyage into 

space. The estimate was provided by Brevard County 

sheriff's deputies and represented a crowd similar in size 

to that which viewed the sixth launch. [Cook. TODAY, p. 

2BI Jun. 13, 1983.1 

-43- 
<> Prior to its 7:33 a.m. EST launch, the last measage relayed 

into Challenger's crew cabin came from Ride's husband, 

astronaut Steve Hawley. 'Sally, have a ball,' the essage 

read. [Yacenda. TODAYf pp. 1A & 18A, Jun. 19, 1983.1 

<> An estimated 1628 journalists were on hand to report the 

launch of STS-7. This represented an increase of 490 in the 

press corps contingent which viewed Challenger's maiden 

flight in April and was the fourth largest press turnout 

since the space program began at Kennedy Space Center. 'It 

was strictly Sally,' NASA spokesman Rocky Raab said after 

the successful launch. *They came to see her.* ['Ride A 

Big Draw for Shuttle Media," TODAY, p. 4A, Jun. 19, 1983. 

Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A 6 18A, Jun. 19, 1983.1 

<> At one point during Challenger's launch, which was 

punctuated on the ground by cheers, rebel yells and frequent 

bursts of applause, Mission Control announced to the 

astronauts and to the launch crowd: myour first-stage 

performance was nominal.' One young man, obviously enjoying 

his first launch, indignantly retorted: *Nominal! That was 

fantastic!" (Nominal is simply Mission Control's restrained 

way of saying everything went just fine.) 

Right up until the hour of launch, clouds literally hung 

over Challenger's departure. Rain showers spotted off the 

Cape Canaveral coast failed to stop the mission, but dark 

clouds hovering above the Shuttle's beachside launch site 

threatened to hide most of the rocket's initial trajectory. 

The clouds cleared just before liftoff. At the same time, 

at Dakar, Senegal, in West Africa, weather conditions 

improved just enough to make an emergency landing there a 

safe possibility were it to be needed. Just to make sure 

conditions were safe, senior astronaut John Young and NASA 

test pilot Charlie Walker flew simulated shuttle landings at 

KSC's runway right up to the time of liftoff. Astronaut 

Dave Walker was also in the air in a T-38 jet trainer. Only 

one last-minute glitch occurred; a seal in a line pumping 

super-cold liquid hydrogen from the ground to the Orbiter 

failed to seal properly. After several hours of working 

with the seal, the item eventually closed off and the 

shuttle's tank was topped up. 

Tom Utsman, shuttle operations and management director, 

noted this countdown may have been the smoothest yet for a 

shuttle launch. Liftoff came just 59-thousandths of a 

second after the optimum launch time of 7:33 a.m. EST. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A 6 18Af Jun. 19, 1983.1 

-44- 
<> Challenger's launch pad - 39A - suffered little of the heat 

'1 damage from the seventh launch that accompanied previous 

liftoffs, NASA officials said. "The damage to the pad was 

essentially nil. They figure with a week's work, they could 

use the pad again," said KSC spokesman Dick Young. He said 

that workers had repaired the pad after each of the last six 

launches so that it can withstand the intense heat of 

ignition. ["Liftoff Left Hardly A Scratch," TODAY, p. IA, 

Jun. 19, 1983.1 

<> The impact of her daughter's historic flight didn't hit 

Joyce Ride until several minutes after Sally Aide had 

disappeared off the face of the Earth. "It really got to me 

when they said they're down-range and if there's any problem 

they'll land in Dakar," Hrs. Ride said after the launch. 

Asked if he was anxious during the countdown and liftoff, 

Dale Ride, the astronaut's father, confidently answered, 

"NO, not at all. It's a great program." Bear Ride, Sally's 

29-year-old sister, didn't mind being asked how she felt 

about the flight. "Greatl" she exclaimed, punching the air 

with her fist. Following the launch, the Rides chatted with 

feminist leader Gloria Steinem, who watched the launch at 

the VIP site with Jane Fonda and hundreds of others. Almost 

unrecognized among the throng of celebrities was Dr. Edward 

Teller, frequently referred to as the "fatner" of the 

hydrogen bomb. When asked why he attended this shuttle 

launch, Teller joked, "Because I got up very early this 

morning." [Associated Press. TODAY, p. 3A, Jun. 19, 1983. 

Platt. TODAY, p. SA, Jun. 19, 1983.1 

<> The reusable, twin solid rocket boosters used to help launch 

Challenger on its second flight apparently survived in good 

form their parachute-broken fail 29 miles to the ocean. 

Officials of the United Space Boosters, Inc., which 

assembles the booster components for NASA, reported the 

rockets came down very close to the recovery vessels - 

Liberty and Freedom - 156 miles off Cape Canaveral in the 

Atlantic Ocean. The vessels with the boosters in tow were 

expected to pass through the jetties into Cape Canaveral a 

day after the launch. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 3A, Jun. 19, 

1983 e] 

<> Through the preflight hullabaloo, Sally Ride had been 

circumspect, all business. But during her first hours in 

space, she didn't try to suppress her enthusiasm - 

describing her launch as "definitely an E ticket." For 

aficionados of amusement park thrills, this is something 

like the ultimate accolade. "Roy, have you ever been to 

-45- 
Disneyland?* Ride asked Capcom Roy Bridges at Mission 

Control in Hocston not long after Challenger's 7r33 a.m. EST 

liftoff. *Affirmative,' Bridres responded. 'That was 

definitely an E ticket,* said Ride, comparing the hop into 

space to what were once Disneyland's and Disney World's 

pctmiere ride passes. Her first words from space, as the 

shuttle neared orbit, were, 'See you Friday,* referring to 

the planned return to Earth; a NASA official vowed to *roll 

out the red carpet!* ['Launch an E Ticket to Ride," TODAY? 

p. 1A, Jun. 19, 1983.1 

<> The roar of Challenger's main engines were perceptibly 

louder than during the STS-6 launch. Low and heavy 

atmospheric conditions, coupled with a strong southwesterly 

wind, sustained the liftoff noise at low elevations rather 

than dissipating the sound waves in the atmosphere, said 

NASA spokesman Mary Fitzpatrick. The Brevard County 

sheriff's department and some alarm companies received 

scattered reports of burglar alarms in Brevard triggered by 

the roar. Some South Brevard residents also reported 

rattling of ylass doors and household items not experienced 

during previous shuttle launches. The roar was heard as far 

west as Orlando, more than 50 miles east of the launch pad. 

['Roar Extra Loud," TODAY, P. 3At June 198 1983.1 

June 19: Challenger started setting records long before it got 

off the ground; the record-setting began in its garage, the 

Orbiter Processing Facility at KSC, Where it took 750 days 

to prepare the shuttle for its first flight a little more 

than two years ago, it took anly 63 work days for this 

mission, NASA officials credit the quick changes from one 

flight to another to its "clean flights" - the orbiter has 

suffered little external damage during past missions, While 

Columbia returned with more than 400 tiles needing repair 

and replacement after the first mission, fewer than a dozen 

had to be reglued after subsequent flights as NASA engineers 

improved the bonding process , Another time-cutting 

improvement has been the decision not to drain shuttle 

steering engine fuels when it returns from space....[Adams. 

TODAY, p. 3A, June 19, 1983.1 

June 21: NASA's Kennedy Space Center is preparing to contract 

for a study of an improved high-temperature waterproofing 

com2ound for the Thermal Protection System of the space 

shuttle. NASA wants a material/chemical that will be able 

to retain its water repellent capabilities after repeated 

-46- 
exposures to temperatures of 1800 degrees fahrenheit during 

re-entry of the orbiter. ["NASA Wants Improved 

Waterproofing for Shuttle Tiles," DEFENSE DAILY, p, 285, 

Jun. 21, 1983.1 

June 22% "Due to possible schedule chanyes for the return of 

the space shuttle, the president will not travel to Florida 

as previously planned," said KSC chief spokesman Hugh 

Harris, Reagan's decision not to come to Florida 

underscored the nagging uncertainty underlying the entire 

landing attempt at KSC. At blame for the uncertainty is 

unsettled weather looming over the Space Coast. Their 

alternative would be to land either on the 24th or 25th at 

Edwards Air Force Base, California, where fair skies are 

prevailing. "We have two opportunities (to land at KSC) on 

Friday (24th) and one on Saturday (25th), and we're going to 

bust our buttons trying to make one of those," said KSC 

spokesman Rocky Raab. Cloud cover and limited visibility 

were the major negative factors in the outlook for a KSC 

landing, but rain would be particularly disastrous for the 

orbiter, tearing Challenger's valuable and delicate thermal 

protection tiles to shreds. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A C l6A, 

Gun. 23, 1983.1 

<> White House advance people started laying the groundwork for 

the anticipated visit of the president a day or two before 

the June 18 launch of STS-7, but the only real work at the 

space center in anticipation of the visit was the partial 

construction of a podium at the landing site, said Hugh 

Harris, KSC chief spokesman. He said the special platform 

to accommodate the president, first lady and NASA 

Administrator James Beggs "was well under way but not 

completed." Sources close to the space center said it also 

would have been outfitted with bulletproof glass. There was 

discussion earlier in the day about breakfast at the space 

center with the Reagans and the families of the astronauts 

but the logistics for that were still being worked out when 

the visit was cancelled. If anything, the president's day 

in Brevard was going to be brief - with Reagan back in 

Washington by noon. [Adams. TODAY, p. 3A, Jun. 23, 1983.1 

June 24: More experience landing space shuttles in less than 

ideal weather conditions will be the biggest factor in 

gaining added predictability for bringing spaceplanes to 

Earth, NASA shuttle program chief James A. Abrahamson said 

at a Kennedy Space Center news conference following the 

return to Earth of the shuttle's seventh flight. The next 

-47- 
landing attempt at Kennedy Space Center probably would not - 

take place until December or January during Mission 11. P, 

(The first landing actually took place at KSC on February 

11, 1984 at the conclusion of shuttle mission 41-8, the 

second shuttle mission under NASA's new numbering system. ) 

*A few more landings under our Delta and some landings at 

Cape Canaveral would give added confidence for landing in 

marginal weather, Abrahamson said. 

Problems were still king ironed out with an automatic 

landing system that would eventually pilot shuttles to soft 

landings with little dependence on their human pilots; the 

biggest problem remains how to get the shuttle through rain 

and dense fog without damaging the spaceplane's delicate 

tiles, said Abrahamson. 

Workers at Kennedy Space Center had been primed to roll 

Challenger right back into its hangar to begin preparing it 

for shuttle flight 8, a mission that had been scheduled for 

mid-August. Transporting the shuttle f rom California to 

Florida was expected to delay the next launch for about 

eight days. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 6A, Jun. 25, 1983. 

Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 20A, Feb. 12, 1984.1 

<> President Reagan's eldest daughter, Maureen, made two 

appearances at KSC's Visitors Information Center; both times 

she was heavily guarded by Secret Service agents. 

Ironically, she had come from California to see the landing 

here. "I was closer to Edwards Air Force Base than Florida 

24 hours ago," she said. Reagan said her father was 

* terribly disappointed not coming here. We were all 

planning a family reunion." Nevertheless she said she was 

enjoying her visit to KSC. Especially exciting, she said, 

was Sally Ride's calm in the eye of the storm over her being 

the first American woman in space. "She assumed 

responsibility for the rest of us," Reagan said. Ms. Reagan 

was accompanied by a coterie of VIPs from Washington. 

Margaret Heckler, Secretary of Health and Human Services, 

lauded Ride as *a woman who speaks to America with a B.A. in 

English and a Ph.D. in physics. Sally Ride has allowed the 

eagle to fly with two wings." Elizabeth Dole, Secretary of 

Transportation, arrived at the VIC with Heckler, and 

expressed her pleasure at Ride's accomplishment, with a 

gentle reminder that we should "celebrate all members of the 

team." Representative Lindy Boggs, D-Louisiana, said: "The 

significance is that we have been plummeted into an age of 

science and technology and we need to make certain girls and 

-48- 
women have an opportunity to be trained in math and science 

and take their full and rightful place from the beginning of 

this enlightened age," Boggs said. "Otherwise, they will be 

locked into low-paying jobs.. . to actually have that image 

physically embodied in a woman as competent, proficient and 

professional as Sally Ride is an inspiring thing to young 

girls." [Plat, Skolnick, and Adams. TODAY, p. SA, Jun. 25, 

1983.1 

<> The Kennedy Space Center post office mailed out 25,000 

stamped envelopes commemorating a first-time Florida Shuttle 

landing that didn't happen, "They're not going to be worth 

the stamp that's on them," said Hubert James, a post office 

worker who is no collector. Some people will probably be 

very happy to have a "first day-cover" from a day that 

wasn't the first. Mistakes that bear a postal imprimatur 

have a way of gaining in value, although a distribution of 

25,000 has a way of diluting that. ["Mail Goes -- Landing 

or Not," TODAY, Jun. 25, 1983.1 

June 28: A Hughes Galaxy communications satellite was 

successfully launched into Earth orbit by a Delta rocket 

that lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 7:08 p.m. EST. 

Problems with a range safety console display delayed the 

launch 32 minutes beyond a planned launch time of 6:36 p.m. 

EST. Hughes Aircraft has built more commercial satellites 

than any other company, but the Galaxy spacecraft is the 

first that Hughes will also own and operate. [Yacenda. 

TODAY, p. IOA, Jun. 29, 1983.1 

June 29: Challenger returned to Kennedy Space Center at 10:26 

a.m. EST and workers immediately began the 16-hour process 

of demating the Shuttle from the carrier aircraft and towing 

the orbiter into the first of the space center's two orbiter 

processing facilities. Orbiter Vehicle Manager Eill 

Williams attributed Challenger's slightly more used 

appearance - including scorch marks on the white tiles over 

the wings - to a hotter re-entry pattern flown by the craft 

on this latest return to Earth. Officials at first thought 

only about 25 of Challenger's vital heat protection tiles 

were damaged during the mission, but closer inspection 

revealed about 100 tiles in need of replacement. Officials 

believe most of the damage done to the tiles was caused 

during the June 18 launch by chunks of ice falling off the 

Shuttle's huge external fuel tank. New tiles put on the 

leading portions of the craft's orbital maneuvering pods 

prior to the flight held up perfectly. Three other major 

-49- 
problems faced work crews; these include repair or 

replacement of: a leaking hydraulic pressure accumulator, 

an auxiliary power unit that temporarily malfunctioned 

during the mission and caused officials two days of concern, 

and an inboard brake on Challenger's right landing gear that 

began to self-destruct when Challenger finally touched down 

at Edwards. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 16A, Jun. 30, 1983.1 

-50- 
JULY 1983 

July 5: Kennedy Space Center awarded General Hydraulics Corporation (Huntsville, Alabama) a $3,043,656 fixed-price 

contract in support of the shuttle program; the contract 

calls for General Hydraulics to fabricate, test and deliver 

74 pneumatic/hypergol panels. The panels will be used on 

the Mobile Launcher Platform at Launch Complex 39B to 

service the shuttle and its various ground systems with 

fluids, purge gases and hypergolic (self-igniting) 

propellants. The propellants are to be delivered in 

increments beginning March 9, 1984, with the last delivery 

set for November 8, 1984....[Tucker. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE 

NO. 150-83, JUl. 5, 1983.1 

July 6: Specialty Maintenance and Construction, Inc. (Lakeland, 

Florida) won a KSC fixed-price contract to provide a payload 

environmental cover to be used in conjunction with a payload 

handling fixture (also fabricated and assembled by 

Specialty) which will be the first of its kind to be built. 

The contract is worth $240,000. [Tucker. NASA/KSC NEWS 

RELEASE NO. 148-83, JUl. 6, 1983.1 

July 7: NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center awarded a 

$4,079,490 contract extension to Planning 1.esearch 

Corporation (McLean, Virginia) for support of the space 

shuttle, expendable vehicles, and cargo operations at KSC. 

The cost-plus-f ixed-fee contract extension covers the period front April 1, 1983, through July 31, 1983. [Tucker. NASA/ 

KSC NEWS RELEASE NO. 151-83, JUl. 7, 1983.1 

July 11: NASA's Kennedy Space Center awarded Boeing Services 

International, Inc. (Kennedy Space Center, Florida) a 

$9,879,970 extension of its ground systems operations 

contract. Covering the period from July 1, 1983, through 

September 30, 1983, the contract requires BSI to provide 

facility and utility operations and maintenance, including 

doors and platforms, elevators, cranes, service shops, 

miscellaneous electrical and mechanical systems, and water 

deluge and distribution systems....[Tucker. NASA/KSC NEWS 

RELEASE NO. 155-83, JUl. 11, 1983.1 

-52- 
<> NASA selected Wing Services International (Cocoa Beach, 

Florida) for negotiation of a new contract in support of 

activating Launch Complex 39's Pad B and nobile Launcher 

Platform 3 for space shuttle operations. The cost-plusaward-fee contract period runs from September 1, 1983, 

through October 31, 1986. Boeing's proposed cost for the 

contract period was approximately $17.8 million. The pact 

is for final connection, testing, and verification of 

piping, electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic and 

other systems to be used at Pad 39B and on HLP 3, It also 

covers the fabrication and testing of two Centaur rolling 

beam access arms which will be deployed from the cargo bay 

of the shuttle to launch satellites and spacecraft into 

higher orbits or on escape trajectories. (Tucker. NASA/KSC 

NLWS RELEASE NO. 157-83, JUl. 11, 1983.1 

July 12: Kennedy Space Center awarded David Boland, Inc. 

(Titusville, Florida) a $1,404,000 fixed-price contract to 

build a multi-function facility in the Vehicle Assembly 

Building area of Launch Complex 39, Boland, in a period 

running from July 13, 1983, through January, 1984, will 

construct a new one-story building, remove, relocate and 

install existing food service equipment from the Launch 

Control Center (LCC) to the new building, and be responsible 

for new paving and site drainage work on extension of 

utilities. The new structure, which is needed to made 

additional space in the LCC available for operational 

personnel, :.ill house a cafeteria and a medical dispensary. 

[Uitchell. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE NO. 132-83, JUl. 12, 

1983. J 

<> NASA announced August 20 as the tentative date for the 

launch of STS-8. Liftoff would occur at 2:OO a.m. EST and 

would be the first nighttime shuttle launch. [Adams. 

TODAY, Po 1A, JUl. 13, 1983.1 

July 16: Fourteen years ago, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Vuzzn 

Aldrin landed on the moon during the Apollo 11mission. 

Kennedy Space Center's Visitors Information Center held its 

annual celebration with festivities which included programs 

and speeches about the Apollo 11 mission and a shuttle 

update. [Keefer. THE TRIBUNE, p. 4A, Jul. 20, 1983.) 

- 52- 
July 18: President Reagan's science adviser, George Keyworth, 

t has reversed course and asked the nation's space agency to 

prepare a .grand vision. for the future that might include 

not only a U.S. space station but wentually manned lunar 

bases and astronaut trips to Mars. Asked about the shift in 

Keyworth's thinking, Robert F. E'reitag, deputy director of 

NASA's space st-tion task force, said: 'Support for a 

station corns F out with understanding - when we sit down 

with people, e- ain it to them and give them time to think 

about it; Dr. Kei xth is a good example of that....He*s 

beginning to see some virtue he didn't see a year ago.. 

['Advisor Rewrites Script: Launch Big Space Thrust,. TODAY, 

ppo 1A h 10A, JUl. 18, 1983.j 

0 NASA's chief predicted Presidetit Reagan soon will give the 

go-ahead for an American manned space station, saying, 'If 

trle United States does not take this step, we will lose our 

pre-eminence in space.. James M. Beggs, NASA Administrator, 

said there have been encouraging signs from the White House 

recently and he expects an approval within a year. 

spoke at a Space Station Symposium attended by several 

hundred industry, government, foreign and military planners 

gathered to provide NASA with final ideas before presenting 

its case to the White House this fall. "The apace shuttle 

is moving ahead well, but it allows only a short time in 

space,' Beggs said. 'The space station is 'he next logical 

step for long-dc*ration work. 

Beggs 

Pres iden t Reagan endorsed the space stat ion project in his 

State of the Union address on January 25, 1984. ['U.S. 

Space Station 'Next Logical Step,' Says NASA's Beqgs,' 

TODAY, p. lA, Jul. 19, 1983. Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A c 16A, 

Jan. 26, 1984.) 

July 19: Cat Island, an uninhaoited island 10 miles off 

Mississippi's Gulf Coast, was beinq considered as the site 

for the USA's first commercial satellite launch, said 

Mississippi Governor William F. Winter. Space Services 

Inc. (Houston, Texas) led by former astronaut Deke Slayton, 

wants to launch a satellite in early 1985. [.Gulf Coast 

Isle Considered As A Launch Site,' USA TODAY, p. 3A, Jul. 

20, 1983.1 

<> Xennedy Space Center awarded Boeing Services International, 

Inc. (Kennedy Space Center, Florida) a $7,636,162 extension 

of its cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for supply and - 

1 - 

-53- 
transpartation services. The contract period is from July 

1, 1983, through September 30, 1983. BSI's extension calls 

for the company to mnage and perform supply support 

operations and services, transportation management, - . supply and transportation planning functions and is to 

provide purchasing suppozt for these operations a8 well, 

[Tucker. N!'SA/KSC NEWS RELEACE NO. 160-83, JUl. 19, 1983.) 

<> Kennedy Space Center firefighters extinguisned a small fire 

about l0:OO a.m, EST at the Awllo 11 launch tower workers 

are disassembling. The fire started when a welder cut 

through electrical cables and insulation. A NASA spokesman 

said the blaze was put aut in minutes and caused no damage 

or injuries. The gantry site is being cleared for use as a 

third shuttle launch platform. ("Historic Tower Catches 

Fire," TODAY, p. le, Jul. 20, 1983.1 

July 26: Challenger was towed from its Kennedy Space Center 

hangar and mved to its next stop on the way back to launch 

pad 39A and shuttle mission 8. Workers spent only 26 days 

working on the Challenger in tne OPF in preparation for the 

tentatively scheduled August 20 liftoff. That's a speed 

record for the contractor-NASA processing team. Following 

the shuttle's return to KSC from Edwards AFB June 29, 

technicians worked three shifts around the clock with only 

Independence Day off, said KSC spokesman Hark Hess. 

Challenger was backed out of the OPF at lr28 p.m. EST and 

was inside the VAB fifteen minutes later....All 31 

"anomalies" - operational abnormalities - encountered with 

Challenger during the seventh mission were corrected during 

its stay in the OPF: 

* A damaged windshield was replaced. It was believed to 

have been pock-marked by a micrcmeteor or miniscule particle 

of space debris while Challenger was in orbit. 

Several landing gear components were replaced. They were 

damaged or overstressed when small explosives were 

inadvertently fired putting undue strain on the gear 

following the orbiter's return to Earth. 

* Following discoery of a main brake mechanism that 

disintegrated during landing, officials of NASA and B.F. 

Goodrich, the brakes' manufacturer, decided to replace all 

four pain landing gear brakes. 

-54- 
Challenger's space-going toilet was swapped for the 

toilet which belonged in Discovery, still being constructed 

in California; an electronic circuit had malfunctioned on 

Challenger's toilet. 

* An auxiliary power unit and an hydraulic system pressure 

accumulator, both of which malfunctioned during Mission 7 

were replaced with new units. 

%n on-board computer printout machine and CRT, both of 

whrch broke down in space, were swapped for new equipment. 

A total of 76 thermal protection tiles, as well as a part 

of the advanced thermal protection blankets used on the 

upper part of the orbiter, were damaged. Some of this 

repair work was not yet completed. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A 

61 16A, JUl. 278 1983.1 

July 28: NASA officials canceled a tentative August 20 launch 

of the eighth shuttle mission, but did not decide on a new 

date for the liftoff. Estimates put the date between August 

23 and August 30. Continuing difficulties with the $100 

million Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) accounted 

for the delay, according to NASA spokesman David Garrett at 

the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C. ["NASA 

Postpones Challenger Liftoff," TODAY, p. lA, Jul. 29, 1983.1 

<> A new generation of ATcT Telstar satellites was launched 

into orbit aboard a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral at 6:49 

p.m. EST. The liftoff was delayed 28 minutes due to 

problems with a tracking radar at the Antigua ground station 

in the Caribbean. Uncertain weather at the launch site, 

including winds, heavy shower activity, and airborne hail 

contributed to the delay. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 16A, Jul. 

29, 1983.1 

<> STS-7*s history-making crew of Bob Crippen, Rick Hauck, John 

Fabian, Sally Ride and Norman Thagard returned to KSC for a 

red carpet welcome. More than 2,000 persons - workers, 

family members, retirees and guests - were present to see 

KSC Director Dick Smith roll out the red carpet for the 

astronauts. The words "Welcome Back to KSC STS-7" were 

emblazoned on the carpet, but Smith pointed out the "STS-7" 

portion of the message was removable. "You can touch it. 

You can feel it. You can't walk on it,' said Smith. 

'You*ve got to land here to walk on it," he quipped to the 

crew. A surprise guest was a space-suited Mickey Mouse who 

-55- 
presented Uickey House watches to the astronauts, and a 

large framed mE-ticket* and a kiss to astronaut Sally Ride. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, Jul. 29, 1983.1 

-56- 
AUGUST 1983 

August I: Challenger's scheduled rollout from the Vehicle 

Assembly Building to the launch pad early in the mrning was 

delayed a day because of bad weather, said NASA spokesman 

.Jim Ball. mMeteorologists were predicting a high 

probability of thunderstorms and lightning,m he said. .We 

decided to play it safe....we have plenty of time;" 

preparations are on schedule, he added. The launch date was 

officially rescheduled to Friday, August 30. The rollout 

did begin just after midnight on August 2 and was completed 

shortly after dawn. [Shealy. TODAY, p. 10A, Aug. 1, 1983. 

Yacenda. TODAY, p. 12A, Aug. 2, 1983.1 

August 3: International Business Machines Corp. (iape 

Canaveral, Florida) won a $10.7 million contract extension 

for shuttle support. IBn's Cape Canaveral operations will 

support cargo processing operations at Vandenberg Air Force 

Base, California; the company will be responsible for the 

construction of the Orbiter Functional Simulator which will 

be used to test electrical connections between the shuttle 

and its payloads. [Kassak. TODAY, p. 14C, Aug. 3, 1983.1 

August 4: The STS-8 crew - Truly, Brandenstein, Gardner, 

BlUfOrd, and Thornton took part in a successful countdown 

demonstration test at Kennedy Space Center, said Rocky Raab, 

NASA spokesman. The simulated launch - scheduled for 1O:OO 

p.m. EST - failed to occur. "The ground launch computers 

detected something that wasn't correct and the computers 

aboard the orbiter stopped tFe countdown at about 13 

seconds. We're still analyzing it, but it's happened 

before," said Raab... 

At a brief pad-side meeting with the media, crewmen gave 

every assurance they were ready for their flight and 

admitted some disappointment in the 10-day launch delay. 

Guion Bluford, first American black space traveler, told 

reporters he had gotten "pretty used to" being asked similar 

questions by reporters. "I give them the same answers," he 

quipped. "I'm looking forward to flying." 

Commander Truly said there was some chance the mission might 

be extended an extra sixth-day, to allow more time for 

checking out TDRS - the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite. 

- 57- 
Mission Specialist Gardner said TDRS engineers were 

'catching upm with the problems that have delayed check-out 

of the satellite. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A 61 2OA, Aug. 58 

1983 . 1 

August 'It At Kennedy Space Center, two tornadoes were seen 

touching down at 3:OO p.m. EST, northwest of the Vehicle 

Assembly Building, a spokesman for the KSC Fire Department 

said. The twisters were traveling southeast, but dissipated 

before hitting any structures, he said. [Crook. TODAY, p. 

1B, AUg. 8, 1983.) 

August 11: Space shuttle mission 8 astronauts Guion 'Guy' 

Bluford and Dale Gardner were at Kennedy Space Center to 

participate in tests involving the mission's primary cargo, 

an Indian multipurpose communication and weather satellite. 

The two mission specialists will &e responsible for 

deploying the INSAT spacecraft from Challenger's cargo bay 

on the second day of the five-day mission. KSC spokeswoman 

Weida Tucker said launch engineers activated the 

spaceplane's electrical power in the morning for the cargo 

interface tests which verify electrical and nechanical hookups between the orbiter and the satellite, Preparations for 

next week's loading of hypergolic-reactant fuels onto the 

orbiter were proceeding smoothly and should be completed 

today (Auy. 12), Tucker said. Large tanks used to store 

liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen on the fixed service 

structure at launch pad 39A, where the Shuttle was moved 

last week already have been readied, Tucker said. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. 2OA, Aug. 12, 1983.1 

August 15: Space agency officials decided on a me-day 

extension of the eighth space shuttle mission, scheduled for 

launch on August 30; the flight will last six days. The new 

schedule announced by NASA calls for a landing at Edwards 

Air Force Base, California, during the shuttle's 98th 

revolution around the Earth. This would be the first 

shuttle flight to both take off and land at night. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, AUg. 16, 1983.1 

<> The European-built Spacelab began its trip to Columbia's 

cargo bay by being hoisted from its cradles in the 

Operations and Checkout Building. 

laboratory was placed into a payload transport cannister in 

The 21 1/2-ton orbiting 

preparation for transfer to the Columbia on August 16, 

198 3 
Four members of the six-person 41-A crew took part in fire 

training exercises at the space center. Uission commander 

John Young, pilot Brewster Shaw, and mission specialists 

Owen Garriott and Robert Parker took turns running an 

armored personnel vehicle through grass and swamps 

practicing what they would do to escape a blast if things go 

wrong at launch. Later the astronauts observed the results 

when hypergolic reactants - used for some propulsion systems 

aboard the Shuttle - come in contact with one another. 

[Yacenda. TODhY, PO 14A, AUg. 16, 1983.1 

August 16% The installation of Europe's orbiting scientific 

laboratory - Spacelab - was completed at 12:51 p.m. EST. 

The process began shortly before 9:00 a.m. More than four 

dozen contractor and NASA personnel took part in the 

installation process. Alan Thlrkettle, resident manager of 

the European Space Agency's KSC office, said the loading 

operation went well, but that hc had tired of watching the 

lab lowered 'one millimeter at a time" into the orbiter's 

cargo bay. With the completion of installation, NASA 

assumed responsibility for Spacelab for the duration of the 

mission. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A c 2OA, Aug. 17, 1983.1 

August 17: SATCOM 11-R, RCA' s latest telecommunication 

satellite, was formally unveiled at Cape Canaveral Air Force 

Station. The RCA spacecraft, scheduled for launch on 

September 8, will replace the older SATCOM I1 satellite 

which began service in March 1976; the newer satellite has a 

longer design life - 10 years - and the capacity to carry 

more fuel which is necessary to keep it at its assigned 

station in space, said Bill Paulme, RCA Launch Manager. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, Po 18Ar AUgo 18, 1983.1 

August18: For the second successive day, Hurricane Alicia tore 

through Texas and prevented STS-9 commander John Young, 

pilot Brewster Shaw and mission specialist John Parker from 

flying out of Houston to join fellow crew members Owen 

Garriott and Byrc;. Lichtenberg for major tests planned at 

Kennedy Space . ynter. 

Meanwhile, technicians began installation and checkout of 

the two spacesuits that were to fly aboard Challenger, the 

Columbia's sister ship. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 2OA, Aug. 198 

1983 J 

- 59- 
Augu8t 13: Kennedy Space Center awarded a $10.9 million 

contract to Saver Mechanical Inc. (Jacksonville, Florida) 

for construction work on the second space shuttle launch 

pad, 39B, including installation of an oxygen vent arm, a 

hydrogen intake unit, an access platform, and more than 70 

panels provided by other contractors. Saver's contract runs 

through February 1985. ["Launch Pad 398 Contract," DEFENSE 

DAILY, Po 2718 AUg. 19, 1983.1 

&gust 20: The first of the Army's Redstone ballistic missiles 

was launched from Cape Canaveral twenty years ago on this 

date. The Hercury-Redstone launch system put Alan Shepard 

and Gus Grissom into sub-orbital flight in 1961. [Yacenda. 

TODAY, Po 16A, AUg. 20, 1983.1 

<> The latest plans for a presidential visit in Brevard County 

call for Ronald Reagan to visit KSC on Labor Day, September 

5, KSC sources said. The invitation to the president and 

first lady came from NASA Administrator James W. Beggs. 

Reagan was last scheduled to visit the space center for the 

first scheduled landing of the shuttle at KSC on June 24, 

but neither the visit nor the landing took place as 

planned. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lOA, Aug. 20, 1983.1 

&gust 21: Two teams, led by Rockwell International and 

Lockheed Corp. , have responded to NASA and KSC's requests 

for proposals in a competition for the $6 billion Shuttle 

Processing Contract (SPC). Rockwell's team included fellow 

incumbents Boeing, Martin Harietta and USBI plus United 

Airlines. The winning Lockheed team (the announcement came 

September 7) included Grumman Aerospace Corp., Morton 

Thiokol, Inc. - the team's only incumbent - and Pan American 

World Airways. Lockheed's completed response to the RFP 

filled 12 ring-type binders and weighed 30 pounds. At the 

effort's peak, about 175 Lockheed people worked on the SPC 

proposal. (Hodges and Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & lOA, Aug. 

Sept. 8, 1983.1 

21, 1983. Stein. THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, pp. A-1 & A-7, 

August 22: Columbia, America's first space shuttle, will be 

retired from service for two years because of B-1 strategic bomber/orbiter production at Rockwell International 

affecting Columbia modifications and a need to cannibalize 

Columbia parts for orbiter production and flight 

operations. NASA had decided not to fly the spacecraft 

-60- 
between Spacelab 1 and the modification period but, instead, 

will place Columbia in storage for 14 months before 

modifications begin. [Covault. AVIATION WEEK & SPACE 

TECHNOLOGY, pp. 21 & 22, Aug. 22, 1983.1 

<> A study commissioned by the National Park Service and 

written by Tampa-based Florida Land Design and Engineering 

Company outlined seven options for continued public access 

to Playalinda Beach. These include: 

1. Maintaining the status quo with NASA continuing to 

close sections of the Canaveral National Seashore beach 

and security checks of beachgoers whenever the shuttle 

is on its launch pad; 

2. Creating a shuttle bus service for beachgoers; 

3. Continuing use of SR 402 with increased shuttle 

security; 

4. Building a new road alony an existing railroad bed; 

5. Moving the railroad and using the existing bed for 

a road; 

6. Building a pontoon bridge well north of the 

existing road; 

7. Building a bridge across Mosquito Lagoon to Max 

Hoeck Creek. [Heller. TODAY, p. lB, Aug. 22, 1983.1 

August 24: Tropical Storm Barry - packing 55 mph winds - closed 

in on Brevard County with the center only 90 miles due east 

of Melbourne at midnight. The storm threatened an 8-day 

delay in the Aug. 30 launch. Basing their calculations on 

forecasts that Barry wouldn't achieve full hurricane 

strength even if it struck Cape Canaveral, NASA officials 

decided the shuttle should be kept on its pad, several 

hundred yards from the ocean. NASA Launch and Landing 

Director A1 O'Hara, meeting with other key members of the 

shuttle launch team at 6:OO p.m. EST, decided forecasts 

weren't bad enough to justify removing Challenger and 

forcing a launch delay. Precautionary measures taken 

earlier in the day called for a team of up to 150 workers to 

comb the launch pad area, removing any debris and unneeded 

equipment that could pose a danger to the shuttle. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A &I 16A, AUg. 258 1983.1 

-61- 
- 

<> Federal Women's Week, August 21-27, was highlighted at KSC 

by a presentation in the Training Auditorium and luncheon in -. 

the Mission Briefing Room. This year's theme was "We are 

capable, we are dedicated." Luncheon speakers included KSC 

Director Dick Smith, Libby Wells, and Debbie Dobson. Susan 

Woodard sang several Broadway show tunes. ["Federal Women's 

Week Observed at Space Center," SPACEPORT NEWS, p. 3, Sept. 

2, 1983.) 

August 25: Tropical Depression Barry, formerly Tropical Storm 

Barry, turned into little more than cool, rainy wind at 

KSC. The eye of the storm passed 45 miles south of the 

space center. *We suffered no damage. We did get some 

rain, very light rain. It was a little breezier than 

Usual," said KSC spokesman Jim Ball. (Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 

1A 6 20A, AUg. 26, 1983.) 

<> KSC officials ordered Challenger 's cargo bay doors re-opened 

as concerns arose about four electrical connectors in one of 

the main power lines to the Payload Assist Module (PAM) 

attached to India's multipurpose satellite. A special "pull 

test" revealed the four connections to be tight and the 

cargo bay doors were sealed again on the night of August 

26. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A 6 16A, Aug. 27, 1983.) 

August 27: Republican sources in Washington said President 

Reagan would definitely visit Kennedy Space Center on Labor 

Day and the Florida GOP chairman - Henry Saylor - said he'd 

also bet the president would come to KSC. [Delaney. TODAY, 

Po 1B, AUg. 28, 1983.1 

<> Experts predicted excellent conditions for the August 30 

night launch of the Challenger. "From what it looks like 

right now, we ought to have a pretty nice day," said Bob 

Gill, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in 

Daytona, Florida. Although he said there is a chance for 

afternoon and evening thunderstorms, they shouldn't 

interfere with the liftoff. [Thomas. TODAY, p. lA, Aug. 

28, 1983.) 

<> "We're ready to fly," Mission 8 commander Dick Truly, 45, 

told NASA w911-wishers and media representatives upon the 

crew's arrival at Kennedy Space Center et 7:25 a.m. EST. 

-6 2- 
The other crew-members included Dr. Bill Thornton - oldest 

~merican, at 548 to fly in space, pilot Dan rand en stein, 

40, and mission specialists Guion ~luford, 40, and Dah 

Gardner, 34. Bluford would be the first American black to 

go into space. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A 61 16A8 Aug. 28, 

(- ! 

1983.1 

August 28: NASA officials said observers across four states and 

in two island nations would be able to catch a glimpse of 

Challenger's night launch on August 30 at 2:15 a.m. EST. 

The liftoff should be visible for up to 450 miles. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p* lOA, AUg. 29, 1983.1 

<> Noting the "possibility of mid-air collisions" in the 

scramble for airspace to view the takeoff, NASA said every 

restricted area associated with KSC "will be activated for 

the launch. The more prudent pilot may wish to remain 

grounded during the shuttle launch rather than risk the 

chance of a collision or a violation of federal aviation 

regulations." NASA spokeswoman Lisa Malone said. [Jean. 

THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, pa A-8r AUg- 29, 1983.1 

August 29: Shuttle astronauts John Young and Sally Ride were 

expected at KSC to lend a hand during the countdown and 

liftoff of STS-8 at 2:15 a.m. EDT, August 30. Young, 

scheduled to fly on STS-9 in October, will assume his usual 

duty of checking the weather in a trainer jet just before 

liftoff and landing. Sally Ride will fly in an observation 

and photagraphy airplane. [Fisher. THE ORLANDO SENTINEL! 

p. A-8, AUgm 29, 1983.1 

<> NASA Launch Director A1 O'Hara predicted "the best weather 

we've ever had" for a shuttle launch, with generally clear 

skies, gentle breezes and temperatures in the mid-70s all 

forecast for the start of Challenger's STS-8 mission. NASA 

Test Director Bob Henschel said there were "no significant 

problems" in prelaunch preparations. He characterized the 

countdown as the smoothest ever for a shuttle launch. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 10A, Aug. 29, 1983.1 

<> Angry at being ignored by federal officials who will decide 

the fate of North Brevard's only beach, the Save Our Beach 

citizens group drafted a 13-page indictment of a recent 

-63- 

<> 

<> 

beach access study commissioned by the National Park 

Service. The SOB group organi7ed three years ago to fight 

for continued public access to Playalinda Beach. That 

access is jeopardized because the only access road - SR 402 

- lies within NASA's shuttle security zone. [Heller. 

TODAY, pp. 1B & 3B, AUg. 30, 1983.1 

Arnold Richman, chief of KSC's Visitors Services Branch, 

expected a healthy turnout for the launch of America's first 

black astronaut aboard Challenger on Augus': 30. "We'll 

probably have about 40,000 John Q. Publics out here with car 

passes," said Richman, "and about 3,500 at the main VIP 

site, plus allother 2,500 at the other VIP site." [Clark. 

TODAY, pp. 1A & lOA, Aug. 29, 1983.1 

Sally Ride, in Brevard County for the night launch of STS-8, 

said she is eager to get back in space and would have loved 

to be part of the current flight. tlI'm looking forward to 

the second flight - whenever that is - even more than the 

first flight," she said. "It's a great way to spend a 

vJ4ek.I' Ride's husband, astronaut Steve Hawley, and another 

woman astronaut, Judy Resnick, are scheduled to launcn in 

the spring of 1984. "1 talked to Judy quite a bit, but one 

of the things we learned on the flight is there's no 

particular advice that I need to give her," Ride said. "de 

didn't have any problem either associated with ne being 

female or being a mixed crew. I came back and told her that 

and that didn't surprise her." [Associated Press. TODAY, 

pp. 1A & 12A, AUg. 30, 1983.1 

August 30: Launch of STS-8 was delayed 17 minutes because of 

cloudy, wet weather. Challenger cleared its tower on psd 

39A at 2:32 a.m. EDT. 'IOh, boy, you ! 9ould have seen us up 

here. It was daylight all the way up,'' reported mission 

commander Dick Truly. Observers from as far away as the 

Bahamas reported catching a glimpse of the shuttle's fiery 

exhaust. Launch officials held the countdown at the T-9 

minute mark until weather reports from forecasters and from 

astronaut Bob Crippen flying above KSC gave a clearance for 

launch. The crew - Dick Truly, Dan Brandenstein, Dale 

Gardner, Guion Bluford, Jr., and Bill Thornton - rode 

through a pouring rain in a NASA van to the pad and boarded 

two hours and fifteen rdnutes be€ore launch. New, more 

powerful solid rocket boosters, generating about 4 percent 

more power than on previous launches, made their debut on 

STS-8. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1). & 12A, Aug. 30, 1983.1 

-65- 
<> Local authorities fcwnd it diffrcult to estimate crowd size 

for the STS-8 2:15 a.m. EST liftoff, but stated it appeared 

to be less than the quarter-million of earlier turnouts. 

Overall, law enforcement officers throughout Brevard County 

reported mUCh less disruption over previous launches. 

Titusville desk officer William Lowe said he normally gets 

100 calls from people asking for directions. He said he 

only got two czlls on Aug. 29. Florida Marine Patrol 

officials said boaters were behaving well on the river. 

[Mingle & Heller. TODAY, p- 3A, AUg. 30, 1983.1 

<> Kathy Mason, a spokeswoman for United Space Boosters, said 

that despite the dark, workers from the ships UTC Freedom 

and UTC Liberty located the spent casings of the solid 

booster rockets by radar jcst eight minutes after the 2:32 

a.m. EST liftoff, or about six minutes after they separated 

from the orbiter and parachuted into the water. Within an 

hour, she said, the retrieval ships had spotted the boosters 

and crews had marked the tips in the water with lights. No 

damage to the boosters was reported. Recovery operations 

began at sunrise, and by 7:50 a.m. EST, the boosters were 

being towed back to Port Canaveral, according to NASA 

spokesman Miles flaggoner. He said they were due to arrive 

sometime the morning of August 31st. ["Boosters Heading for 

Port,' TODAY, p. 2A, Aug. 31, 1983.1 

<> The first of Challenger's two solid rocket boosters was 

reported in port at 8:lO a.m. EST; the second followed fifty 

minui?s later. Both boosters fell within eight miles of 

recovery ships 150 miles offshore from Cape Canaveral. 

Strobe lights, used for the first time on this flight helped 

guide the ships to the spent rocket casings. Using a new 

type of plug, divers were able tc, drain sea water from the 

casings prior to towing them. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 2OA, 

Sep. I, 1983.1 

-I 

<> At age 27, Mark Hess was the youngest person to serve as the 

official "voice' of a major launch. The UCF graduate was 

the link with the firing room for hundreds of new media 

representatives, thousands of spectators and millions of 

television viewers . [ UP1 . THE ORLANDO SE:!TTNEL # p. A-ll I 

Sep. 1, 1983.) 

-66- 
0 George Roberts was one of several Tuskegee Airmen on hand to 

watch Guion Bluford become tne first black to fly in 

America's space program. The Tuskegee Airmen were Army 

pilots who graduated in the Army's segregated training 

program at the Alabama College in the early years of World 

War 11. Also on hand -..cere John Jacob, president of the 

National Urban League, basketball star Wilt Chamberlain, 

FAMU dean Dr. Lee Evans, and entertainer John Denver. 

[Platt, Hess and Salamon. TODAY, p. 3A, Aug. 31, 1983.1 

-67- 
Septeaber 3: President Reagan, who cut short his California 

vacation to return to Washington because of the reported 

shooting down of a South Korean airliner, canceled his 

planned Labor Day visit to the Kennedy Space Center. 

Officials said Vice President Bush would come in his place 

to attend a picnic for the 15,000 government and private 

industry employees. [Ap, "Reagan Cancels Picnic Visit," THE 

NEW YORK TIMES, p. 4A8 Sep. 4, 1983.1 

September 5: ChallengerIs night launch from KSC on August 30 

verified new ascent capability that should allow future 

flights to make better use of propulsion margins to counter 

any emergencies and provide extra thrust for orbiting 

heavier payloads such as Spacelab 1. Mission 8 astronauts 

said their night flight into orbit was different from what 

they nad expected or what Captain Dick Truly had experienced 

durirlg his Mission 2 daylight launch. They said the orbiter 

appeared engulfed in fire during flight on both the solid 

rocket boosters and the orbiter's main engines, followed by 

pulsating reflections from the main engines alone that left 

Commander Dale A. Gardner wondering whether all three of the 

main engines were still operating normally during the 

ascent..."The last thing I remember was external tank 

separation. It looked like we were inside a ball of flame 

for about 15 seconds, and it looked like the fire was never 

going to Stop," he said. [Covault. AVIATION WEEK & SPACE 

TECHNOLOGY, pp. 21-23, Sep. 5, 1983.1 

<> Heat exhaustion brought more than 150 people to the first 

aid station at KSCIs Labor Day picnic attended by 148000 

employees, invited guests and their families. KSC Director 

Dick Smith, addressing the crowd before Vice President 

George Bush's turn to speak, said KSC has "the best darn 

government/contractor team in the world." NASA 

Administrator Jim Beggs echoed Smith's remarks, saying "our 

people are our most important and most precious resource." 

NASA employee John King said Vice President Bush's positive 

statements raised hopes amory many space workers about a 

proposed American space station. [Crook. TODAY8 p. l8 

Sep. 6, 1983.1 

-68- 
<> "Thanks to every one of you, the five-man crew of the 

Challenger has blazed a new path of opportunity for all 

Americans and free people everywhere , " Vice President George 

Bush said to as many as 14,000 space center workers and 

their families celebrating at a Labor Day picnic at KSC. 

The vice president lost no opportunity for heaping scorn on 

the Soviet Union. Searching for adjectives at times, Bush 

repeatedly interrupted his prepared remarks to make 

references to the "cowardly incident" in which a Korean 

airliner was shot down by a Soviet fighter plane in the 

previous week. It was this incident which kept President 

Reagan from making an appearance at the KSC Labor Day 

affair. [Yacenda and Delaney. TODAY, pp. 1A & 3A, Sep. 6, 

1983.1 

September 7: Lockheed Corp., challenger to incumbent Rockwell 

International, was awarded the largest space service 

contract ever when NASA declared it the winner of the $6 

billion shuttle procezsing contract. Lockheed planned to 

hire 85 to 90 percent of shuttle processing workers at 

Kennedy Space Center, but Lockheed Space Operations 

president A1 Schroter said there would be "a few hundred" 

layoffs to cut costs. "It's a labor-intensive business," he 

said. "You can't make a cake without breaking some eggs." 

Lockheed's team of contra<tors included Grumman Corp., 

Morton Thiokol, Inc. and 11 American World Services. KSC 

Director Dick Smith informed Lockheed of NASA's decision by 

phone at 3 p.m. The decision was made by NASA Administrator 

James Beggs. [Stsin. THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, pp. A-1 & A-7, 

Sep. 8, 1983.1 

September 8: All systems were "go" as HCA American 

Communications successfully launched its third advanced 

domestic communications satellite, the SATCOM IIR. The 

launch atop a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force 

Station's Pad 178 came exactly an time at 6:52 p.m. By the 

time the Delta finally disappeared from view, it was 65 

miles high, 244 miles out over the Atlantic, and traveling 

at more than 11,600 miles per hour. The advanced type 

SATCOPI IIR successfully employed the PAM (Payload Assist 

Module) upper-stage booster rocket for this launch. 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. 20A, Sep. 9, 1983.1 

September 9: Kennedy Space Center awarded a $1,466,288 contract 

to Ivey's Steel Erectors, Inc. (Merritt Island, Florida) for 

a new Solid Rocket Booster Paint Facility. The fixed- price 

contract runs from September 13 through March 12, 

- 69- 
1983, and is one set aside for award to a smc-ll business 

firm. Ivey's will provide the labor, equipment, and materials to supply, install and ttst a complete SRB paint 

facility at the Hangar AF Complex on Cape Canaveral Air 

Force Station in support of the shuttle program. The main 

activity in the new facility will be the total refurbishing 

of the surfaces of booster frustums and forward and aft 

skirts. Small hardware pieces of the boosters will also be 

refurbished in this facility. (Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS 

RELEASE NO. 219-83, Sep. 9, 1983.1 

<> The space shuttle Challenger riding atop its 747 carrier 

plane returned to Kennedy Space Center at 6:57 p.m. and KSC 

crews immediately started work on separating the two crafts, 

a process they estimated would take about twelve hours and 

culminate in a return to the Orbiter Processing Facility. 

The four-day turnaround time between Edwards and KSC was the 

quickest ever for the shuttle, according to KSC officials. 

Looking none the worse for its journey, NASA officials said 

the Challenger sustained the least damage of any flight so 

far. "It's in excellent shape," said Herman "Fritz" Widick, 

the shuttlels ground operations manager in California who 

accompanied the shuttle to KSC aboard the 747 carrier. 

Widick said one enyine would have to be replaced due to d 

minor leak in a fuel line that most likely occurred during 

engine shutdown. "That's no problem," he said. "It might 

take 24 hours to do it." Challenger lost none of the 

thermal protection tiles, but 27 of them were chipped and 

face replacement along with the shuttle's toilet, Widick 

said. [Stanley. TODAY, p. lA, Sep. 10, 1983.1 

September 14: Rockwell International announced the closing of 

its smali Cocoa Beach office, according to Bob Gordon, 

spokesman for the shuttle processing company which lost the 

$6 billion SPC to Lockheed on September 7. The office had 

been opened earlier in the year specifically to help 

Rockwell presare its Shuttle Processing Contract bid, Gordon 

said. ["Rockwell to Close Local Office," THE TRIBUNE, p. 

4A, Sep. 14, 1983.1 

<> Lockheed Space Operations Co. processed an average of 150 

applications a day in its efforts to gear up for a NASA-Air 

Force contract to service the shuttle between flights, said 

Lockheed's president. Speaking at a luncheon meeting of the 

Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce, A1 Schroter said 

Kennedy Space Center workers concerned about cuts in pay or 

benefits if hired by Lockheed have nothing to worry about. 

-70- 
"de're going to pay the same salary to the people, providing 

they are doing the same work as before," Schroter said. "If 

they are hired to do something different, the pay will be 

different," During the months the company spent in 

preparing its contract proposal for NASA, Lockheed assembled 

employment data on each of the 6,000 workers. Schroter said 

the information covered each person's job assignment, shift, 

working hours, overtime pay and projected pay raises over 

the ensuing six years. The information also indicated which 

workers were covered under the 13 separate collective 

bargaining agreements at KSC . Schroter said Lockheed would 

honor all current union contracts. [Hodges. TODAY, p. 18c8 

Sep. 158 1983.1 

September 20: Lockheed Space Operations Co. was selected over 

the incumbent team headed by Rockwell Shuttle Operations, 

Inc. for the $6 billion Shuttle Processinq Contract (SPC) 

because it was rated better in almost every ziea of "Mission 

Suitability," particularly in management, where Rockwell's 

proposal for a multi-company management approach was found 

to be "unsuitable," reported NASA Administrator James 

Beggs. He said Lockheed was the clear winner of the 

competition. Lockheed was also found to have offered the 

lower potential Cost, a second criterion, and the Source 

Evaluation Board (SEB) said it had a high level of 

confidence in its assessment of probable cost . [ "Lockheed 

Selected Over Rockwell for SPC for Better Management 

Approach," DEFENSE DAILY, p. 77, Sep. 20, 1383.1 

Interior Secretary James Watt presented a posthumous award 

for valor to the widow of U.S. Fish and wildlife Service 

worker Beau Sauselein of Titusville, killed two years ago in 

a fire on Kennedy Space Center property. But the family of 

Scott Maness, also killed in the fire, refused to accept an 

award and still blames the governmeiit for his death. ["Watt 

Gives Award to Worker's bJidOW," THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, p. 

€3-6, Sep. 21, 1983.1 

September 21: Kennedy Space Center awarded Applicon, Inc. 

(Burlington, Massachusetts) a contract for on-site 

maintenance and repair of KSC's automated drafting system. 

The fixed-price contract, valued at $203,504, was initiated 

August 12 and runs through March 318 1984. [Malone, 

NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASL No. 198-83, Sep. 21, 1983.1 

-71- 
<> Six EG&G firefighters were suspended from duty at Kennedy 

Space Cyr.ccr following an early morning protest of labor 

practices, according to Sam Runion, president of the 

Transport Workers Union. The six were among a group of 

about 30 off-duty firefighters who picketed at KSC's Gate 3 

beginning at 6:30 a.m., Runion said. The protest stemmed 

from contract disputes between EG&G and the company's 85 

firefighters represented by Local 525. TWU workers claim 

EGQG has been substituting paramedics for firef iqhters and 

plans to reduce insurance coverage after September 30. 

Runion said the firefighters' contract, which expires in 

December, 1984, dictates that any changes in insursnce must 

leave the coverage eqBlal or better than the current policy. 

KSC officials issued a statement calling the protest 

"informal" and reporting only slight traffic delays. EGQG 

spokeswoman Shirley Kidd said EG&G would have no immediate 

comment on the protest. [Shealy. TODAY, p. lB, Sep. 22, 

1983.1 

<> Hughes Aircraft Co. executives planning a Titusville 

satellite assembly plant are drafting a proposal that goes 

well beyond previously announced goals, one that would 

require up to 800 employees and a building as large as 

330,000 square feet, sources said. Although the plan 

received the endorsement of the Los Angeles corporation's 

top management, the final decision on what is built rests 

with Hughes' board of directors. Richard Dore, a Hughes 

spokesman, said the directors were scheduled to meet in 

early November. "They still have to say 'yes' before it 

occurs," he added.. ...[ Hodges. TODAY, pp. 1A & 16A, Sep. 

22, 1983.1 

September 22: Hughes Communications, Inc., successfully 

launched its Galaxy I1 satellite aboard a Delta rocket at 

6:16 p.m. EST from Pad 17A at Cape Canaveral Air Force 

Station. The vehicle was visible for just 12 seconds after 

engine ignition due to the heavy cloud cover over the launch 

site. That cloud cover also helped focus the rocket's 

engine noise so that it was an especially loud one to 

observers on the ground. The Galaxy spacecraft, built by 

Hughes Aircraft for the company's wholly owned 

communications subsidiary, will serve the telecommunication 

needs of large corporations, long-haul carriers and 

broadcasters. One-half of the satellite's 24 transponders 

already have been sold to MCI Communications Corp. for use 

in an industrial educational network. Programs to be 

carried on the network will be televised to employees and 

customers for such purposes as internal communication and 

product familiarization. A portion of one transponder has 

f 

-72- 
been bought by IBM for that company's business communication 

needs, and the remainder of the craft's capacity is for 

sale. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 16A, Sep. 23, 1983.1 

September 23: NASA had instituted a new space shuttle launch 

designation system effective October 1 to replace the former 

simple numbering system (STS-1, STS-2, etc.) Under the new 

system, each shuttle launch will be designated by a threetier system, with the first number standing for the fiscal 

year (e.g., fiscal 1984, Il4"); the second number for the 

launch site, with Kennedy Space Center designated "1" and 

Vandenberg AFB "2", and the third, a letter corresponding to 

the launch number of the flight for that fiscal year from a 

lmnch site (e.g.,"A" for the first flight of the year, "€3" 

for the second, etc.) The change is said to reflect concern 

over the confusion caused by postponement of flights such as 

the STS-10 DOD mission, and avoidance cf an STS-13 or future 

"13's." ["NASA Institutes New (Confusing) Shuttle Launch 

Designation System," DEFENSE DAILY, p. 104, Sep. 23, 1983.1 

<> All Kennedy Space Center firefighters who participate in 

picket lines against EG&G will be suspended from their jobs 

and may be fired after administrative hearings, according to 

EG&G and union officials. Twenty-five more KSC firefighters 

have beeil targeted by EG&G for suspension from their jobs, 

said Trar.sport Workers Union Local 525 President Sam 

Runion. Thirty-one of the company's 85 firefighters have 

been staging "informational demonstrations" each morning 

since Sept. 21st. Runion said TWU international Vice 

President Geoige Roberts wub told Sept. 22 about 25 upcoming 

suspensions by EG&G Labor Relations Director Jim Walton. At 

least three firefighters were suspended from duty on the 

22nd, Runion said, and hearings that may result in firing 

the men are scheduled for today (Sept. 23). EG&G 

spokeswoman Shirley Kidd, reading a statement from EG&G 

management, said all verified participants in the KSC gate 

picket line will be suspended. "TWU Local 525 has a 

contiactual obligation not to strike, picket or demonstrate 

against EG&G Florida during the term of the agreement, which 

does not expire until December 31, 1984.'' Kidd said. Runion 

said EG&G was "trying to take our constitutional rights away 

from us" by suspending those who are protesting during 

off-duty hours. "Our legal adviser says we are within our 

legal rights," Runion said, adding legal actio-1 is being 

studied to force EG&G to return the firefighters to their 

jobs. However, Kidd said, "There is no legal justification 

for setting up picket lines. EG&G Florida will use its best 

efforts to attempt to re-olve differences with TWU within 

the terms of the contract and applicable labor laws." 

[Crook. TODAY, pp. 1B & 3B, Sep. 23, 1983.1 

-73- 
September 26: Lockheed Space Operations Co., which won NASA's 

$6 billion space shuttle processing contract, was judged 

better than Rockwell Shuttle Operations, Inc.# in eight of 

ten mission suitability areas, according to a NASA 

debriefing report made following the award. NASA said that 

Lockheed's primary strength was in its management approach, 

with clear lines of responsibility and authority for each 

processing function and Lockheed always in charge. 

Rockwell's horizontal management approach was called 

"unsuitable for effective and efficient shuttle processing 

operations. The matrix management in Rockwell's proposal 

was perceived by the source evaluation board as a weakness. 

In it, personnel from four different companies in the 

Rockwell team would be intermixed at all levels within the 

work force, and there would be "extensive utilization of 

committees in management activities. One NASA official, 

who said the competition "wasn't close," commented that the 

agency was puzzled by Rockwell's decision to propose matrix 

management. 

The NASA debriefing paper was sigr,ed by Administrator James 

M. Beggs and had the concurrence of Hans Mark, deputy 

administrator, and Lt. Gen. James A. Abrahamson, associate 

administrator for space flight. Beggs said the evaluation 

board rated Lockheed as "good" or "very good" in all 

categories with an overall rating of "very good" in mission 

suitability. Rockwell received ratings of "poorn to "very 

good" in mission suitability. Mission suitability was one 

of four evaluation categories used to rate the two 

proposals. Others were cost, experience and past 

performance. Mission suitability carried the most weight 

and involved the bidders' management and technical 

operations master plans and parent company commitments of 

corporate resources. [Kolcum. AVIATION WEEK & SPACE 

TECHNOLOGY, pp. 28-30, Sep. 26, 1983.1 

September 28: Space shuttle COlUmbld rolled out of the Vehicle 

Assembly Building shortly before noon (EDT) for its 3 1/2 

mile trek to launch pad 39A. Columbia arrived at the pad 

just after 5 p.m. (EDT). At 6:08 p.m. (EDT), Columbia and 

its launch platform were secured to the pad pedestals and 

crer;s began the task of hooking up electrical, mechanical 

and fluid supply lines, and checking them. The shuttle's 

transfer from the VAB was delayed while mission managers 

analyzed data detailing "excessive erosion" on nozzles in 

the solid rocket boosters used by Challenger in the previous 

shuttle flight, STS-8. That, coupled with a report that the 

nozzle in the right booster on Columbia had a defect, raised 

some concern among officials and set back the shuttle 

rollout, originally set to start at 7:30 a.m. "The extra 

-74- 
time was used for project managers to give further 

consideration to the booster problem, KSC spokesman Jim 

Ball said. KSC officials spent the night of the 27th and 

most of the morning of the 28th inspecting the shuttle's two 

boosters for defects, Ball said. 

"We had what was first described as a crack in the 

protective wall lining the nozzle," he said. "It turned out 

to be a superficial machine mark that was easily repaired 

with some light sanding." While Columbia appears in good 

shape now, mission manager:; are analyzing data showing the 

carbon lining on the inside walls of the nozzles of the 

boosters used on STS-8 showed "excessive erosion." 'We went 

ahead with the rollout but that doesn't mean the issue of 

the boosters has gone away," Ball said. Mission managers 

haven't determined whether the boosters will have to be 

modified or if that work could be done on the pad, Ball 

said. [Stanley. TODAY, p. 13A, Sep. 29, 1983.1 

September 29: Only 16 of the thousands of NASA employees now 

working at KSC have been on the Job continuously since the 

space agency opened its doors on October 1, 1958. Those 16 

were honored with csrtif icates and commemorative pins at a 

special anniversary ceremony at the space center's training 

auditorium. Making the presentations was center director 

Richard Smith, who also summarized major events of the 

agency's first quarter-century. The 16 honored are: 

William S. Brosier; T. Bradley Curry, Jr.; William R. 

Dennis; H. Jack Grames; Charles J. Heckelmoser; Charles R. 

Hudecek; William F. Huseonica; John Janokaitis, Jr.; Edward 

S. Lesky; John J. McDonouyh; William R. Meyer; Hollis H. 

Neal; WilliGm D. Nowlin; William T. Sleeman; Michael A. 

Wedding; and Alfred N. Wiley, Jr, Until the 28th, center 

officials believed that only seven KSC employees had been 

with the agency since its inception, but an amended computer 

check revealed nine additional such individuals, KSC chief 

spokesman Hugh Harris said. NASA Administrator James M. 

Beggs, appearing on *.ideotape at the ceremony to present a 

specially prepared anniversary message, called NASA's first 

qua r te r-ce n tu ry of a c h i e veme n t 'I j us t the beg i nn i ng . 'I 

"We did not get to our present position of leadership in 

space by accident," he said. "We yot there because we had 

the imaginatir to dream great dreams and the national will 

to fulfill them." Beggs, NASA Administrator since July 

1981, cited a partnership of government, industry and 

university built up over the years, for NASA's scientific 

and high-technology base, which he termed, "second to none. 

Beggs used the occasion to praise the space shuttle and to 

-75- 
lend support for the development of a space station, a 

leading theme for the agency chief. Part of the ceremony 

was presentation of a plaque by the National Institute of 

Electrical and Electronic Engineers recognizing the 

contributions of NASA and NASA contractors to the electrical 

and electronics engineering fields. The presentation was 

made by Rudolph Stampfl of the IEEE's Aerospace Electronics 

Systems Society. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 16A, Sep. 308 1983.1 

-76- 
OCTOBER 1.983 

October 1: President Reagan issced a proclamation commemorating 

the 25th anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, noting that the ayency pioneered a space 

partnership that could serve as a model to others on how the 

different sectors of American society can work together. 

The proclamation said in part: "America is justifiably 

proud of its accomplishments in aeronautics and in space 

research. In the 25 years since the National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration (NASA) was created by an Act of 

Congress, our country and the world have witnessed an 

unsurpassed record of scientific and technical achievements 

which has established the United States as the world leader 

in aerospace research and development. .. 

"The yovernment-industry-university partnership, pioneered 

by NASA, has worked exceedingly well in aerospace research, 

providing a model to others on how the different sectors of 

American society can work together. This effort reflects 

America at its best: peacefully seeking knowledge and 

enlightenment, advancing technology for mankind's benefit, 

and organizing resources to accomplish great missions. " 

["U.S. Space Program: Model for American Society," DEFENSE 

DAILY, p. 155, Oct. 4, 1983.1 

<> The crew of the Columbia successfuliy completed a simulated 

launch in preparation for the real thing on October 28th. 

"This was the best test I've ever seen and I've been around 

a long time," said STS-9 commander John Young, a veteran of 

five space flights including the first shuttle mission. 

"We're ready to fly," Young said, adding he doesn't expect 

any major complications when it comes time to land Columbia 

with its 12-ton payload - the Spacelab - aboard. "While the 

mission is totally different from STS-1, many of the 

maneuvers will be pretty much the same," Young said. The 

mock firing of the st,rttle's main engines came right on time 

at 11 a.m. EST, ending a dry run of prelaunch activities for 

the six-member crew. The astronauts - including Young, 

pilot Brewster Shaw, mission specialists Robert Parker and 

Owen Garriott and payload specialists Byron Lichtenberg and 

Ulf Merbold - were awakened at 6:40 a.m. EST. Boarding 

Columbia around 8:30 a.m. EST, the crew spent 2 1/2 hours 

aboard the spacecraft. After the simulated rocket ignition, 

the astronauts participated in emergency training 

ptocedlires . -77- 
Meeting briefly with the news media at launch pad 39A 

foilowiny the morning's activities, the crew appeared 

relaxed and eager to get into space as they posed for a 

group picture in front of the complex. "I'm anxious to 

proceed," Garriott said. "The Spacelab is ready, the 

experiments are ready and I'm looking forward to working on 

them." Merbold, a West German scientist who will be the 

first European to go into orbit aboard an American 

spacecraft, said he hasn't found it difficult to mesh with 

his crew members. "I'm very proud to be part of this whole 

experience," Merbold said. "Americans aren't so much 

different than any other people." '*I'd have to echo Ulf's 

comments," said Lichtenberg, who also is a scientist making 

his first trip into orbit. "I8m eager to go and I'm lwking 

forward to doing some good science up there." [Stanley. 

TODAY, p. 20A, Oct. 2, 1983.1 

October 3: NASA is shifting $3.45 million from its FY '83 space 

shuttle budget for site preparation for a new solid rocket 

assembly and refurbishment facility at Kennedy Space 

Center. The r 'w facility is needed because the existing 

facility "is not economically expandable" to provide SRB's 

for more than 16 flights per year, while the mission model 

calls for up to 24 flights a yeat in later years. The new 

facility is to be built by the contractor selected for SRB 

processing, which is being recompeted. The new facility is 

to be in operation in time to produce the SRB flight 

articles for the 38th space shcttle flight, which is 

scheduled for mid-1986. Funds will be transferred from 

Shuttle Changes & Systems Upgrading ($3 million) and Shuttle 

Orbiter Production ($0.45 million). ["NASA Shifts $3.5 

Million from Shuttle to SKB Facility," DEFENSE DAILY, p. 

151, OCt. 3, 1983.1 

October 4: NASA's Kennedy Space Center awarded Industrial 

Steel, Inc. (Mims, Florida) a contract for a proofload 

adapter, to be used for processing the space shuttle. The 

fixed-price contract was valued at $34,859 and was one set 

aside for award to a small business firm. The contract was 

initiated on September 15 and date of delivery is Dc~ember 

14, 1983. A proofload adapter is a structure that weighs 

more than a shuttle orbiter, and is used as a testing device 

to prove the Orbiter Mating Sling can safely hold the 

orbiter's weight during the mating process. [Malone. NASA/ 

KSC NEWS RELEASE MOO 237-83, OCt. 4, 1983.1 

-78- 
<> Kennedy Space Center awarded a $2,120,552, one-month 

contract extension to Planning Research Corpxation (McLean, 

Virginia) for design services in support of space shuttle 

operations at KSC. Under terms of the cost-plus-f ixed-fee 

contract, PRC will continue to design ground systems and 

equipment in support of the shuttle orbiter and its payloads 

at KSC during the Shuttle Processing Contract (SPC) 

tcansition period. The contract covers the perid from 

October I, 1983, through October 31, 1983. [TucKer. NASA/ 

KSC NEWS RELEASE NO. 238-83, OCt. 4, 1983.1 

October 5: NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center awarded Planning 

Research Corporatior (PkC) (McLean, Virginia) a new 

contract, valued at $37,692,455, to provide engineering 

services for the Directorate of Engineering Development at 

the Kennedy Space Center, and at Vandenberg Air Force Base, 

California. The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract was initiated 

on Octobe; 1, and will extend through December 31, 1985. 

Under the terms of the contract, PRC is responsible for 

designing ground support systems for the Shuttle Centaur 

program. The Shuttle Centaur will be used to inject space 

vehicles into an interplanetary trajectory after deployment 

from the space shuttle. [Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE 

NO. 239-83, OCt. 5, 1983.1 

<> NASA's Kennedy Space Center awd, ded BoeLiig Services 

International, Inc.. (BSI) (Kennedy Space Center, Florida) 

two contract extensions in support of the shuttle processing 

contractor's transition period. One contract is for supply 

and transportation services and the other is for ground 

support operatio: s. The contract for supply and 

transportation services was initiated October I, and will 

extend throuyh October 31, 1983. The doliar value of the 

one-month contract is $2,532,269, which ;>rings the 

cumulative value of the parent contract to $80,361,248. 

Under the terms of this contract, BSI will manage and 

perform supply support operations and servi-es, 

transportation management and planning, and purchasing 

support for these operations. The contract extension for 

ground support operations, valued at $6,429,623, was 

initiated Octnber I, and will exte*,d until November 30, 

1983. This brings the cumulative value of the parent 

contract to $337,856,8?6. Under this contract, BSI provides 

facility and utility operations and maintenance, including 

doors and platforms, elevators, cranes, service shops, 

miscellaneous electrical and mechanical systems, and water 

deluge and distribution systems in support of shuttle 

related ope-.-arions. The shuttle processing contractor, 

-79- 
Lockheed Space Operations Company, is exwcted to take over 

the duties of these cost-plus-fixed-fee Ldntracts on or 

before the expiration date. (Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE 

NO. 240-83, Octo SI 1953.) 

:> Potential problems with the shuttle's twin solid rocket 

boosters might postpone the shuttle's impending launch and 

the debut of Europe's Spacelab. Tests are now under way to 

determine the existence and nature of any potential 

problems, and program chiefs expect to decide by late next 

week whether to order the shuttle removed from the pad. Two 

possible problems, both associated -.iith the exhaust nozzles 

on the reusable boosters, are being studied. The most 

serious concern stems from abnormal nozzle wear discovered 

on one of tht solid rockets used during the eighth shuttle 

launch Aclgust 30. Engineers so far have been unable to 

explain what caused the wear, never seen before on previous 

missions. Aiso, patches of silicon oil found on one of the 

boosters now on the pad have engineers puzzled. "Me have a 

question right now about the booster nozzles," said NASA 

Shuttle Operations Manager Tom Utsman. "But it's prematur? 

to talk about reitloving it (the shuttle) from the pad." 

Utsman confirmed, however, that removing the shuttle - 

poised atop pad 39A since September 28 - is one of the 

options program officials are considering. Consideratior is 

being given to speeding up assembly Jf a shuttle "stack" 

that would be used for shuttle mission 11 planned for 

January, and putting the Columbia and its Spacelab cargo 

onto that stack. "We're making contingency plans. It's a 

matter of covering all the bases. If thingc aren't 

satisfactory, we're just not going to launch," Utsman said. 

He also said that patches of ablative, or protective, 

coating on the inside nozzle surface of one of the mission 8 

boosters had worn to just two-tenths of an inch thickness. 

At that thickness, engineers estimate the rocket's searing 

exhaust could have burned through the nozz:o in just eight 

more seconds of burn time. Utsman said he didn't know whpt 

would happen if burn-through occurred. "That's one of th 

classic bad cases," he said. "vJhat made one different? It 

doesn't mean that the ones out there rboosters on the pad] 

are bad," Utsmm said. Alan Thirkettle, who is in charge of 

the Spacelab project at Kennedy ,'.?ace Center for the 

Eurapean Space Agency, said he is unsure about what will 

happen if a prDblem with the boosters is confirmed. "We're 

resting on the assumption that NASA is going to solve our 

problems for us and the only thing that will stop us from 

going on the 28th cloud cover," Thirkettle said. "We're 

very, very rezdy to go." Thirkettle said the biggest 

concern facing Spacelab officials is t9e loss of science 

Qpportunities that any delay in Spacelab's launch could 

cause. The ILLSLL~~ already has been delayed a month because 

-80- 
of shuttle scheduling problems. Morton Thiokol, which 

manufactures the booster rockets at its Brigham City, Utah, 

plant plans to conduct test flrinyz OK booster components 

during the weekend. NASA officials hope to gain added 

information on the potential '-.ear problems based on these 

firings. "We're goiny to push on down the road and sometime 

late next week we'll really start putting the story 

together," Utsman said. Asked if launch officials were 

taking a conservative approach, Utsman replied: "I wouldn't 

call it a conservative approach. It's the only approach you 

can take in a manned space prograin." [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 

1' & 20A, Octo 6, 1983.1 

October 6: Continued uncertainties about the health of the 

shuttle's solid rocket boosters kept space program officials 

examining the problem. Faced with the last-ditch prospect 

of postponing the scheduled October 28 launch of the 

Columbia and its Spacelab cargo? program managers met at the 

three major NASA flight centers as well as at the contractor 

corporation where the boasters are built. The manufacturer, 

the Wasatch Division of the Tniokol Corp. (Brigham City, 

Utah) plans to run 1 series of test firings of the rocket 

boosters during the weekend in an attempt to determine the 

extent of the problem possibly afflicting the boor .-rs. A 

decision on whether a problem exists will be made bctsed on 

the results of those tests and other investigations now 

under way. That decision, which will determine whether 

Columbia will be allowed to fly on time or will be brought 

back from the launch pad where it now stands, could come as 

early as October 10, a Thiokol source said. The decision 

would be made by officials in charge of the solid rocket 

booster program at the Marshall Space Flight Center in 

Huntsvillz, Alabama. Two se2arate concerns have surfaced 

about the boosters' safety, both involving the engine 

exhaust nozzles that funnel out the twin rockets' 2.7 

million pounds of thrust. The inore serious problem was one 

discovered shortly after the last shuttle mission in August, 

when engineers found that the protective lining on one of 

the mission 8 shuttle's solid rocket exhaust nozzles was 

worn precariously thin in spots. The other prcblem that has 

officials baffled concerns the presence of silicon oil on 

the nozzle lining. That oil, which has been seen on other 

boosters, was found in relatively large quantities on one of 

the boosters slated to help launch the Spacelab 1 shuttle 

mission. If officials order Columbia back from the launch 

pad, a minimum delay of a month - and possibly up to four 

months - is envisioned. Such a delay could cause serious 

problems for many of the 7u-plus scientific investigations 

planned for the $SO0 million Europezn-developed orbiting 

laboratory, European Space Agency n'ficials say. [Yacenda. 

TODAY n 20A, OCt. 7, 1983.1 

-81- 
October 7: NASA's Kennedy Space Center and BAMSI, Inc. 

(Titusville, Florida) signed a $1,505,016 contract for 

BAMSI's first two years as Base Operations Contractor at 

NASA's Space Transportation System resident office at 

Vsndenberg Air Force Base, California. The award, which is 

one set aside for a disadvantaged firm, is the largest 

single award NASA has made to a minority firm, including 

options cmtained in the contract, during Fiscal Year 1983. 

The Base Operations Contract (BOC) covers such functions as 

administrative services, facilities, graphics, and technical 

operations in the instrumentation and cominunications areas. 

The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract will be fcr an initizl 

period of two years, covering the period from October 1, 

1983, through September 30, 1985. Also included in the 

contract is one priced option for 1986, valued at $693,601, 

and two one-year, unpriced options for 1987 and 1988, for a 

total potential contract period of five years. The services 

to be performed by BAMSI under the new contract were 

previously performed by Mercury, inc. [Tucker. NASA/KSC 

NEWS RELEASE NO. 241-83, OCt. 7, 1983.1 

<> Kennedy Space Center awarded International Business 

Machines Corp. (Cape Canaveral, Florida) an addition to an 

existing cont;act for systems engineering and software 

development services in support of the Space Shuttle Launch 

Processing System. The cost-plus-award-fee contract 

addition is valued at $3,285,200, which brings the total 

value of the original contract to $91,637,404. This 

contract addition vas initiated in April 1983 and will 

extend through September 30, 1984. Under conditions of this 

contract, IBM will develop LPS software that can be 

integrated with the future replacement computer system. 

[Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE NO. 242-83, OCt. 7, 1983.1 

<> NASA's Kennedy Space Center solicited sources for a study to 

evaluate the state-of-the-art capability of computer 

hardware and software to be used to perform space station 

aperations simulation and modeling. The contractor will 

review the literature for the overall space ststion 

siinulation operational environment, identify the functional 

requirements for direct ground support operations, and 

define the necessary parameters of the computer system 

(hardware and software) required to emuiate the operational 

environment. The study's objective is to determine the 

feasibility limitations and develop a "strawman 

specification" for the hardware and software to implement 

and support the simulation models, and provide estimates for 

the time and cost to acquire and implement the proposed 

system. ["Kennedy to Study Computers for Space Station 

Simulation," DEFENSE DAILY, p. 182, Oct. 7, 1983.1 

-32- 
October 9: While the two solid rocket boosters that helped put 

the Challenger into space in August were undergoing a 

critical exam in Utah over the weekend, preparations 

continued for the Octaber 28 launch of Spacelab 1 aboard 

Columbia. Crews were working toward a simulated countdown 

test scheduled for October 10. Rocky Raab, a center 

spokesman, said the simulation would test Columbia's 

external fuel tank by actually filling it with supercold 

liquid fuel. He said the mock countdown also would test the 

shuttle's onboard electrical power-supply cells as well as 

the hydraulic system. The launch of the European-built 

orbiting laboratory depends on the findings of the team 

investigating the boosters, Shuttle Project Manager Bob 

Lindstrom said. ["Countdown to Test Shuttle's Readiness," 

THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, p. 8-2, Oct. 10, 1983.1 

October 10: Dr. Kurt H. Debus, a World War I1 German rocket 

engineer who wat .ed the 'J.S. space program grow rrom a few 

captured V-2s to a fleet <I sleek shuttles, died in Cocoa 

Beach, Florida, after a h; t attack. He was 74. Debus was 

the first director of the Kennedy Space Center, and it was 

at least partly his decision that America's spaceport be on 

Florida's Atlantic coast instead of in Georgia or the 

Caribbean. When he came to Florida's mosquito-ridden 

marshes in 1952 to prepare the first launch of Lne Army's 

Redstone ballistic missile, Uebus and his colleagues worked 

in motel rooms and restaurants until sweltering quonset hts 

were set up as temporary offices. When he stepped down as 

space center director in 1974, after breaking ground on a 

space shuttle landing strip, he had overseen up to 26,000 

space workers and had been in charge of 295 rocket 

launches. He retired with his wife, Irmgard, to a Cocoa 

Beach waterfront home from which ne could watch his beloved 

spacecraft climb into the sky. Debus's friend and mentor, 

the late Dr. Wernher von Braun, once Said of him, "We 

develop the rockets and the contractors mild them. And 

then it's up to Debus to make them work." 

"He had an encyclopedic knowledge" of rocketry and 

spaceflight, said Gordon Harris, former NASA spokesman. "He 

had to. He had to check on other peoplz's mistakes." "I 

appointed him personal guardian of our quality," said the 

Rev. John Bruce Medaris of Maitland, a former Army major 

general who headed the space program while Debus was at the 

space center. "I enjoyed working with him. He listened 

well and he had a good sense of what would go and what 

wouldn't." Hzrris recalled being with Debus in the 

blockhouse on January 31, 1958, the night Explorer 1, the 

first U.S. satellite, was launched, cs well as in the l,>.unch 

control center on July 16, 1969, the day three men blasted 

-83- 

off on the mission to land cr) the moon. There's no doubt 

which event is more famous in people's memories and in 

history books. But for Debus, Harris said, the tiny Jupiter 

C rocket that boosted Explorer 1 carried more weight. "My 

recollection is that he still thought Explorer was the 

bigger of the two. At the time, it was more thrilling," 

Harris said. A few seconds before the tiny satellite was 

launched, Medaris recalled, the chief of the launch crew 

called out a warning that something was wrong. "Kurt looked 

at me. I just felt it was a bad signal. He raised his 

eycbrows and I said yo, and we went ahead and ignored it and 

it went off fine." 

For Debus the excitement had begun decades before. As a 

young boy he watched, fascinated, as the newfangled 

airplanes took off near his home in Frankfurt, Germany, 

where he was born in 1908. Debus studied electrical theory 

and techniques at Darmstadt Ur.iversity, where he earned his 

doctorate and later became assistant professor. 

In 1937, he married Irmgard, a dental assistant, and the 

couple had two daughters - qiegrid, now of Satellite Beach, 

Florida, and Ute, of Washington, D.C. Harris said Debus was 

"pressured" by the Nazi government after the start of World 

War I1 to join von Braun and other German scientists 

developing transcor,tinental rockets at the Baltic port of 

Peenemunde, where he became chief test engineer. The lethal 

V-2s he helped build blitzed London, Antwerp and other 

European cities with their swiftly delivered loads of high 

explosives. After the war, von Braun led more than 100 

scientists, including Debus, in sirrendering to the 

Arrdricans. The group was brought to the United States to 

begin the L-.S. space program, which ctarted 71th the firing 

of dozens of unused V-2s from proving grounds at White 

Sands, New Mexico. LLtter Debus was transferred to Alabama 

to test the Redstone, the Army's first ballistic missils, 

which could carry a nuclear warhead about 200 miles. "At 

the time I had absolutely no idea of the importance of the 

rxket to the future of mankind," Debus said in 1974. "It 

was a brand new field, with a sense of impr ctance, and we 

were developing our am technology as we went along." The 

hours were 10r.g and the pay was low. "we were hanging by 

our teeth in the early years," Debus said. "The government 

was always threatening to cut us off ." 

In 1952, Debus got his first look at Cape Canaveral, the 

rattlesnake-infested and marshy spit off Florida's east 

coast. He was rramed director of operations of the Missile 

Firing Laboratory of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, 

NASA's predecessor. The next year, he camc back with 

-8 5- 
several dozen Army scientists and technicians to fire the 

first Reds -me. His office was a restaurant table. "We 

were a circLic troup," he recalled. The space agency was 

conFideri-7 t.imberland Island in Georgia and several 

Caribbe.-Q 's!ands, as well as the Cape, as potential 

locatior for its major launch site. Debur pushed Brevard 

County bt Zause "there was a community here that could absorb 

the increased population that he knew was going to come," 

Harris said. In addition, there already was an Air Force 

station and missile testing range at Cape Canaveral. 

Besides the first satellite launch, Debus watched over the 

Mercury manned spaceflights, the two-astronau t Gemini 

missions with their spacewalks, the Apollo moon voyages and 

the Skylab program. 3ne of his last acts as space center 

director in September 1974 was to turn over a shovelful of 

dirt for the future space shuttle landing strip on Merritt 

Island. Then he and Irmgard, nicknamed Gay, returned to 

their home, where he could watch the space shots through 

binoculars, just as he had done from the blockhouse during 

the first launches. Harris said Debus was always 

enthusiastic about t'le space shuttle but dreamed that he 

would see humanity establish an outpost on the dark side of 

the moon to listen to signals from the stars. ";ie believed 

that there was life out there," Harris said. "It is a great 

loss," former astronaut John Glenn, a presidential 

candidate, said in Tallahassee. Glenn, who became famous as 

the first American to orbit the Earth, said Debus was "a 

fine man and he did great work over there." 

In an official statement, Dick Smith, current director of 

Kennedy Space Center, called Debus "a trailblazer." His 

contributions to the U.S. space program cannot be 

overemphasized. He brought a quiet, personal genius to this 

demanding work, Smith said. "His was a creative mind which 

conceived of the needs of a NASA launch center for decades 

to come, and it was under his direction that concepts and 

blueprints were transformed into the spaceport which we find 

so valuable a national asset today." [Susskind. THE 

ORLANIX) SENTINEL, pp. 1A & 7A, Octo 11, 1983.1 

October 11: After a two-hour delay caused by a leak in a 

hydroger, L:lcl-supply system, technicians took the Columbia 

through a simulated countdown to within 31 seconds of 

launch. The test, called a "wet countdown" because fuel 

tanks were filled, was designed to test all non-astronaut 

launch functions except for the actual engine firing, said 

center spokesman Rocky Raab. The test was completed at 

2:35 p.m. EST. Columbia's tanks were to be loaded with 

-86- 
liquid hydrogen and oxygen for the test, but because of a 

leak in an 8-inch hydrogen supply line, technicians filled 

only the oxygen tank with the supercooled liquid. The 

hydrogen tank was pumped full of gaseous hydrogen. Initial 

reports blamed the leak on a faulty seal. ['Shuttle 

Rehearses for October 28 Launch," THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2. 

8-2, Octo 12, 1983.1 

<> A series of small rocket test firings conc'gcted in Utah 

during the weekend indicate the impending launch of the 

Columbia and its European Spacelab cargo almost certainly 

would be scrubbed, space program officials confirmed. 

Concern about the safety of the shuttle's twin, reusable 

solid rocket ooosters arose after the last shuttle flight in 

August, when patches of dangerously high wear were detected 

on one of the linings that protect the rockets' exhaust 

nozzles from the heat of engine ignition. Officials 

confirmed that one of the two boosters now part of the 

shuttle vehicle on pad 39A has a nozzle lining of the same 

lot as the one on the last flight that nearly burned through 

because of the abnormal wear. Scme of the materials used in 

manufacturing thzt lot of linings are now considered 

suspect, sources said. Booster program managers refused to 

categorize the suspect materials as a bad lot, preferring to 

term them "questionable' until results of further tests are 

in. The tests, which use small, 40-pou2d solid rocket 

motors, were conducted by the boosters' manufacturer, the 

Wasatch Division of the Thiokol Corp. (Brigham City, Utah). 

Several high-ranking space officials, including James M. 

Beggs [NASA Administrator] met at Thiokol headquarters to 

discuss the booster problem. Joining the discussion by 

teleconference line were program managers at KSC, Marshall 

Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Johnson Space 

Center in Hauston, Texas, and NASA headquarters in 

Washington, including shuttle program chief James A. 

Abrahamson. Thiokol's shuttle booster program chief, Joe 

Kilminster, said test results so far show one "marginal" lot 

of booster lining materials that were supplied by a single 

subcontractor; Kilrninster declined to identify the 

subcontractor. "We're looking for further confirmation that 

some of the materials used in these boosters have some 

properties that are undesirable," Kilminster said. NASA 

booster program chief Bob Lindstrom, said by telephone from 

Utah that different types of tests than t;lose :)reviously run 

were planned for October 12 and that stili more testing 

beyond then remained a possibility as well. Knowledgeable 

soLrces said preliminary preparations were already underway 

to roll the shuttle back from the pad on October 14 and 

replanning and reprogramming of nany of Spacelab-1's 

complex scientific payloads had begun as well. [Yacenda. 

'TODAY, pp. 1A & 12A, Octo 12, 1983.) 

-87- 
October 12: International Business Machines Corp. (Cape 

Canveral, Florida) has won a $3.2 million NASA contract for 

systems engineering and software development services to 

support space shuttle launch operations at Kennedy Space 

Center. NASA has also awarded Brown and Associates 

Management Services Inc. (Titusville, Florida) at $1.5 

million, two-year base operations contract at NASA's Space 

Transportation System office at Vandenberg Air Force Base, 

California. (Kassak. TODAY, p. 14C, Oct. 12, 1983.1 

October 13: The brains and the backbone of America's space 

effort gathered at Patrick Air Force Base to honor the 

memory of Dr. Kurt H. Debus, the German rocket expert and 

space pioneer who died October 10. Debus, who was known 

primarily as the architect of the Kennedy Space Center 

launch site and who served as the center's first director 

from 1961 through October 1974, died of a heart attack at 

the age of 74. In eulogizing Debus, Rocco Petrone, a 31- 

year associate of Debus and now head of Rockwell 

International's space program, called him "a leader and team 

builder...truly a visionary." About 180 people, including 

many retired space veterans and others still with the 

nation's space program, filled the Capehart No. 2 Chapel at 

Patrick's Soiith Base Hcusir?g srzs ts ~~~fiiiieiiicii~aie "uebus, who 

was a Cocoa Beach resident since his retirement from NASA in 

1974. A procession of 55 cars that stretched for a mile 

followed as Debus's body was moved following the 10 a.m. 

service to Florida Memorial Gardens south of Rockledge, 

where interment took place. NASA provided a bus to carry 

several agency officials, including some who had come from 

Washington, D.C. to attend tbe funeral. 

The list of those attending the ceremony read like a "who's 

who" of the nation's space progL-am. Among the many pioneers 

there were people like Karl Sendler, the last remaining 

member of the team of five German scientists including nebus 

that helped set up the Army's first launcr, facilities at 

Cape Canaveral in the early 1950s, and Gordon -{arris, former 

KSC public information director and Debus's close friend. 

Also present were Ray Clark, a NASA engineering director 

under Debus; G. Merritt Preston, who headed the Gemini 

program during Debus's admiristration; Walter Kapr- .%n, 

longr;A.lre launch director throughout the pe-iod that 

encompassed the Mercury thrqugh the Skylab mar ned space 

flight progr -1ms and who is now with Lockheed Spacs 

Operatiotrs; Grady Williams, hSC design engineering directoiserving under Debus; md englneerz Isom "Xkt:" Higell, Peter 

Mindermar and Bob Murkshe. Ap~llo 13 astronaut ?red Haise, 

now president of GrummaA's new s,.~ttle processing operation, 

also ids in attendance, as were KS Deputy Dirlctc: George 

-88- 
Page, KSC Executive Staff Director George English, NASA 

Associate Deputy Administrator Philip Culbertson, KSC Public 

Affairs Director Charles Hollinshead, KSC Personnel Director 

Ben Hursey, and many other active and retired space agency 

figures. Dr. Paul Allen, a Baptist minister and a friend of 

Debus's daughter Siegrid, presided over the services. 

Debus, who had been in ill health almost since the time of 

his retirement, suffered from kidney and other disorders in 

his last years. The family asked that donations be made in 

Debus's name to the Brevard Kidney Center, 375 S. Courtenay 

Parkway, Merritt Island, Florida. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A 

& 1244, Octo 14, 1983.1 

October 14: Suspected defects in a solid rocket booster nozzle 

lining caused NASA officials to postpone the planned October 

28 launch of the Columbia and its Spacelab cargo. No new 

launch date was set for the mission, ninth in the shurtle 

program, but officials said the earliest it might fly would 

be November 28. Depending on an evaluation of the delay's 

impact on Spacelab's scientific mission, the launch could be 

delayed until late February. For the first time ever in the 

shuttle program, the launch vehicle will be rolled off the 

Kennedy Space Center pad where it now stands and returned to 

the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs. Rollback is 

expected to begin at 8 a.m. EST on October 17. 

Officials decided to replace only the rear segment of the 

one booster containing a nozzle linej with protective 

material from the sane batch as one that nearly burned 

through during the last shuttle flight in August. But to 

accomplish that, virtually the entire shuttle vehicle - 

including the orbiter, the external tank and the one suspect 

booster - must be hroken down and then reassembled. Only the other boaster, which has a nozzle lining from a 

different batch not believed to be defective, will be 

allowed to stand during the operation. Officials of the 

European Space Agency, which developed and built Spacelab, 

concurred with NASA's decision. "A new date for the 

Spacelab mission will be based on obtaining full confidence 

in the SRB nozzles and an evaluation of the science 

reqdirements for the Spacelab experiments," NASA's official 

announcement said. The head of the European Space Agency's 

Washington's office, Wilfred Mellors, said ESA had no 

immediate statement on the delay. "I don't think we have a 

reaction yet. All the top people are asleep in Europe at 

the moment. We'll be disappointed, but clearly it's 

something that couldn't be avoided, '' Mellors said. 

-89- 
While booster restacking proceeds, Columbia will be returned 

to a nearby orbiter processing hangar where its scientific 

payload can be serviced. The shuttle should be back in the 

hangar by midnight October 19, KSC chief spokesman Hugh 

Harris said. With Columbia occupying one of KSC's two 

processing hangars and Challenger, Columbia's younger sister 

ship, filling the other, the planned arrival of NASA's third 

shuttle at KSC on October 21 has been postponed. The new 

ship, Discovery, will remain at Rockwell International's 

Palmdale, California, factory until at least November 4, 

Harris said. Discovery's first flight isn't scheduled until 

May 7 at the earliest. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A ti 8A, Oct. 

15, 1983.1 

October 15: Perhaps the most unique contribution which Dr. Kurt 

H. Debus made to this community and the national space 

program was the establishment of a visitor's center and 

daily bus tours of the spaceport. He reasoned the people - 

without regard to race, nationality, or any other 

consideration - shoul.1 !rave access to Kennedy Space Center 

in order to witness tht engineering marvels which made 

Apollo possible and paved the way for today's shuttles. He 

also believed that public interest would translate into 

continuing support for space exploits of the future. Firmly 

convinced of the need, he set about persuading NASA and the 

Congress to open the gates. Millions have responded from 

virtuail-- every nation on earth. It is a legacy which does 

honor to its creator and has accrued to the economic benefit 

of thiz community. [Gordon L. Harris, (letter to the 

editor), TODAY, p. 6A, Oct. 15, 1983.1 

October 17: NASA moved the Columbi-a from the launch pad back to 

the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Ceater to 

replace the nozzle and aft section of one of its two solid 

rocket boosters, a move whi-h delays the scheduled October 

28 launch to November 28 at the earliest and possibly to 

February 27. Associate Administrator Lt. Gen. James 

Abrahamson said if the rocket had fired another 14 seconds, 

it would have burned thrcugh the nozzle wall. He said that 

while a catastrophic explosion probably would not have 

occurred, Challenger probably would have been pushed of€ 

course during ascent, forcing an emergency landing back at 

the Kennedy Space Center launch site. Two recent test 

firings of a 40-pound small SRB using liner material from 

the suspect lot pmduced confusing results when the first 

liner failed and the second didn't. Columbia is expected to 

be ready for a return to the launch pad ay November 10. 

["Columbia Moved Back to VAB After Decision to Replace 

Nozzle," DEFENSE DAILY, p. 227, Oct. 18, 1983.1 

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October 19: NASA leaders had hoped that President Reagan would 

cap their 25th anniversary ceremonies in the National Air 

and Space Museum with the announcement that he would offer a 

positive public support for the initiation of the 

development of a space station. Instead, he said he was not 

just concerned "about the next logical step in space," but 

instead was planning "an entire road, a 'High Road"' for the 

next 25 years of the space agency. "Right now we're putting 

tagether a National Space Strategy that will establish our 

priorities and guide and inspire our efforts in space for 

the next 25 years and beyond," the President told the NASA 

gathering. "It will embrace all three sectors of our space 

program - civil, commercial and national security. The 

strategy should flow from the National Space Policy I 

announced July 4th last year," he said. President Reagan 

said the "High Road" he is planning "will provide us a 

vision of limitless hope and opportunity, that will 

spotlight the incredible potential waiting to be used for 

the betterment of mankind." He challenged NASA "and the 

rest of America's space community: Let us aim for goals 

that will carry us well into the next century." The 

President was critical of those "who preach the doctrine of 

limited resources. They pessimistically suggest that we are 

on the way to depleting all of what we have and that slowly 

the condition of humankind will deteriorate into a 

Malthusian catastrophe." And he predicted that ree 

enterprise will do for space wiat it did for aviation. "In 

this regard, the space shuttle could be compared 110 the 

first transcontineiital railroad. And when profit mo'cive 

starts in to play, hold on to your hats, the worlc; is going 

to see what entrepreneurial genius is all about ani what it 

means to see America get going." ["President Says A 'High 

Road' 1'. Space Is Planned,:' DEFENSE DAILY, p. 242, Oct. 20, 

i983.1 

October 24: Kennedy Space Center awarded Computer Sciences 

Corporation's Applied Technology Division (Falls Church, 

Virginia) a contract extension for the continuation of 

communicatims and instrumentation support services. This 

contract 1% to cover the shuttle processing contract 

transition period. The cost-plus-award-fee contract is 

valued at $4,335,599, bringing the total value of the 

original contract, since inception in June, 1977, to 

$233,228,880. This contract extension covers the period 

from November 1 through November 30, 1983. The SPC 

contractor, Lockheed Space Operations Co., will assume 

duties included in this contract on or before the expiration 

date. Under the terms of this contract extension, CSC and 

its subcontractor, RCA Services Company (Cherry Hill, New 

Jersey) will provide support in the areas of communications, 

measurements, telemetrics, instrumentation of Launch Control 

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Center firing rooms, and reliability and quality assurance 

programs. CSC currently maintains other agreements at KSC 

that are not related to shuttle processing operations. 

[Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE No. 252-83, Oct. 24, 1983.1 

<> Kennedy Space Center awarded Walding Company (Jacksonville, 

Florida) a $234,000 contract to resurface a portion of the 

Kennedy Parkway. The fixed-price contract was iniciated 

October 3 and the resurfacing activity should be completed 

by January 11, 1984. This award is one set aside for award 

to a small business firm. Walding will provide labor, 

equipment and materials to resurface the Kennedy Parkway, 

the center's main north-south artery, from Gate 2 north to 

Gate 2C. A bituminous "tack" coat will be applied to 

prepare the existing road for a 1 1/2-inch uiriform surface 

course of asphaltic concrete. Traffic stripes and 

directional markings will also be painted on the road under 

the terms of this contract. [Malone. NASAIKSC NEWS RELEASE 

NO. 249-83, OCt. 24, 1983.1 

<> Kennedy Space Center awarded Ortner Freight Car Co. 

(MiiLord, Ohio) a $271,780 coritract to modify four rail cars 

that will be used in transporting the space shuttle's tail 

cone from KSC to Edwards Air Force Base, California. The 

fixed-price contract was initiated September 27, and under 

the terms of the contract, Ortner will ship the rail cars to 

KSC by January 25, 1984. [Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE 

NO. 251-83, OCt. 24, 1983.1 

<> Testing procedures revealed a leaky joint between two 

segments of the shuttle's right-hand booster, but officials 

said they have experienced similar problems before and think 

they know hsw to fix things. In the process of reassembling 

the booster with a new aft end on October 22, te;ts showed a 

leaky connection between the two middle segments of the 

four-piece rocket, officials said. KSC spokesman Mark Hess 

said today tkat engineers planned to take down the uppermost 

of the ill-fitting segments tLis evening to clean and 

inspect the flange and O-ring that lock the parts together. 

The segments were to be restacked later in the evening and 

further tests of the connection are planned for October 25. 

Because of the hitch in the schedule, preparations tor a 

possible November 28 launch of the shuttle were set back 

about a day, Hess said. %etre potenti;.llly one day down as 

far as SRB stacking said Hess, adding that a late 

November launch remained feasible because of several days of 

contingency time incorporated in the time-table . Any delay 

-92- 
past then would delay the flight until late February. 

Meanwhile, technicians were busy changing out some 

troublesome equipment aboard the Columbia. The shuttle is 

back in one of the two crbiter processing hangars while 

workers restack the rest of the vehicle. Among the 

equipment in line for recall are the Columbia's No. 3 

electricity-producing fuel cell, a key engine component, and 

the toilet, which remains a residual problem for NASA. 

[Yacenda. TOgAY, p. 16A, Oct. 25, 1983.1 

October 25: The leaking joint in Columbia's riyht-hand solidfuel rocket booster was repaired, lifting a barrier to the 

already delayed ninth launch. The last two of five segments 

of the rocket booster were expected to be in place by noon 

on the 26th, said KSC spok,sman Mark Hess. "That will 

complete assembly of the rocket, and somewhere around 

midnight" on the 26th or early on the 27th "we'll lift it up 

[the external fuel tank] and attach it to the rockets," Se 

said. ["Leaky booster Joint Repaired," TODAY, p. 20A, Oct. 

26, 1983.1 

<> At Kennedy Space Center, a workiqg group was recently formed 

by the Future Projects Office to investigate ways in which 

some of the latest advances in machine artificial 

intelligence may be applied to space program uses. 'We 

began looking hto this about a year and a half ago and 

decided it's the coming thing," explained KSC Future 

Projects Office Chief Dave Moja. The branch of artificial 

intelligence which has attracted KSC's interest is the field 

of so-called "expert systems" where the knowledge of a human 

specialist is codified, or engineered, into a computer 

program. The human's "expertise" is then available to 

others who use the machine. 

"Humans are fallible. We don't always take all the ,actors 

into accognt. We can forget. We can have a bad day," said 

Moja. "That doesn't mean machines will replece the human 

expert. But they call certainly serve as an aid to the human 

expert." Right now, there are three principal areas chat we 

are working at," said NASA's Carl Delaune, a meinber of the 

working group. One of the most promisinq, he explained, is 

development of a computer system to serve as "an engineer's 

advisor" i;i troubleshooting problems which might come up 

during the loading of liquid oxygen into the shuttle's 

external fuel tank. "Discrepancies in any of several 

hundred measurements of critical parameters can lead to an 

automatic shutdown of the transfer, and possibly a costly 

launch delay, unless it is overridden by hinhly experienced 

-9 3- 
controllers," said Delaune. Such an override decision by 

the system experts is based on a detailed analysis of 

measurements, and it requires knowledge of system hardware 

and data from previous launches. 

"The goal of the artifical intelligence project at KSC is to 

capture the expertise of the launch team," he explained. A 

computer system which is able to use that expert knowledge 

can potentially free up some of the human experts for other 

activities. It could also be used to help train new launch 

engineers. Another area to be examined by the working group 

is in the field of logistics. "The planning and scheduling 

operation that goes on in the cargo world seems to be a good 

candidate," said Delaune. The KSC working group 1s also 

exploring the possibility that an expert system can be 

developed to provide reliable 12-hour weather forecasts for 

the vicinity. "Generally, these systems tend to be very 

reliable in a limited domain," he said. Delaune used as an 

example, a Stanford-developed system which can recommend 

prescription drugs for the treatment of illnesses described 

by symptoms. "It seems to be better than the people that 

created it," said Delaune. "It's more consistent than they 

are. It never forgets any of the things they taught it." 

Working group members believe th. +. many other potential 

applications may be identified as d result of KSC's 

artificial intelligence project. #'I can foresee that we'll 

look into many other possibiLities," added Moja. "It's a 

whole liew field." [Ball. NSA/KSC NEWS RELEASE No. 250-83, 

Oct. 25, 1983.1 

<> Ebon Research Systems (Altamonte Springs, Florida) won a 

$556,611 contract in support of space shuttle operations at 

the Kennedy Space Center. The award is one set aside for a 

disadvantaged firm. The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract calls 

for Ebon to furnish safety and reliability engineering 

technical support to the Safety Reliability and Quality 

Assurance and Protective Services Directorate at KSC. The 

company will be responsible for performing safety 

assessments for the shuttle and associated ground support 

equipment and facilities. Ebon will also conduct safety 

analysis and reviews for the payloads and experiments which 

fly aboard the shuttle and will be responsible for 

submitting reports to KSC's Mishap Reporting and Corrective 

Action System which serves as a central data base used to 

study problems and prevent recurrences. [Tucker. NASA/KSC 

NEWS RELEASE NO. 247-83, OCt. 25, 1983.1 

-94- 
October 26: The head of West Germanyms space prograin predicted 

that a successful first Spacelab mission would stir a 

groundswell of support in Europe for expanded international 

cooperation in space. Hermann Strub, head of the Aerospace 

and Technology Directorate for the Federal Republic of 

Germany, said he was sure increased European space activity 

could come from the flight of Europems orbital laboratory 

aboard the American shuttle. Part of that. future activity, 

Strub told Today, might be joint American-European 

development of a manned orbiting space station, with Germany 

taking the lead ir. t1.e project in Europe. The delayed 

Spacelab project is also crucially important to West 

Germany, which holds a 60 percent share in the facilitygs 

industrial development and an even larger stake in the 

European portion of the laboratory's scientific payload, 

Strub said. 

I 

Strub made his remarks at the University of Central Florida 

in Orlando, Florida, where his visit was keyed to a 

different kind of launch, that of a new German Studies 

Center on the campus. Strub said he expects a decision on 

the launch to be made November 2 when NASA Administrator 

James M. Beggs and European Space Agency Director Eric 

yuistqaard confer by telephone. "My iinpression is that NASA 

is doing its best," Strub said, noting that Europeans 

understand delays because they've had problems with their 

launcher, the Ariane rocket. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 2B, Oct. 

27, 1983.1 

October 30: Two Kennedy Space Center employees and six federal 

law enforcement officers were honored by NASA this week for 

their work on an investigation that led to fraud charges 

against two space center contractors. Randall West of 

NASA's Off ice of the inspector General announced that the 

special recognition awards had ken given to Charles Green 

and James Reddick, NASA space center employees; FBI agents 

Allen Bilski, Dennis Ha11 and Steven Salmari; and Edwin 

Tomko and Robert W. Merkle of the U.S. Department of 

Justice's fraud division. Robert He Waller, a Cocoa FBI 

agent, was given the Distinguished Service Medal as lead 

agent in the case. The three-yedr investigation ended in 

December 1982 with the conviction of Capital Communications 

Corp. of Milwaukee and New World Construction of Titusville, 

Florida, for submitting falsc claims to NASA for work 

involving the space shuttle. Also convicted were James T. 

White, Jr., former New Wo~ld Construction employee; Philip 

Akwa, president of Capital Communications; and Arthur 

Boschen, president of New World Construction. ("NASA Honors 

8 Men for Fraud Investigation," TODAY, p. 26, Oct. 30, 

1983 ] 

-95- 
UOVEUBER 1983 

mwember 2: Kennedy Space Center awarded ACL-FILCO Corp. (Santa 

Ai?a, California) a contract worth $535,863 for hydraulic 

equipment to be used in support of the shuttle program. The 

f ixed-price contract also includes an early delivery 

incentive of $7,800, providing delivery of a solid rocket 

booster hydraulic control unit is made before December 12, 

1984. The contract covers the period beginning October 18, 

1983, through March 31, 1985. ACL-FILCO will build a new 

hydraulic control unit to be installed on the third Mobile 

Launcher Platform (MLP) which will connect with the Launch 

Processing System (LPS) during pre-launch checkout. Also 

included in this contractual agreement are modifications to 

be made to a hydraulic pump unit for use on MLP-3, and flex 

hoses for the fluid distribution system of the solid rocket 

boosters and orbiter. [Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE No. 

258-83, NOV. 2, 1983.1 

<> Kennedy Space Center awarded Symetrics Industries, Inc. 

(Melbourne, Florida) a $118,035 contract for Operational 

Telecommunications Units to be used in the Launch Processing 

System. The f ixed-price contract was initiated on October 

3, 1983, and Symetrics is due to deliver 31 01s (type 54) 

units by April 3, 1984. This award is one set aside for 

award to a small business firm. Symetrics will fabricate 

the communications units from a NASA design. The units will 

permit operator access to eight audio channels and over 100 

communication lines at one time. The new units will 

supplement existing 01s units. As many as 1,800 persons can 

have access to this multi-usage communications system, which 

is an integral part of space shuttle pre-launch checkout and 

launch operations. [Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE No. 

257-83, NOVO 2, 1983.1 

<> Frank A. Kennedy Inc. (Cape Canaveral, Florida) has been 

awarded a $189,989 contract by NASA to modify the Flight 

Crew Training Building for a firing room display and a 

recreaticrn of the lift-off of Apollo 11 which will be 

incorporated into the Kennedy Space Center tour . [Kassak. 

TODAY, p. 14C, NOVO 2, 1983.1 

-96- 
<> The maiden launch of Europe's Spacelab orbital scientific 

i laboratory aboard the space shuttle Columbia was officially 

reset for November 28r 1983, announced NASA and the European 

Space Agency. Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center das set for 

11 a.m. EST on the Monday following the Thanksgiving holiday 

weekend. A tight 14-minute opportunity exists for launch 

managers to get the mission off on the 28th, NASA said. 

Landing at the end of the nine-day, ll-minute mission is 

scheduled for 8:11 a.m. PST on December 7, at Edwards Air 

Force Base, California. "NASA management has confirmed that 

the shuttle system is ready to support the November date 

following the change of a solid rocket motor nozzle 

asEembly," a jointly released NASA/ESA official announcement 

said. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. lA, Mov. 3, 1983.1 

November 3: Brown and Associates Management Services, Inc., 

known as BAMSI (Titusville, Florida) high-technology small 

business firm, was named Minority Contractoi- of the Year by 

the Kennedy Space Center. The award is presented annually 

to a minority firm which has excelled in providing services 

to KSC during the preceding fiscal year. BANS1 is headed by 

Hugh M. Brown, founder of the company, who now serves as 

president and chief executive officer. Brown, a former 

field engineer With ITT/Federal Electric Corporation, helped 

form and manage New World Services, Inc. ]a library services 

company which is an EG&G subcontractor], for several years 

before founding BAMSI in 1978. [Tucker. NASA/KSC NEWS 

RELEASE NO. 256-83, NOVO 3, 1983.1 

<> Space shuttle Columbia's journey to Kennedy Space Center's 

Vehicle Assembly Building was the third such trek for 

Columbia in less than two months: two times to the VAB, and 

one time, on October 19, back to the hangar from the 

assembly building while repairs were performed on the 

shuttle solid rocket booster. With a November 28 launch 

date now set, technicians must hurry to reunite Columbia 

with the rest of the shuttle vehicle. "The vehicle is ready 

to go. She's in good shape, all buttoned up," NASA 

processing flow director James Harrington said. The move 

from the hangar was delayed nearly two hours by problems 

with a purge duct needed to draft air into the $800 million 

S2acelab inside Columbia's cargo bay. The 27-minute tow to 

the VAB was complete at 11:45 a.m. EST. 

The rest of the prelaunch schedule outlined by Harrington 

calls for installation of a final engine heat shield, 

running a confidence test of Columbia's new fuel cells - 

taken from the yet-to-be-delivered Discovery after another 

-97- 
new set of cells on Columbia malfunctioned - and programming 

both Columbia's and Spacelab's mass inemxy computer units. 

Those jobs plus integration testing of all shuttle 

connections are to be completed by Thanksgiving, giving 

workers a two-day breather before the final countdown picks 

up on November 28. Harrington said one of the last 

obstacles to a launch was cleared on Nov. 2 when engineers 

gave a clean bill of health to the shuttle's twin solid 

rocket booster exhaust nozzles. Concerns about the safety 

of one nozzle lining forced the shuttle from the pad Oct. 

17, scrubbing what was supposed to be an Oct. 28 launch. 

Harrington said engineers gave a two-hour briefing on the 

state of the booster nozzles to NASA Administrator James M. 

Beggs Nov. 2, before Beggs and European Space Agency 

Director-General Erik Quistgaard decided on the new launch 

date. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 16A, Nov. 4,1983.1 

UovelPber 8: Three weeks after its rollback from Pad 39A, 

Columbia returned to its launch site in final preparation 

for the November 28 liftoff of its Spacelab mission. 

Meanwhile, NASA announced the third member of its spaceplane 

fleet, the orbiter Discovery, was due to arrive at KSC from 

California atop a Boeing 747 carrier aircraft on November 

9. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 12A, Nov. 8, 1983.1 

November 9: More than 100 spectators were on hand near the 

spaceport's 3-niile-lony shuttle runway to greet the 

Discovery as it flew in atop its Boeing 747 carrier 

aircraft. Touchdown came at 1:46 porn., following a single 

low pass over the spaceport ruiway by the 747/shuttle 

combination. "With the roll call of America's highest 

technology being Columbia, Challenger and Discovery, we can 

now say: 'All present and accounted for'," announced KSC 

spokesman Rocky Raab over the public address sytem set up 

for the occasion. Compared to its predecessors, the neat 

and trim Discovery appeared to be in the best condition yet 

for a newly delivered orbiter. NASA's latest spaceplane is 

outwardly different from its two fleet mates. A new type of 

thermal insulation blanket - called Advanced Flexible 

Reusable Surface Insulation (AFRSI) - was used on the upper 

half of Discovery instead of the white heat-protective tiles 

covering the topside of Columbia and Challenger. The 

approximately 2-foot-square AFRSI blankets are the same 

color and serve the same purpose as the former white tiles, 

but give a cleaner, less cluttered look to the craft. As 

Discovery was arriving to fanfare at one end of KSC, another 

component of the June 4 mission - the external fuel tank 

upon which Discovery will be mounted for launch - quietly 

arrived elsewhere at the space center. The 154-foot-long 

-98- 
tank came by barge froin the Michoud, Louisiana, plant of 

Martin Marietta, where it was built. NASA's new orbiter, 

Discovery, is named after two sailing ships of history: 

Henry Hudson's Discovery, which made an ill-fated journey to 

what is now known as Hudson's Bay in 1610; and Capt. James 

Cook's Discovery, which in 1776 accompanied the legendary 

navigator to the Hawaiian Islands and Alaska on what was his 

last cruise. Construction on NASA's fourth and perhaps last 

reusable shuttle orbiter, dubbed Atlantis, is set to begin 

next year. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 20A, Nov. 10, 1983.1 

November 11: Space agency officials ran into antenna problems 

with a relay satellite crucial to the upcoming shuttle 

mission, but said the difficulties should not affect the 

planned November 28 launch. One of two antenna packages on 

the satellite, which relays signals back and forth between 

the shuttle and the ground, is failing to respond properly 

to commands from the ground, officials said. Attempts to 

switch on a back-up system also were not fully satisfactory 

but engineers said they would continue to work on the 

problem. The malfunctioning antenna is actually part of a 

redundant system, providing back-up to the satellite's main 

antenna, which continues to function properly and could 

support the mission by itself. 

KSC spokesman Mark Hess said engineers don't yet have a full 

understanding of the antenna problem, which has been growing 

worse the past two weeks, and are concerned that the same 

problem wouldn't strike the functioning antenna. Meanwnile, 

the shuttle's own Ku-band antenna was ordered back to the 

factory November 9, but again officials said the problem 

would not affect the launch schedule. Hess said the antenna 

was removed and sent back to the manufacturer, Hughes 

Aircraft Co. (El Segundo, California). The antenna, used to 

communicate with the Tracking snd Data Relay Satellite 

(TDRS), is to be repaired and returned to KSC sometime in 

the next few days. The decisim to remove the antenna came 

after a printed circuit board, similar to one that is part 

of the antenna pacKage aboard Columbia, failed during 

qualificaticn testing in a laboratory. "We did not feel 

confident that we could go through the whole mission and not 

have a prob!.em," Hess explained. NASA said pre-flight work 

on Columbia is continuing over the three-day weekend, with 

workers testing the three new electricity-producing fuel 

cells recently installed on the orbiter. Acceptance testing 

also is proceeding on the agency's latest spaceplane, 

Discovery, which arrived at KSC November 9 and was rolled 

into an orbiter processing hangar early November 10. Next 

door to Discovery, the second member of the three-orbiter 

-99- 
operational fleet - Challenger - also is undergoing 

preparations for its late January launch. [Yacenda. TODAY, 

pe 20A, NOV. 11, 1983.1 

November 16: Twenty years ago - tcday - President John F. 

Kennedy made his last visit to this NASA center; six days 

later, Kennedy was dead, assassinated in Dallas, Texas. As 

reported in the November 27, 1963 issue of the S ace ort 

News - the official center publication - Kennedy + rea irmed 

his support for space exploration in a speech issued just 

the day before his death. "There will be setbacks and 

frustrations and disappointments in space," Kennedy said. 

"And there will be pressures for our country to do less and 

temptations to do something else. But this research must 

and will go on. The conquest of space must and will go 

ahead. 

Kennedy's November 16 visit was his third to the spaceport 

in the three years he was president. Previods visits came 

in February and September 1962. Kennedy's final visit 

lasted two hours and 20 minutes, but was packed with 

briefings and tours. Among the briefings the president 

received was one on Gemini pragram operations at Launch 

Complex 37, siven by NASA Deputy Associate Administrator 

George K. Low and astronauts Gus Grissom and Gordon Cooper. 

Another briefing on the manned lunar program by NASA 

Associate Administracor George Nueller took place inside the 

complex 37 blockhouse. The late Wernher von Braun, who was 

director of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, 

Alabama, also filled in the president on the capabilities of 

the new Saturn I rocket being readied for its first flight. 

Kennedy also walked underneath the 163-foot-tall vehicle, 

designated Saturn SA-5, for a closer look at its powerful 

engines, and asked von Sraun if the rocket had any military 

possibilities. The president took time to shake hands with 

mechanics and technicians, and to ask them how things were 

going. An inspection of the Merritt Island Launch Area - as 

the complex that now forms the heart of Kennedy Space Center 

was known - followed aboard a Marine helicopter with Dr. 

Kurt H. Debus, who died on October 10th of this year. After 

the overfly, Kennedy boarded the USS Observation Island off 

Cape Canaveral to view a successful Polaris missile launch 

from the nuclear submarine Andrew Jackson before riding a 

helicopter back to the skid strip to fly on to South 

Florida. "I have found this visit most informative," 

Kennedy said to Debus prior to departure. "It has been a 

great help to me and will aid me in assessing our space 

programs." Debus said the president was "very much 

impressed with what he saw." [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 

20A, NOV. 16, 1983.1 

-100- 
<> A special radio antenna sent out for repairs last week h returned to Kennedy Space Center several days early. 

Meanwhile, other NASA officials kept a close eye on problems 

besetting the sophisticated Tracking and Data Relay 

Satellite that acts as intermediary between the shuttle and 

the ground for data transmissions during the upcoming 

mission. KSC spokesman Jim Ball said technicians would 

reinstall the antenna on Columbia later his week, following 

loading of hazardous hypergolic reactants aboard the 

orbiter. All other preparatjans are continuing on schedule 

for the planned November 28 launch of the combined Shuttle 

Mission 9/Spacelab-1 flight, Ball said. Engineers still are 

not sure what caused one of two Ku-band antennae on the 

satellite to become inoperative. NASA spokesman Jim 

Elliott, at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, 

Maryland, said the problem appears to be with the travelingwave tube assemblies on the defective antenna. A travelingwave tube is an electron tube used for generation of 

ffiicrowave frequency radiation or amplification a. ultrahigh 

frequencies. One of the problem antenna's tubes completely 

failed about two weeks ago, and the backup has produced 

insufficient power €or the antenna to operate, Elliott 

said. The link between the satellite and the shuttle was 

affected. Engineers say the mission should be able to 

function properly with just one antenna, but the remaining 

antenna also has experienced some fluctuations in power 

output in the past. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 20A, Nov. 16, 

1983.1 

November 17: Albert E. Seeschaaf, a NASA public information 

officer, manager of the Kennedy Space Center press site and 

a former radio newsman, died at home in Cocoa. Seeschaaf, 

69, had cancer. Involved with America's space program since 

the early 195Os, Seeschaaf served as a civilian employee 

with the Military Sea Lift Cmmand, where he oversaw 

logistics of the first down-range radar and tracking stations of the Atlantic Missile test range. He later 

worked with North American Aviation and Avco in rocket 

development programs, and from 1958 to 1967, was a reporter 

with radio station WEZY in Cocoa, where he was named news 

director in 1962. 

After joining NASA in 1967, Seeschaaf served as a supply 

officer in the Apollo program. He later joined the space 

agency's public affairs staff in the protocol off ice, then 

moved to the spaceport's newsroom, where he dealt with 

representatives of the world's media. He was in charge of 

all logistical arrangements at the Complex 39 press mound at 

the time of his death, and letters, books and photos lining 

his office walls attest to the esteem in which newspeople 

-101- 
from many countries held Seeschaaf. He was particularly 

proud of his work with youths and recently cited that as his 

outstanding achievement. "Everyone has a mission on Earth, 

and mine has been to help young people," he said. Seeschaaf 

was founder of the YMCA in Brevard County and chief of staff 

of the Florida Civil Air Patrol. Active in the Boy Scouts 

for 50 years, the Scouts' Canaveral District honored 

Seeschaaf with a special commendation November 12. 

"He will always be a part of the press site at the Kennedy 

Space Center because of the outstanding job he did in 

helping to put it together and keeping it running smoothly,'' 

KSC chief spokesman Hugh Harris said. "He'll be missed not 

only by us, but by newspeople around the world who came to 

rely on him to ensure that they had their facilities in 

place and operational." Dick Young, another KSC spokesman, 

said, "He was a great newsman and a great public affairs man 

for NASA, and we're all going to miss him....Al was an 

institution. I' 

Seeschaaf is survived by his wife, Esther Seeschaaf of Cocoa 

and five children. [Yacenda. TODAY, pp. 1A & 20A, Nov. 18, 

1983.1 

November 25: The crew members of the ninth space shuttle 

mission arrived at Kennedy Space Center, saying they were 

ready and eager for liftoff on the 28th. "We really are in 

a hurry to get on with it," remarked John Young shortly 

after the six-member Columbia crew arrivcd at KSC following 

the two-hour flight from Houston. Young, who has more space 

trips to his credit than any other American astronaut, will 

command the nine-day mission, set to liftoff at 11 a.m. on 

Nov. 28. It will be the maiden voyage for the 17-ton NASA 

shuttle and $800 million European-built Spacelab. "It's a 

beautiful day, ain't it," Young quipped as he and the other 

five crew members assembled on the KSC runway to say a few 

words to about 50 reporters and photographers covering the 

arrival. West German payload specialist Ulf Merbold, who 

will be the first non-American to fly on a U.S. spacecraft, 

predicted good things to come of the experiment-packed 

journey. ''1 think we'll fly a great mission, and I'm sure 

the scientists will get some good results," said Merbold, 

t'I'm very proud to be the first European to fly on an 

American mission." 

Merbold and Byron Lichtenberg, the other payload specialist 

on STS-9/Spacelab-l, arrived at the three-mile KSC runway 

aboard a Gulfstream jet. The aircraft also carried family 

-102- 
members of the astronauts. About 10 minutes after the 

Gulfstream landed, two blue and white two-seat T-38s circled 

the runway and touched down at 11:07 a.m. EST. Young and 

mission specialist Robert Parker shared one of the aircraft, 

and mission pilot Brewster Shaw and mission specialist Owen 

Garriott manned the other. About two hours after their 

arrival, Young, Parker, and Merbold were scheduled to sleep 

while the rest of the crew reviewed flight data and ate 

lunch. Because the astronauts will be operating in two 

shifts around the clock during the mission, they are 

adjusting to different sleep and work schedules. [Perez. 

TODAY, pp. 1A & 20A, NOVO 26, 1983.1 

November 28: While forecasters brooded over stormy weather at 

emergency landing sites in Spain and West Germany, and a 

severe thundershower system approaching KSC, launch 

officials predicted no interference with the morning's 11 

a.m. EST liftoff of Columbia and its Spacelab cargo. At a 

morning press conference on November 27, U.S. Air Force 

Major Lmnald J. Greene called launch-time weather "very 

questionable." Green, who is weather advisor to launch 

control, said the low pressure front moving through the 

Southeast could produce thunderstorms and strong winds at 

the space center, possibly delaying the launch. "It all 

depends on how fast that front moves in," Greene said. The 

last word cn the weather will come from astronaut Bob 

Crippen, a .eteran of STS-1 and STS-7. Crippen, in a 

Shuttle Training Aircraft over the KSC landing strip, will 

determine if weather conditions are favorable for launch and 

emergency landing at KSC, if necessary. [Shealy. TODAY, 

pp. 1A & 10A, NOVO 28, 1983.1 

<> Many European Space Agency officials, including Director 

General Erik Quistgaard, were expected to be on hand to see 

the liftoff of Columbia. Michel Bignier, the agency's STS 

director, George van Reeth, the director of administration, 

and ESA's director general of the Commission of the European 

Communities Jean Albert Dinkespiler will watch the launch 

from the VIP stands. "We target the guest list to the 

rni~sion,'~ said Libby Wells, a KSC spokeswoman. "This is a 

joint mission and is also the Spacelab launch. We consider 

it [the guest list] to have the kind of people who are 

interested in the ventdre." 

Political and technological representatives from seven 

European nations will also watch the launch from the VIP 

site. Included in that group are: Italy's Minister of 

Research Luigi Granelli; French astronauts Jean Loup 

-103- 
Chretien and Patrick Baudry; Swiss Ambassadors Aomin Kamer 

and Anton Hegner; and Professor Johannes Ortner, president 

of the Austriar. Solar and Space Agency. Tom Stafford, a 

Gemini, Apollo aiid ASTP crewman and now chairman of the 

board of Omega Watch Co., heads the list of NASA astronauts 

and technicians on hand for the launch. Joining Stafford 

are John Creighton, Shannon Lucid, Loren Shriver and Jeff 

Hoffman, all assigned to missions in the coming year. 

Brevard Democratic Congressman Bill Nelson will be on hand 

for the launch, as will Don Faqua, D-Fla., chairman of the 

House Space and Technology Committee. Fuqua is bringing 

with him about a dozen fellow congressmen and their 

spouses. Sudan's President Nimeiri is the sole foreign head 

of state who will attend the launch. [Feibus. TODAY, p. 

3~, NOV. 28, 1983.1 

<> ''I don't know how it could get any better," said NASA 

Administrator James M. Beggs of the Columbia's 11 a.m. EST 

launch, right on schedule. Beggs and Erik Quistgaard, 

Director General of the European Space Agency, which gave 

the spacelab to NASA under a cooperative agreement, watched 

the launch from the firing room in the LCC. "It was 

superb," said launch director A1 O'Hara, giving special 

praise to the contractor employees who have been under the 

"distraction" of changing jobs when a Lockheed team won the 

shuttle processing contract from the incumbent Rockwell 

team. From space, Commander John Young exulted about his 

sixth flight: "It's just super up here, just beautiful. 

Boy, it's really a beautiful flying machine and it just got 

up there like everybody said it would." This is the second 

flight for Owen Garriott, 53, who was aboard Skylab, and the 

first for pilot Brewster Shaw, 38, mission specialists 

Robert Parker, 45, Byron Lichtcnberg, 35, and Ulf Merbold, 

42, of West Germany, :he first foreigner assigned to an 

American crew. 

Only minor problems were encountered during the countdown . The weather was the big question mark. Forecasters had 

feared it might produce storms over the Kennedy Space Center 

at launch time, but the eastward-moving cold front 

unexpectedly slowed its pace and didn't make it. Because of 

Spacelab's 16-ton weight, heaviest to date for a shuttle, 

Edward Air Force Base's sprawling lakebed strip will be the 

landing site at 11:11 a.m. EST Deceinber 7, 1983. 

Columbia's twin rocket boosters, which separated 2 minutes 

and 6 seconds after the shuttle's liftoff were spotted 

bobbing in the Atlantic Ocean less than an hour later. The 

empty rocket casings, which descend into the water on 

-104- 
parachutes, were being picked up by the two recovery ships 

(Freedom and Liberty) operated by NASA contractor United 

Space Boosters, Inc. The boosters fell to the ocean about 

150 miles east of Cape Canaveral. "They appear to be in 

good shape, and the ships are moving into position for 

recovery," which takes several hours for each booster, said 

USBI spokesman Scott Brinckerhoff. Shuttle launch director 

A1 O'Hara said he expected the reusable casings would be 

back at Cape Canaveral by the evening of November 29. 

[Jean. THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, pp. A-1 & A-19, Nov. 29, 1983. 

"Boosters Spotted Quickly," TODAY, p. 4A, Nov. 29, 1983.1 

<> German astronaut Reinhard Furrer was among the 700 to 800 

Europeans visiting Brevard County for inaugural launch of 

Europe's Spacelab; this was Furrer's first live liftoff. 

But unlike the other visitors, the 42-year-old Furrer hopes 

to ride aboard the shuttle in mid-1985, on the next Spacelab 

mission. A graying, bearded physics professor at the Free 

University in West Berlin, Furrer said he never imagined he 

would become an astronaut when, as a university student, he 

watched television coverage of John Glenn's first Earth 

orbits. "In Europe, then, there wasn't much hope of going 

into space," he said. "We Germans are a little sensitive 

when people say, 'oh, now Germany is going into space'," 

Furrer said, recalling Wernher von Braun's early rocket 

tests on German soil during World War 11. A fellow German, 

standing beside the astronaut, summed it up. "NOW we would 

like to rejoin the club," said i)r. Wolfgang Finke, director 

of the Ministry of Research and Technology in Bonn. Finke, 

a German representative to the 10-nation European Space 

Agency, said he is very proud of Spacelab, a walk-in 

compartment lined with cabinets and instrument panels. 

"It's not parallel to anyttiing the Americans have done. Of 

course, it needs transportation,' Finke said. Because of 

the European dependency on the shuttle's booster power, 

Finke said the ESA is "definitely the junior partner with 

the U.S. in this venture." Spacelab presents three 

opportunities for research that cannot be duplicated on 

Earth, Finke said. "We can look into space without any 

obstruction from the Earth's atmosphere. We can look 

downward at the Earth. And we can do all these experiments 

in very low gravity." [Gelston. THE ORLANDO SENTlNEL, p. 

A-19, NOVO 29, 1983.1 

<> More than 100 foreign journalists joined about 750 of their 

American counterparts to cover the liftoff of the Shuttle/ 

Spacelab 1 mission. But that didn't mean that Kennedy Space 

-105- 
Center was the only focus for international attention for 

the overseas journalists. Some were stationed in Houston to 

monitor Spacelab experiments and others, said Bernard 

Chabbert, a reporter with Europe-1, a French-language 

private broadcasting organization, covered the mission from 

a third press site - Cologne, West Germany. The group of 

European reporters who were at KSC were to have left for the 

Johnson Space Center right after the launch, Chabbert said. 

European interest was especially high because of the 

European-built Spacelab. Also, "interest is real high" 

because Ulf Merbold, the first European on an American 

spacecraft, is a member of the latest crew, Chabbert said. 

"The fact that you have one crew member who is European is 

very appealing to the public," he said. Most of Europe's 

attention, however, is focused on Spacelab, the $1.2 billion 

orbiting laboratory dev;?oped by the European Space Agency. 

NASA's share of the mission cost about $600 million, 

bringing the total mission price to $1.8 billion. 

"The general feeling is NASA provides the transportation and 

Europe provides the science," Chabbert said. Not all 

European journalists shared Chabbert Is views about the high 

interest in Spacelab's maiden voyage. Frederic Castel, the 

Florida and Central American correspondent for Quest-France, 

the largest daily newspaper in France, said outside West 

Germany and possibly a few other countries, interest is not 

very high among Europeans. His paper probably won't even 

have a front-page story on the laiJnch, Castel said. At 

most, he said, the paper will have a "tease" directing 

readers to a launch story inside. "They [Europeans] react 

like Americans react when there's an Ariane launch," he 

said, referring to limited U.S. coverage given the ESAsponsored rocket program. 

The space mission received more attention on radio and 

television stat40ns in Britain than in Germany. French 

space officials sent a telegram of congratulations to NASA 

on the successful launch. One German journalist dubbed the 

billion-dollar Spacelab, which was 55 percent financed by 

West Germany, l1Europegs expensive ticket on the space 

train. 'I 

The 42-year-old Merbold, a Stuttgart-based physicist, was 

saluted in several German newspzsera. "He's the man of the 

day," commented the mass-circulation daily Bild Zeitung. 

But the newspaper's short article was carried on an inside 

page and without the large headlines usually given by -- Bild 

to major stories. The flight received prominent play 

-106- 
throuyhout the day on radio and television in Britain, where 

pallet-mounts for telescopes, sensors and other Spacelab 

equipment was made by the Space and Communications sector of 

the British Aerodynamics Group. [Perez. TODAY, p. 2A8 

Novo 298 1983.1 

<> The smalJest crowd of shuttle-watchers to date, an estimated 

lOO,OCO, ventured into and out of Brevard County with only 

one minor accident to report, according to county police. 

The Florida Highway Patrol brought in ocly two additional 

troopers, compared to the eight added for the first launch 

in Ayri! 1981, when the crowd was "guesstimated" to have 

reached one million spectators. [Heller. TODAY, p. 3A, 

NOVO 29, :983.] 

November 29: R wreath with black ribbon was placed on the door 

of tile NASA Public Affairs Office last week. It was a 

rnerrlorial tc, A1 Seeschaaf who for year, helped manage 

Kennedy Space Center's press site. The space pioneer died 

earlier this morhth aEter a bout with cancer. During the 

airrent shattls mission, many members of the world's press 

were saddened to l2arn of Seeschaat's death. "Certainly 

everybody misses him," KSC chief spokesman Hugh Harris 

said. 

Seeschaaf died on Novenber 17 8 1983 . [ "Media Remember 

NASA's Seeuchazf," TUDAY, p. 44, Nov. 23, 1983.1 

-107- 
DECEMBER 1983 

December 2: The third in a new yeneration of Western Union 

telecommunication spacecraft was unveiled at Cape Canaveral 

Air Force Station for the first time.. To be launched from 

Kennedy Space Center on the next flight of the space shuttle 

Challenger in late January, the satellite - dubbed WESTAR VI 

- will be the first craft in the series to be deployed from 

the shuttle. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 12A, Dec. 3, 1983.1 

December 5: The 44-hcur countdown for the ninth space shuttle 

mission deviated no nmre than 30 minutes from its plan 

despite a problem that would have delayed launch 72 hours if 

it had occurred earlier in the shuttle program. The shuttle 

mission managercent team analyzed the problem over a period 

of about 3 hours and at about T-2 hours concluded that there 

was adequate redundancy to maneuver the orbiter without the 

failed switch activator. The primary redundancy option was 

to use the reaction control system for maneuvering. 

[Kolcum. AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY, p. 21, Dec. 5, 

1983 . ] 

<> Launch of the shuttle orbiter Columbia/Spaceiab 1 mission 

required greater vehicle maneuvering and higher thrust than 

any previous shuttle ascent to boost the heavy U.S./European 

payload on a northern trajectory up the U.S. East Coast. 

Orbiter main engine shutdown and insertion into a 57-degree 

orbit that carried the vehicle over most of the Eiirth's 

landmass occurred 140 miles east of Atlantic City, New 

Jersey. The launch orbital insertion accuracy for Spacelab 

1 was important because of the timing and ground tracking 

requirements for the multiple science objectives of the 

mission. ["Mission 9 Ascent Required High Level of 

Maneuvering," AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY, p. 23, Dec. 

5, 1983.1 

December 8: To make some rooin at KSC for the returning 

Columbia, program managers have decided to move the newest 

shuttle Discovery out of the Orbiter Processing Facility 

where it is presently located and into the massive Vehicle 

Assembly Building. Then, Columbia will slide into the spot 

in the OPF vacated by Discovery. Columbia's return was 

anticipated to be midday December 13, KSC spokesman Mark 

Hess said. Discovery will roll to the VAB about 12:30 p.n. 

-108- 
EST on December 9, while other shuttle team members are at 

Edwards Air Force Base, California, readying Columbia for 

its return to Florida aboard its 747 carrier jet. After a 

basic post-flight servicing in the OPF at KSC, Columbia will 

be reattached to its carrier jet and returned to the 

Rockwell International factory in Palmdale, California, for 

a series of modifications - primarily involving 

instrumentation and electronic controllers. When Columbia 

leaves KSC for California, Discovery is scheduled to return 

to the OPF and trade places with Challenger which is to head 

for the VAB in preparation for its January 30 return to 

space. [Yacenda. TODAY, p. 14A, kc. 8, 1983.1 

December 15: The space shuttle Columbia, bolted on top its 747 

carrier jet, caltie back to Kennedy Space Center, touching 

down on the spaceport's 3-mile-long runway under overcast 

skies at 2:51 p.m. EST. The APU investigating team, under 

the direction of Richard Colonna of the Johnson Space Cent?r 

in Houston, hoped to get access to the fire-damaged APU's by 

as early as the morning of the 16th, after Columbia is 

returned to one of KSC's two orbiter processing facilities. 

Based on information supplied by a KSC spokesman, it was 

incorrectly reported that the investigation would be a 

Kennedy function. Johnson, which bears ultimate 

responsibility for the orbiter, will actdally conduct the 

investigation, said KSC spokesman Jim Ball, who said: 

"We're not going to fly until we understand the 2roblem." 

[Yacenda. TODAY, p. 1A, DeC. 16, 1983.1 

<> NASA's Kennedy Space Center awarded S&O Air Conditioning, 

Inc. (Cocoa, Fl.) a $232,930 contract for modifications to 

the Halon fire protection system and air conditioning system 

at KSC's Guided Unified "S" Band (GUSB) Facility. The 

fixed-price contract was initiated on November 30, and will 

extend through June 27, 1984. This award is one set aside 

for award to a small business firm. Under the terms of the 

contract, modifications will be made to the existing Halon 

system used at the GUS6 Facility. Appropriate modifications 

must also be made to the air conditioning system so that it 

will operate effectively with the Halon system. New chill 

water lines will also be added in preparation for a new air 

handling unit. [Malone. NASA/KSC NEWS RELEASE NO. 301-83, 

Dec. 15, 1983.1 

<> A fire and explosions that 'isabled two of space shuttle 

- Columbia's hydraulic power l;nits probably won't delay the L. next shuttle launch January 30, 1984, NASA Administrator 

-109- 
James Beggs said. Challenger is sctiedulcd to make the 

January flight, and Beggs said its hydrazine seals appear to 

be in good shape. But he said Challenger won't be cleared 

for fliqht until the problem has been resolved. As to a 

possible postponement of Challenger's fAight because of 

Columbia's problems with its power units and computers, Hess 

said, "HOW can you address a delay until you know what's 

wrong?" NASA spokesman Jim Ball said there is a possibility 

generic problems may be lurking in Challenger's computers 

and power units as well. ["Shuttle Delay Unlikely: 

Columbia Returns Home for Checkup,' THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, 

pp. 1c 6 13c, kc. 16, 1983.1 

<> NASA Administrator James M. Beggs announced that ordinary 

citizens might fly aboard the space shuttle as early as 

1985. Under a plan still being developed by NASA, several 

citizen observers could be carried each year on the shuttle, 

once the selection process gets under way. Agency spokesman 

Rocky Raab said no method for selection had been decided on 

yet, and no applications for what are expected to be highly 

coveted spots were yet being accepted. Beggs said that 

citizens selected to fly on the shuttle would be on the NASA 

payroll for a required training period and the flight, at 

least at the beginning of the program. Preliminary 

indications are that preflight training for non-career crew 

members would be about six months long. "Professional 

communicators" such as journalists, writers, artists and 

poets "would be among the likeliest to fly first," Beggs' 

announcement said. The reason is that NASA would like ta 

have people better able to relate their voyages on-board the 

shuttle to make the experience of space flight more 

accessible to the common person. :Yacenda. TODAY, p. 20A, 

Dec. 16, 1983.1 

December 19: Now that the $1 billion Spacelab had returned to 

the Kennedy Space Center, tne lengthy process of 

disassembling the lab and getting it ready for the second 

flight in November 1984 must begin. The orbiting lab was 

supposed to have been removed from Columbia's cargo bay on 

the 17th. Troubles with the orbiter's auxiliary power units 

which exploded and caught fire at the conclusion of the 

mission have created a problem, however. NASA investigators 

wanted to gain access to the affected units before opening 

the cargo bay doors. The revised schedule now calls for the 

Spacelab to be extricated from ColumSia either late on the 

19th or early on the 20th. lniorkers will then remove any of 

the 36-plus experiments remaining in the Spacelab and break 

down racks and floors used for the first flight. A complete 

-110- 
test must be run on all Spacelao components before 

refurbishmerk for the second mission (Spacelab 3) begins. 

[Yacenda. :?oDAY, p. 14A, DeC. 19, 1983.) 

<> The National Aeronautics and Space Administration says it 

will turn over operations of the Kennedy Space Center's 

Atlas-Centaur launch complex to private industry under terms 

to be negotiated in January, 1984. [Nelson. USA TODAY, p. 

lB, DeC. 19, 1983.) 

<> An old space capsule reported stolen last week from the 

defunct SST Air Huseum in Kissimmee has been recovered and 

is in the custody of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's 

Department officials said. The capsule was found the night 

of Dec. 18 in a miniwarehouse in St. Petersburg, said Sgt. 

July Rivers, an investigator with the Osceola County 

Sheriff's Department. An investigation into the theft is 

continuing. The Mercury 1 capsule flew an unmanned mission 

in the early 1960s. Neither NASA nor the Smithsonian 

Institution in Washington had any record of the Mercury 

capsule being on loan to the SST museum. But officials in 

Rissimmee said it was from a mission that failed and the 

capsule had been salvaged from the ocean floor. The SST 

museum, which closed in June 1981, formerly housed several 

dozen vintage aircraft and thousands of model planes. 

["Stolen Space Capsule FOUnd," THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, p. B-3, 

D~c. 20, 1983.1 

<> Reports of the theft of the capsule and its subsequent 

recovery revived interest in the old spacecraf t8 basically 

because officials at NASA and the Smithsonian Institution in 

Washinqton had no record of where it went. "It has definite 

historical ~alue,~ said Greg Kennedy, assistant curator of 

the Smithsonian's Space Science and Exploration department. 

"It represents a unique chapter in the history of the early 

space program.' Kennedy and other officials said the MA-1 

is special because it was the first Mercury capsule to be 

launched. It's also significant in that its mission was a 

failure. 

SASA launched MA-1 on July 29, 1960, in what was supposed to 

be a 150-mile suborbital flight. The mission: check the 

structural integrity of the Mercury capsule. NASA 

scientists needed to be sure the capsule would protect the 

astronauts in space. But its mission didn't turn out the 

way engineers had planned. Records show that Cape Canaveral 

-111- 
was fogged in, but NASA went ahead with the launch. Sixtyfive seconds into the mission, the Atlas went off course and 

engineers activated the rocket's self-destruct mechanism. 

The capsule fell to the ocean floor. It was recovered by 

NASA several weeks later, but was smashed beyond repair by 

the fall from 40 miles up. 

Sgt. July Rivers (see preceding item) said he followed the 

trail of the stolen capsule to Tampa and then to St. 

Petersburg. Rivers said he still doesn't know why the 

capsule was stolen. "The only thing I can figure is that 

they recognized the historical value. I) No arrests have been 

made, but the investigation continues. (Kilsheimer. THE 

ORLANDO SENTINEL, Po C-8, D~c. 22, 1983.) 

<> The launch schedule for the next space shuttle mission 

underwent reassessment due to hydrazine fuel leaks that 

ignited small fires around two of Columbia's auxiliary power 

units shortly before landing at Edwards AFB, CA, December 

8. The leaks and resulting minor fires had no effect upon 

APU performance till several minutes after landing, when 

both shut down automatically and some small assemblies 

detonated due to the fire's heat. The explosions were not 

detected at the time either by the crew onboard or 

technicians outside the vehicle. [Smith. AVIATION WEEK 6 

SPACE TECHNOLOGY, Po 26, DeC. 19, 1983.1 

December 31: Total attendance for the year at Kennedy Space 

Center's visitors Information Center was 1,869,635, down 

from 1982's total of 1,887,670 and 1981's total of 

2,008,000. (VIC, Jan. 9, 1984.1 

-112- 
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