NASA SP-4018 

ASTRONAUTICS AND 

AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Chronology of Science, Technology, and Policy 

Text by 

Science and TechnoIogy Division 

Library of Congress 

Sponsored by 

NASA Historical Office 

Scientific and Technical Information OjjiEce 1975 

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTBATION 

Wshington, D.C. 
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, 

U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 

Price (paper cover) $4.90 

Stock Number 033-000-00617-9 

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 6540308 
Foreword 

This volume in NASA’s continuing series of annual chronologies records the 

events of 1973. The 15th year of the space agency’s existence is memorable 

to the public as the Year of Skylab and the Year of Jupiter. The nation’s 

first earth-orbital laboratory was launched. Beginning with a dramatic 10-day 

fix-it effort that restored Skylab’s capability to generate electrical power, 

three three-man crews rendezvoused and docked with the space laboratory. 

Their total of 12 351 man-hours in space supported the feasibility of prolonged manned space flight. Even more impressive were the volume and 

quality of experiment results. The sophisticated battery of telescopes in the 

Apollo Telescope Mount produced 182 842 frames of film and 941 hours of 

manned viewing of the sun. The earth was not neglected either. Orienting the 

laboratory toward the earth, astronauts took a total of 40 286 frames of 

earth-resources photographs. Electric furnace experiments with zero-gravity 

manufacturing offered interesting possibilities of new industrial processes that 

cannot be achieved in earth gravity. Assimilation of the knowledge contained 

in the mass of data is still continuing. 

As the year closed, Pioneer 10 swept by the planet Jupiter after a 21-month 

flight that traversed a billion kilometers. Passing through the intense radiation surrounding the largest planet in our solar system, Pioneer 10 sent back 

300 closeup photographs of the planet and its inner moons, along with other 

measurements of the swirling atmosphere and its massive Red Spot and of 

the magnetic, radiation, and electrical environments. Even as it returned the 

data-much of which contradicted previous theories-Pioneer 10 was heading 

outward toward the orbits of Saturn and Pluto. In the late 1980s it will become the first man-made object to leave the solar system and voyage into 

interstellar space. The events of Skylab and Pioneer were only the most 

visible successes of 1973, however; many other important events accomplished their objectives with less notice. 

On a smaller scale, but particularly important to a few, was the announcement of a new heart pacemaker developed from electronic components and 

batteries originally designed for use in space. The new model was rechargeable, thus eliminating the need for periodic surgery to replace the earlier 

instrument. 

Uses for the vast amount of data from the Earth Resources Technology 

Satellite Erts 1 multiplied as it completed its first year in space in July 1973: 

planning land use, managing water resources, estimating crop yields, inventorying timber, exploring for minerals and petroleum. The practical benefits 

from this and similar programs seem at this writing almost limitless. Indeed, 

the principal problems are no longer the acquisition of such data, but rather 

its rapid and economical reduction int9 usable forms. 

In aeronautics, work went forward on a number of programs: digital flyby-wire, which will significantly improve aircraft control; the supercritical 

wing, which provides significant fuel savings; reduction of noise and pollution; and hydrogen injection to increase efficiency and reduce pollution from 

iii 
iV FOREWORD 

gasoline engines. Collectively these efforts promise safer flight, fuel economies, 

and less damage to our environment. 

Thus on most counts NASA activities seemed to bear out the Administrator’s 

statement in late 1973 that NASA was providing more emphasis on becoming 

Altogether 1973 was a productive year, punctuated at times with excitement. And while real achievements were being realized, plans were being 

laid for subsequent programs, and this volume offers specific information 

about both. 

Edwin C. Kilgore 

Deputy Associate Administrator 

for Center Operations 

more like one of the service agencies of the government.” L< 

December 1974 
Contents 

Foreword ______________________________________________--- 

Edwin C. Kilgore, Deputy Associate Administrator 

for Center Operations 

Preface _______________________________________________---- 

January _____ _____ _______ ___ - ___ __ - ___ _____ __ ____ __ ______ - 

February _ __ ______ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ ___ _ ___ ____ _ ______ _ __ __ ___ __ ___ 

March _________________________________________________-_- 

April ___________________________________________-________- 

May __ _ ______ - _ ____ _ ____ ___ __ ____ __ __ __ _ _ ___ _ __ - __ ___ ____ 

June ___ __ __ ______ ___ ___ __ ____ ___ __ - ___ ___ __ _ _ _ -__ ___ ___ __ 

July _ _ __- ____ __ ___ _______ - _ _ _ _ ____ ____ ____ ____ __ _ ___ __ ___ 

August _____________________-__________-_________________- 

September _ ____ _____ __ ____ - __ _ _ __ __ __ __ _ _ ___ ___ __ _ ___ __ ___ 

October________-____________-_-___-_________-_______--_--- 

November _ _ _ __ _ - __ - - _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

December ________________________________--____--_------ -- 

Summary _ _ - __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ 

Appendix A : Satellites, Space Probes, and Manned Space Flights, 

a Chronicle for 1973 ___________________________--_______- 

Appendix 3: Chronology of Major NASA Launches, 1973 _______ 

Appendix C: Chronology of Manned Space Flight, 1973 _________ 

Appendix D : Abbreviations of References .................... 

Index and List of Abbreviations and Acronyms __________________ 

.. 

PAGE 

111 

... 

vii 

1 

35 

61 

10 1 

131 

171 

203 

235 

255 

279 

307 

335 

357 

363 

395 

399 

403 

407 

V 

A brief, chronological account of key events of the year in space and in 

the atmosphere, Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1973 records dates, actions, 

hardware, persons, scientific discoveries; plans, decisions, achievements, preliminary evaluations of results, and samples of public reaction and social 

impact. The volume is offered for reference use within the Federal Government and by the public. It should be of use to present and future scholars in 

a variety of disciplines. 

The sources, identified by abbreviations that are explained in Appendix D, 

were those immediately available in NASA and other Government agencies, 

the Congress, and the professional societies, as well as the press. Contradictory 

accounts have been resolved and doubtful ones verified whenever possible by 

querying participants. Cross-references are given in the text, and the detailed 

index will aid in tracing related events through the year. The index also 

serves as a glossary of acronyms and abbreviations. 

General editor of the volume was the Publications Manager of the NASA 

Historical Office, Frank W. Anderson, Jr., and the technical editor was Mrs. 

Carrie E. Karegeannes. Archivist Lee Saegesser collected current documentation. The Science and Technology Division of the Library of Congress, under 

an exchange of funds agreement, drafted monthly segments in comment 

edition form, which were circulated for corrections, additions, and use. At 

the end of the year, the entire manuscript was reworked to include comments 

received and additional information that was not available when the monthly 

segments were prepared. At the Library, Patricia D. Davis, Nancy L. Brun, 

Shirley M. Singleton, and May Faye Johnson carried principal responsibility. 

Arthur G. Renstrom of the Library prepared preliminary indexes for the 

first six months; Informatics TISCO, Inc., prepared the detailed index for the 

annual volume. 

Appendix A, “Satellites, Space Probes, and Manned Space Flights, 1973,” 

Appendix B, “Chronology of Major NASA Launches, 1973,” and Appendix C, 

“Chronology of Manned Space Flight, 1973,” were prepared by Leonard C. 

Bruno of the Library of Congress. Appendix D, “Abbreviations of References,¶’ was prepared by Mrs. Karegeannes. 

Without the assistance of many persons throughout NASA and other Federal 

agencies, the content of this volume would be less reliable and complete. 

Comments, additions, and criticisms are always welcomed by the NASA Historical Office. 

Monte D. Wright 

Director, NASA Historical Ofice 

PRECEDING PAGE BLANK NOT 

vii 
January 1973 

January 1: NASA had scheduled 15 spacecraft launches in 1973 from Kennedy Space Center, Eastern Test Range, and Western Test Range, KSC 

announced. Launches would include four Skylab missions, three of them 

manned; Intelsat-IV F-6, F-7, and F-8 for Communications Satellite 

Gorp.; Pioneer-G to fly by Jupiter; Canada’s Telesat-B comsat; RAE-B 

Radio Astronomy Explorer; United Kingdom’s Skynet 11-A comsat; 

Mariner mission to fly by Venus and Mercury; ITOS-E Improved Tiros 

Operational Satellite; ERTS-B Earth Resources Technology Satellite ; and 

AE-c Atmosphere Explorer. ( ICSC Release 1-73) 

* NASA and Soviet space officials had agreed to permit representatives of the 

U.S. and U.S.S.R. to observe and advise in Apollo and Soyuz flight control rooms during orbital phase of July 1975 joint mission, Aviation 

Week & Space Technology reported. No agreement had been reached to 

permit U.S. observers at the Soviet launch site during liftoff of Soyuz 

spacecraft. [See March 15-30.] (Av Wk, 1/1/73, 13) 

* An Aviation Week 8 Space Technology editorial noted the aerospace industry forecast for 1973 was for continuing improvement “across the entire 

technical spectrum.’’ The year 1971 had bottomed out the 1969-1970 

recession and provided the “first tangible evidence of upswing.” The 

year 1973 should continue the uptrend “on a modest but solid curve.” 

Industry had been “under increasing pressure from Congress, the Pentagon and the taxpaying public for the last five years to improve its 

manageria1 efficiency and the reliability performance of its products. The 

pressure has now accumulated to the point where the industry must respond, both internally in cleaning its own house and mounting an 

aggressive campaign for government contracting reforms to match, or 

face the very real spectre of nationalization in the public mood that may 

well prevail four years hence.” (Hotz, Av Wk, 1/1/73, 11) 

* The “deeper meaning” of Apollo 17 (Dec. 7-19, 1972), the last manned 

lunar landing mission in the NASA program, was discussed by author 

William I. Thompson in a New York Times article: The mission had 

represented a “sunset” of rocket technology. “Apollo 17 turned the night 

into day, but elsewhere smalIer lights were going on as men began to 

discover relationships between consciousness and the growth of plants 

. . . , between enzyme change and faith healing. . . , and between mind 

and matter in psychokinesis. . . . The space program was an important 

scaffolding, but now that the building of the new human culture is up, 

we no longer need the scaffolding.” To spend a fortune on rockets now 

“would be the same as spending a fortune on dirigibles in 1916. There 

are other forms of space travel to be invented, and these forms are more 

likely to spring from the new paradigms emerging in science than from 

the hardware of the old technology. The era of the rocket has climaxed 

in Apollo 17; if we push on and ignore the sense of an ending, we shall 

find only the bitterness and disappointment of the anticlimax.” (NYT, 

1/1/73, 3 :13) 

1 
January 2 

January 2: 

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTECS, 1973 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, expressed gratification in his monthly letter to the staff “with NASA’s excellent performance in 1972, and with the successful transition . . . from the completed 

programs of the Sixties to the new programs and new challenges of the 

Seventies. In 1972, Phase I of the national space effort of the United 

States was completed and Phase I1 well begun.” 

NASA’s first year with all launches and missions successful underlined 

that it was NASA’s custom “to do the unprecedented and then quickly 

make it routine.” Zero failures could now be the goal year after year. Dr. 

Fletcher also noted that of 18 space launches in 1972 half had been for 

other organizations or countries, with 8 being reimbursed. 

On another “important front,” the NASA-wide payload cost-reduction 

campaign begun in 1972 had gone well, with valuable suggestions from 

Centers and contractors. The effort “was not a routine cutback exercise 

and not a threat to anyone’s security. It is, instead, a creative effort to 

expand our usefulness even though funds are limited. And you can be 

sure it has a lot to do with NASA’s long-range survival as the instrument 

of the US. Government to handle most kinds of space and aeronautical 

R&D and other related assignments.” (NASA Activities, 1/15/73, 2-3) 

Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Presidential Science Adviser, resigned to return 

to private industry. The former communications systems scientist at Bell 

Telephone Laboratories, Inc., had served as Director of White House 

Office of Science and Technology for 28 mos and had instituted reorganization of the Federal science complex. The New York Times quoted White 

House sources as saying the resignation was prompted by disappointment 

that his advice had not been heeded by the Nixon Administration. Federal support for science and technology expressed as percentage of 

budget outlays for research and development had reached the lowest 

point since latter years of the Eisenhower Administration. The White 

House had declined comment on the resignation and had not released 

the text of Dr. David’s letter to the President. (Lyons, NYT, 1/3/73, 1) 

Grumman American Aviation Corp. was formed by the merger of Grumman Corp.’s general-aviation interests and American Aviation Corp. 

Grumman’s Gulfstream 1 and 2 and Ag-Cat program assets were transferred to American Aviation Corp. in exchange for shares in American. 

Corporate headquarters of the new company would be in Cleveland, Ohio, 

with Grumman President E. C. Tow1 as company Chairman and American President and Chief Executive Officer R. W. Meyer as President. 

(Znteravia, 4/73, 301; Grumman Corp pro) 

President Nixon accepted the resignation of Dr. Edward E. 

David, Jr., as Science Adviser and Director of Office of Science and 

Technology [see Jan. 21. (PD, 1/8/73, 10) 

* NASA planned to spend up to $100 million during the next five years on 

the post-Apollo lunar science program to extract information from 385 

kg (850 Ibs) of lunar samples, 30 000 photos, and “miles” of magnetic 

tape from six Apollo lunar landing missions, the New York Times reported. Director Anthony J. Calio of Manned Spacecraft Center Office 

of Science and Applications had said in an interview that recommendations in an October 1972 report of the Lunar Science Institute were being 

followed in much of MSC’S planning, but the MSC Lunar Receiving 

Laboratory would be closed on completion of Apollo 17 sample processing. The sample collection might be divided for storage at another 

Government facility as a “precaution.” The LRL report had said preserJanuary 3: 

2 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 3 

vation of MSG curatorial facilities for lunar materials was “absolutely 

essential” to lunar science objectives. Calio said sample inventory and 

preparation of rock slivers for the thin sections library should take two 

years. Repository for Apollo geophysical material, including magnetic 

tapes, probably would be Goddard Space Flight Center. (Wilford, NYT, 

1/3/73, 25) 

The Aviation Advisory Commission sent to the President a report of its twoyear study of long-range U.S. aviation needs. Acting under Public Law 

91-258, the Commission had concluded that the “U.S. is facing the 

greatest combination of threats to its position of world preeminence in 

aviation since it established that position in the late forties.” Recommendations included establishment of Under Secretary for Civil Aviation in Dept. of Transportation to prepare and keep current a 10-yr plan 

for air services, airports, airways, air vehicles, and ground access. 

Civil-aviation research and development functions of NASA, the Federal 

Aviation Administration, and other Federal agencies should be placed 

under the USCA. (CR, 1/12/73, S608) 

0 Reaction of writers Norman Mailer and Katherine Anne Porter to space 

flight and to nighttime launch of Apollo 17 were reported in the Christian Science Monitor. Authors had witnessed the Dec. 6, 1972, launch 

and participated in a space seminar during the “Voyage beyond Apollo” 

cruise of the S.S. Statendam, which left New York Dec. 4 for Cape 

Kennedy and the Caribbean. 

Mailer had said: “Moon colonies offer the possibility that we’ll be 

able to discover definitively and for the first time what we are doing 

wrong. Whether we thrive on the moon or fail we’re going to learn 

something that we’re not going to learn by staying here on earth. . . .” 

Part of “the fundamental impasse of 20th-century man and woman is 

that they cannot find communities which express their philosophical 

ideas, their social ideas, and their private ideas. In other words, the one 

thing that we can’t do any longer is verify what we think. We can have 

ideas. But we spend our lives just talking about them. 

“There are very few people who have a profound sense of commitment. One of the reasons that the astronauts have been so revered . . . is that they have this huge sense of commitment. . . . they are absolutely 

devoted to a living a life that they believe in utterly and are willing to 

go through great hardship for it. I think that until our society reaches 

the point where many more people live lives of such commitment it’s 

going to remain essentially unhealthy. . , . “The decision to go to the moon is such a declaration of intent. If 

nothing else, one has to risk dying on it. One has to recognize that one 

is taking a major step, and the idea of taking a major step brings out in I 

people at least for a short period . . . the best in them. Then, if there’s 

something really alive in the venture, they’re likely to keep changing 

their habits and go on to make more of themselves.” 

Miss Porter had said that, in almost anything men undertook together 

here on the earth, “in no time at all there’s a pull and haul for power. 

They’re betraying and tricking each other, getting in one another’s way. 

And yet when it comes to something they consider big ‘enough and 

grand enough they do it in a grand way and they do it well, like the 

astronauts. . . . We’ve always built and saved a little more than we’ve 

been able to destroy, don’t you think?” (CSM, 1/3/73) 

3 
January 3 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* Rep. Alphonzo Bell (R-Calif.) introduced H.R. 32, National Science and 

Policy Priorities Act of 1973. The bill differed from S. 32, passed by the 

Senate in 1972 but never reported out by the House Committee on Science and Astronautics [see Jan. 41. The new bill sought to protect the 

National Science Foundation’s pure science functions by allocating at 

least 40% of the science budget to NSF. (CR, 1/3/73, H27; NASA LAR, 

* Discovery of a new comet near the constellation Orion had been reported 

to Harvard Univ. by 15-yr-old amateur astronomer David Sams of 

Columbus, Ohio, the Washington Evening Star & Daily News said. Sams 

had observed the comet through a $90 telescope. (W Star & News, 

1/3/73, A3) * Rep. Charles S. Gubser (R-Calif.) introduced H.R. 611, to limit and control more effectively the use of Government production equipment by 

NASA and Dept. of State contractors. (CR, 1/3/73, H76) 

The sky show “When Earth Became a Planet” opened at the American 

Museum-Hayden Planetarium to mark the 500th anniversary of the 

birth of Polish physician, economist, statesman, and astronomer Nicholas 

Copernicus. Copernicus, born in 1473, taught that the sun was the center 

of the solar system. The theory had paved the way for the work of Kepler, Galileo, Newton, and others who eventually made space age possible. 

(Am Mus-Hayden Planetarium Release) 

Grumman Corp. spokesman told the press in Bethpage, N.Y., that Grumman had accepted an $18-million, short-term loan from the Navy at the 

same time the firm had said it would not honor a contract to provide the 

Navy with F-14 jet fighter aircraft. (UPI, W Post, 1/4/73, D6) 

President Nixon announced that Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA 

Administrator, and Dr. George M. Low, Deputy Administrator, would 

remain in the NASA positions during the President’s second term of office. 

President Nixon also accepted the resignation of Gerard C. Smith as 

Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, US. Ambassador, and Chief of the US. delegation to the Strategic Arms Limitation 

Talks (SALT). He announced the resignation of Secor D. Browne as 

Chairman and of Whitney N. Gillilland as Vice Chairman of the Civil 

Aeronautics Board. He submitted to the Senate the nominations of Elliot 

L. Richardson to be Secretary of Defense and of Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe to be US. Ambassador to Italy. (PD, 1/8/73, 

10,12) 

The Federal Communications Commission authorized Western Union Telegraph Co. to build the first domestic satellite communications system in 

the US. Six other proposals were pending and FCC had indicated it 

would approve “all qualified applicants.” (Jacobs, VSJ, 1/31/73, 1) 

The Senate adopted S.Res. 10, establishing the number of members of 

the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences at 13, and 

S.R. 12, which elected Chairman and majority members to the Committee. Majority members were Democrats Sen. Frank E. Moss (Utah), 

Chairman, succeeding Sen. Clinton P. Anderson (D-N. Mex.) , who had 

retired; Sen. Warren 6. Magnuson (Wash.) ; Sen. Stuart Symington 

(Mo.) ; Sen. John C. Stennis (Miss.) ; Sen. Howard W. Cannon (Nev.) ; 

Sen. James G. Abourezk (S. Dak.) ; and Sen. Floyd K. Haskell (Colo.) . (CR, 1/4/73, D6; A&A 1972) 

* Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), with 30 cosponsors, introduced S. 32, 

National Science Policy and Priorities Act of 1973-reintroducing S. 32 

XII/l) 

January 4: 

4 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 4 

from the preceding Congress. The bill, passed by the Senate but not the 

House, provided three-year authorization of $1.8 billion for “civilian 

research and engineering problems of our society.” (CR, 1/4/73, 5103- 

0 Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) introduced S. 60 to authorize acquisition and maintenance of the Goddard rocket launching site in Auburn, 

Mass., by the National Park Service as tribute to late US. rocket pioneer. 

The first liquid-fueled rocket had been launched on the site by Dr. 

Robert H. Goddard March 16, 1926. (CR, 1/4/73, S135) 

The People’s Republic of China was expanding communication lines to rest 

of world with the aid of American communications satellite technology, 

the New York Times reported. Communications Satellite Corp., RCA 

Global Communications, Inc., and Western Union International had provided ground stations that would be operational before the end of 1973, 

to link Peking and Shanghai via satellite to 63 nations that also had 

ground terminals. (Lyons, NYT, 1/5/73, 4) 

NASA began program cutbacks to adjust to a lower spending 

level in compliance with President Nixon’s $250-billion target for total 

Government spending in FY 1973. Space shuttle manpower buildup 

would be slowed, delaying the first orbital flight. Work on the High 

Energy Astronomy Observatory ( HEAO) was being suspended at least 

one year and work on communications satellites would be phased out, 

with cancellation of ATS-G. Work on nuclear propulsion would be discontinued and work on nuclear power curtailed. Plum Brook Station of 

Lewis Research Center would be closed. In aeronautics, quiet, propulsivelift, experimental, short takeoff and landing ( QUESTOL) aircraft would 

be canceled, but technology would continue to be developed. 

Skylab, space shuttle, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project ( ASTP), Viking, 

Mariner Jupiter-Saturn mission, and many applications and aeronautics 

projects would be retained to continue essential elements for a balanced 

and productive space and aeronautics program within tight fiscal restraints. NASA also would continue development of a new front fan to 

reduce jet aircraft engine noise. NASA spokesmen told the press that the 

cutbacks would trim 700 civil servants from the NASA payrolls and would 

save the Government $200 million through June 30, 1973. (NASA Release 

73-3; W Post, 1/6/73) 

0 Reductions in the development of space nuclear propulsion and space electric power were announced by the Atomic Energy Commission. The action paralleled NASA determination to focus research and technology 

programs on near-term development, AEC said. Programs to be terminated 

included nuclear rocket propulsion work at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and at Nuclear Rocket Development Station. Contractors affected 

included Pan American World Airways, EG&G, Inc., and Westinghouse 

Electric Corp. Cutbacks also would affect space reactor thermoelectric 

programs at Atomics International Div. of North American Rockwell’s 

Aerospace & Systems Group and space reactor thermionic programs of 

Gulf General Atomic Div. of Gulf Oil Corp. AEC would continue programs in radioisotope thermoelectric generators, Navy’s Transit navigation satellite program, and other unmanned space applications, and work 

on the isotope electric generator for NASA’s Viking Mars landing program, 

Mariner Jupiter-Saturn mission, and the Dept. of Defense Lincoln space 

satellite. (AEC Release R-13) 

12) 

January 5: 
January 5 

*A 

elements on the Earth and what processes effected that distribution for 

use in the future. Two revolutions in earth science during the decade 

had been “knowledge we’ve gained from the Moon” and “insight that 

terrestrial geologists have gotten into the formation of ocean basins. 

The effect of those two revolutions, particularly when they’re integrated 

. . . is going to be profound.” If man could “understand the evolutionary 

sequences through which Earth has progressed . . . we’re going to be 

able to understand how to utilize the resources of that Earth.” Astronaut Eugene A. Cernan said lunar study might “tell us something about 

the possibility of some ancient existence of some civilization . . . possibly within our own universe.” Cernan and Astronaut Ronald E. Evans 

said they planned to stay in the space program. Schmitt said he would 

“stay in government service” but “I’m not sure what that service may 

be.” (Transcript; W Post, 1/6/73) 

Sen. Frank E, Moss (D-Utah), who became Chairman of the Senate 

Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences Jan. 4, commented on 

his new post in a statement released to the press in Washington, D.C.: 

“Many people may have the impression that the space program is over 

now that the last Apollo moon landing has taken place. This is not the 

case. One important phase of our space exploration program has 

ended, but a new phase-a more productive phase in terms of benefits 

to man on earth-has already begun.” Sen. Moss would “work diligently 

with my colleagues on the Committee and with NASA to develop a clear 

understanding of the program” and its relation to other national needs 

and priorities. Sen. Moss has been concerned with the “apparent high 

cost of the space program in relation to other important demands on 

the Nation’s resources.” He would “approach the question of current, 

present and future level of the nation’s space program with an open 

mind.” (Text) 

Petrographic and chemical description of Apollo 16 lunar samples was 

le by the Apollo 16 Preliminary Examination 

cterization of samples had “substantiated the 

terra are commonly underlain by plagioclaseks. No evidence has been found for volcanic 

olith in the Apollo 16 region. In their place, we 

cks that are thoroughly modified by crushing 

orthositic rocks varied texturally and chemi- 

-seated or plutonic rocks in place of volcanic 

suggested that “the inference from physio6 
ASTROINAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 5 

graphic evidence that the latter materials are widespread in terra 

regions may be incorrect.” 

Other conclusions of the preliminary examination were : (1) Combination of data from the Descartes region and data from the orbital 

x-ray fluorescence experiment indicated that “some backside, highland 

regions are underlain by materials that consist of more than 80 percent 

plagioclase.” (2) Soil or upper regolith between North Ray and South 

Ray had not been completely homogenized since formation of the 

craters. (3) Chemistry of the soil indicated that rocks rich in potassium, 

uranium, and thorium-similar to those at the Fra Mauro site-were 

relatively abundant in the Descartes region. (4) Potassium-uranium 

ratio of the lunar crust was similar to that of KREEP basalts. (5) The 

carbon content of the premare lunar crust was “even lower than that 

of the mare volcanic rock.” (Science, 1/5/73, 23-24) 

0 The U.S.S.R. had fitted its Tu-144 supersonic transport with retractable 

wings on the nose for increased lift and control at lower speeds during 

landing and takeoff, the London Daily Telegraph reported. The aircraft 

had been lengthened to carry 140 passengers-32 more than the 

Anglo-French Concorde supersonic transport. Newly designed undercarriage had been installed, but engines had no reverse thrust to help 

braking after landing and relied on extra large tail parachutes. The 

U.S.S.R. still expected the Tu-144 to be operational in 1975. (Donaldson, 

London Daily Telegraph, 1/5/73) 

The Dept. of Defense had recommended expansion of the US. Minuteman 

intercontinental ballistic missile force to include the highly accurate 

triple warhead multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle 

(MIRV) on all 1000 missiles, the Washington Post reported. DOD had 

originally planned to put the MIRV on 550 Minuteman missiles and 

would recommend expansion of the program in the 1974 military 

budget request. (Getler, W Post, 1/5/73, Al) 

A New York Times editorial commented on the research recession caused 

by changing priorities of the Federal Government and insufficient budget appropriations in Federal research programs : “The brilliant record 

of American scientists . . . testifies to the quality of the national research 

enterprise. But how long can such top quality survive in the face of the 

present economic stringency and the threat of even worse times ahead?” 

(NYT, 1/5/73, 28) 

Astronaut James A. Lovell, Jr., had announced his decision to 

leave NASA and retire from the Navy effective March 1 to accept a 

position with private industry, Manned Spacecraft Center announced. 

Lovell, who had been Deputy Director of Science and Applications at 

MSC since May 1971, would become Senior Executive Vice President 

of Bay Houston Towing Co. Lovell was a veteran of four space flights 

including Gemini 7 (launched Dec. 4, 1965) ; Gemini 12 (launched 

Nov. 11, 1966) ; Apollo 8 (launched Dec. 21, 1968), the first mission 

to circle the moon; and Apollo 13 (launched April 11, 1970), the 

mission scheduled to make the second lunar landing but aborted after 

an onboard explosion. He held the record for total time in space715 hrs (30 days). (MSC Release 73-01) 

0 The skeleton crew at AEC-NASA Space Nuclear Systems Office at Jackass 

Flats, Nev., would be disbanded by late June, SNSO Nevada Operations 

Chief John P. Jewett was quoted as saying. The facility would be shut 

down June 30 following termination of the nuclear engine for rocket 

January 7: 

7 
i 

I 

January 7 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

vehicle application (NERVA) program [see Jan. 51. More than $1.2 

billion had been spent on program since its inception in 1959. (UPI, 

Orlando Sentinel, 1/7/73) 

from Baykonur Cosmodrome at 11:55 am local time (1:55 am EST). 

The “automatic station” was separated from the “satellite” in earth 

orbit and placed on a close to the planned trajectory for the moon. 

Tass said the purpose of the mission was to “further scientific studies 

of the moon and near-lunar space.” During the flight to the moon all 

systems were reported functioning normally. On Jan. 12 Luna 21 

entered lunar orbit with 110-km (68.4-mi) apolune, 90-km (55.9-mi) 

perilune, 1-hr 58-min period, and 60’ inclination. Orbital corrections 

were made Jan. 13 and 14 and on Jan. 14 the spacecraft was placed 

in an elliptical orbit with a low point of 16 km (10 mi) from the moon’s 

surface. 

Luna 21 softlanded on the eastern fringe of the Sea of Serenity Jan. 

16 (Jan. 15 EST) and released the 840-kg (1850-lb) self-propelled 

Lunokhod 2 vehicle to make scientific investigations of the moon’s 

surface. Lunokhod 2 resembled its predecessor, Lunokhod 1 (placed on 

the moon Nov. 17, 1970, by Luna 27). It carried flags, pennants with 

Lenin’s bas relief, state coat of arms, and the inscription “50th Anniversary of the U.S.S.R.” and was equipped with a control system, 

radio and TV devices, and scientific instruments including a Frenchmade laser reflector. The reflector was designed to measure the distance 

between the earth and the moon to within 20-30 cm (10-12 in). 

Between Jan. 16 and Jan. 23 Lunokhod 2, powered by solar batteries 

and controlled from the ground by a special crew, photographed the 

lunar soil, rocks, and panoramic moonscape ; determined chemical 

composition of the surface layer; measured the glow of zodiacal light 

near sun; and looked for cosmic dust. A highly skilled ground crew 

maneuvered vehicle over the shortest and safest routes, orienting it to 

a complex relief map of route. Lunokhod 2 was turned to bypass obstacles without decreasing speed. On Jan. 23 Lunokhod 2 was commanded to terminate operations in preparation for lunar night. 

Luna 17 was the first unmanned spacecraft to land on the moon and 

deploy an automatic lunar explorer. The last mission in the series, the 

unmanned Luna 20 (launched Feb. 14, 1972), had landed on the moon 

and returned to earth with lunar samples. (GSFC SSR, 1/31/73; Tass 

FBIS-SOV, 1/8/73, L1; 1/15-19/73, L1; 1/22-23/73, L1; 1/26/73, 4; 

SBD, 1/9/73, 38; Shabad, NYT, 1/17/73, C14) 

Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, NASA Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) 

Program Director, was quoted by Aviation Week & Space Technology as saying U.S.S.R. would use a US.-supplied very-high-frequency ( VHF) 

transceiver on Soyuz spacecraft during rendezvous and docking maneuvers with Apollo spacecraft in July 1975 mission. Transceivers had been 

used in lunar modules for Apollo rendezvous and docking in lunar 

orbit. The US. also would build a receiver for Apollo spacecraft that 

could operate on Soviet communication frequencies and might lend to 

the U.S.S.R. equipment for use by cosmonauts and astronauts during 

joint portions of mission. Dr. Petrone had said NASA engineers, in 

discussions with Soviet engineers, had noted that necessity of concentrating on interpreter for exchange of technical information had 

made them more aware of technical problems than they would have 

January 8-23: The U.S.S.R. launched its Luna 21 unmanned lun 

January 8: 

8 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 8 

been in direct English conversation. March meeting of U.S. and Soviet 

ASTP planners would consider flammability problems. (Av Wk, 1/8/73, 

0 The Air Force would consider use of aerostats-tethered balloons that 

operated in galelike winds-to provide air defense radar surveillance 

of the U.S. southern perimeter, Aviation Week & Space Technology 

reported. Aerostats, operating at altitude of 3000 m (10 000 ft) could 

cover area and be effective against low-altitude surprise attacks in Air 

Force project Veto. Balloons also were attracting military and civil 

interest as modest-cost, long-endurance airborne platforms for battlefield 

reconnaissance and electronic intelligence and for modest-cost, quickly 

deployable communications and television relay or scientific observation. (KIass, Av Wk, 1/8/73, 36, 39) 

The U.S.S.R. had decreed the death penalty for aircraft hijackers in a 

new law “to make air navigation safer and to improve protection of the 

lives and health of the passengers and crews,” Aviation Week & Space 

Technology reported. ( A v W k , 1/8/73, 21) 

Aviation Week & Space Technology editorial praised Soviet aircraft 

designer Andrey N. Tupolev, who died Dec. 23, 1972: “His warmth, 

intense and lively professional curiosity and sense of humor did much 

to open channels of communication between the secrecy-shrouded and 

isolated Russian aerospace industry and the West.” Until close to his 

death “he was still the gracious host to foreign technicians at his 

experimental facility outside MOSCOW.’~ Tupolev had “escorted astronaut Neil [A.] Armstrong around his supersonic transport prototype in 

1970.” (Hotz, Av Vk, 1/8/73, 9) 

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 

held its 9th Annual Meeting and Technical Display in Washington, 

D.C. Langley Research Center Director Edgar M. Cortright was General 

Chairman. LaRc Director for Space Eugene S. Love delivered 1972 

von IGrmin Lecture, “Advanced Technology and the Space Shuttle.” 

Lecture discussed shuttle development, need to maintain aggressive 

advanced research and technology programs independent of near-term 

needs of major systems, and future transport systems that would blend 

successful shuttle development technology with nonshuttle technology 

advancements that could be accomplished within the current decade. 

Guest speaker Sen. Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. (R-Conn.) , criticized 

Administration budget policies that had affected NASA programs and 

gone “far beyond the space program.” Policies implied “cutback and 

stand-still philosophy.” Sen. Weicker was “concerned over the recently 

announced White House directed NASA cuts but I’m much more concerned about the leadership of this nation . . . playing to our lowest, 

most immediate desires rather than our highest future potential.” 

Apollo I7 had been ‘‘15 years in the making and thousands of years 

in the future will benefit.” Vietnam war “in 10 years has undone 200 

years of building the American image and contributed not one year to 

the American dream.” 

Dr. Holt Ashley, Director of Exploratory Research and Problems 

Assessment in the Office of Research Applications of National Science 

Foundation, was installed as 1973 AIAA President. 

AIAA presented the Daniel Guggenheim Medal posthumously to William C. Mentzer, Senior Vice President for Engineering and Maintenance with United Air Lines, Inc., for “many-fold accomplishments in 

17) 

January 8-10: 

9 
January 8-10 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

airline engineering, maintenance, and economic disciplines, which 

accomplishments contributed significantly to the achievement of today’s 

civil air transportation system.” 

The Elmer A. Sperry Award was presented to Leonard S. Hobbs and 

Perry W. Pratt, United Aircraft Corp. engineering executives, for 

“their contributions to the development of turbojet engines.’’ 

The History Manuscript Contest award of certificate and $500 was 

given to Dr. Richard I<. Smith for First Across-US. Navy Transatlantic Flight of 1919. Section Special Event Award went to AIAA 

Houston Section for the public relations program “Down to Earth 

Space Program Applications.” 

The De Florez Training Award was presented to James W. Campbell, 

Special Assistant, General Aviation Accident Prevention Program, 

Flight Standards Service of Federal Aviation Administration, for outstanding contributions to improving the skill and knowledge of flight 

instructors throughout the general-aviation community. The John 

Jeffries Award was presented to Roger G. Ireland of the Office of the 

Chief of Naval Operations, Dept. of the Navy, for “outstanding efforts 

and achievements, over a long time span, in improving the flight safety 

of aerospace flight personnel, particularly in the areas of life support 

and rescue systems.” 

The Robert M. Losey Award was given to George H. Fichtl of 

Marshall Space Flight Center Aerospace Environment Div. for “original 

work in the definition and interpretation of atmospheric wind environments for the design and operation of aeronautical systems.” The 

Sylvanus Albert Reed Award was presented to I. Edward Garrick, Chief 

Mathematical Scientist at LaRc, for “outstanding contributions in the 

areas of aeroelasticity, structural dynamics, noise, flutter, and landing 

dynamics of aerospace vehicles.” ( AIAA Release; AZAA Bull, 1/73; 

Program; CR, 1/18/73, S985) 

January 8-12: The Civil Service Commission held an intensive equal employment opportunity ( EEO ) evaluation review at Marshall Space Flight 

Center to eliminate any discrimination practices and to ascertain that 

the Center had an affirmative action program. Similar reviews would be 

conducted at Ames, Kennedy, Langley, and Manned Spacecraft Centers. 

(NASA Activities, 2/15/73, 34) 

The first Skylab space vehicle, Saturn IB with “boilerplate” 

spacecraft, was rolled out from the Vehicle Assembly Building to 

Complex 39, Pad B, at Kennedy Space Center for fit checks and 

fueling tests. The vehicle would remain at the pad for three weeks 

before return to VAB for removal of boilerplate spacecraft and mating 

with flight spacecraft. The launch of unmanned Skylab was scheduled 

for April 30, 1973. The Apollo spacecraft carrying the first three-man 

crew to the orbiting Skylab would be launched 24 hrs later. (KSC 

Release 6-73) 

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics held 

its honors night banquet in conjunction with the Jan. 8-10 9th Annual 

Meeting and Technical Display and Jan. 10-12 11th Aerospace Sciences 

Meeting. AIAA Fellows inducted included Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA 

Administrator; Director Bruce T. Lundin of Lewis Research Center 

(LeRc); and Harris M. Schurmeier, Manager of the proposed 1977 

Jupiter-Saturn mission at Jet Propulsion Laboratory. AIAA presented 

the Louis W. Hill Space Transportation Award to Dr. Richard H. 

January 9: 

January 10: 

10 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 10 

Battin, Director of Apollo Mission Development, and David G. Hoag, 

Director of Apollo Guidance and Navigation, both of Charles Stark 

Draper Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The 

citation was for “leadership in the hardware and software design of 

the Apollo spacecraft primary control, guidance and navigation system 

which first demonstrated the feasibility of on-board autonomous space 

navigation during the historic flight of Apollo 8.” 

The G. Edward Pendray Award was presented to Marcus F. Heidman, 

aerospace research engineer, and Dr. Richard Priem, Head of the 

Rocket Combustion Section of LeRC Chemical Research Div., for contributions to the literature in the field of liquid rocket combustion, 

particularly on performance and instability criteria for liquid motor 

design. The Lawrence Sperry Award was presented to Sheila E. 

Widnall, Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT, for “contributions to the understanding of vortex flows in wing wakes, aerodynamic noise and lifting surface theory.” The Spacecraft Design Award 

went to Grumman Aerospace Corp. Vice President Thomas J. Kelly 

for his contribution to the design, development, production, and operation of the lunar module. 

The AIAA Space Science Award was presented to Dr. Paul W. Gast, 

Chief of Manned Spacecraft Center Planetary and Earth Sciences Div., 

for “significant scientific accomplishment resulting from his examination of material returned from the lunar surface. His precise measurements of lunar sample elements by the stable isotope dilution method 

has been one of the most outstanding scientific achievements in lunar 

science.” The Goddard Award was given to Dr. Edward S. Taylor, Professor Emeritus of MIT, for continuous contributions to the advancement 

of air-breathing propulsion over 45 yrs, “as designer, inventor, researcher, teacher, advisor and as founder and leader of a major educational and research center of aircraft engine activity.” The von KQrmin 

Lecture Award was presented to Director for Space Eugene S. Love of 

Langley Research Center. (Program) 

0 Scientists at an unidentified Soviet laboratory had reported successful conversion of hydrogen gas into metal, the New York Times said. In letter 

to the Soviet Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, scientists 

had said a cylindrical charge of a high explosive had driven a projectile 

into a compression chamber filled with liquid hydrogen. At a pressure 

2.8 million times that of the atmosphere at sea level, the density of hydrogen had jumped from 1.08 to 1.30 g per cu cm (from 0.04 to 0.05 lb 

per cu in), indicating conversion to a metallic state. Hydrogen as metal, 

hitherto unknown on earth, was thought by scientists to be the chief constituent of the planets Jupiter and Saturn and was expected to have superconducting characteristics. (Sullivan, NYT, 1/10/73, 3 :23) 0 The Air Force announced issuance of a $1 358 695, firm-fixed-price contract to McDonnell Douglas Corp. for special tooling for F-4 jet fighter 

aircraft. ( DOD Release 20-73) 

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 

held its 11th Aerospace Sciences Meeting in Washington, D.C. The Dryden Research Award winner for 1973, Dr. Herbert Friedman of the 

Naval Research Laboratory Space Sciences Div., delivered the Dryden 

Lecture “High Energy Astronomy.” The lecture, which carried $1000 

honorarium, had been named in 1967 in honor of the late Dr. Hugh L. 

Dryden, first NASA Deputy Administrator, who died in 1965. Dr. FriedJanuary 10-12: 

11 
January 10-12 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

man said high-energy astronomy was “almost exclusively the subject of 

space research.” X-ray astronomy to date had revealed about 125 discrete sources and a “diffuse background which spans the energy range 

from 100 ev to tens of Mev.” X-ray sources revealed included supernova 

remnants, pulsars, and binary systems in the galaxy. Extragalactic 

sources included radio galaxies, quasars, Seyfert galaxies, and clusters 

of galaxies. Gamma ray astronomy had shown “no evidence for antimatter within the universe.” (Program ; Text) 

A committee established by AIAA to evaluate NASA’s space shuttle program reported its conclusion that a shuttle system, including both 

manned and unmanned flight, ought to be built. The committee recommended a research and applications module system with interchangeable 

modules that could be removed in space to become part of an orbiting 

laboratory. Other nations should be encouraged to participate in shuttle 

development, the committee said. (Tech Rev, 5/73, 55) 

Advanced applications of the shuttle were discussed by J. E. Blahnik 

of Science Applications, Inc., and D. R. Davis of ITT Research Institute. 

An exploratory study had concluded that use of the shuttle orbiter for 

advanced, manned, high-energy missions from low earth orbit should be 

competitive with other proposed concepts, if orbital and refueling requirements were satisfied by using normal shuttle missions to deliver 

propellant in addition to their payload. (Program) 

The American Astronomical Society met in Las Cruces, 

N. Mex. Cal Tech astronomer Dr. Robert Howard said six-year observations through the 46-m (150-ft) solar telescope at Mt. Wilson Observatory had shown sections of the sun’s outer atmosphere to be in motion 

with respect to time. Movements had extended to 259 000 sq km (100 000 

sq mi) of photosphere-the sun’s gassy surface-and had appeared to 

be east-west or west-east. Some motions had been calculated at 6257 km 

per hr (3888 mph) ; others, at 7300 km per hr (4536 mph) . Cause and 

significance of the motion were unknown. 

At a press interview Dr. John C. Brandt, chief of the Goddard Space 

Flight Center Solar Physics Laboratory, said Indians in New Mexico, 

Arizona, and California nine centuries ago might have recorded a star 

explosion. Drawings on walls and ceilings of a cave at Chaco Canyon 

National Monument, N. Mex., closely resembled an explosion of July 4, 

1054, as recorded by the Chinese. Similar drawings had been found in 

Arizona and California. (Alexander, LA Times, 1/11/73; AP, W Post, 

1/14/73, A13) 

Cosmos 543 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Baykonur 

Cosmodrome into orbit with 309-km (192.0-mi) apogee, 202-km 

(125.5-mi) perigee, 89.6-min period, and 65.0’ inclination. The satellite reentered Jan. 24. (GSFC SSR, 1/31/73; SBD, 1/12/73, 54) 

0 Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists Dr. Roy E. Cameron and Frank A. 

Morelli had departed for a two-month research project in Antarctica to 

determine the degree of man’s impact on the environment, JPL announced. The National Science Foundation-sponsored ecological measurements of Antarctica’s primitive soils would also provide information 

for NASA’s development of life-detection systems for Viking landers on 

Mars. ( JPL Release 643) 

Soviet Novosty Press science writer Yury Marinin said in a letter to the 

Washington Post that the U.S.S.R. “abandonment” of manned lunar 

missions did not mean that nation was lagging behind the U.S. in space 

January 10-13: 

January 11: 

12 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 11 

exploration. “Soviet specialists think it more expedient to explore the 

moon by automatic devices, with the present level of world technology. 

Besides, manned flights to the moon involve tremendous expenses.” 

Soviet automatic devices would be “steadily improved as they continue 

their planned studies of the moon.” (W Post, 1/11/73, A19) 

Sen. Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (1nd.-Va.) , introduced S. 328 to limit the amount 

payable in advance on any contract signed by NASA, the Army, Navy, 

Air Force, or Coast Guard to $20 million. (CR, 1/11/73, 5427) 

National Park Service officials blamed sonic booms for damage to rock 

formations at Death Valley National Monument where Air Force jet 

pilots flew low over the desert floor to claim they had flown below sea 

level, United Press International reported. The Air Force had agreed in 

1971 to avoid monuments or parks listed by Assistant Interior Secretary 

Nathaniel P. Reed as “fragile environment,” but the agreement had not 

worked in Death Valley as fliers found the “urge to zoom near desert 

floor irresistible.” (UPI, W Post, 1/11/73, A2) 

January 12: Oao 3 (Copernicus) Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 

(launched Aug. 21, 1972, from Eastern Test Range) was adjudged 

successful by NASA. The spacecraft had completed 2000 earth orbits and 

all systems had operated satisfactorily. Oao 3 had obtained highresolution spectra of stars in the ultraviolet range and investigated composition, density, and physical state of matter in interstellar space. 

(NASA prog off) 

The Senate adopted S.R. 16, appointing minority members to the Senate 

Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences : Republicans Sen. Barry 

M. Goldwater (Ariz.), Sen. Carl T. Curtis (Neb.), Sen. Lowell P. 

Weicker, Jr. (Conn.), Sen. Dewey F. Bartlett (Okla.), Sen. Jesse A. 

Helms (N.C.), and Sen. Pete V. Domenici (N. Mex.). (CR, 1/12/73, 

D22) 

* NASA announced publication by Univ. of New Mexico’s Technical Application Center (TAC) of Noise Pollution Resource Compendium. The compilation of references on noise pollution research, legislation, and 

technical problems was offered as service to Government, industry, and 

business officials with noise abatement responsibilities. TAC operated one 

of NASA’s six Regional Dissemination Centers for NASA-developed technology. (NASA Release 734) 

* Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt began an 11-week schedule of public appearances 

throughout the US. with an appearance at the Super Bowl football game 

in Los Angeles. (NASA Activities, 5/15/73, 89) 

General Electric Co. announced it had signed an agreement with the 

U.S.S.R. for “broad scientific and technical cooperation in fields of 

mutual interest.” The agreement emphasized cooperation in power generation, including steam and gas turbine and nuclear energy technology ; 

exchange of specialist delegations, information, and production samples ; 

exchange, acquisition, or transfer of licenses and “know-how”; and 

joint research and development programs and projects. (GE Release) 

* The Air Force announced issuance of $282 743 000 firm-fixed-price contract to McDonnell Douglas Corp. for production of F4E jet fighter 

aircraft, parts, aerospace ground equipment, and related data. ( DOD 

Release 25-73) 

A three-month study of fog dispersal techniques made by the 

Federal Aviation Administration at two Pacific Northwest airports had 

January 13: 

13 
January 13 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

indicated seeding of cold fog (below 2 .15 K [32”F]) si 

increased visibility but had no effect warm fog (above 

[32’F] ), FAA announced. Photos had indicated that jet air 

ments on airfield taxiways and in traffic patterns around a 

tributed to dissipation of fog through heat of jet engine exhaust. (DOT 

Release 73-9) 

A New York Times editorial praised Federal Communications Commission 

policy in authorizing construction of communications satellites: “Fortunately, the F.C.C. has not approved one chosen entity or single system 

but has decided to throw open the airwaves to various competitive 

groups.” There should be no corporate dominance of systems that depended on Federal funds. As FCC developed its open skies policy for 

satellites, “it should also consider the use of educational and public 

service broadcasts on a free or reduced-rate basis. Here is where the 

main ‘profit’ should accrue from quasi-public satellite communications.” 

A second Times editorial praised the agreement announced Dec. 5, 

1972, that permitted the US. firm RCA Global Communications, Inc., to 

use channel of Canada’s Anik 2 satellite to provide domestic communications service in the US.: The agreement signaled “a beam of light 

in broadcasting and business communications across the international 

oceans of the world.” In the near future Americans might receive some 

programs originating in Canada ; later, from Europe. “Operating procedures and telecommunications systems must be synchronized; problems of copyright and aerial piracy must be overcome. And then 

international agreements would have to be hammered out as difficult as 

those on human and other national rights that have been dormant for 

years in the United Nations. Intelsat, a temporary arrangement between 

nations interested in orbital systems, will soon have the machinery for 

regular coordination with a secretariat in Was’hington.” (NYT, 1/13/72, 

28 ) A building boom of nuclear power plants in 1972 was reported by the New York Times. The Atomic Industrial Forum, a group 

seeking to foster development of atomic energy for peaceful uses, had 

reported 33 plant commitments made, with a total capacity of 36.3 

million kw. The Atomic Energy Commission had reported 29 nuclear 

power plants operable in the US. with a total capacity of 14.7 million 

kw, or 3.8% of total electric utility capacity. Fifty-five plants with a 

total capacity of 47.8 million kw were being built and 76 with 80- 

million-kw capacity were planned. AEC had predicted that in 1980 

nuclear power capacity would be 23% of total US. electric capacity. 

(Smith, NYT, 1/14/73, 5:3) 

The American Chemical Society held a regional meeting 

in Washington, D.C. 

Dr. Cyril A. Ponnamperuma and Dr. Peter M. Molton, Univ. of 

Maryland chemists, presented results of studies in which a Jupiterlike 

atmosphere of methane and ammonia had been produced in a flask at 

the University’s Laboratory of Chemical Evolution. Results had shown 

the chemicals necessary for establishing life probably existed in Jupiter’s 

upper atmosphere. “Jupiter today may have the kind of atmosphere 

that the primitive earth had 4 billion or 4.342 billion years ago,” Dr. 

Ponnamperuma, former NASA specialist in life chemistry, said. 

Further studies had shown that bombarding primitive chemicals with 

electrical discharges triggered complex chemical reactions forming 

January 14: 

January 14-17: 

14 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 14-17 

aminonitriles-precursors of purines and pyrimidines, main components 

of DNA and RNA, chemicals dictating the genetic make-up of every living 

cell. Aminonitriles combined with water became amino acids, ingredients of all proteins. 

Ponnamperuma and Molton said they would ask NASA to explore 

Jupiter’s atmosphere during the planned 1977 flyby mission to that 

planet. If a scientific probe could find the same life building blocks as 

produced in the laboratory, life in Jupiter’s clouds would be almost a 

certainty. (Kirkman, W Star & News, 1/17/73, A9; Cohn, W Post, 

1/18/73, A14) 

President Nixon had sent Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, a letter praising NASA’s contribution to the Administration program to assist minorities in finding a profitable role in the U.S. economic 

system, NASA Activities reported. (NASA Activities, 1/15/73, 6) 

Seventy-seven Florida firms had received $182 633 000 in prime contracts 

awarded by Kennedy Space Center during FY 1972, KSC announced. 

KSC spending in 12 other states had amounted to $2 536 000. (KSC Release 9-73) 

Appointment of Capt. Chester M. Lee (USN, Ret.) as Program 

Director of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project was announced by NASA. Lee, 

Apollo Mission Director for ApoZZo 12 through 17, would be responsible 

for direction of the US. ASTP effort, including management of the spacecraft and docking module, flight and crew operations at Manned Spacecraft Center, launch vehicle operations at Marshall Space Flight Center, 

and launch operations at Kennedy Space Center. (NASA Release 73-5) 

0 Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, presented an award of $10 000 

to Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists Paul M. Muller and William L. 

Sjogren in a JPL ceremony. The award was for a 1968 discovery of 

mascons (mass concentrations of dense material beneath the lunar 

surface) and for imaginative interpretation of the discovery’s results 

and implications significant to the success of the Apollo program and 

future studies of the earth and other planets, The mascon discovery had 

received international recognition. Muller and Sj ogren had been 

awarded the 1971 Magellanic Gold Medal of American Philosophical 

Society and had been elected members of the Society of Sigma Xi and 

Fellows of Britain’s Royal Astronomical Society. (NASA Release 73-6; 

0 NASA launched three sounding rockets, two from Wallops Island and one 

from Andoeya, Norway. 

A Nike-Apache launched from Wallops carried a Univ. of Illinois 

payload to a 157-km (97.5-mi) altitude. The launch was the second of 

three to measure ionospheric properties on three kinds of anomalous 

days: (1) “L,” a day with very low electron densities in the 70- to 

80-km (40- to 50-mi) region and a 10-day minimal storm activity preceding; (2) “H1,” a day with very high electron densities and the 

same altitude and magnetic storm prerequisites; and (3) ccH2,” a day 

with very high electron densities in the same region with two or three 

days of major magnetic disturbance and magnetic storm aftereffects. 

The Nike-Apache was launched on an HI day and measured electron 

densities, temperatures, and collision frequencies. The rocket underperformed but the scientific objectives were satisfied. The first launch 

in the series had been Dec. 5, 1972. 

A Super Arcas, launched from Wallops Island 34 min after the NikeJanuary 15: 

January 16: 

NASA PAO) 

15 
January 16 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Apache, carried a Pennsylvania State Univ. payload to a 95.1-km 

(59.1-mi) altitude to collect data on positive and negative ion conductivities. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

A Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket was launched from Andoeya, 

Norway, carrying a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

experiment to a 280.0-km (174-mi) altitude to collect data on energetic 

fields and particles and to study the aurora. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpts SRL; CSFC proj off) 

* Small business firms had received $12 436 000 in Kennedy Space Center 

procurement awards during FY 1972, KSC announced, an increase over 

$8 433 000 in the previous year. Overall procurement for ICSC amounted 

to $192882000 in FY 1972 and $211996000 in FY 1971. (ICSC Release 10-73, 1/16/73) 

NASA Hq. held its first press briefing on Mariner 9 (launched 

May 30, 1971) since spacecraft ceased transmission October 27, 1972, 

one year after it had gone into Martian orbit. Photos were released 

showing three kinds of channels on the Mars surface thought to be 

formed by flowing water sometime in Martian history. Harold Masursky 

of the US. Geological Survey said one kind seemed to have been formed 

by melting permafrost; the other two looked “as though it’s necessary 

to have precipitation and a collection of that runoff into flowing water 

channels.” 

New Mexico Univ. geologist Dr. Bradford A. Smith said riverbeds 

on Mars probably had dried because of orbital changes. When the Mars 

orbit was more elliptical than at present, the perihelion would be much 

closer to the sun, perhaps producing long-term climate changes which 

might, “at certain times, permit liquid water to exist.” 

Dr. Conway B. Leovy, Univ. of Washington, said dust storms encountered by Mariner 9 were “phenomena which will recur on Mars 

depending on the particular astronomical relationship between the 

perihelion and the solstice.” Dust storms might have been responsible 

for “the remarkable laminated terrain which has been observed in both 

polar zones.” 

Scientists had determined from Mariner 9 photos that the planet was 

a more varied and dynamic body than expected. Dr. John E. Naugle, 

NASA Associate Administrator for Space Sciences, said: “Mars is like 

three planets : the old cratered planet, the young volcanic active planet 

that you see, and then an entirely different situation in the polar regions in Mars.” Mars as “planetary laboratory” of towering volcanoes, 

deep rift valleys, broad plateaus broken by fault lines, ancient planes 

with moonlike craters, sand dunes, clouds with water ice, and everchanging polar caps would “substantially increase our basic knowledge 

of planets . . . and . . . when that history is written you will find that 

planetary exploration has contributed in a major way to the health and 

welfare of life on this planet.” (Transcript) 

The US. and United Kingdom concluded an agreement on U.K. access to 

U.S. space launch capabilities. The U.K. would purchase boosters and 

launch services from NASA for satellite projects of the U.K. Dept. of 

Trade and Industry. Launches would occur at NASA launch sites in US. 

The first U.K. satellite launched under terms of agreement would be 

X-4 technology satellite scheduled for 1974 launch from Western Test 

Range. (NASA Release 73-11) 

January 17: 

16 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 17 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, outlined Apollo program 

achievements in a speech before the National Security Industrial Assn. 

in Los Angeles. The Apollo program had reasserted U.S. technological 

leadership, exploded theory that only a controlled economy and Communist society could succeed with large scientific and technological 

undertakings such as space exploration, demonstrated “that we could 

respond effectively to a totalitarian challenge without resorting to 

totalitarian methods,” and produced the kind of Government-industry 

cooperation on large-scale research and development programs needed 

to make the American system work and keep it competitive with any 

other systems in the world. Apollo had reinforced “Can Do attitude that 

has made America great,” met national security requirements in 1960s 

for rapid progress in manned space flight technology and wide experience in the field, obtained valuable scientific knowledge obtainable no 

other way, “discovered” planet Earth on the way to the moon, forced 

creation of new technology “as no peacetime enterprise in history has 

done-or could do up to now,” contributed spiritually to lives of all 

Americans, “and stayed within estimated cost bounds.” The program 

had cost $25 billion, or $11 per person per year from 1961 through 

1972. “Who or what could have produced more security, more economic 

benefits, more pride in achievement, more confidence in our future as 

a free people-for $11 per year?” (NASA Activities, 2/15/73, 29-30) 

The International Civil Aviation Organization legal committee, representing 58 countries, voted to defeat U.S.-backed proposals to take sanctions 

against countries which failed to act against air piracy. The committee 

approved a U.S.-backed proposal to allow signers of the proposed antihijacking treaty to make recommendations against nonsignatory nations that violated the treaty. (Shaw, W Post, 1/19/73, A3) 

The People’s Republic of China was preparing to deploy the first group of 

10 nuclear missiles capable of reaching U.S.S.R. targets, Joseph Alsop 

reported in Washington Post. U.S. intelligence agencies had observed 

missile sites carved into mountain sides and believed the new intermediate range missile had already been successfully tested. (W Post, 1/17/73, 

A Skylab simulation at Manned Spacecraft Center picked 

up the Skylab flight plan in the 10th day of the mission scheduled for 

April 30 launch. Flight controllers worked in shifts to tally the day’s 

activities, prepare a summary flight plan for the day following, and 

complete a detailed flight plan for use the next day. Activities included 

all elements of flight between 8 am and 5 pm each day but were oriented 

toward experiments rather than flight operations. Skylab astronauts 

manned crew simulators, principal investigators manned support stations, and the Marshall Space Flight Center Operations Support Center 

for Skylab provided support for the Orbital Workshop. Prime contractors North American Rockwell Corp. and Martin Marietta Corp. supported the simulation. MSC controllers inserted simulated malfunctions 

to exercise procedures and mission rules for the flight and to observe 

the reaction of control teams. (MSC Roundup, 1/19/73, 2) 

The European Space Research Organization Council met in 

Paris and unanimously authorized establishment of a project to develop 

the sortie laboratory to fly with NASA’s space shuttle in the 1980s. Participating states would provide funding and would use ESRO facilities 

and assistance. The Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Belgium, and 

17 1 

January 17-19: 

January 18: 

17 
January 18 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Spain would participate initially, with other ESRO member countries 

expected to join later. After definition studies of the research and applications module (RAM), the sortie lab final design would be agreed on by 

NASA and ESRO. ESRO would proceed to development phase, with delivery 

of the sortie lab to NASA scheduled for 1979. The laboratory would consist of a pressurized manned module to house equipment, experiments, 

data-processing equipment, electrical power and environmental control 

systems, and a six-scientist crew. An external, unpressurized instrument 

platform would house experiments and large instruments controlled remotely from the laboratory. Project cost was estimated at $250 million 

to $300 million. Negotiations at agency and governmental levels would 

begin shortly. ( ESRO Release, 1/19/73; NASA Release 73-12) 

Advanced communications satellites were discussed at a joint meeting of 

the Cleveland Chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and 

Astronautics and the Institute of Electrical Engineers at Lewis Research 

Center. Joseph N. Sivo, head of LFRC’S Advanced Communications Systems Study OfIice, said higher powered communications satellites offered 

real potential in educational and health service areas.” Communications 

satellites could beam educational TV to the people of India or Appalachia, link medical centers with patients in distant places, or speed 

mail service. Because of NASA program cutbacks, “industry will have to 

pick up where NASA left off.” (LeRc Release 73-3) 

* The Senate Committee on Appropriations assigned members to the Subcommittee on Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, Space Science, 

Veterans: Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.), Chairman; Sen. John 0. 

Pastore (D-R.I.) ; Sen. John C. Stennis (D-Miss.) ; Sen. Mike Mansfield (D-Mont.) ; Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) ; Sen. Birch Bayh 

(D-Ind.) ; Sen. Lawton M. Chiles, Jr. (D-Fla); Sen. Charles M. 

Mathias, Jr. (R-Md.) ; Sen. Clifford P. Case (R-N.J.) ; Sen. Hiram L. 

Fong (R-Hawaii) ; Sen. Edward W. Brooke (D-Mass.) ; and Sen. Ted 

Stevens (R-Alaska). (CR, 1/18/73, D31) 

* Rep. Charles E. Bennett (D-Fla.) introduced H.J.R. 198, to redesignate 

Cape Kennedy as Cape Canaveral. (CR, 1/18/73, H365) 

* Selection of Fairchild Industries, Inc., for full-scale development of the 

Air Force A-X specialized close air support aircraft was announced by 

Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Secretary of the Air Force. The Fairchild 

A-10 had been selected after competitive evaluation with the Northrop 

A-9 aircraft. The Air Force would negotiate a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract with Fairchild for 10 preproduction aircraft. The full-production 

decision would be made late in 1975. (DOD Release 36-73) 

* NASA released a list of personal mementoes carried by ApolZo 17 crew 

Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt on 

the Dec. 7-9, 1972, lunar mission. The crew had been permitted to 

carry 12 items each. Cernan had carried two Apollo 17 pins, a lunar 

module tie pin, wedding ring, moon flag pin, personal jewelry piece, 

$20 gold piece, religious memento, three ApoZlo 17 gold commemorative 

medals, and memento from Gemini 9 and Apollo 10. 

Evans had carried a wrist watch, wedding ring set, gold brooch set, 

ring, three wedding diamonds, a moonstone gem, identification bracelet, 

and three ApoZZo 17 gold commemorative medals. 

Schmitt had carried eight moon pins, turquoise beads, a family memento set, and two Apollo 17 silver commemorative medals. (NASA PAO; 

W Post, 1/20/73, A7) 

(6 

18 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 18 

0 The Senate confirmed the nomination of Claude S. Brinegar to be Secretary of Transportation. (CR, 1/18/73, S799) 

NASA launched an Aerobee 200 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying a Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. solar physics experiment to a 245.3-km (152.4-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation 

performed satisfactorily. (CSFC proj off) 

Rep. Robert McClory (R-Ill.) and 20 cosponsors introduced H.R. 2351 to 

provide for systematic US. conversion to the metric system over a 10-yr 

period. (CR, 1/18/73, H361) 

Director Andrey Severny of the Crimea Astrophysical Observatory said that the Soviet lunar vehicle Lunokhod 2 (deposited on 

the moon by Luna 21, launched Jan. 8) carried an astrophotometer, or 

electron telescope without lenses, to register, the glow in wide areas of 

the sky in visible and ultraviolet spectral bands. (SF, 4/73, 121) 

A study by the Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory at WrightPatterson Air Force Base, Ohio, had confirmed that fighter pilots under 

high g forces would perform better if cockpit seats were tilted backward, 

the Air Force Systems Command announced. The tilted seat would relieve some discomfort caused by g force while also providing maximum 

visibility. (AFSC Release 141.72) 

A Science editorial commented on the resignation of President Nixon’s 

Science Adviser, Dr. Edward A. David, Jr. [see Jan. 31: The resignation and “likelihood that the office of the President’s science adviser 

will be abolished come as a disappointing shock. David is a scientistengineer of very broad competence who maintained intellectual integrity in the emotional heat of politics.” Abolition of office was “one of 

many consequences of President Nixon’s determination to reorganize 

the Executive Office of the President.” It was probable that the President’s Science Advisory Committee and the Office of Science and Technology “would vanish” in reorganization. Criticism of Presidential 

Science Advisers had been “that they often became so involved in the 

day-to-day fighting of political brush fires that they lost sight of the 

forest.” The scientific establishment had fought against creation of a 

Dept. of Science. “It has been argued that science and technology 

permeate the activities of virtually all executive agencies and that centralization would not be wise. The argument had been driven home too 

well. In consequence, there is now danger that science, while being 

everywhere, will be nowhere.” ( Abelson, Science, 1/19/73, 9) 

Cosmos 544 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into 

orbit with 547-km (339.9-mi) apogee, 510-km (316.9-mi) perigee, 

95.1-min period, and 74.0’ inclination. (CSFC SSR, 1/31/73; SBD, 

1/23/73, 109) 

* The training version of Apollo 17 lunar roving vehicle (LRV), participating in President Nixon’s inaugural parade, required replacement of two 

batteries to negotiate the distance from the Capitol to the White House, 

because batteries had only 30-min life. Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. 

Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt watched the 

battery change from an automobile following the LRV in the procession. 

(Av Wk, 1/29/73, 13) 

NASA established the Office of Management Planning and Review with James R. Elliott as Director, under Associate Administrator 

for Organization and Management. The Office of Management Development was abolished and its personnel and responsibilities transferred 

January 19: 

January 20: 

January 21: 

19 
January 21 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

to the new office. Elliott had joined SA in February 1962 and had 

been a senior management consulta in Office of Management Development. ( NASA Ann) 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory staff changes were announced by the Deputy 

Director, Gen. Charles H. Terhune, Jr. Geoffrey Robillard, Manager 

of the Applied Mechanics Div., had been appointed Deputy Assistant 

Laboratory Director for Technical Divisions. His successor was Glenn 

E. Vescelus, who had joined JPL in 1969. ( JPL Release 654) 

A decision by de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. to build the world’s 

first short takeoff and landing (STOL) passenger transport aircraft was 

reported by the Washington Post. The firm would shortly begin work on 

two prototypes of 48-passenger, turboprop DHC-7 aircraft to be testflown within two years. The aircraft would be certifiable by 1975. The 

Canadian government had approved $80 million for development of 

the DHC-7, designed for routes under 800 km (500 mi). The aircraft 

would operate from 600-m (2000-ft) runways with minimal noise and 

pollution. (Botwright, W Post, 1/21/73, L2) 

Former President Lyndon B. Johnson died of heart attack in 

Austin, Tex., at the age of 64. During his senatorial career preceding 

his election to the Vice Presidency in 1961, Johnson had served in 1957 

as Chairman of the Prepardeness Investigating Subcommittee of the 

Senate Committee on Armed Services, where he had instituted an inquiry into the status of US. satellite and missile programs. Hearings 

led to establishment Feb. 6, 1958, of the Senate Special Committee on 

Space and Astronautics with Johnson as Chairman. The Special Committee prepared the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 

establishing NASA (effective Oct. 1, 1958). Before passage of the Space 

Act July 29, 1958, the Senate created the permanent Committee on 

Aeronautical and Space Sciences July 24. Johnson became first chairman-the position he held until 1961. 

Johnson was Chairman of the National Aeronautics and Space Council 1961-1963 and was instrumental in persuading President John F. 

Kennedy to select attainment of a manned lunar landing within the 

decade as a national goal. Johnson had become 36th US. President on 

assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963 and had seen 

the first successful manned circumlunar flight, made by ApolZo 8 

Dec. 21-27, 1968, before he left office in January 1969. (W Post, 

1/23/73, Al; CR, 1/29/73, S1467) 

* Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt received the traditional greeting from Congress following their Dec. 7-19, 1972, mission. They were welcomed by the 

House of Representatives, since the Senate was not in session. Cernan 

told the House that ApoZZo 11 Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong’s placement of the first US. flag on the moon in 1968 had been “a symbol of 

the courage and the dedication and the effort and self-sacrifice of 200 

million people in this country who made that effort possible.” The act 

had “probably gained more pride and more respect throughout the 

entire world than any one thing that has happened . . . in the entire 

200-year history of our country.’’ With one step by Armstrong, “we 

are able to gain something that we had never really been able to grab 

hold of in my lifetime.” Evans said his stay in the CM had made him 

realize that earth, like spacecraft, had limited consumable resources and 

“somehow the human survival requirement means that we have got to 

January 22: 

20 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 22 

conserve these resources and man must learn to adapt to his environment.” Schmitt said that, in obtaining knowledge through the Apollo 

program, man had evolved into entering universe. “Although the nature of that evolution was technological, I believe it will be marked a thousand years from now as a single unique event in human history” 

appearing “more distinctly even than history’s record of our use of 

atomic energy. It is at times unseemly, at times shortsighted but always 

human pathway through time, mankind found that its reach could include the stars.” (GR, 1/22/73, H372-4) 

* The last Apollo splashdown party given by National Space Club in Washington, D.C., had the theme “Salute to Apollo: Man’s Promise for the 

Future.” The program included remarks and messages from President 

Nixon; Vice President Spiro T. Agnew; Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), 

Chairman of Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences; 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator; Apollo 17 Astronauts 

Eugene A. Cernan and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt; former NASA Administrator James E. Webb; North American Rockwell Corp. Vice President and President-Aerospace Group William B. Bergen ; and Grumman 

Aerospace Corp. President Joseph G. Gavin, Jr. 

Former President Lyndon B. Johnson who had died during day, had 

sent a message commending space pioneers who had “made the Apollo 

miracle a living reality. It has been more . . . than an amazing adventure into the unexplored and the unknown. The Apollo program has 

been and will endure as a monument to many things-to the personal 

courage of some of the finest men our nation has produced-to the 

technological and managerial capability, which is the genius of our 

system-and to a successful cooperation among nations which has 

proved to all of us what can be done when we work together with our 

eyes on a glorious goal.” 

Master of Ceremonies Peter S. Hackes of National Broadcasting Co. 

eulogized President Johnson as “the policy father of the space program.” 

A message from Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn.), former Vice 

President and Chairman of the National Aeronautics and Space Council, 

said the Apollo program had been an “outstanding example of government, industry, and university cooperation and has really shown brilliance of management and technological competence.” An Apollo film 

was narrated by Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, NASA Apollo Program Director. 

Dr. Petrone said the Apollo program had taken 12 yrs “and I don’t 

look upon this as curtains at the end of a play. It’s like the curtain 

at the end of the first act. It’s just beginning.” Dr. Wernher von Braun, 

Vice President for Engineering and Development with Fairchild Industries, Inc., and former NASA Deputy Associate Administrator, said 

President Johnson had been instrumental in achieving congressional 

support for the space program. Apollo 8 Astronaut William A. Anders 

recalled President Johnson as “a very large man, very down to earth” 

who had the spirit of an astronaut, but was “a little too big” to be 

one. (Program; Texts; Smyth, W Post, 1/23/73, B2; RI PIO) 

* NASA postponed the launches of the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop and the 

Skylab 2 crew from April 30 and May 1 to indefinite dates in May. The 

postponement was necessitated by an unexpected accumulation of problems in launch preparations for vehicle modules and experiments and 

first-time Skylab testing at Kennedy Space Center. Skylab Program 

Director William C. Schneider set tentative launch dates of May 14-15 

21 
January 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

but would announce official dates in late March after continued testing 

and reviews of flight planning. (Schneider TWX to NASA Centers, 

1/22/73) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, issued a management instruction continuing in existence, and setting forth the charter for the NASA 

Space Program Advisory Council and its related standing committees 

under the Federal Advisory Committee Act of Oct. 6, 1972 (P.L. 

92463). The NASA Administrator had determined Jan. 4, 1973, that 

the Council and committees were in the public interest in the performance of duties imposed upon NASA by law, “and they are therefore continued for the period ending June 30, 1974.” Council functions were to 

consult with and advise NASA, through the Deputy Administrator, on 

plans for, work in progress on, and accomplishments of NASA’s programs. (NASA NMI 1156.20C) 

The Federal Republic of Germany’s Aeros satellite (launched by NASA 

Dec. 16, 1972) was operating within expected limits. Five science 

experiments had been turned on and were operating satisfactorily. An 

anomaly had possibly degraded data from the US. neutral atmosphere 

temperature experiment ; four other experiments were unaffected. (NASA 

* NASA launched a Black Brant VC sounding rocket from White Sands 

Missile Range carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center payload to a 

276.8-km (172-mi) altitude. The objective was to test the performance 

of the rocket configuration that would be used for a series of calibration rocket ( CALROC) launches during the manned Skylab mission 

scheduled for May. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

The CALROC launches would provide a reference for the calibration 

of equipment on Skylab’s Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) . CALROC 

launches were also scheduled during the Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 missions, to acquire solar flux data on specific regions of the sun in conjunction with Skylab astronaut observations of the same regions with 

ATM experiments. Instrumentation on CALROC would be similar to but 

smaller than that on the ATM. Black Brant VC would be used for all 

launches. Taking part in the program, managed by Marshall Space 

Flight Center, were Ames Research Center, Naval Research Laboratory, 

Harvard College Observatory, and the White Sands Naval Ordnance 

Missile Test Facility. (CSFC proj off; MSFC Release 73-42) 

* Measurements of ice, surface, and atmospheric conditions in the Bering 

Sea would be made by NASA and the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences, 

NASA announced. The experiment would be conducted Feb. 15-Mar. 7 

on a Soviet weather ship and 11-18 aircraft and by a US. Coast 

Guard icebreaker and the instrumented NASA Convair 990. The project 

would be carried out under August 1971 recommendations of the 

Joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. Working Group on Satellite Meteorology for better 

understanding of interaction of sea ice and atmosphere on weather 

patterns in the Bering Sea area. (NASA Release 73-2) 

A Federal court in New York began hearing $2-million libel suit brought 

by Dr. W. Ross Adey, Univ. of California at Los Angeles brain research specialist, against the New York-based animal welfare organization United Action for Animals. Dr. Adey accused the organization of 

publishing “false, scandalous, defamatory statements” in an article in its 

bulletin on a NASA- and Air Force-funded Biosatellite 3 experiment 

Pr@g off) 

22 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 22 

(launched June 28, 1969). The organization had criticized Dr. Adey’s 

treatment of Bonny-an instrumented monkey that had been orbited 

to measure functions of central nervous, cardiovascular, and metabolic 

systems under weightlessness. Bonny had died shortly after its return 

to the earth. (Burks, NYT, 1/20/73, 27; 1/25/73, 45) 

At a Marshall Space Flight Center Space Science Seminar, 

Dr. Maurice M. Shapiro, Naval Research Center chief scientist for 

cosmic ray physics, said studies had shown cosmic rays were fast 

atomic nuclei trapped in the Milky Way’s magnetic fields. After acceleration, the rays diffused into the interstellar medium, where many 

underwent violent collisions and transformations. Surviving particles 

leaked out of the galaxy. (MSFC Release 73-3; NRL PIO) 

* The Senate confirmed the nominations of William P. Clements to be 

Deputy Secretary of Defense and of Dr. James R. Schlesinger, former 

Atomic Energy Commission Administrator, to be Director of Central 

Intelligence. (CR, 1/23/73, D60) 

Cosmos 545 was launched by the U.S.S.R. Erom Plesetsk into 

orbit with a 492-km (305.7-mi) apogee, 268-km (166.5-mi) perigee, 

92.1-min period, and 71.0’ inclination. The satellite reentered July 31. 

(GSFC SSR, 1/31/73; 7/31/73; SBD, 1/26/73, 124) 

* The U.S. National Scientific Balloon Facility launched a 20-m (64-ft) instrumented balloon for NASA from Oakey Field, Queensland, Australia, 

in Project Boomerang. The project was part of NASA’s balloon program 

to study near-earth phenomena. [See March 22.1 (NASA Release 734) 

* Rep. John W. McFall (D-Calif.) introduced H.Res. 158, providing for 30 

members of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics: Rep. 

Olin E. Teague (D-Tex.) , Chairman, succeeding Rep. George P. Miller 

(D-Calif.), who had been defeated in a 1972 primary; Rep. Ken 

Hechler (D-W. Va.) ; Rep. John W. Davis (D-Ga.) ; Rep. Thomas N. 

Downing (D-Va.) ; Rep. Don Fuqua (D-Fla.) ; Rep. James W. Symington (D-Mo.) ; Rep. Richard T. Hanna (D-Calif.) ; Rep. Walter Flowers 

(D-Ala.) ; Rep. Robert A. Roe (D-N.J.) ; Rep. William R. Cotter 

(D-Conn.) ; Rep. Mike McCormack (D-Wash.) ; Rep. Bob S. Bergland (D-Minn.) ; Rep. J. J. Pickle (D-Tex.) ; Rep. George E. Brown, 

Jr. (D-Calif.) ; Rep. Dale Milford (D-Tex.); Rep. Ray Thornton 

(D-Ark.) ; Rep. Bill Gunter (D-Fla.) ; Rep. Charles A. Mosher 

(R-Ohio) ; Rep. Alphonzo Bell (R-Calif.) ; Rep. John W. Wydler (RN.Y.) ; Rep. Larry Winn, Jr. (R-Kan.) ; Rep. Lou Frey, Jr. (R-Fla.) ; 

Rep. Barry M. Goldwater, Jr. (R-Calif.) ; Rep. Marvin L. Esch (RMich.) ; Rep. Lawrence Coughlin (R-Pa.) ; Rep. John N. Happy Camp 

(R-Okla.) ; Rep. John B. Conlan (R-Ariz.) ; Rep. Stanford E. Parris 

(R-Va.) ; Rep. Paul W. Cronin (R-Mass.) ; and Rep. James G. 

Martin (R-N.C.). (CR, 1/24/73, H442-H443; A&A 1972) 

Symposium on recycling used glass containers was held in 

Albuquerque, N. Mex., by Univ. of New Mexico Technical Application 

Center ( TAC) , Albuquerque Environmental Health Dept., and Glass 

Containers Manufacturers Institute. Representatives of NASA’s public 

technology program, glass researchers, and city and county officials discussed recycling glass into glassphalt road surfacing material, foams for 

building insdation, and other new products. TAC operated one of NASA’s 

six Regional Dissemination Centers for space agency-developed technology. (NASA Release 73-7; NASA PAO) 

January 23: 

January 24: 

January 24-25: 

23 
January 25 

January 25: 

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The Global Atmospheric Research Program (CARP) Atlantic 

Tropical Experiment (GATE), largest and most complex international 

scientific experiment, would observe one third of the earth‘s tropical 

belt from June 15 to Sept. 30, 1974, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. A network of satellites, ships, aircraft including NASA’s instrumented Convair 990, instrumented buoys, 

and land stations would collect meteorological data from the tropical 

Atlantic and adjacent land areas to improve forecast techniques for the 

equatorial belt. Brazil, Canada, France, Federal Republic of Germany, 

Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, U.S.S.R., United Kingdom, and Venezuela, in addition to the US., would process data for compatibility. 

Data would be integrated by the GATE data center and distributed in 

1976. US. participation would be coordinated by NOAA. (NOAA Release 

* Lunar laser ranging system at the Univ. of Texas McDonald Observatory located the French retroreflector array attached to the Soviet 

unmanned explorer Lunokhod 2 (landed on the moon Jan. 16 by 

Luna 21). At the request of the French National Center for Space 

Studies ( CNES) , the 270-cm (107-in) McDonald telescope transmitted 

light pulses, which were observed after reflection from mirror array. 

Preliminary data indicated the surface location of Lunokhod 2 was 

very near coordinates given by the Soviet Academy of Sciences. The 

lunar radius at that point appeared to be smaller than previous data 

had indicated. (NASA Release 73-13) 

0 Eruption of the Helgafell volcano on Heimaey Island off the Icelandic 

coast was recorded by a very-high-resolution radiometer on board 

Nom 2 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorological satellite, launched by NASA Oct. 15, 1972. Data would be correlated with data from Erts 1 (launched July 23, 1972) and an Air 

Force aircraft. (Av Wk, 2/19/73, 67) 

Cosmos 546 was launched by U.S.S.R. from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with 613-km (380.9-mi) apogee, 574-km (356.7-mi) 

perigee, 96.5-min period, and 50.6’ inclination. ( GSFC SRR, 1/31/73; 

SBD, 1/29/73, 131) 

0 President Nixon transmitted to Congress Reorganization Plan No. 1 

of 1973. The plan abolished the National Aeronautics and Space 

Council, including the position of Executive Secretary, and the Office of 

Science and Technology, including the posts of Director and Deputy 

Director. NASC had been created under the National Aeronautics and 

Space Act of 1958, enacted July 29, 1958. Provisions of the plan would 

take effect July 1 unless Congress acted against the plan. 

In his transmission message the President said NASC had “met a 

major need during the evolution of our nation’s space program. Vice 

President Agnew has served with distinction as its chairman for the 

past four years. At my request, beginning in 1969, the Vice President 

also chaired a special Space Task Group charged with developing 

strategy alternatives for a balanced U.S. space program in the coming 

years. As a result of this work, basic policy coordination can now 

be achieved through the resources of the executive departments and 

agencies, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 

augmented by some of the former Council staff.’’ In streamlining the 

Federal science establishment, the Administration was “firmly committed to a sustained, broad-based national effort in science and 

73-5) 

January 26: 

24 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 26 

technology.” The research and development capability of executive 

departments and agencies had been upgraded. The National Science 

Foundation had “broadened from its earlier concentration on basic 

research support to take on a significant role in applied research as 

well” and had “matured in its ability to play a coordinating and 

evaluative role within the Government and between the public and 

private sectors. I have therefore concluded that it is timely and 

appropriate to transfer to the Director of the National Science Foundation all functions presently vested in the Office of Science and 

Technology, and to abolish that office.” 

The President also announced his intention to ask Dr. H. Guyford 

Stever, NSF Director, to take on the additional post of Science Adviser 

to advise and assist the Administration “on matters where scientific 

and technological expertise is called for” and to act as the President’s 

representative in selective cooperative programs in international 

science, “including chairing such joint bodies as the US.-U5S.R Joint 

Commission on Scientific and Technical Cooperation.” (PD, 1/29/73, 

75-8; NASA Leg Off) 

* Hardware for Skylab inspace experiments proposed by U.S. high school 

students was shipped to Kennedy Space Center. Student winners in 

the Skylab Student Project national competition had worked with 

NASA specialists in designing the equipment, which was built and assembled at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. The experiments 

were in astronomy, biology, space medicine, and physics. (MSFC Release 73-8) 0 Erts I Earth Resources Technology Satellite (launched July 23, 1972) 

had returned valuable imagery and digital tapes from the spacecraft’s 

multispectral scanner to the Brevard County, Fla., Planning Dept., 

Kennedy Space Center reported. John W. Hannah, Brevard Development Administrator and principal investigator in the Brevard ERTS 

experiment, had said interpretation of the images would yield information on beach erosion, street development patterns, landscape disturbances, identification of land use, and land drainage patterns. ( ICSC 

Release 1673) 

* Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, A~O~~O/ASTP Program Manager, became Marshall 

Space Flight Center Director on the retirement of Dr. Eberhard F. M. 

Rees. The appointment had been announced Dec. 22, 1972. (MSFC Org 

Ann 0101) 

* Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W. Va.), for Sen. Lloyd M. Bentsen (D-Tex.), 

introduced S.J.R. 37 to designate Manned Spacecraft Center the Lyndon 

B. Johnson Space Center in honor of the late President. The resolution 

text said President Johnson had been “one of the first of our National 

leaders to recognize the long-range benefits of an intensive space exploration effort.” During his presidency he had borne the “ultimate 

responsibility for the development of the Gemini and Apollo programs 

which resulted in man’s first landing on the moon.” (CR, 1/26/73, 

51344) 

* Manned Spacecraft Center announced the award of a $1 375 484 cost-nofee contract to the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for technical support for guidance, navigation, and control in the space shuttle program. The Laboratory 

would develop and evaluate mission requirements, integration of guidance, navigation, and control with avionics and the shuttle, failure de25 
January 26 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

tection, navigation techniques, and guidance policies. ( MSC Release 

January 27: NASA launched a Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket from 

Andoeya, Norway, carrying a Norwegian Defense Research Establishment magnetospheric physics experiment. Preliminary data indicated 

that the rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj 

fanuary 28: Japan launched four-stage rocket from Uchinoura Space 

Center to test orbiting techniques. (AP, NYT, 1/29/73, 3) 

* The US. National Scientific Balloon Facility launched a second balloon 

from Oakey Field, Queensland, Australia, for NASA’s Project Boomerang 

[see Jan. 24 and March 221. (NASA Release 73-48) 

* Soviet cosmonaut Mrs. Valentina Nikolayeva-Tereshkova-on tour in Cacolla, India-told the press she was preparing for another space flight. 

“I am working for it and am keen on it because it is my work, but 

no date has yet been fixed for it.” Mrs. Nikolayeva-Tereshkova, wife of 

Cosmonaut Andrian G. Nikolayev, had made her first space flight 

June 16-19, 1963, on Vostok 6. (AP, W Star & News, 1/29/73, A3) 

* Novelist Joseph McElroy described his personal impression of the ApoZZo 

17 launch in a New York Times essay: “My main image was the 

Saturn rocket destroying itself stage by stage, separating behind the 

spacecraft, which was then alone, coasting a trajectory whose essence 

was to get away and not come back, escape the dialectical symmetries of 

up down, out back, growth and decay-and instead burst through into 

speeds and distances not just greater but other; yet also, yes, to come 

back changed, to save the earth, prove to Earthling ecologues it had 

been worth all that liquid oxygen and hydrogen in a few minutes of 

early burn.” (NYT, Bk Rev, 1/28/73, 27) 

President Nixon, in his message transmitting the FY 1974 

US. budget to Congress, said the budget supported U.S. efforts to 

establish lasting peace by maintaining military strength while proposing a sound fiscal and monetary policy that “will contribute to 

prosperity and economic stability here and abroad.” The US. had 

progressed substantially toward ending its part in war in Southeast 

Asia, concluded in the past four years “more significant agreements 

with the Soviet Union than in all previous years since World War 11,” 

and ended isolation of the US. from the People’s Republic of China. 

Taken “with the success of the Nixon Doctrine, our substantial disengagement from Vietnam, and the increased effectiveness of newer 

weapons systems,” defense outlays had been kept in line. When adjusted 

for pay and price increases, 1974 defense spending would be “about 

same as in 1973 and about one third below 1968.” (PD, 2/5/73,86-98) 

* President Nixon sent a $268.7-billion FY 1974 national budget request 

to Congress-an increase of $18.9 billion over FY 1973. The budget 

projection for the succeeding fiscal year was included for first time, 

with the FY 1975 budget estimated at $288 billion. The national total 

for FY 1974 included an R&D budget of $17.4 billion (an increase of 

$300 million), with $3.1 billion requested for civilian and military 

space programs. Emphasis was on practical, immediate results from 

R&D rather than expanding scientific knowledge, with reduced priority 

for space research. 

The total request for NASA new obligational authority of $3.016 

billion (1.276 of the total US. budget) was $391 million less than 

73-11) 

off) 

January 29: 

26 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 29 

the FY 1973 NOA of $3.407 billion. FY 1973 funds of $91 million 

were to be carried over to FY 1974. NASA expenditures were budgeted 

to increase $74 million, from $3.062 billion in FY 1973 to $3.136 

billion. The FY 1973 increase of $11 million had been largely for 

space shuttle engine and airframe design and development. Of the FY 

1974 budget request, $2.288 billion would go for R&D, $112 million 

for construction of facilities, and $707 million for research and program management. 

In manned space flight, elimination of Apollo funding reflected successful completion of the Apollo program with the ApoZb 17 mission. 

Manned space flight operations-including $233.8 million for Skylab ; 

$90 million for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) ; $220.2 million 

for development, test, and mission operations; $21 million for space 

life sciences; and $15.5 million for mission systems and integrationwould decrease from $879 million in FY 1973 to $580.5 million. The 

decrease reflected removal of space shuttle funding from the manned 

spacecraft operations category to separate program status. The FY 

1974 budget request allocated $475 million to the space shuttle program for the orbiter, main engine, solid-fueled rocket boosters, external 

tanks, technology and related development, and vehicle and engine 

definition. Advanced missions would receive $1.5 million, to bring 

the total for manned space flight (including the shuttle) to $1.057 

billion, down $100 million from FY 1973. 

Funding for space science programs would decrease $95.2 million, 

from $679.2 million in FY 1973 to $584 million in FY 1974. The 

decrease reflected suspension of the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO) program, in which two flights had originally been 

scheduled during 1976-1978. The physics and astronomy program 

would receive $95 million, down from $126.2 million; lunar and planetary exploration would receive $312 million, down from $331.9 million; and launch vehicle procurement would receive $177 million, 

down from $221 million. 

NASA’s space applications programs would receive $153 million 

(a decrease of $35.7 million), including $51 million for weather and 

climate research with satellites, meteorological soundings, experimental 

instruments and techniques, and for the Global Atmospheric Research 

Program (GARP) ; $13.9 million for pollution monitoring, including $9 

million for Nimbus-G oceanographic and air pollution observation 

satellite; $42.6 million for earth resources survey; $10.7 million for 

earth and ocean physics; $3.1 million for space processing; $22.1 

million for communications, including a multi-use communications 

experiment satellite ( ATS-F) and a Canadian Cooperative Satellite 

( CAS-C) ; $3 million for a multidisciplinary Earth Observing Satellite 

(EOS) ; $4.5 million for shuttle experiment definition; and $2 million 

for application studies. 

The total requested for NASA’s aeronautics and space technology programs increased from $232.5 million in FY 1973 to $240 million. 

Aeronautical research and technology funding would increase from 

$150.6 million in FY 1973 to $171 million, including $22 million for 

experimental engine programs, $9.3 million for flight experiment 

programs, and $30 million for system technology programs. Space research and technology would receive $65 million, and nuclear power 

and propulsion $4 million (a drop from $17.1 million). 

27 
January 29 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Tracking and data acquisition funding would rise from $248.3 million in FY 1973 to $250 million. 

The Dept. of Defense FY 1974 budget of $85 billion was at an 

all-time high, $4.1 billion above the FY 1973 budget authority, but 

was 28.4% of total Federal outlays for FY 1974 (a percentage decrease 

from 29.0% in FY 1973 and the lowest proportion since 1950) and 

6.0% of the gross national product (the lowest GNP percentage in 

24 yrs, down from 6.2% in FY 1973). The DOD total included $8.7 

billion for research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) , a $600 

million increase over FY 1973. Of the requested RDT&E total, military 

astronautics-with major programs including military comsats, the 

first spaceborne ballistic missile early warning system, a prototype 

satellite to demonstrate precise navigation capabilities, continued flight 

experiment programs, and technology programs in advanced navigation, guidance, sensors, cooling, reentry, and propulsion-would receive 

$604.6 million (up $169.9 million). Military sciences would receive $509.8 million (up $13.7 million). Aircraft RDT&E would receive 

$1.787 bilIion (down $86 million), and missiles RDT&E $2.245 billion 

(up $143 million). 

Major DOD increases were programmed for the Trident submarinelaunched ballistic missile system ($1.712 billion, up $917 million), new 

Air Force F-4J jet fighter aircraft ($131 million), CVN-70 aircraft 

carrier ($657 million, up $358 million) and F-15 air superiority 

fighter ($1.148 billion, up $240 million). Decreases of $198 million 

in funding for the Safeguard antiballistic missile system, $208 million 

for the Poseidon missile, and $64 million for the short-range attack 

missile (SRAM) reflected a modernization program, as DOD continued the 

transition from combat support in Southeast Asia to strengthening baseline forces. 

The Dept. of Transportation budget request of $9.025 billion was a 

decrease of $2.302 billion from FY 1973. DOT funding would continue 

a 10-yr, $10-billion program to improve urban mass transportation 

and reduce highway congestion. Federal Aviation Administration funding of $2.126 billion would continue efforts to reduce aircraft noise, 

ensure that advanced aircraft engines did not adversely affect the upper atmosphere, and design a safer and more productive airport system. 

The Atomic Energy Commission FY 1974 budget request of $3.066 

billion, up $382 million over FY 1973, would cover production of 

nuclear materials to make electricity and for use in nuclear weapons 

and as nuclear reactor fuel, research into availability of source materials, operation safety, and development of techniques for long-term 

storage of radioactive waste. 

The National Science Foundation FY 1974 budget request of $582.6 

million was down $63.1 million from FY 1973, but R&D funding would 

increase from $510.3 million in FY 1973 to $554.1 million. Programs 

would emphasize research into domestic problems, problems of longrange national interest, and effects of R&D on the economy. Priorities 

would include development of solar power as an energy source and 

of tunneling technology for urban use under the Research Applied to 

National Needs ( RANN) program and development of a very-largearray radioastronomy facility. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (in the Dept. 

of Commerce) budget request of $343.0 million, down from $366.7 

l 

28 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 29 

million in FY 1973, would permit continued improvements in weather 

monitoring, prediction, and warning ; continuation of its polar orbiting 

satellite system and implementation of a two-geostationary satellite 

system in the weather satellite program ; major hurricane modification 

research; and expansion of research on marine ecosystems analysis to 

determine effects of ocean dumping. 

The Environmental Protection Agency budget request of $148.7 million was down from $173.1 million in FY 1973. (OMB, Budget of the 

US Gout, FY 1974; US Budget in Brief; Special Analysis; NASA 

budget briefing transcript; DOD Release 44-73 ; AIAA Release 73-3 ; 

NSF Release 73-106) 

* Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, released the statement given 

out at the NASA FY 1974 budget briefing held Jan. 27: “The budget 

the President has approved for NASA for FY 1974, like those of other 

agencies, has been reduced substantially below previous plans and 

expectations to hold total government spending to the targets set by 

the President. At the same time, the budget will permit NASA to carry 

forward a substantial and significant program in space and aeronautics.” 

The budget provided for continuing the major projects in the schedule announced Jan. 5 and for starting two new projects: Nimbus-G, 

“another in NASA’s series of experimental earth oriented satellites, which 

will be directed at environmental pollution and oceanographic measurements, and LAGEOS, a new geodetic satellite for extremely accurate 

measurements of movements of the earth‘s surface.” 

In addition to reductions in programs announced Jan. 5, the budget 

required “that we stretch out schedules in a number of ongoing projects. 

The second Earth Resources Technology Satellite ( ERTS-B) will be 

delayed two years, until 1976. This will allow it to carry an additional 

sensor. Tiros-N, the prototype of a new series of operational meteorological satellites for the National Weather Service, will be delayed by 

about one year io 1977. 

“We will also undergo another belt-tightening in NASA. By the end 

of FY 1974 our civil service complement will be reduced 1880 positions 

below the FY 1973 end strength approved in the FY 1973 budget. 

This reduction includes the previously announced reductions related 

to the termination of our nuclear programs.” 

Despite a “sharp decrease from the level budget anticipated last 

year,” Dr. Fletcher was “very pleased with the program content we 

were able to retain. Clearly from what has been said today and on 

January 5, we will have to curtail several activities that are of major 

importance to the nation.” But “we have been able to keep NASA’S 

main line program essentially intact and each of the programs curtailed will still be done, either at a later date than anticipated or in 

an alternate way to that planned last year. Although I, personally, 

would like to see a higher NASA budget, I believe we can capitalize 

on the belt-tightening required to produce even greater yield for the 

tax dollar in future years.” NASA was “making substantial efforts to 

reduce future costs . . . while still giving the nation a strong program in space and aeronautics.” Additionally, a prime object of the 

space shuttle program was to reduce costs of operating in space. NASA 

intended to “develop and introduce new design concepts and management approaches which, together with the relaxed weight and size con29 
January 29 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

straints of the Space Shuttle, will result in substantially lower development and operating costs.yy 

NASA Comptroller William E. Lilly discussed personnel cutbacks necessitated by the new budgetary limitations. The total NASA Civil Service 

reduction of 1880 positions would include a Marshall Space Flight Center cut of 650; Goddard Space Flight Center, 158; Kennedy Space 

Center, 100; Manned Spacecraft Center, 75 ; Wallops Station, 17; Lewis 

Research Center, 660; NASA Hq., 150; and Ames, Langley, and Flight 

Research Centers, a total of 70. From a peak Civil Service complement 

of more than 34 000 in 1967, NASA would be reduced to under 25 000 

employees by June 1974-a drop of 30%. Total employees from all 

sources-contract and in-house-would drop from the 1966 peak of 

420 000 to about 100 000. (Text; Transcript) 

0 U.S.S.R. ground control, during a communications session with Lunokhod 

2 to check onboard systems, found a temperature of 90 I< (-297°F) 

at the end of a rod containing magnetometer sensors. It was the lowest 

temperature recorded near the lunar surface. Lunokhod 2, inactivated 

Jan. 23 for the lunar night after it had explored the lunar surface for 

seven days, had been launched aboard Luna 21 Jan. 8 and landed on 

the moon Jan. 16. It would begin its second lunar day of exploration 

Feb. 9. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 2/13/73, L1) 

Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah) , new Chairman of the Senate Committee 

on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, had promised an Yn depth” 

inquiry into the FY 1974 NASA budget request at early date, Aviation 

Week & Space Technology reported. The Committee staff was being 

expanded and Sen. Moss would visit Manned Spacecraft Center in 

February. Sen. Barry M. Goldwater (R-Ariz.) , the Committee’s new 

ranking minority member, had urged that more attention be paid to 

aeronautics. Sen. Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. (R-Conn.) , minority member, had said the Committee should be more forceful in pushing 

aerospace programs “because NASA seems reticent at times to speak 

for itself.” (Av Wk, 1/29/73, 13) 

Library of Congress Congressional Research Service published United 

States and Soviet Progress in Space: Summary Data through 1972 

and a Forward Look. The report-prepared by Dr. Charles S. Sheldon 

11, Chief of Science Policy Research Div.-was the latest in an annual 

review series and first to use the metric system in all quantitative 

measurements to conform to NASA and Soviet practice. The US. expected to have spent $70 billion by June 30 on combined civilian and 

military space programs. Physical evidence of Soviet space activity 

indicated the U.S.S.R. had committed a similar amount. There had 

been no manned Soviet launches in 1972. Moscow had been “filled 

with rumors” in late July of an impending “more ambitious SalyutSoyuz manned mission,” but press reports had indicated later that 

tracking ships which usually supported such missions were returning 

to port. NASA employment-peaked at 400000 in 1966-had dropped 

to 150 000, Soviet space employment might be close to 600 000 because 

the “effort today seems to be at least equal to our 1966 peak” of a 

total 600 000 space employees in the US. The state of the Soviet effort 

toward a space shuttle was unknown but the “Soviet effort to maintain a position of leadership in space, and the continued high level of 

Soviet flight activity of more than double that of the United States” in30 
tary of Defense. (CR, 1/29/73, DSl) 

0 The Senate Committee on Commerce announced appointments to its Subcommittee on Aviation: Sen. Howard W. Cannon (D-Nev.) , Chairman; 

Sen. Warren G. Magnuson (D-Wash.) ; Sen. Philip A. Hart (D-Mich.) ; 

Sen. Vance Hartke (D-Ind.) ; Sen. Ernest F. Hollings (D3.C.) ; Sen. 

Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) ; Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah) ; Sen. 

John V. Tunney (D-Calif.); Sen. Adlai E. Stevenson, I11 (D-Ill.) ; 

Sen. Norris Cotton (R-N.H.) ; Sen. James B. Pearson (R-Kans.) ; 

Sen. Howard H. Baker, Jr. (R-Tenn.); Sen. Robert P. Griffin (R.- 

Mich.) ; Sen. Marlow W. Cook (R-Ky.) ; Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) ; 

and Sen. J. Glenn Beall, Jr. (R-Md.). (CR, 1/29/72, D52) 

NASA announced establishment of the Office of Safety and Reliability and 

Quality Assurance under George C. White, Director. The separate 

Safety Office and Reliability and Quality Assurance Office were disestablished and all responsibilities and personnel transferred to the 

new office. (NASA Ann) 

The Japanese government would spend $316 million on aerospace during 

Japanese fiscal year 1974, which began in April, Aviation Week & 

Space Technology reported. The figure was 13% less than FY 1973 

aerospace funding. Japan’s total defense budget would rise 16%, to 

$3.9 billion. (Av Wk, 1/29/73, 11) 

An Aviation Week & Space Technology editorial criticized the Jan. 3 

recommendations of the Aviation Advisory Commission to President 

of civil aviation in 

and oft-tried device 

ion was clear. “No 

able to sell a signifi- 
January 30 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

would visit the US. for several weeks. US. astronauts would spend 

an equal time in Russia in the fall of 1973. (NASA Release 73-15) 

A model for the interaction of the solar wind with very thin hydrogen 

gas in deep space, developed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration geophysicist Dr. Thomas E. Holzer, would aid future 

space flight planning and provide data on the origins and fate of 

universe, NOAA announced. The presence of thin hydrogen gas in interplanetary space had been observed by Ogo 5 (launched by NASA 

March 4, 1968). Interaction of the solar wind and interstellar hydrogen could become important at astronomical units from the sun. Neutral hydrogen could become charged and associated with the solar wind. 

Some solar wind energy would be converted to random motion or 

heat. At the same time, the velocity of the solar wind would be diminished. Neutral hydrogen could act as gentle, penetrable barrier 

to the solar wind. (NOAA Release 73-7) 

The last lunar sample containment bag from ApoZZo 17, the last Apollo 

mission to the moon (Dec. 7-19, 1972), was logged into the processing 

cabinets at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory at Johnson Spacecraft Center. (Apollo Sample Analysis Planning Team, Science, 8/17/73, 615) 

Effects of FY 1974 budget restrictions on Kennedy Space Center was 

conveyed to KSC employees in letter from KSC Director, Dr. Kurt H. 

Debus. The personnel ceiling for June 30, 1974, would be 2309-112 

less than the current total onboard strength. The necessity for an average grade ceiling of 11.22 by June 30, 1973, would impose “further 

constraint in terms of available options.” (Text) 

The Canadian National Research Council launched the first in a series of 

six sounding rockets, including two to be launched by NASA Feb. 2, 

to investigate growth and decay of auroras. A Black Brant IVB 

launched from Churchill Research Range carried a 84-kg (185-lb) 

payload to 714-km (443.7-mi) altitude to investigate the quiet prebreakup of the early evening aurora. Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactority. ( NRC prog off) 

e Cancellation of competition for procurement of a fixed-wing utility aircraft 

was announced by Secretary of the Army Robert F. Froehlke. Cancellation had been made because of “inconsistency between what was 

told the Congress and the eventual recommendation.” Final decision 

on the award and contract had not been made, but details of proposals 

and their evaluation had been leaked by undetermined sources. A new 

solicitation would be based on a restated procurement objective, to be 

subject of new requests for proposals. (DOD Release 51-73) 

* A People’s Republic of China team of diplomatic and transportation 

officials arrived in Seattle, Wash., to discuss PRC purchase of 10 

Boeing 707-320 transport aircraft. Boeing would train crews in Seattle 

and would assist with further crew training in Shanghai. (Av Wk, 

2/5/73, 29) 

Manned Spacecraft Center had named 10 investigators to 

receive the first ApoZZo 17 lunar samples, NASA announced. Five U.S. 

and five foreign scientists would receive allocations that included tiny 

rock chips and polished thin sections cut from three large rocks. 

Rocks 70035 and 75055 were dark gray basalts typical of material 

underlying the Taurus-Littrow valley ; rock 76055-lighter colored recrystallized breccia that Astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt had described 

as “anorthositic gabbro”-might have been part of the mountainside 

January 31: 

32 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 January 31 

at one time. The first investigators had been recommended by the 

Lunar Sample Analysis Planning Team ( LSAPT) . Most would attempt 

to determine sample ages by rubidium-strontium and argon analysis. 

Other studies would analyze trace elements and mineralogical content. 

Early allocations were being made with the stipulation that research 

be conducted so that results could be reported at the 4th Annual Lunar 

Science Conference scheduled for March 5-8. Additional preliminary 

allocations would be recommended by LSAPT, including samples of 

orange soil found at Shorty Crater. (NASA Release 73-16) 

fteenth anniversary of the first US. satellite, Explorer I, launched by 

the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and Jet Propulsion Laboratory Jan. 

31, 1958. The US. and the Western world had entered an age of space 

with the launch of the 14.0-kg (30.8-lb) stovepipe-shaped satellite. Dr. 

Kurt H. Debus, Director of Kennedy Space Center, recalled the mood 

of excitement surrounding the launch that had followed two successful 

U.S.S.R. launches and a failure in the first US. attempt to launch 

Vanguard. “I think we were all aware that this wasn’t just another 

mission-that perhaps the entire world was watching this one.” 

Explorer I had made significant scientific contribution with the 

discovery of the Van Allen Radiation Belt surrounding the earth. The 

satellite had transmitted data until May 23, 1958, when its small batteries were exhausted. It reentered the earth’s atmosphere Mar. 31, 

1970. (NASA Release 73-14; rtsc Release 17-73) 

Pan American World Airways, Inc., and Trans World Airlines, Inc., announced a decision not to exercise their options to buy 13 AngloFrench Concorde supersonic transport aircraft. The action was expected 

to Iead American Airlines, Inc., and Eastern Airlines, Inc., to drop 

their options, the Washington Post reported later. Concorde options 

would then stand at 30, but lack of competitive pressure from US. 

airlines was likely to cause additional cancellations. Nine firm orders 

for Concorde were from the state-owned British Overseas Airways 

Corg. and Air France. Iran Air and People’s Republic of China had 

signed preliminary contracts for 5 Concordes but the Post said an 

order for only 14 aircraft could not sustain the Concorde production 

run. (Greer, Nossiter, W Post, 2/1/73, Al) 

The Federal Communications Commission notified US. companies bidding 

on the European Space Research Organization’s aeronautical satellite 

system that participation was subject to FCC approval. (Av Wk, 

2/12/73, 21; FCC PIO) 

* The last Air Force C-5A aircraft rolled off Lockheed Aircraft Corp.’s 

assembly line. The C-5A, world’s largest subsonic jet transport, had 

been plagued by problems during its development phase but had since 

proved its effectiveness as a materiel and troop carrier. (Atlanta JC, 

The Air Force had ordered the last F-Ill swing-wing fighter bomber 

from General Dynamics Corp., United Press International reported. 

Plans to procure parts to maintain and modify existing models would 

require a $29-million budget item. (W Post, 1/31/73, A16) 

NASA issued The Interplanetary Pioneers, Vol. 1, Summary (NASA SP-278). The three-volume series by William R. Corliss 

traced NASA’s Pioneer program from its May 1960 inception through 

Pioneer 9 (launched Nov. 8, 1968). The program had begun with the 

launch of early lunar probes Pioneer 1 through 5 by Ames Research 

2/1/73, 8) 

During January: 

33 
During January ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Center. Later Pioneerepioneer 6 (launched Dec. 16, 1965), P’ wneer 

7 (launched Aug. 17, 1966), Pioneer 8 (launched Dec. 13, 1967), and 

Pioneer 9-had been the first spacecraft to the sun systematically 

at widely separated points in space. They h llected information on 

space, solar winds, and cosmic radiation of both solar and galactic 

origin. The Pioneers had been “superbly reliable scientific explorers, 

sending back information far in excess of their design lifetimes over 

a period that covers much of the solar cycle.” 

Vol. 11, System Design and Development (SP-279), and Vol. 111, 

Operations (SP-280) , had been issued in 1972. (Text) 

* The National Science Foundation published Scientists, Engineers, and 

Physicians from Abroad: Trends through Fiscal Year 1970 (NSF 

72-312). A total of 13 300 immigrant scientists and engineers admitted to US. in 1970 was an increase of one third over 1969 and 

two and one half times the 1965 total. Natural scientists had increased 

from 10% of the 1950-1964 total to 20% of the total since 1965. 

Scientists and engineers from Asia had risen from 10% of a much 

smaller total in 1965 to 50% in 1970. Indian scientists and engineers 

admitted in 1970 numbered 2900, the largest group admitted from 

any country over the previous 20 yrs. Among 3800 born in one 

country but living elsewhere before entering the US. had been 740 

born in the People’s Republic of China and 620 born in India. 

The number of foreign science and engineering students had increased from 56 800 in 1967 to 72 100 in 1970, with Asia the source 

of 50%. The number of recipients of doctorates of science and engineering from U.S. universities had grown 222% between 1960 and 

1970. (NSF 72-312) 

34 
February 1973 

February 1: The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 547 from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 311-km (193.3-mi) apogee, 201-km (124.9-mi) 

perigee, 89.6-min period, and 65.0’ inclination. The satellite reentered 

Feb. 13. (CSFC SSR, 2/28/73; SBD, 2/2/73, 183) 

* NASA held an Apollo-Soyuz Test Project news briefing at Manned Spacecraft Center. US. Technical Director Glynn S. Lunney said the 

U.S.S.R. had agreed to lower the Soyuz cabin pressure to within 350 

newtons per sq cm (5 lbs per sq in) of Apollo pressure during the 

July 1975 joint docking mission, to eliminate two-hour depressurization 

for each crew member before transfer to the other spacecraft. The 

change would permit time for all three astronauts and two cosmonauts 

to fly in the others’ spacecraft. Previously, only two astronauts had 

been scheduled to make the transfer. 

Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, commander of the US. crew, said 

“the mission is going to be one of the most difficult . . . because it 

involves a different country, different language, different operating techniques. . . . But it can certainly open the doors for future cooperation between the countries, can enhance our capabilities” for progress 

together. Astronaut Donald K. Slayton, who would fly his first mission 

since he was disqualified from Project Mercury’s Aurora 7 flight 

(launched May 24, 1962) because of an erratic heart rate, said, “I 

think I’ve been pretty fortunate. And I don’t believe in looking back 

at the past too much except in relation to what benefit it will give 

me in the future.” 

Astronaut Vance D. Brand, who would make his first space flight, 

said, “I am really happy to get on this mission. I think as we look back 

over the years, it’ll be regarded as a very historic thing . . . having 

the doors open between the Soviet Union and the United States.” 

(Transcript) 

NASA’s Explorer 48 Small Astronomy Satellite (launched Nov. 16, 1972, 

from Italy’s San Marco Equatorial Range) successfully completed a 

two-month comprehensive study of celestial gamma rays. Its gamma 

ray detector had been turned on Nov. 19, 1972, and had observed 

gamma rays in the region of the galactic center, galactic plane, and 

various x-ray sources. A sky map of gamma rays would be prepared. 

(NASA Release 73-17) 

Tenth anniversary of the formation of Communications Satellite Corp. 

In 10 yrs, ComSatCorp had grown to its present size from the mandate 

in the Communications Satellite Act of 1962 stating the corporation 

should be formed to establish a global commercial communications 

satellite system in cooperation with other countries. The organization 

employed 1100 persons at 11 locations to operate satellites in a global 

system for the International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium 

(INTELSAT) , 7 US. earth stations for international satellite communi35 
February 1 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

cations, ComSatCorp laboratories, and a wide range of technical activities. (ComSatCorp Release) 

* Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D-Wash.) introduced S. 734 for himself and 

Sen. Edward J. Gurney (R-Fla.) and Sen. Lawton M. Chiles, Jr. (DFla.), “to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Man in 

Space National Historic Site at Cape Ihnnedy.” The bill would establish a site on the area comprising Launch Complexes 5 and 6, 

which had been used for the Redstone, Jupiter C, Juno I and 11, 

and Mercury-Redstone launches, as well as Little Joe I1 in support 

of the Apollo program. (CR, 2/1/73, S1798; Draft IESC Hist Note, 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, discussed NASA’s 

outlook for the future in a letter to the NASA staff: “I regret that we 

have not been able to stabilize NASA’s budget at about the $3.4 billion 

level . . . and that our reduced program workload necessitates a further reduction in . . . NASA employees. I am pleased, though, that we 

can proceed with most of our mainline programs and schedules for 

this decade with little change.” With the May launch of Skylab “we 

should be able to give the world a very impressive demonstration of 

the tremendous new capabilities we now have for using manned and 

unmanned spacecraft in Earth orbit. I believe that Skylab will awaken 

public interest throughout the world in the usefulness of scientific 

and practical observations to be made from Earth orbit, and in the 

‘space manufacturing’ experiments. I am also confident that the reports 

from Pioneer 10 as it swings past Jupiter in December will stimulate 

strong public interest in expanded programs to explore the planets. 

Our joint flight with the Russians in 1975 will stress the potential of 

large-scale international cooperation in space. The Viking Lander on 

Mars may produce the first evidence of life in the universe beyond 

the confines of our home planet Earth; and it may suggest to Americans the real potential of space exploration as a continuing and expanding activity during our third century as an independent and democratic nation.” Dr. Fletcher forecast a favorable NASA future: “With 

another year of excellent performance in 1973 like we had in 1972, and 

continued strong bi-partisan support in Congress, this forecast is bound 

to become a reality.” (NASA Activities, 2/15/73, 26-8) 

* The U.S.-U.S.S.R. Working Group on Interplanetary Exploration released a statement following a weeklong meeting in Moscow. Scientists 

had met to analyze data about the Mars surface and atmosphere for 

selection of future landing sites for unmanned spacecraft. They also 

had discussed new results from exploration of Venus by Venus 8 

(launched by U.S.S.R. March 27, 1972) and earth-based optical and 

radio measurements. Recommendations for cooperation would be announced when confirmed by both sides [see March 51. The Group had 

been established under a NASA and Soviet Academy of Sciences agreement of January 1971. US. scientists were led by Dr. S. Ichtiaque 

Rasool, Deputy Director of Planetary Programs in NASA’s Office of 

Space Science. Soviet participants were headed by Academician Georgy 

I. Petrov, Director of the Institute of Space Research. (NASA Release 

* The Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences approved a 

favorable report on S.J.R. 37-to change the name of NASA’s Manned 

Spacecraft Center at Houston, Tex., to Lyndon B. Johnson Space Cen2/72) 

February 2: 

73-20) 

36 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 2 

ter-after hearing testimony from Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator. (CR, 2/2/73, D71) 

A new satellite series, Intelsat IVA would begin service in mid-1975 to 

expand and improve communications capacity among nations, ComSatCorp announced. The new series would double capacity by reusing 

frequencies for the first time by beam separation. The series would 

replace the global system of Intelsat IV satellites jointly owned with 

International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium, in which ComSatCorp held the major interest. Since Early Bird (Intelsat 1, launched 

April 9, 1965), satellites had expanded and improved world communications until, to date, there were 251 pathways among 80 antennas 

at 65 stations in 49 countries. Two thirds of all long-distance communications were via satellite. (ComSatCorp Release 73-5) 

The European Launcher Development Organization ( ELDO) Council, meeting in Paris, agreed to defer its final decision on the fate of the 

Europa I1 launcher until a further meeting, scheduled for March 30. 

France advocated continuing the project to provide a launch vehicle 

for communications satellites. West Germany said it desired to leave 

the Europa program. (SF, 4/73, 212) 

0 Four sounding rockets in a series of six [see Jan. 30 and Feb. 81 were 

launched in Canada to investigate growth and decay of aurora phenomena. 

NASA launched two Super Arcas sounding rockets from Churchill 

Research Range carrying a Univ. of Houston payload to supplement 

investigation of auroral zone disturbances, with emphasis on the explosive phase of auroral substorms, and to study auroral phenomena 

in the region of atmosphere above that investigated by balloons and 

below the altitude investigated by rockets. The first rocket reached 

84-km (52.2-mi) altitude. Probable parachute-system malfunction 

caused rapid descent and rendered most data unusable. The second 

reached 81.2-km (50.5-mi) altitude ; rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

The Canadian National Research Council launched two Black Brants. 

A Black Brant IIIB launched from Gillam, Manitoba, carried a 63.5-kg 

(140.0-lb) payload to 191.7 km (119.1 mi) to investigate plasma properties of upper-atmosphere radio aurora plasma. Black Brant VB 

launched from Churchill Research Range carried a 175-kg (386-1b) 

Univ. of Belgium payload to 325 km (202 mi) to investigate the expansive phase of an aurora storm. Both rockets and instrumentation 

performed satisfactorily. The third Black Brant was postponed because 

of dissipation of the aurora substorm into which it was to be launched 

[see Feb. 81. (NASA Rpts SRL; NRC prog off) 

Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite (launched by NASA July 23, 

1972) was “important tool” to facilitate better management of the 

earth “that has not received appropriate recognition,” a Science editorial said. Many investigators, selected from 600 research proposals, 

were studying its images. (Of 310 proposals accepted, 100 were from 

scientists of foreign nations.) “Policy with respect to distribution of 

pictures is one of complete openness. Nationals of any country are free 

to purchase them at a nominal cost.” Canada was operating its own 

Erts 1 receivers; Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela were moving toward 

establishing their earth stations. “The Brazilians are particularly enthusiastic about ERTS, for it is giving them a first look at much of 

37 
February 2 ASTRONAUTlCS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

the Amazon valley. Their enthusiasm is likely to be contagious, and 

other developing countries will find ERTS a valuable source of many 

kinds of information.” (Abelson, Science, 2/2/73, 431; NASA OA) 

The National Science Foundation released An Analysis of Federal R&D 

Funding by Function: FY 1963-73 (NSF 72-313). Federal expenditures for research and development were expected to grow faster than 

total Federal outlays in FY 1973 for the first time since FY 1965. Between FY 1972 and 1973 R&D expenditures were expected to rise 3.6%, 

with total outlays up 2.6%. The Federal R&D percentage of the total 

was expected to be 7.3% in FY 1973. Of total outlays for space research and technology, 98% was expected to go toward R&D, but the 

R&D share of the total outlay for international affairs and finance, 

veterans benefits and services, general government, and income security would be less than 1%. Functions other than national defense 

and space R&T had increased emphasis on R&D significantly 1963-1973, 

from 10% to an expected 23%. The trend toward more civilianoriented programs within the Federal R&D total was continuing, with an 

expected rise of 2% between 1972 and 1973. (Text) 

The Air Force announced the award of $13 974 000 firm-fixed-price-incentive contract to Boeing Go. for Minuteman force modernization for 

FY 1973, (DQD Release 61-73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Molniya 1-23 communications satellite from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 39 772-km (24 713.2- 

mi) apogee, 578-km (359.2-mi) perigee, 717.6-min period, and 65.0° 

inclination. The satellite was to help provide a system of long-range 

telephone and telegraph radio communications in the U.S.S.R. and 

transmit Soviet central TV programs to the Orbita network. (Tass, 

FBIS-SOV, 2/6/73, L1; SBD, 2/6/73, 198 ; GSFC SSR, 2/28/73) 

A suggestion that quasars, mysterious bright light sources and radio waves, 

might be part of galactic evolution was made by Dr. Jerome Kristian, 

Hale Observatory astronomer, in a telephone interview with Reuters 

News Agency. Using photos taken through a 508-cm (200-in) reflector, 

Dr. Kristian had located quasars at the heart of six galaxies by a 

complex series of calculations of brightness and darkness. “The observations are consistent with the hypothesis that all quasars occur in 

the nucleii of giant galaxies.” If quasars were part of the process of 

the development of galaxies, “then it could mean they are the start of 

the galaxies.” (Reuters, B Sun, 2/3/73, A3) 

India launched a two-stage Indian-made Centaur sounding 

rocket from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station ( TERLS) 

to an altitude of 148 km (92 mi). The rocket carried instrumentation 

to measure nighttime airglow emission. Rocket and instrumentation 

performed satisfactorily. (Delhi Domestic Service, FBIs-India, Bhutan, 

Sikkim, 2/5/73, 3) 

0 U.S.S.R. scientists were developing highly efficient equipment for undersea 

exploration, Krasnuya Zvezda [Red Star] reported. A newly designed 

bathyscaphe, designated Sever-2, included a high degree of comfort 

for crew members. It had been fitted with complex instruments and 

could move independently in any direction, remain at a designated 

depth for long time, or descend to the bottom. (FBISSOV, 2/12/73, L4) 

The new status of the High Energy Astronomy Observatory 

(HEAO) planning was clarified by Dr. F. A. Speer, Manager of the 

HEAO Project at Marshall Space Flight Center. HEAO was expected to 

February 3: 

February 4: 

February 5: 

38 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 5 

fly three missions between 1977 and 1979 but, because of budgetary 

constraints, would be smaller, carry fewer experiments, and use a 

smaller and more economical launch vehicle. Although HEAO funds 

of $15 million were much less than the original level, scientific objectives-to observe the galaxy and the universe in high-energy x-ray 

and gamma ray stellar sources and to investigate cosmic ray fluxwould remain mostly unchanged. ( MSFC Release 73-13) 

0 Manned Spacecraft Center announced selection of Technology, Inc., for 

$794 000, one-year, cost-plus-award-fee contract to provide operational 

and research support for MSC’s Life Science Laboratories. The contract 

had become effective Feb. 1, 1973. (MSC Release 73-17) 

Secretary of Transportation Claude S. Brinegar announced establishment 

of the Office of Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Congressional 

and Intergovernmental Affairs to ensure “an effective program of 

communications and coordination with members of Congress, Congressional staff members, and Congressional committees” and “serve as 

our primary liaison with officials of other agencies. . . .” (DOT Release 7-73) 

0 Lewis Research Center Director Bruce T. Lundin announced appointment 

of Harold Ferguson as Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. Ferguson was a physicist with 17 yrs experience in fluid mechanics and 

electric propulsion at LeRC. (LeRc Release 73-6) 

The National Science Foundation published Federal Funds for Research, 

Development and Other Scientific Activities, Fiscal Years 1971, 1972, 

and 1973 (NSF 72-317). The FY 1973 budget had indicated an upward 

trend since 1970 in Federal research and development support. The 

Federal R&D obligation total was expected to rise from $15.5 billion 

in FY 1971 to an estimated $16.8 billion in FY 1972 and to an all-time 

high of $17.8 billion in FY 1973. Of the $970-million increase in 

R&D obligations scheduled for FY 1973, the Dept. of Defense accounted 

for $400 million and NASA and the Atomic Energy Commission $67 

million each. The three agencies made up more than 50% of the 

1973 growth. (Text) 

Marshall Space Flight Center announced establishment of 

the Large Space Telescope Task Force to direct planning and preliminary design of the LST to be launched by the space shuttle in the 

1980s. The LsT-to be capable of looking at galaxies 100 times farther 

than those seen by the most powerful ground-based telescope-would 

study energy processes that occurred in galactic nuclei, study early 

stellar and solar system stages, and observe supernova remnants and 

white dwarfs. The LST Task Force would be managed by James A. 

Downey 111, Associate Director for Science in the Program Development Directorate. ( MSFC Release 73-15) 

* Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.), Chairman of the Senate Committee 

on Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Housing and Urban Development, 

Space, Science, Veterans, proposed to the Senate a counterbudget that 

would cut $4 billion from the President’s $268.7-billion FY 1974 U.S. 

budget request. The counterbudget would reduce the $3.1-billion space 

budget by $500 million. “The prime candidate for cutting is the space 

shuttle, which this year will cost us $400 million. . . . I think Skylab, 

where spending of $315 million is scheduled, could be stretched out 

and postponed. Additional savings could be made in a much more 

vigorous effort to substitute unmanned for manned space efforts. ScienFebruary 6: 

39 
February 6 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

tists tell us that unmanned flights can be as productive as manned 

flights at roughly half the cost.” (CR, 2/6/73, S2108-10) 

The Senate passed S.J.R. 37 with an amendment and sent it to the House. 

The bill would redesignate the Manned Spacecraft Center the Lyndon 

B. Johnson Space Center. The amendment substituted the word “space” 

for “science” in the resolution preamble. (GR, 2/6/73, S2229-30) 

The Federal Aviation Administration put into effect Phase I1 of the 

tightened airport security measures announced Dec. 5, 1972. An armed 

guard would be stationed at every departure gate of every US. air 

carrier airport; every passenger would be screened before boarding 

aircraft; and all baggage would be inspected before being carried 

aboard. (DOT Release) 

Sen. Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. (R-Conn.) , told the press in Washington, D.C., 

that a hold had been ordered on the Air Force AX tactical fighter plane 

contract with Fairchild Industries, Inc. The Air Force had said Fairchild had won a $14-million contract to build 10 prototypes by outbidding Northrop Corp. but congressional critics had disagreed, saying 

Northrop could build the same aircraft more cheaply. The Air Force 

would conduct its own investigation. (AP, W Star & News, 2/7/73, A7) 

0 President Nixon designated Dr. Dixy Lee Ray Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, succeeding Dr. James R. Schlesinger. Dr. Schlesinger 

had become Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in January. 

Dr. Ray, former Univ. of Washington zoologist and Director of the 

Pacific Science Center, had become the first woman nominated as a 

member of AEC in July 1972. The nomination had been confirmed in 

October 1972. (PD, 7/17/72, 1148-9; 7/24/72, 1165; 2/12/73, 124) 

NASA launched a Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket from Andoeya, Norway, 

carrying a Norwegian Defense Research Establishment magnetospheric 

physics experiment to a 254.3-km (15s-mi) altitude. The rocket and 

instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

The Army announced award of a $1969269 firm-fixed-price contract to 

Industrial Contractors, Inc., for modification of the acoustic model 

engine test facility at Marshall Space Flight Center. (DOD Release 

The House passed and cleared for the President’s signature S.J.R. 37, to designate the Manned Spacecraft Center the Lyndon B. 

Johnson Space Center in honor of the late President. Rep. Olin E. 

Teague (D-Tex.), for himself and Rep. Kenneth J. Gray (D-Ill.), 

introduced H.J.R. 328 for the same purpose. H.J.R. 328 was referred 

to the House Committee on Science and Astronautics. (CR, 2/7/73, 

H838.9, H877) 

* Selection of John E. O’Brien as Assistant General Counsel for Procurement Matters was announced by NASA. O’Brien, who had been Chief 

Counsel of Kennedy Space Center since December 1970, would replace 

John A. Whitney, who would return to private law practice. (NASA 

Release 73-19) 

* Rep. Olin E. Teague (D-Tex.), Chairman of the House Committee on 

Science and Astronautics, introduced NASA-related bills : H.R. 4115, to 

authorize coinage of 50-cent pieces to commemorate the Apollo II 

lunar landing and to establish the Apollo Lunar Landing Commemorative Trust Fund; H.R. 4119, to amend the National Aeronautics and 

Space Act of 1958 to provide for additional reports to Congress; and 

63-73) 

February 7: 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 7 

H.R. 4120, to authorize the NASA Administrator to convey certain lands 

in Brevard County, Fla. (CR, 2/7/73, H875) 

* The Federal Aviation Administration announced award of a $3485861 

contract to Westinghouse Electric CO.’S Aerospace and Electronic Systems Center to design, fabricate, install, and test one prototype airroute-surveillance radar, designated ARSR-3. The radar would include 

the latest technology to improve coverage area and target detection 

and to reduce clutter. (FAA Release 73-26) 

* A New York Times editorial commented on the new role of science in 

President Nixon’s Administration : The extent to which technical expertise was indispensable to governmental decision-making in fields of 

environmental pollution, defense, and medical policy made it “surprising that the President now has chosen to lessen the role of science 

and scientists in his Administration.” Downgrading science and technology would have effect of a handicap “in getting first-class scientific 

advice quickly when he needs it. . . . The United States is powerful 

and prosperous today only because it has made such effective, largescale use of scientific knowledge in all civilian and military fields.” 

(NYT, 2/7/73, 34) 

U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 548 from Plesetsk into orbit with 

a 284-km (176.5-mi) apogee, 209-km (129.9-mi) perigee, 89.4-min 

period, and 65.4’ inclination. The satellite reentered Feb. 21. (GSFC 

SSR, 2/28/73 ; SBD, 2/9/73, 227) 

Rep. Kenneth J. Gray (D-Ill.) introduced H.R. 4225 for himself and 

Rep. Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. (D-Mass.), Rep. John J. McFall (D-Calif.), 

and Rep. Charles M. Price (D-Ill.) Section 3 of the bill would repeal 

section of P.L. 92-520 that had changed the name of Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory to H. Allen Smith Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (CR, 2/8/73, 

H932; Sen Com on Public Works) 

* French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau spoke via Ats 3 satellite 

(launched Nov. 6, 1967) from his research vessel Calypso in the 

Antarctic to reporters in the U.S. and Europe, to describe his research. 

In experiments with Ames Research Center, Cousteau had made constant measurements of chlorophyll, temperatures, and water transparency, sending data to ARC for comparison with satellite data. The 

experiment sought to learn how to monitor biological productivity 

of oceans from outer space. His expedition had been in Antarctic waters 

for two months. It would head up the South American coast and 

terminate in Los Angeles in the summer. (Blakeslee, NYT, 2/9/73, 57; 

Transcript Cousteau Press Conf, 3/1/73) 

* The Canadian National Research Council launched the sixth and final 

sounding rocket in a series to investigate growth and decay of auroras 

[see Jan. 30 and Feb. 21. The series had included two NASA launches. 

A Black Brant IVB carried a 84-kg (185-lb) payload from Churchill 

Research Range to 729-km (453-mi) altitude to investigate the quiet 

pre-breakup of the early evening aurora. Rocket and instrumentation 

performed satisfactorily. (NRC prog off) 

* President Nixon took his first ride in the new Spirit of ’76 presidential 

Boeing 707 jet aircraft. The aircraft, which replaced the 707 put into 

presidential service in 1962, had been flight-tested 100 hrs by the 

presidential pilot, Col. Ralph D. Albertazzi (USAF) , before the President’s flight from Washington, D.C., to San Clemente, Calif. (UPI, 

W Post, 2/9/73, 27; Boeing Co. PIO) 

February 8: 

41 
February 8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

0 A Washington Evening Star and Daily News editorial commented on the 

supersonic transport effort : Environmental and economic problems and 

order cancellations had created a bleak outlook for the French and 

British Concorde. The modest budget request for research into the 

environmental impact of the US. SST by the Nixon Administration was 

realistic and should be approved by Congress “for the nation’s protection.” But the Administration should be “resigned to its defeat of 1971 

in the building of an SST prototype.” (W Star & News, 2/8/73, A10) 

Aspects of President Nixon’s FY 1974 budget requests were 

discussed in a Science article: The space program seemed “alive and 

well as it makes the transition into the post-Apollo era, despite recent 

fears . . . that its activities might be cut back severely.” NASA officials 

seemed confident the space shuttle would be built. The President had 

supported the project “although his new budget message contained no 

mention of the space program” and, “in Congress, it has survived 

handily all past attempts to kill it. The fact that the project helps 

sustain an aerospace industry that has suffered grievously from layoffs 

is a point lost on no one. And then too, NASA has going for it the fact 

that, both in Apollo and in the unmanned programs, it has generally 

met its goals and stayed within its budget.” Evidence existed “that the 

President does indeed look to a possible revival” of the supersonic 

transport “but not until later in the 1970’s. The new NASA budget contains $28 million-more than twice as much as last year’s budget-for 

research and development on supersonic technology. The work focuses 

on problems of noise, pollution, and efficiency of configuration.” (Carter, 

Science, 2/9/73, 551-2) 0 The United Nations Working Group on Remote Sensing of Earth by 

Satellite reported the success of US. and Soviet programs in identifying 

soil types, mapping minerals, charting geological features, locating fish 

schools, and producing “highly accurate” maps in areas incompletely 

mapped by conventional methods. Data had come largely from Erts 1 

Earth Resources Technology Satellite launched by NASA July 23, 1972. 

The Group suggested satellites might eventually detect underground 

water and record snowfalls. Valuable but incomplete information had 

been obtained about oceans. The Group urged priority research to 

develop methods of mixing carbon dioxide and ozone in the atmosphere, 

so satellites could monitor air pollution, and proposed putting a sensing 

system on the moon to monitor the earth‘s atmosphere. (LA Times, 

2/10/73 ; Atlanta JG, 2/22/73) 

Dr. Thomas 0. Paine, Vice President and Group Executive of General 

Electric Co. and former NASA Administrator, cited technological advances in power systems by the space program in a speech on the 

national energy crisis before the Morgan Guaranty International Council in San Francisco: “As we meet here today five small isotope generators on the moon are powering unmanned research stations there. Such 

technological advances by the US. aerospace industry promise to have 

major future impacts on world power systems, from fuel cells and the 

safe handling of hydrogen in the Apollo program to high temperature 

military jet engine technology for gas turbines and semiconductor 

technology for high voltage DC transmission.” (Text) 

NASA launched two sounding rockets, one from Sweden and one from 

White Sands Missile Range. A Nike-Tomahawk launched from Kiruna, 

Sweden, carried a Swedish Space COT. aeronomy experiment to a 

February 9: 

442 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 9 

180.2-km ( 112-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed 

satisfactorily. 

A Black Brant VC was launched from White Sands Missile Range 

carrying a Univ. of California astronomy experiment to a 212.4-km 

(132-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily but the payload was damaged in recovery. (GSFC proj off) 

The Federal Aviation Administration announced award of a $735213 

contract to Collins Radio Co. to develop new area aviation techniques 

to increase airport and airways capacity. The two-year study would 

emphasize two-dimensional (positional and altitude guidance) and 

three-dimensional (added time element) area navigation concepts. 

(FAA Release 73-30) 

The U.S.S.R. ground control commanded the lunar explorer Lunokhod 2 to unfold its solar battery panel and begin its 

second lunar day of exploration. The moon car explored its parking 

area-a small deep crater with outcroppings of bedrock at its edge, 

formed 3 million yrs ago by a large meteorite that hit the surface of 

congealed lava. Lunokhod 2 made measurements of the magnetic field 

inside the crater by approaching it four times from different directions 

and making 120 precision maneuvers. 

The vehicle moved southeasterly to the Taurus Mountains. En route 

it measured physicomechanical properties of the soil and tension of the 

local magnetic fields, took panoramic photos of surrounding terrain, and 

tested riding characteristics of the lunar vehicle in various modes of 

operation. A monolith one meter (three feet) long of unusual lunar 

material was discovered Feb. 13. The plate had a strong, smooth surface 

unlike surrounding pockmarked stones and appeared to be much 

younger. 

During exploration of the giant crater Lunokhod 2 skidded and 

swerved over 2.3 km (1.4 mi) of difficult terrain with slopes up to 25" 

and sank in dust to the hub of its wheels as it ascended the rim of the 

crater. At the top of the rim, TV cameras showed a complex surface 

with ejecta piled on the rims of lunar holes formed when three 

meteorites hit the area within millions of years. Lunokhod 2 descended 

the slope of a 100-m (330-ft) crater, leaving deep ruts in loose rock. 

The difficult ascent was interrupted for 20 hrs to replenish electrical 

energy Feb. 19. Lunokhod 2 had covered 9.6 km (6.0 mi) since landing 

on the moon Jan. 16. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 2/14/73, L1; 2/15/73, L2-L3; 

2/21/73, L2-L3) 

February 10-March 10: Water impact and towing tests of the space 

shuttle's solid-propellant booster were conducted by the Navy at the 

Long Beach, Calif., Naval Shipyard. Tests, under Marshall Space 

Flight Center direction, gathered data on retrieval of reusable solidfueled-motor casings jettisoned from the orbiter stage at 40-km (25-mi) 

altitude. Test hardware, a 77%-scale model of the shuttle booster, was 

dropped from heights of 0.3 to 12 m (1 to 40 ft) at angles of lo", 20°, 

and 30" off vertical. The model was towed at speeds of 3.7 to 14.8 km 

per hour (2.3 to 9.2 mph) . Kennedy Space Center was responsible for development of the 

retrieval techniques ; MSFC, for design and fabrication of solid-propellant 

reusable boosters. ( MSFC Release 73-12 ; KSC Release 22-73 ; NASA 

February 9-19: 

prog off) 

43 
February 11 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

February 11: Rising costs of the Skylab missions were discussed by 

Thomas O’Toole in a Washington Post article: Nearly $400 million had 

been added to cost estimates since the Skylab program had originated 

seven years ago. Postponement of the first Skylab launch from April to 

May had added $5 million in overtime costs and NASA had conceded 

another two-week delay and $5 million in additional costs was possible. 

Another reason for skyrocketing costs was the post-Apollo switch of 

emphasis from the moon and planets to the earth. Skylab’s original 

purpose had been to study the sun and addition of the earth studies 

program on Skylab had added greatly to costs. 

Skylab was the flagship of the US. manned space program. It was 

the “most impressive machine ever built,” weighing 90 metric tons 

(100 US. tons) and providing living quarters equal to a three-bedroom 

house. Scientists saw Skylab as the link between the first decade of space 

exploration and the 198Os, when the reusable shuttle would become 

operational. It would provide much information about effects on the 

human body of long periods in space. The last of three Skylab crews 

might stay in space for 70 days. “If they make it that long without any 

serious side effects, they will have done as much for space exploration 

as any of the pioneers before them.” (O’Toole, W Post, Al) 

A statement by Western Union International, Inc., Vice 

President Thomas S. Greenish that mainland China had no plans for 

establishment of a domestic satellite communications system was quoted 

by Aviation Week & Space Technology. Greenish had returned from 

two-month stay in People’s Republic of China in connection with 

an earth terminal being built by WUI near Peking. (Av Wk, 2/12/73, 

17 1 0 Definitive agreements drawn up to establish International Telecommunications Satellite Organization ( INTELSAT) went into effect, replacing 

the interim arrangements in effect since August 1964. Under the 

agreements, INTELSAT would operate under a four-component structure of a Board of Governors, Assembly of Parties, Meeting of Signatories, and an Executive Organ. The Board would have primary 

responsibility for design, development, construction, establishment, 

operation, and management of the comsat system. The Assemblycomposed of a representative of the government of each member 

nation-would meet every two years to consider matters of concern 

to the governments. The Meeting of Signatories-representatives of 

governments or telecommunications entities-would convene annually 

to consider operational and other matters of interest to investors. Each 

member of the Meeting would have one vote. 

The Executive Organ would be headed by a Secretary General 

responsible to the Board of Governors for performance of financial and 

administrative services. Under the agreements, Communications Satellite 

Corp. would furnish technical and operating management services for 

INTELSAT for a six-year period ending Feb. 12, 1979. Services would be 

performed under policies set by the INTELSAT Board of Governors. At 

the end of the ComSatCorp contract, INTELSAT would continue to contract 

with “one or more competent entities” to provide technical and operational management functions “to the maximum extent practicable.” 

Agreements called for election of a Director General by Dec. 31, 1976. 

The Board of Governors would hold its first meeting in Washington, 

D.C., March 14. (Text; ComSatCorp Release, 2/1/73) 

February 12: 

44 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 12 

* An Aviation Week & Space Technology cover photo showed orange and 

black particles brought back from the moon’s Shorty Crater by Apollo 

17 astronauts during the Dec. 7-19, 1972, mission. Particles were 

. described by the magazine as 20 to 45 pm in size-“about the size of 

terrestrial silt.” They were “glass, but in a process of devitrification, 

that is transition from non-crystalline form to crystalline minerals.” The 

orange soil was “rich in titanium-8%-and iron oxide-22%-but 

is also high in zinc.” (Av Wk, 2/12/73, cover, 20) 

The U.S.S.R. had launched three times as many reconnaissance satellites 

as the US. during 1972 but had achieved only 25% more time in orbit 

because of the expanding US. use of long-endurance “Big Bird” 

spacecraft, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. The U.S.S.R. 

had obtained 366 days in orbit for its Cosmos satellites; the U.S. total 

was 295 days. 

An improved design of U.S.S.R. reconnaissance satellites had been 

used for 80% of the launches, the magazine said. The new design 

provided for ejection of hardware-probably a vernier propulsion unit 

-one or two days before spacecraft recovery. The propulsion unit was 

used to change the spacecraft orbital path to bring it directly over the 

ground target. Spacecraft might also be equipped with high-resolution, 

narrow-field-of-view cameras for a close-look mission. 

Three of a total eight US. launches had been new-generation Big 

Bird satellites equipped with a giant high-resolution camera, the 

magazine said. The remaining satellites had been launched by a Titan 

IIIB-Agena booster, while the number of launches using the Thorad 

booster had continued to decline. The mission of the Titan IIIB-launched 

spacecraft was probably changing from mainly close-look to both closelook and search-and-find missions and used as gap fillers for the highcost Big Birds. (Av Wk, 2/12/73, 50-51) 

The NASA and Soviet Academy of Sciences Joint Working 

Group on the Natural Environment met in Moscow to review progress 

and plan continued cooperation in geology and geomorphology ; vegetation, soils, and land use; water, snow, and glaciology; microwave 

techniques; and oceanology. Delegations were led by NASA Deputy 

Associate Administrator for Applications Leonard Jaffe and Soviet 

Academician Yu. I<. Khodarev. (NASA Release 73-106) 

Pioneer-G, the second Jupiter-mission spacecraft, arrived at 

Kennedy Space Center in preparation for the opening of the launch 

window on April 5. If successfully launched with an accurate trajectory 

in the first few days of window, the spacecraft, designated Pioneer 11, 

might be programmed to acquire sufficient speed from the Jupiter 

flyby to continue to Saturn. When the spacecraft reached the Jupiter 

vicinity in January 1975, Jupiter and Saturn would be nearly aligned. 

The spacecraft could, under favorable conditions, acquire part of 

Jupiter’s orbital velocity during the flyby to speed it to Saturn. The 

predecessor Pioneer 10 (launched March 2, 1972) had been the first 

spacecraft to undertake an outer planetary mission. It was due to arrive 

at Jupiter in December 1974. (KSC Release 27-73) 

* NASA turned off Om 2 Orbiting Astronomical Observatory at 10:40 pm 

EST during the 22000th earth orbit by the spacecraft launched Dec. 7, 

1968. Om 2, designed to operate for one year, had “far exceeded the 

fondest hopes” of NASA officials by operating more than four years. (NASA 

prog off; AP, SD Union, 2/14/73) 

February 12-17: 

Febrmry 13: 

45 
February 13 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Q Establishment of task team to focus on space tug activities was announced 

by Marshall Space Flight Center. The team, under Manager William 

Teir and Deputy Manager William G. Huber, would direct early 

planning and design of the tug-a vehicle to supplement the space 

shuttle’s capabilities. The tug was to be shuttle payload and would 

become the shuttle 3rd stage after being deployed in earth orbit by the 

shuttle. Its rocket engine would propel payloads to different earth 

orbits or send payloads on planetary missions. (MSFC Release 73-19) 

Q The mission of Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite-launched 

July 23, 1972, to determine feasibility of exploring earth from spacehad exceeded all expectations, John N. Wilford said in a New York 

Times article. During seven months since the satellite had been put into 

a polar, sun-synchronous orbit, it had produced 125000 photos, surveyed earth resources, and monitored crop growth, glacier advances, 

and spread of pollution and population. 

With scanners measuring reflected light in both visible and infrared 

bands, Erts 1 had discovered previously unmapped fractures branching 

off the San Andreas fault, prepared a detailed map of cracks and faults 

in lhe Wind River Mountains, traced linear terrain features where India 

had slammed into Asia millions of years earlier, produced accurate 

maps of the U.S. underground water supply, discovered two hitherto 

unknown lakes in Iran, and provided better knowledge of the Amazon 

River basin. (Wilford, NYT, 2/13/73, 22) 

Q NASA launched an Arcas sounding rocket-first in a series of two-from 

Antigua, West Indies, carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center payload 

to a 58.1-km (36.1-mi) altitude. The objectives were to measure the 

ozone distribution in the upper atmosphere, monitor anomalous ultraviolet absorption for the evaluation of the Nimbus 4 (meteorological 

satellite launched April 8, 1970) backscatter uv experiment, and extend 

the data base for a climatology of stratospheric ozone in the tropics. 

The rocket was launched during a Nimbus 4 overpass. The rocket and 

instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt SRL) 

* U.S. Patent 3 715 962 was awarded to Dr. Edward F. Yost, Jr., Professor 

of Engineering at Long Island Univ., for a multispectral aerial photography system. The equipment, used on Apollo 9 and 12 (launched 

March 3, 1969, and Nov. 14, 1969) and on Erts 1 (launched July 23, 

1972), was able to detect water, soil, and agricultural conditions with 

greater subtlety than previously possible. (Jones, NYT, 2/17/73, 41; 

Pat Off PIO) 

Q Secretary of Transportation Claude S. Brinegar announced completion of 

Phase I of the air-route-control-system automation program. Memphis 

had been the last of 20 cities to install IBM 9020 computers in a nationwide network system to transfer flight data from one facility to another. 

The network had 61 automated radar terminal systems (ARTS). (FAA 

Release 73-32) 

Selection of four firms to negotiate contracts to study systems 

for the space tug (space shuttle 3rd stage) was announced by Marshall 

Space Flight Center. General Dynamics Corp. Convair Aerospace Div. 

and McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co. each would perform a 10-mo 

study of a cryogenic tug using liquid-hydrogen and liquid-oxygen propellants. 

Grumman Aerospace Corp. and Martin Marietta Corp. would perform 

parallel studies of tug using storable propellants. (NASA Release 73-24) 

February 14: 

46 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 14 

* The U.S.S.R. weather ship Priboy and special 11-18 aircraft arrived in the 

Bering Sea to take part in the first U.S.S.R.-U.S. research expedition 

[see Jan. 221. Priboy and 11-18 would meet in the area of Saint Matthew 

Island with a U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker and NASA Convair 990 aircraft to begin the expedition Feb. 17. (Tass, FBIS-SOY, 2/16/73, L3) 

* Cancellation of U.K.’s Hovertrain program was announced by Michael 

R. D. Heseltine, Minister of Aerospace and Shipping. The project was 

canceled after 41h yrs and $12-million development cost because of the 

excessive expenditures necessary to bring the Hovertrain to a competitive status and because of a lack of a foreseeable market. (Arbose, NYT, 

2/18/73, 76) 

NASA’s Pioneer 10 probe, on its way to the planet Jupiter, 

safely completed its crossing of the Asteroid Belt, NASA announced at a 

Headquarters press conference. Launched March 2, 1972, the spacecraft had completed the 430-million-km (27O-million-mi), seven-month 

trip through the belt with no damaging hits from asteroid particles. Dr. 

William H. Kinard, Langley Research Center scientist, said NASA was 

“firmly convinced that the Asteroid belt presents little hazard to future 

spacecraft going out to explore outer planets.” Pioneer 10 had encountered an average of one large particle of 0.1- to 1-mm (0.004- to 

0.04-in) dia a day and had come within 1640 million km (400 million 

mi) of only one asteroid over 10 m (33 ft) in diameter. Particle encounters had been observed by measuring sunlight scatter of particles by telescopes and by pressurized cells that leaked when penetrated by a 

particle. Pioneer 10 project scientist Dr. John H. Wolfe of Ames 

Research Center said the asteroid distribution was fairly uniform. 

Pioneer 10 had made the most distant observations of solar atmosphere 

and solar wind to date and had found that the sun’s atmosphere expanded with distance while the solar wind slowed but heated up with 

distance. The spacecraft had covered 70% of its 1-billion-km (620- 

million-mi) flight and would reach Jupiter Dec. 3. After exploring 

Jupiter’s atmosphere it would escape the solar system. Pioneer-G, 

scheduled for April launch, would travel a similar course to Jupiter. 

(Transcript; NASA Release 73-27) 

* The U.S.S.R. launched Prognoz 3 from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit 

with a 200 000-km (124 274-mi) apogee, 590-km (367-mi) perigee, 

96-hr 23-min period, and 65” inclination. Tass announced the primary 

objective of the 845-kg (1863-113) spacecraft was to explore corpuscular, 

gamma, and x-ray solar radiation; solar plasma flow; and magnetic 

fields in near-earth space to determine effects of solar activity on the interplanetary medium and magnetosphere of the earth. All spacecraft systems and instrumentation functioned satisfactorily. ( GSFC SSR, 2/28/73 ; 

Spacewarn, 3/6/73 ; FBIS-SOV, 2/15/73, L1) 

* North American Rockwell Corp. shareholders voted at annual meeting in 

Los Angeles, Calif., to change the company name to Rockwell International Corp. The new name dropped all reference to North American 

Aviation, Inc., a household word in the U.S. and a contractor for the 

development of the Apollo spacecraft before its 1967 merger with the 

smaller Rockwell Standard Corp. The company’s Aerospace Group would 

become North American Aerospace Group. Changes would be effective 

Feb. 16. (NR Release NR-6; LA Times, 2/16/73; Ertel, Morse, The 

Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology, NASA SP-4009) 

February 15: 

47 
February 15 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

0 Federal Communications Commission Chairman Dean Burch wrote Dr. 

James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, that FCC hoped NASA would continue satellite communications programs to “discharge its statutory responsibilities in the Communications Satellite Act of 1962” and “be a 

potent factor in maintaining the position of the United States at the very 

forefront of this new and vital technology.” The letter was in response 

to a Feb. 2 notification to FCC that NASA planned to terminate its comsat 

programs because of FY 1974 budget restrictions [see Jan. 51. Burch 

wrote that FCC had “over the years placed heavy reliance on the advice 

and technical expertise of your agency with respect to communications 

services via satellite.” NASA also had been “invaluable” to FCC in other 

fields, including “detailed evaluation of the orbital assignments and 

space engineering of the various proposals before this Commission in 

the domestic satellite field.” With the use of comsat technology spreading to aviation, maritime, and educational activities, “it would be particularly unfortunate if this Commission were not to be able to receive 

the same high level advice and assistance upon which it has relied over 

the past decade.” (Text) 

0 An emergency team put together by NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Navy’s Fleet Weather Facility was 

aiding Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s damaged oceanographic research vessel 

Calypso. The Calypso, damaged by an iceberg Jan. 16 while exploring 

the Antarctic Ocean, would have to navigate the treacherous Drake Passage to the port of Ushuaia, Argentina, for repairs. The best conditions 

for the crossing passage would be determined from weather and ice floe 

information supplied by Nimbus and NOAA weather satellite photos and 

FWF sea ice experts. Calypso had been instrumented to receive weather 

and satellite communications via Ats 3 (launched by NASA Nov. 6, 1967) 

by Goddard Space Flight Center for participation in an experiment with 

NASA [see Feb. 81. (NASA Release 73-28) 

0 Dr. Harold A. Rosen, codeveloper with Dr. Donald D. Williams of the first 

synchronous communications satellite (Syncom 2, launched Feb. 14, 

1963), was named the “Southern California Inventor of the Year” by 

the Patent Law Assn. of Los Angeles. Dr. Rosen, manager of the commercial satellite systems division of the Hughes Aircraft Co. Space and 

Communications Group, held 18 patents for inventions related to the 

synchronous satellite. He was cited for “revolutionizing the satellite industry.” (LA Her-Exam, 2/16/73 ; SBD, 2/27/73, 301) 

0 Rapid detection of contaminated oxygen had been developed by researchers 

at the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, the Air Force Systems 

Command announced. Contaminated oxygen, which could cause serious 

illness or death for high-altitude pilots, previously had been detected by 

analysis of samples at a regional laboratory. The new portable infrared 

and gas chromatographic analyzers would provide reliable analysis on 

the spot in 15 min. (AFSC Release 014.73) 

0 President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of Assistant Secretary of Labor for Labor-Management Willie J. Usery, Jr., to be Federal 

Mediation and Conciliation Director. Before joining the Dept. of Labor, 

Usery had been special representative of the International Assn. of Machinists at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Test Facility, IAM representative 

on the President’s Missile Sites Labor Committee at Kennedy Space 

Center and at Marshall Space Flight Center, and coordinator for union 

activities at Manned Spacecraft Center. He had helped to form the Cape 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 15 

Kennedy Labor-Management Relations Council in 1967 and had become 

its first Chairman in 1968. The nomination was confirmed March 29. 

(PD, 2/19/73, 154, 156; Usery Off) 

Scientists at the State Univ. of New York had concluded the 

orange soil found on moon by Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan 

and Harrison H. Schmitt was billions of years older than first thought, 

the New York Times reported. The discovery had originally led the 

scientific community to believe the moon might have been volcanically 

active into geologically recent times, but Dr. Oliver A. Schaeffer, Professor of Earth and Space Sciences at State Univ., had said, “It can now 

be reasonably stated that volcanism . . . ended about three billion years 

ago:” The team had tested the orange soil sample by potassium-argon 

dating. By measuring atomic properties, the soil had been found to be 

3.71 billion yrs old. It was not known whether soil was of volcanic 

origin. (Rensberger, NYT, 2/16/73, 46) 

The Manned Spacecraft Center had awarded a shuttle contract to Charles 

S. Draper Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the MSC 

Roundup reported. The Laboratory had received a $1 375 484 cost-no-fee 

contract to provide technical support for guidance, navigation, and control subsystems in space shuttle program. (MSC Roundup, 2/16/73, 1) 

0 Plans to operate the new Trident nuclear-powered submarine with 24 

missiles of 6500- to 9700-km (4000- to 6000-mi) range from the Pacific 

Ocean were announced by Secretary of the Navy John W. Warner. 

Facilities at the Bangor Annex of the Naval Torpedo Station Keyport 

near Bangor, Wash., would be expanded as base for Trident, to broaden 

the area of operations of deterrent submarines. (DOD Release 8673; 

NYT, 2/17/73, 30) 

A Science editorial criticized the Nixon Administration’s abolition of the 

post of Presidential Science Adviser and the Office of Science and Technology: The deed had been done in a way “not worthy of a great nation.” The office had first been abolished, “then someone woke up to the 

fact that it served important functions. After scrambling around, someone had the inspiration to transfer the functions of the office to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and appoint [Dr. H.] Guyford Stever 

(head of the NSF) as science adviser. The solution has merit. However, if 

it is to represent more than a gesture, Stever and the NSF will be overloaded with conflicting responsibilities.” (Abelson, Science, 2/16/73, 

641 ) 

February 17: The NASA-U.S.S.R. joint mission to measure ice, surface, and 

atmospheric conditions in the Bering Sea began, following arrival at 

the experiment site of the U.S. Coast Guard ship Staten Island, NASA 

instrumented Convair 990 Galileo aircraft, and Soviet weather ship 

Priboy and 11-18 aircraft. ( F~BIS-SOV, 3/6/73, L1) 

0 President Nixon signed S.J.R. 37 into Public Law 93-8, redesignating the 

Manned Spacecraft Center the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in honor 

of the late President, who died Jan. 22. The President said: “Few men 

in our time have better understood the value of space exploration than 

Lyndon Johnson.” As senator, Johnson had written, introduced, and 

helped to enact legislation which created NASA. He had called NASA the 

“proudest legislative achievement” of his congressional career. As Vice 

President and Chairman of the National Aeronautics and Space Council, 

he had served in the “early years of exploration when the groundwork 

was laid, and the determination made to put a man on the moon.” As 

February 16: 
February 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

President, Johnson had overseen the first Apollo flights, “in a way that 

led people beyond the adventure and the pride to the deeper meaning 

and the deeper benefits of space exploration.” President Johnson “by 

his vision and his work and his support” had drawn America up closer 

to the stars “and before he died he saw us reach the moon-the first 

great plateau along the way.” (PD, 2/26/73, 160) 

The U.S.S.R. had fired nine intercontinental ballistic missiles within two 

weeks over its Asian territory north of the People’s Republic of China, 

the New York Times reported. Nixon Administration officials had said 

this suggested a step-up in Soviet training of crews for missiles with 

potential targets in China. (Beecher, NYT, 2/17/73, 4) 

NASA was measuring aerodynamic noise made by aircraft in 

unpowered flight, to solve noise problem in communities surrounding 

airports. Lockheed-California Co. studies made for NASA and the Navy 

had indicated that aerodynamic (nonengine) noise might be a significant portion of total aircraft noise. Knowledge of sources could aid in 

designing quieter aircraft. Tests had been made with twin-engine, 

propeller-driven aircraft at Flight Research Center. Flights with twinengine jet aircraft were planned for late January; flights with fourengine jet aircraft were being considered. (NASA Release 73-22) 

Lockheed U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft equipped with sensors 

and data-transmission link had begun flight tests off the Southern California coast, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. In one flight, 

an X-band commercial weather radar modified by Lockheed had detected a surfaced submarine at distance of 240 km (150 mi). (Av Wk, 

2/19/73, 15) 

Five hundredth anniversary of the birth of Polish astronomer Nicolaus 

Copernicus, who was the first to propound the theory that the earth 

moved around the sun. A New York Times editorial said: “Today, after 

centuries of development of Copernican ideas we know that the earth 

and this solar system are a relatively unimportant byway in a universe 

with billions of stars and of similar solar systems. Statistically, the 

probability is high that there are other sentient forms of life in the 

universe, separated from us by uncountable light years and perhaps 

exceeding our species in understanding. Copernicus thus should be 

honored today both as the founder of modern science and as a pioneer 

of a more realistic understanding of man’s place in the universe.” (NYT, 

2/19/73) 

February 20: A full-scale mockup of the Skylab Orbital Workshopshipped from McDonnell Douglas, Huntington Beach, Calif.-arrived 

at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. It would be combined with 

other Skylab hardware and used for system engineering and integration 

support to Skylab earth orbital missions scheduled to begin in May. 

( MSFC Release 73-14) 

0 The Office of Management and Budget released $2.53 million of NASA funds 

appropriated for the quiet, clean engine development in FY 1973 but 

impounded by OMB in 1972. OMB also released $2 million appropriated 

for NASA’s quiet, experimental, short takeoff and landing aircraft 

(QUESTOL) in FY 1973. The project had since been terminated [see 

Jan. 51. (OMB PIO) 

ApoZZo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison 

H. Schmitt visited Kennedy Space Center to thank employees for their 

efforts in making manned exploration of the moon possible. Dr. Schmitt 

February 19: 

50 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 20 

said man would explore Mars in the not too distant future. “The reason 

it is possible to talk this way and not be accused of talking science fiction 

is because there’s no longer science fiction. It’s now only science prediction.” ( UPI, LA Her-Exam, 2/21/73) 

* The U.S.S.R. called for participation of the People’s Republic of China and 

France in negotiations on an accord to end all nuclear weapon testing. 

During his opening statement at the first 1973 session of the Geneva 

Disarmament Conference, Soviet delegate Aleksey A. Roshchin said 

negotiations to end nuclear tests “require the participation of all nuclear 

states.” Neither China nor France had shown any interest in joining 

the conference. Progress in the talks continued to be blocked by the 

issue of onsite inspection to detect nuclear explosions. The U.S.S.R. 

opposed international controls and the US. supported them. (NYT, 

2/21/73, 7) 

* NASA launched an Arcas sounding rocket-second in a series of two-from 

Antigua, West Indies, carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center payload 

to a 52.5-km (32.6-mi) altitude. The objectives were to measure the 

ozone distribution in the upper atmosphere, monitor anomalous ultraviolet absorption for the evaluation of the Nimbus 4 (meteorological 

satellite launched April 8, 1970) backscatter uv experiment, and extend the data base for a climatology of stratospheric ozone in the tropics. 

The rocket was launched during a Nimbus 4 overpass. The rocket and 

instrumentation performed satisfactorily. The first rocket in this series 

was launched Feb. 13. (NASA Rpt SRL) 

The emergency team formed by NASA, the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration, and the Navy’s Fleet Weather Facility 

to aid Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s crippled research vessel Calypso [see 

Feb. 151 had been disbanded, NASA announced. The Calypso had safely 

navigated the dangerous Drake Passage between Antarctica and the 

Ushuaia port, Argentina, using weather and ice information supplied 

by Ats 3 satellite. Satellite photos had been processed at Goddard Space 

Flight Center, turned over to FWF, and analyzed and information transmitted to Cousteau aboard the Calypso. (NASA Release 73-33) 

Rep. J. Herbert Burke (R-Fla.) introduced three resolutions: H.J.R. 358 

to provide for a portion of the moon to be displayed in the Capitol; 

H.J.R. 359 to establish an Astronauts Memorial Commission to construct 

a memorial at Kennedy Space Center in honor of US. astronauts; and 

H.J.R. 362 to redesignate Cape Kennedy Cape Canaveral. (CR, 2/21/73, 

H1061) 

Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1, abolishing the Office 

of Science and Technology and the National Aeronautics and Space 

Council [see Jan. 26 and July 11, was reviewed by the Senate Committee 

on Government Operations’ Subcommittee on Executive Reorganization 

and Government Research. Chairman Abraham A. Ribicoff (D-Conn.) 

said, “Historically, Congress has allowed the President wide latitude in 

organizing his own office and so far no opposition has developed to this 

plan,” but added that questions had arisen as to whether the plan downgraded the voice of the scientific community within the Executive 

branch. Frederick V. Malek, Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, said it was “no longer necessary to have a single 

office within the Executive Office specifically directed to science and 

technology.” National Science Foundation Director H. Guyford Stever, 

newly designated Science Adviser to the President, said that NSF had 

February 21: 

February 22: 

51 
February 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

cc many inputs to the scientific community and they have many inputs 

to NSF” and that he expected the routes for advice to remain open. (CR, 

2/22/73, D128; Sci & Gout Rpt, 3/1/73, 7) 

NASA announced expansion of its program to sponsor research at four-year 

colleges and universities with predominantly minority enrollments. One 

hundred institutions had been invited to consider whether and how they 

might participate by submitting proposals relevant to NASA’s mission, 

contributing to solution of problems of concern to agency, and of 

technical merit. The expanded program had been developed in cooperation with the National Association for Equal Opportunity in 

Higher Education. (NASA Release 73-25) 

* ApoZZo 17 geologist-astronaut Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt was among 10 

young Government employees named to receive the 25th annual Arthur 

S. Flemming Award for outstanding contributions to Federal management and science, the Washington Star and News reported. The Schmitt 

citation was for “total performance as a scientist and astronaut, including geological training of early Apollo flight crews, and as lunar 

module pilot for Apollo 17.” Awards would be presented at a Washington, D.C., luncheon sponsored by the Downtown Jaycees Feb. 29. (W 

Star & News, 2/22/73; NASA Special Notice, 2/26/73) 

The Federal Women’s Award program committee announced six winners 

of its 13th annual awards for outstanding careers in the US. Civil 

Service. Goddard Space Flight Center’s Small Astronomy Satellite 

Project Manager, Mrs. Marjorie R. Townsend-the only woman to 

manage a U.S. satellite program-was among those who would receive 

the award at a March 6 banquet in Washington, D.C. Explorer 42 

(Uhuru) , first satellite launched in the program (Dec. 12, 1970), had 

provided the first complete picture of the sky in x-rays, bringing a 

major advance in astronomy. (W Post, 2/22/73; NASA Hq WB; A&A 

1970) 

The National Space Club held its Awards Luncheon in Washington, D.C. 

The Dr. Robert H. Goddard Historical Essay Award of $500-named for 

the US. rocket pioneer-was presented to Barton C. Hacker of Iowa 

State Univ. for his essay “From Space Station to Orbital Operations 

in Space Travel Thought, 1895-1951.”’ The Dr. Hugh L. Dryden 

Memorial Fellowship award of $2000, presented annually to an “individual . . . pursuing the challenges of research, exploration, and administration in astronautics, so that he may continue to seek and maintain 

pre-eminence in outer space” for the US., was given to Dr. Palmer 

Dyal of NASA Ames Research Center Electrodynamics Branch. The 

award was named for the first NASA Deputy Administrator, who died in 

1965. The Dr. Robert H. Goddard Scholarship of $2000 was presented 

to David 0. Starr of Catholic Univ. (Program; NSC News Letter, 

2/22/73) 

* Analysis of Apollo 15 and 16 data had shown that certain lunar craters, 

including Aristarchus, emitted gas puffs, the New York Times reported. 

Data from alpha particle experiments had indicated the events occurred 

in dark-floored or rimmed craters. Most events recorded had occurred 

when the moon was nearest earth orbit-the same time at which moonquakes occurred. (Sullivan, NYT, 2/22/73) 

a An experimental connector smaller than a dime had been developed by 

Kennedy Space Center engineers to apply small electrical currents from 

an outside power source to move paralyzed human muscles, NASA an52 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 22 

nounced. The connector-which would detach easily but provide good 

electrical contact while attached-was being tested at Rancho LOS 

Amigos Hospital in Downey, Calif. The NASA Office of Technology 

Utilization was supporting the hospital’s research on application of 

high-purity vitreous carbon-developed originally for rocket engine 

linings-to implants of tiny platinum wires attached to small pads on 

human nerve endings. Earlier connectors had damaged human skin 

during the process of detachment and had cost $1000 each. The ICSCdeveloped connector detached readily and cost $50 to $100 each. (NASA 

Release 73-30) 

Marshall Space Flight Center’s Science and Engineering 

Directorate sponsored a Research and Technology Review. The purpose 

was to expand the familiarity of scientists and engineers in government, 

industry, and the academic community with activities and accomplishments at MSFC having significant applications in space projects. Topics 

discussed were space sciences, manufacturing in space, optical contamination, materials and manufacturing, propulsion, computation and 

simulation, control and atmospheric flight mechanics, electronics communications and instrumentation, and apparatus. ( MSFC Release 73-16 ; 

73-21) 

Gamma ray spectrometers on Apollo 15 and 16 had mapped 

the moon’s radioactivity over 20% of the lunar surface, scientists from 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Univ. of 

California at San Diego reported in Science. Highest levels of natural 

radioactivity had been found in Mare Imbrium and Oceanus Procellarum with contrastingly lower enhancements in eastern maria. The rate 

of potassium to uranium was higher on far side of moon than on near 

side, “although it is everywhere lower than commonly found on earth.” 

(Metzger et al. ; Science, 2/23/73, 800-3) 

Results of the Mariner 9 ultraviolet spectrometer experiment to measure 

seasonal variation of ozone on Mars were reported in Science by Univ. 

of Colorado and Cal Tech scientists. Observations made between Nov. 14, 

1971, and Oct. 27, 1972, had shown ozone to be present in polar regions of Mars and to have seasonal variation. In summer, the amount 

in the polar atmosphere was less than three micrometer-atmospheres. 

In autumn, ozone increased and was found in association with formation of the polar hood. In winter, the maximum amount of ozone was 

present, “57 micrometer-atmospheres over the polar hood and 16 over 

the polar cap. In spring, the amount over the polar cap decreases monotonically until by the beginning of summer the ozone disappears. Ozone 

is not observed in the equatorial region during any season.” (Barth 

et al., Science, 2/23/73, 795-6) 

Dr. Joseph V. Charyk, President of Communications Satellite Corp., announced organizational changes to strengthen new roles in domestic 

and international satellite communications. 

Three new vice presidents were elected by ComSatCorp’s Board of 

Directors: David C. Acheson, Senior Vice President and General 

Counsel; John A. Johnson, Senior Vice President; and George P. Sampson, Senior Vice President in charge of International Systems Division. 

The subsidiary COMSAT General Corp. was formed to carry out 

ComSatCorp’s US. domestic programs. It would be headed by John A. 

Johnson, President ; Joseph H. O’Connor, Vice President and Treasurer ; 

John L. Martin, Jr., Vice President; and Jerome W. Breslow, Secretary. 

February 22-23 : 

February 23: 

53 
February 23 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

ComSatCorp had formed the International Systems Div. to consolidate 

all activities related to the International Telecommunications Satellite 

Organization’s Global Satellite System. The division would be headed 

by George P. Sampson, Senior Vice President in charge of International 

Systems Div. ; Richard R. Colino, Assistant Vice President for Technical 

Development and Support; and H. William Wood, Assistant Vice President for International Systems Operations. (ComSatCorp Release 73-9) 

0 The Philadelphia Evening BuZZetin editorial commented on the name 

change of Manned Spacecraft Center to Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center: “While the US. is cutting back its spending in space, this nation 

and the world can never forget the adventure and exploration of the 

Sixties and the person largely responsible, after John F. Kennedy’s 

death, for getting man to the moon.” It was therefore “appropriate 

that Mr. Johnson be honored. . . . At one point Mr. Johnson was reported to have called the creation of NASA his ‘proudest’ legislative 

achievement as a congressman. The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center 

will keep that achievement alive.” (P Bull, 2/23/73) 

* The U.S.S.R. had abandoned its women’s cosmonaut training program, 

the Washington Evening Star and Daily News reported. Gen. Georgy 

T. Beregovoy, commander of the Soviet cosmonauts, had said in an 

interview with the Polish newspaper Express Wieczerny in Warsaw, 

We train only young men, not women.” (UPI, W Star & News, 

2/23/73, A3) 

A Baltimore Sun editorial commented on the Feb. 15 press 

conference on the Pioneer 10 Jupiter probe (launched March 2, 1972) : 

“There was reason to worry for Pioneer’s wellbeing, as it traveled the 

section beyond Mars; so many chunks of rock float along there, on 

such erratic tracks, that our expensive new-model spacecraft could 

have inadvertently smacked into something a great deal bigger than 

itself. Even a sideswipe might have thrown it off course. Happily, it 

has registered contact only with the sort of fine-grained debris that 

litters space in general.” Pioneer 10 had indicated the existence of more 

asteroids between the earth and Mars than previously realized and 

fewer between Mars and Jupiter. “Or is it so new a phenomenon, that 

the closer to earth‘s big cities you come, the thicker the traffic gets?” (B 

Sun, 2/24/73) 

The 18th U.S.S.R. Antarctic expedition of 100 geophysicists, 

aerometeorologists, glaciologists, and medical workers launched its first 

sounding rocket from Molodezhnaya Observatory to measure the intensity of corpuscular radiation. A computer would be set up on site to 

analyze the data. (Izvestiya, FBIS-SOV, 3/2/73, L1) 

Representatives from 16 companies had visited Lewis Research Center’s Plum Brook Station to interview personnel affected by 

the Station’s closing, which would begin July 1973, LeRC announced. A 

special Outplacement Service Office, set up at LeRC, had prepared 

resumb, sought job opportunities, and arranged interviews for highly 

trained displaced engineering and technical personnel. (LeRC Release 

73-loa) 

* Johnson Space Center announced award of a one-year, $9300000 contract to Northrop Services, Inc., for operational and maintenance support services to JSC laboratories and test facilities. ( JSC Release 73-21) 

* Sen. John J. Sparkman (D-Ala.), for himself and Sen. James B. Allen 

(D-Ala.) , introduced S.J.R. 69 to authorize the President to proclaim 

66 

February 24: 

February 25: 

February 26: 

54 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 26 

July 20 of each year as National Space Day commemorating July 20. 

1969, lunar landing of Apollo 11. (CR, 2/26/73, S3213) 

President Nixon announced the designation of Robert D. Timm Chairman 

of Civil Aeronautics Board, effective March 2. He would succeed retiring Secor D. Browne. The President also accepted the resignation of 

the first NASA Administrator, Dr. ‘r. Keith Glennan, as US. Representative to International Atomic Energy Agency. He submitted to the 

Senate the nomination of Alexander P. Butterfield to be Federal Aviation Administrator. (PD, 2/26/73, 189, 244; 3/5/73, 192) 

The NASA and Soviet Academy of Sciences Joint 

Working Group on Space Biology and Medicine met in Moscow to 

exchange information on preliminary biomedical results of the Apollo 17 

mission (Dec. 7-9, 1972) and Soviet research in weightlessness modeling. The Group agreed on common procedures to test body negative 

pressure, to make active orthostatic evaluations, and to make biochemical 

blood and urine studies, permitting comparison of pre- and postflight 

data on body functions. The Group aIso discussed biological experiments in space and countermeasures to weightlessness. The US. delegation-headed by Dr. Charles A. Berry, NASA Director of Life Sciencesvisited Soviet medical research facilities and the Gagarin Center for 

Cosmonaut Training. They examined spacecraft trainers, medical equipment used for cosmonaut training and evaluation, and medical instrumentation used on Salyut spacecraft. The Soviet delegation was headed 

by Dr. R. N. Gurovsky. The next meeting would be held in the U.S. 

in late 1973 or early 1974. (NASA Release 73-79) 

The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Manned Space Flight began hearings on H.R. 4567, 

House version of the $3.016-billion NASA FY 1974 authorization bill. 

Dale D. Myers, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, 

said the “historic accomplishments of the Apollo program” were “an 

open record and an enduring tribute to a basic belief in human progress. 

The Apollo flights, in three short years, gave us an order of magnitude 

increase in our knowledge of the solar system. Although the epic Apollo 

voyages have ended, the results of these missions will provide the 

scientific, the technical, and medical, and the managerial communities 

with a rich store of data that will be studied and analyzed for many 

years to come.” NASA had completed the Apollo program and “moved 

from the era of learning how to live and work in space to a new plateau, 

where this Nation can utilize space and its unique capabilities for expanding its horizons in science and in applications, in defense, commercial activities and in international cooperation at reduced costs.” 

Skylab-scheduled for May launch-would be the “first post-Apollo 

step into the intensive utilization of space’’ and toward reorienting 

manned space activities to earth orbit. The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project 

(ASTP) , scheduled for July 1975 launch, would be “a major step forward 

in meaningful and beneficial international cooperation in manned space 

flight” and a significant step in space safety and in reducing costs by 

cooperation. Later, the space shuttle would provide “ample additional 

opportunities for meaningful technical and economic cooperation in 

space.” One opportunity would be to carry sortie lab being developed 

by group of European nations using their own funds. Closing out of 

Apollo activity would include “very careful screening of available production tooling for applicability to future shuttle or other NASA requireFebruary 26-March 3: 

February 27: 

55 
February 27 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

ments.” Available flight articles included two Saturn V and two Saturn 

IB launch vehicles, one completed command and service module, two 

partially assembled CSMS, and a backup Skylab cluster. This hardware 

would be placed in storage for potential use. (Transcript) 

A satellite station for international communications being built near Belgrade, Yugoslavia, would be completed by Oct. 21, the Belgrade Politika 

newspaper reported. The station, containing $4-million equipment, 

would be able to make direct contracts with many countries without 

the expense of buying cable communications. Japan had designed and 

built the equipment and would train Yugoslav engineers to operate it. 

( FBIS-SOV, 3/9/73, 119) 

0 The Air Force announced award of a $59 000 000 firm-fixed-price contract 

to Boeing Co. for the first two 747B jet transport aircraft for the Advanced Airborne Command Post Program. If Congress appropriated 

funds, a total of seven 747Bs would replace EC-135 airborne command 

posts of the National Military Command System and Strategic Air 

Command. The seven would be first 747s used by Air Force. (DOD 

Release 96-73) 

The Brevard County, Fla., Department of Civil Defense had obtained a 

1-million-gal wate‘r tank valied at $60 000 from Kennedy Space Center 

under a Federal program which offered excess Government equipment 

to state, county, and local government agencies free of cost, ICSC announced. The tank had been used to pump water onto Launch Complex 

34 and 37 pads after Saturn launches to protect them from flame damage. Brevard County would use the tank to hold an emergency water 

reserve. ( ICSC Release 36-73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched a series of meteorological 

sounding rockets from the French island of Kergulen in the Indian 

Ocean. Twenty-four rockets reached altitudes between 71 and 76 km (44 

and 47 mi) under a Soviet-French agreement for joint research in 

space meteorology and aeronomy signed in 1972. The flights were to 

record changes in temperature, atmospheric pressure, and wind at high 

altitudes to aid in weather forecasting. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 5/17/73, L1) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 549 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with 723-km (449.3-mi) apogee, 516-km (320.6-mi) perigee, 92.2-min 

period, and 73.9’ inclination. (GSFC SSR, 2/28/73; SBD, 3/1/73, 7) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, compared the NASA FY 1974 

budget program with FY 1973 plans in testimony before the opening 

session of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences 

hearings on the FY 1974 NASA authorization: “Last year Congress approved $3.4 billion, the full amount of the President’s recommendations. 

In presenting the budget last year, I was able to state to the Congress 

that the planning associated with the $3.4 billion budget request was 

configured so as not to require an increase in future NASA budgets above 

the $3.4 billion level, . . . except as necessary to meet the effects of inflation, or unless new decisions were made to expand the program.” 

NASA then had had bba balanced and productive program which did not 

include any ‘built-in’ commitments that would require a higher total 

level of NASA funding in future years.” 

NASA’s FY 1974 budget represented a change in this plan. “To meet 

the necessary constraints on total Government spending in FY 1973 and 

FY 1974 we have had to reduce our budget plans below the $3.4 billion 

level by a total of almost $400 million for the 2-year period.” But proFebruary 27-May 15: 

February 28: 

56 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 28 

gram objectives were generally the same, “even though some of them 

will necessarily be achieved at later dates. For this reason, NASA budgets 

in future years will have to increase. . . . This need is recognized in 

the preliminary projections for FY 1975.” NASA was “handling the 

reductions in our FY 1973 and FY 1974 budget plans in a way that 

will not increase the levels of future funding required above those 

projected last year.” Dr. Fletcher believed this to be minimum level 

for space and aeronautics program US. should support. The program’s 

major elkmentsspace shuttle, unmanned planetary and scientific missions, space applications and aeronautics program components, and 

others-“are ones that have been presented and approved in previous 

years.” NASA had ‘‘squeezed and stretched the program about as far as 

we can. In some of the reductions we have made in FY 1973 and FY 

1974 we may have gone too far. Any further significant reductions 

would mean a real loss in a key element of the program.” 

NASA was requesting FY 1974 funds for an advanced supersonic 

technology program to provide technology for future military supersonic aircraft, data to assess environmental and economic impacts on the 

US. of present and future foreign supersonic aircraft, and a “sound 

technical basis for any future consideration that may be given by the 

United States to the development of an environmentally acceptable and 

economically viable commercial supersonic transport.” The request did 

not include funds for initiating SST development and did not commit 

the US. to development. 

Dr. Fletcher was accompanied by Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford and 

Charles Conrad, Jr., as well as other NASA officials. (Transcript) 

0 Rep. Thaddeus J. Dulski (D-N.Y.) introduced H.R. 4927 to amend Title 

5 of the US. Code to make Level V of the Executive Schedule applicable 

to three additional NASA positions. The action was taken following receipt by the House Speaker of a letter from Dr. James C. Fletcher, 

NASA Administrator, requesting legislation to double the number of NASA 

Level V positions. Dr. Fletcher requested authority to establish titles of 

Associate Administrators “in a manner consistent with evolving functional responsibilities as they may develop and be altered . . . ; and to add 

three such positions to provide salary equality among all Associate Administrators having comparable responsibilities and authorities. Legislation was required because reorganization of NASA offices had created 

six offices headed by Associate Administrators, rather than three. (CR, 

2/28/73, H1244) 

0 The Air Force announced award of a $27-million fixed-price-incentive-fee 

contract to Philco-Ford Corp. to build and test two communications 

satellites for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The satellites, 

scheduled for 1975 launch, would be space segments of NATO’s Phase I11 

Space Communications Satellite System and would handle long-range 

communications requirements. ( DOD Release 102-73) 

0 The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on 

Manned Space Flight continued hearings on the FY 1974 NASA authorization [see Feb. 271. Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider 

described progress of the Skylab project at Kennedy Space Center : “The 

flight hardware has undergone intensive check-out at the module level 

including docking tests to verify the critical interface between the 

Multiple Docking Adapter and the Command and Service Module.” 

Stacking of the Saturn V and Saturn IB launch vehicles “has proceeded 

57 
February 28 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

apace and end-to-end integrated systems tests of the orbital assembly 

have been completed.” Activities supported the mid-May dual launch, 

with rollout to Pad 39B scheduled for mid-April. The Skylab pyramid 

test program, “starting at the component qualification level and building up through the levels of subsystem and module testing, through 

acceptance reviews and checkouts, to the countdown demonstration, 

provides the confidence needed to launch and operate America’s first 

space station.” 

Deputy Associate Administrator for Management Harry H. Gorman 

in the Office of Manned Space Flight discussed the NASA personnel 

changes brought by completion of the Apollo program. The research, 

development, and operations contract support effort during the Apollo 

program had peaked in FY 1968 at 17500 persons. The FY 1974 

budget request would provide employment at a 9500 level-a 45% reduction. The Civil Service staff would decrease by 825 positions in 

FY 1974, to a total of 10 525. The reduction was also related to completion of Skylab, termination of communications lead center activity, 

and suspension of the High Energy Astronomy Observatory program. 

(Transcript) 

0 NASA-developed technology to protect nuclear rocket nozzles from vibration 

was being used to modify automobile engines to reduce exhaust fumes, 

at Lewis Research Center. The project had begun in 1970 when the 

Environmental Protection Agency asked NASA to study materials for 

an automotive thermal reactor-a chamber in which ‘hot engine exhaust 

was mixed with air to complete combustion of unburned gasoline, converting carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide and 

water. LeRC engineers were testing brittle ceramic materials for a 

reactor-system combustion chamber lining by cushioning materials with 

thin corrugated metal springs similar to those used during nuclear rocket 

nozzle testing. (LeRC Release 73-11) 

Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Secretary of the Air Force, announced that the 

Air Force had received congressional approval to proceed with the FY 

1973 production program of 30 F-15 air superiority fighter aircraft. 

Four test aircraft had flown 270 successful hours since July. Production 

of an additional 77 was planned for FY 1974, pending congressional 

approval. (DOD Release 101-73) 

NASA launched an Aerobee 150 sounding rocket from Churchill Research 

Range carrying a Univ. of Michigan aeronomy experiment to a 179.9-km 

( 111.8-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (CSFC proj off) 

The National Science Foundation published NSF Forecasts Rise in 

Company-Funded Research and Development and R&D Employment 

(NSF 73-301). Company-funded R&D expenditures were projected to 

increase by 22% between 1972 and 1975, to a record level of $14 billion 

annually by 1975. A moderate upswing in employment of scientists and 

engineers on company R&D programs was anticipated. Industrial firms 

had spent estimated $11.4 billion on R&D during 1972, 7% more than 

in 1971. Between 1970 and 1971 company-financed R&D rose 4%. Between 1970 and 1972 the number of scientists and engineers employed 

on company R&D programs rose slightly, to 240000; an increase to 

260000 was anticipated by 1975. Aerospace firms foresaw future R&D 

growth below the rest of the industry. The downward trend of employ58 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 February 28 

ment on company-supported basic research had stabilized; it was expected to rise 10% between 1972 and 1975. (NSF Highlights, 2/28/73) 

Instrument technicians from Flight Research Center 

removed transducers from the XB-70 experimental aircraft on static 

display at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Rase, 

Ohio, for installation in the YF-12 triple-sonic aircraft shortly to participate in a flight research program. Use of XB-70 transducers in the 

high-temperature environment to be encountered by new YF-12 aircraft 

would save Government more than $950 000 in instrument development 

and production costs. (FRC Release 3-73) 

0 The S.S. Hope, hospital ship of the People-to-People Health Foundation 

sailed from Baltimore and arrived in Maceio, Brazil, after having been 

equipped for communicating via satellite. Under an agreement between 

Communications Satellite Corp. and the Foundation, the ship had been 

fitted with a small, parabolic antenna and a transmit-receive comsat 

terminal to assess the use of reliable long-distance communications with 

medical teams in remote areas. (ComSatCorp brochure) 

0 The National Academy of Sciences released Biological Impact of Increased 

Intensities of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation. The report by the NAS Environmental Studies Board concluded that routine use of supersonic 

aircraft would increase risk of skin cancer, harm many food crops, diminish biological productivity of oceans, and adversely affect many 

useful insects. Emission of nitrogen oxide from SST engine exhaust 

would lessen ozone content of the upper atmosphere and increase the 

amount of uv radiation reaching the earth. In addition to increased 

cancer risk, uv rays could also change deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), 

genetic messenger of cells, causing harmful mutations in future generations. (NAS-NRC Release, 7/24/73 ; Schmeck, NYT, 2/12/73, C11) 

* The National Academy of Sciences released Plans for US. Clear-Air 

Turbulence Research in the Global, Atmospheric Research Program. 

The report of a panel of the US. Committee for the Global Atmospheric 

Research Program ( GARP) recommended that increased Federal logistic 

support be provided for clear-air turbulence studies in planning, because 

of importance to aviation safety and to understanding effects of smallscale motions on large-scale dynamics of atmosphere. The Dept. of 

Defense should make available additional C-130 and RB57 aircraft for 

vertical-motion measurements in Project Wamflex (wave-induced momentum flux experiment) of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

continuous-wave radar should be modified to detect clear-air turbulence 

in the tropopause. And NASA should provide additional instrument support including scaning lidar. (Text) 

0 The Federal Aviation Administration and industry Area Navigation Task 

Force issued the report Application of Area Navigation in the National Airspace System. It recommended a 10-yr program to establish area navigation as the primary method of aircraft navigation in 

the US. The program called for a total overhaul of the airspace route 

structure above 5000 m (18 000 ft) and redesign of high- and mediumdensity terminal areas. Small airborne computers would enable pilots to 

fly designed courses by extrapolating signals from ground navigation 

aids, freeing them from the necessity of flying directly between ground 

stations and allowing greater flexibility in route selection. (FAA Release 

73-45) 

During February: 

59 
During February ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* A new low-cost high-performance sounding rocket was being developed by 

Bristol Aerojet Ltd. and Instituto Nacional de T5cnica Aeroespacial of 

Spain, Spaceflight announced. The two-stage rocket, INTA 300, would 

lift a 50-kg (110-lb) payload to 320 km (200 mi) with low dispersion. 

First test flights would be held in 1974. (SF, 2/73, 69-70) 

60 
March 1973 

March 1: Cosmos 550 was launched by the U.S.S.R. into orbit from 

Plesetsk with a 313-km (194.5-mi) apogee, 204-km (126.8-mi) perigee, 

89.7-min period, and 65.4” inclination. The satellite reentered March 11. 

(GSFC SSR, 3/31/73) 

Contractor project definition and cost (Phase B2) studies were begun in 

Europe on the European Space Research Organization ( ESRO) Spacelab 

(sortie lab) for NASA’s space shuttle. (NASA Release 73-191) 

The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on 

Manned Space Flight resumed hearings on the FY 1974 NASA authorization. 

Dale D. Myers, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space 

Flight, testified that a thorough analysis of the space shuttle’s possible 

environmental effects had been made in 1972 and a report had been 

filed with the Environmental Protection Agency. The shuttle’s effect on 

atmosphere, water, and noise would be “minimal and below allowable 

limits.” Safeguards to be added would further minimize any potential 

environmental impact. NASA and Dept. of Defense studies with spaceexperienced companies to determine the reduction in satellite costs by 

use of the shuttle for launch and retrieval had shown “payload costs 

reductions of 40 to 50 percent” from “present-day payload costs.” Plans 

for FY 1974 called for “an orderly buildup’’ in prime and subcontractor manpower for the orbiter and space shuttle main engine development and award of contracts for all remaining major elements 

of the shuttle, including the external tank and solid rocket booster. 

FY 1974 funds, although less than requested, would provide for “an 

expanded scope of design, development, and testing activities and for 

continuation of subsystems and component development.” 

Director Douglas R. Lord of NASA’s Sortie Lab Task Force testified 

that the lab would be designed for installation in the space shuttle’s 

cargo bay “to allow nonastronaut scientists to use nearly conventional 

laboratory equipment at orbital altitudes.” The lab would consist of 

a closed, pressurized module for experimenters and their laboratory 

subsystems and apparatus, as well as a pallet section exposed to space 

when the payload bay doors were opened, for large sensors requiring 

space exposure, such as telescopes. The pallet could be used either 

with the pressurized module or separately, mounted in the payload bay 

and supported by the shuttle orbiter. The sortie lab would provide “an 

opportunity for international participation, . . . for the first time in the 

manned program, in the initial development of a completely new capability.” (Transcript) R 

NASA Associate Administrator for Applications Charles W. Mathews testified on NASA’s FY 1974 applications program in authorization hearings 

before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee 

on Space Science and Applications. With communications satellite 

services being provided throughout the world “on a highly useful, 

61 
March 1 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

economic, and profitable basis,” NASA had turned its emphasis to earth 

resources observations from satellites. “Perhaps the most significant 

event occurred last July [23] with the launch and successful operation 

of the first Earth resources technology satellite, . . . whose very special 

images of the Earth‘s surface are being provided to users and investigators here and throughout the world every day.” More than 300 investigations were under way and “important uses are being defined in 

almost every area under study.” The Noaa 2 satellite launched by NASA 

for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Oct. 15, 1972, 

“afforded for the first time the measurement of temperatures at various 

heights in the atmosphere throughout the entire world on a truly operational basis.” The information was being rapidly provided to the US. 

Weather Service for prediction programs. In addition, more precise 

images of global cloud cover were being obtained night and day. Nom 2, 

in conjunction with the continuation of the experimental program 

through the launch of Nimbus 5 in December, “bodes well for continued 

progress in meteorology.” New efforts in earth observations to start 

under the FY 1974 budget were in pollution monitoring, oceanography, 

and earth and ocean physics. 

In technology applications, NASA was supporting the Dept. of Housing 

and Urban Development on integrated utility systems to minimize 

energy consumption and waste output in housing units and the Dept. 

of Transportation in urban mass transportation. Special programs also 

included manufacturing in space. 

In a new lead-center concept, responsibility for support in particular 

disciplines had been assigned to Centers: Johnson Space Center-Earth 

Resources Center ; Goddard Space Flight Center-Weather and Climate 

Center ; and Ames Research Center-applications aircraft program. 

The Applications Program Integration Board ( APIB) had been established to evaluate major new proposals for applications or modifications 

to major ongoing efforts. (Transcript) 

NASA held a Hq. press conference with French oceanographer Jacques-Yves 

Cousteau on the joint NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration project in which Cousteau and his oceanographic research ship Calypso had participated [see Feb. 8, 15, and 211, Cousteau 

had gathered data on ocean temperature, color, and breeding areas 

which would be compared with data from satellites in the NASA Applications Satellite program and from NOAA’S Environmental Satellite Service. 

Cousteau said the opportunity to contribute to the project had been 

very thrilling, because we believe that one of the most urgent tasks 

is to monitor the earth’s resources and the ocean resources, and also 

to control-later on-directly from outer space, the degree of pollution 

of the surface of the ocean.” During the expedition in Antarctic waters 

Cousteau had received satellite photos from Nimbus 2 satellite (launched 

by NASA May 15, 1966), Essa 8 (launched Dec. 15, 1968), and Nom 2 

(launched Oct. 15, 1972) to help him navigate the dangerous Drake 

passage between Antarctica and Ushuaia, Argentina. They were “the 

most valuable tool we had to plan our trip.” (Transcript) 

Remote-sensing techniques developed by NASA for space and aircraft investigation of earth resources had been used to map land uses in the 

18-county area surrounding Houston, Tex., Johnson Space Center announced. The experiment had been carried out with a specially equipped 

B-57 aircraft by the Earth Observations Div. of JSC to show the effec- 

(4 

62 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 1 

tiveness of remote sensing to prepare fast, accurate land use inventories 

for large areas. (JSC Release 73-15) 

NASA launched a Nike-Apache sounding rocket from Churchill Research 

Range, Canada, carrying a Univ. of Pittsburgh payload to 135.1-km 

(84-mi) altitude. The primary objective was to confirm an initial 

observation of nitric oxide in the auroral zone and collect data on 

processes producing it in certain auroral arcs. The rocket and recovery 

system performed satisfactorily. The telemetry signal varied from good 

with good scientific data on the upward trajectory to poor with marginal 

data on the down. (NASA Rpt SRL) 

Communications Satellite Corp. would receive a $27 912 000 

firm-fixed-price contract for lease of ultrahigh-frequency satellite communications service, the Navy announced [see Mar. 71. (DOD Release 

* Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Secretary of the Air Force, announced the 

award of Air Force contracts to Fairchild Industries, Inc., and General 

Electric Co. to develop the A-X close air support aircraft. 

Fairchild Industries, Inc., would receive a $159 279 888 cost-plusincentive-fee contract to test prototype aircraft and to develop and build 

10 pre-production A-10 aircraft for flight-testing. 

General Electric Co. would receive a $27 666 900 fixed-price-incentive 

firm contract to develop and deliver 32 TF-34 engines to power the 

A-10 aircraft. ( DOD Release 105-73) 

* Science commented on the new congressional Office of Technology Assessment. OTA, now in the planning stage, was unlikely to receive any of 

its $5-million budget before July 1 and therefore would not be operating before the summer. The OTA board would be a joint committee of 

Congress including Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) , chairman; 

Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn.) ; Sen. Ernest F. Hollings (DS.C.); Sen. Peter H. Dominick (R-Colo.) ; Sen. Clifford P. Case 

(R-N.J.) ; Sen. Richard S. Schweiker (R-Pa.) ; Rep. John W. Davis 

(D-Ga.) ; Rep. Olin E. Teague (D-Tex.) ; Rep. Morris K. Udal1 (DAriz.) ; Rep. Charles A. Mosher (R-Calif.) ; and Rep. James Harvey 

(R-Mich.) . OTA would be a general consulting service to Congress to aid it in 

its decisions, in part by contracting out long-term studies to think tanks 

and universities. Short-term work could be done by a panel of outside 

experts and ad hoc panels with members from industry, science, engineering, labor unions, and public interest groups. OTA hoped to make 

all of its business open to the public. (Shapley, Science, 3/2/73, 

875-877) 

* The small, $24Q 000 guidance-control computers used in the Minuteman I 

nuclear missile force had been made available to public organizations 

by the Air Force, Science reported. For a $30 delivery fee, the generalpurpose computers, one meter (three feet) in diameter, were being 

recycled to hospitals, laboratories, and universities to begin reprogramming for peaceful uses. The computers had become available because 

of the deployment of the Minuteman I11 multiple-warhead missiles. 

(Wade, Science, 3/2/73, 880) 

President Nixon entertained Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. 

Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt at the White 

House. Members of Congress and the Secretaries of Labor, Transportation, and Commerce also were among the guests at an entertainment 

March 2: 

109-73) 

March 3: 

63 
March 3 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

starring singer Sammy Davis, Jr. (PD, 3/5/73, 223; W Post, 3/5/73, 

The People’s Republic of China was reportedly developing an intercontinental ballistic missile 20% larger than the largest one in the U.S.S.R., 

the New York Times said. Administration officials had said the missile 

was a three-stage, liquid-fueled ICBM expected to have a range of 8000 

to 11 000 km (5000 to 7000 mi). Underground silos were being built 

at a missile test center west of Peking, a location which would permit 

the missile to reach major cities and military targets in the U.S. and 

U.S.S.R. Following the first successful tests, it would take three years 

before a force of 10 to 30 missiles could be deployed. (Beecher, NYT, 

3/4/73, 17) 

Laser beams, computers, and satellites were being used by NASA 

to gather data over a five-year span for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Geological Survey to help predict earthquakes along California’s 965-km (600-mi) San Andreas fault. 

Lasers at precise locations on either side of the fault were beamed to 

satellites Explorer 27 (launched April 29, 1965), Explorer 29 (Geos I, 

launched Nov. 6, 1965), and Explorer 36 (Geos 2, launched Jan. 11, 

1968) and bounced off tiny mirrors. Reflections were recorded by computers and sent to Goddard Space Flight Center, where analysis gave 

measurements of the slightest variation at a laser’s base. A mathematical 

model would eventually be constructed to assist in predicting quake 

behavior. (GSFC proj off; GSFC PAO; LA Her-Exam, 3/4/73) 

* NASA’s Lunar Exploration Office in the APO~~O/ASTP Program Office was 

reassigned from the Office of Manned Space Flight (OMSF) to the Office 

of Space Science (OSS) under the title Lunar Programs Office. The office 

would be responsible for formulation of future lunar programs, continued operation of lunar science stations, and analysis and synthesis of 

lunar data. Capt. William T. O’Bryant would continue as Director and 

Dr. Noel W. Hinners as Deputy Director and Chief Scientist. (NASA Hq 

WB, 3/12/73) 

US.-U.S.S.R. cochairmen of the NASA and Soviet Academy of 

Sciences Joint Working Group on Near-Earth Space, the Moon, and 

the Planets had approved a data exchange negotiated at the Jan. 29- 

Feb. 2 Moscow working session, NASA announced. The U.S. would 

provide the U.S.S.R. with maps and photos of two Mars landing 

regions and the available atmospheric model of Mars, Mars ephemerides 

from ground-based radar data for the first half of 1974, radar measurements of Mars, and results obtained during a 1974 Mariner MercuryVenus flyby mission. The U.S.S.R. would provide the U.S. with 

information on Viking landing sites from Mars 2 and 3 probes (launched 

May 19 and 28, 1971) and future missions, data on atmospheric parameters and surface of Mars, data from Venus 8 (launched Mar. 27, 

1972) on the Venus atmosphere and surface, and radar measurements 

of Venus. The data exchanges would take place before April 15. (NASA 

Release 73-38; Av Wk, 3/12/73, 17) 

* The discovery that Saturn’s rings appeared to be made of solid chunks 

rather than of gas, ice crystals, or dust had been made by Jet Propulsion Laboratory astronomers, NASA announced. Dr. Richard M. Goldstein and George A. Morris, Jr., had made the first successful radar 

probes of Saturn, using NASA’s 64-m (210-ft) antenna at Goldstone 

Station, and had received much stronger bounceback signals than exB1) 

March 4: 

March 5: 

64 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 5 

pected. “From our radar results,” Dr. Goldstein had said, “the rings 

cannot be made up of tiny ice crystals, dust, or gas. Our echoes indicate rough jagged surfaces, with solid material 1 meter (3.3 feet) in 

diameter or larger. Possibly much larger.’’ The rings could be a great 

hazard to any spacecraft sent into them. (NASA Release 73-37) 

Communications Satellite Corp. applied to the Federal Communications 

Commission for authority to construct a maritime multifrequency satellite system to provide communications to the Navy and the commercial 

shipping industry [see Mar. 21. The Navy would use ultrahigh frequencies allocated for Government use, for communications between 

satellites and Navy-provided ship and shore terminals. It would also 

make available to commercial shipping high-quality communications of 

greater reliability and scope than available before. (ComSatCorp Release 73-11; ComSatCorp PIO) 

0 The U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences opened its Annual General Meeting 

in Moscow. Academy President Mstislav V. Keldysh reviewed the 

Academy’s role in the second year of its five-year plan: Scientists had 

been given responsibility for ensuring that science achieved its greatest 

economic effect by accelerating technical processes. Space successes 

had included: Venus 8 softlanding (July 22, 1972) of a capsule on 

Venus that transmitted from the surface 50 min; Mars 2 and 3 orbiting 

of Mars (entering orbits Nov. 27 and Dec. 2, 1971) and the first softlanding of a capsule on Mars, by Mars 3 (Dec. 2, 1971) ; research 

of the moon with Luna 20 and the Lunokhod 2 roving vehicle, which 

continued to explore the lunar surface; advances in communications 

and earth studies by Molniya, Meteor, Cosmos, and Intercosmos satellites; and advancement of cooperative programs with socialist countries, 

France, and the US. (Pravda, FBIS-SOV, 3/15/73, L1; A&A 1971; 

A&A 1972) 0 NASA launched two sounding rockets from White Sands Missile Range. A 

Nike-Apache carried a Univ. of Texas payload to a 221.9-mm (137.9- 

mi) altitude to make redundant measurements of the electron density 

profile and photoelectron spectrum at different altitudes. The rocket 

and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

An Aerobee 170 carried a Harvard College Observatory solar physics 

experiment to a 241.4-km (150-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt SRL ; GSFC proj off) 

The Air Force announced award of a $2 056 889 cost contract to Utah 

State Univ. to study disturbed and undisturbed infrared atmosphere. 

Rocketborne instruments.would measure optical and infrared emissions, 

both natural and those stimulated by atmospheric dosing from a rocketborne electron source. (DOD Release 113-73) 

NASA’s Fourth Annual Lunar Science Conference, at Johnson 

Space Center, was attended by more than 750 scientists from the 

US. and 12 foreign countries. Visitors included scientists from the 

U.S.S.R. who presented papers on Apollo lunar samples received from 

the US. 

At the opening session Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator said, “I can see at least a decade of fruitful analysis, synthesis, 

and integration of the information locked up in the material brought 

back and still coming back from the scientific stations left on the moon” 

in the Apollo program. 

Dr. Gerald J. Wasserburg, California Institute of Technology scienMarch 5-8: 

65 
March 5-8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

tist, described “lunar cataclysm.” Lunar dust brought back by Apollo 

astronauts had been estimated to be as old as 4.5 billion yrs. But most 

lunar rocks were less than 4 billion yrs old and none were younger 

than 3 billion yrs. The best explanation was that 3.9 billion y~s ago 

the moon was battered and bombarded on an unprecedented scale, 

creating so much heat that old rocks were destroyed and a new generation of rocks was created. Since then the moon might have experienced 

minor volcanic eruptions but nothing like that period of cataclysm. 

Some scientists believed the moon had cooled and gone into a period 

of hibernation. Dr. Oliver A. Schaeffer of the State Univ. of New York 

said even the orange soil found by Apollo 17 astronauts had turned out 

to be 3.71 billion yrs old, an age disappointing to scientists who had 

believed the moon had been formed by more recent volcanic activity. 

Dr. Keith A. Howard, US. Geological Survey geologist, compared 

the lunar landslide found near the ApoZlo 17 landing site to a large, 

high-velocity avalanche on earth. Dr. Howard suggested that gas within 

the lunar soil had been released during the slide. ApoZZo 17 samples 

would be searched for evidence of fluids. 

One Apollo 17 instrument placed on the lunar surface had made an 

atom-by-atom search for evidence of lunar atmosphere. Although the 

moon had no atmosphere, traces of argon, neon, and helium had been 

found. Dr. John H. Hoffman, associate professor of physics at the 

Univ. of Texas, said only argon appeared to have been generated from 

the moon’s interior. Neon and helium apparently had been deposited 

by the solar wind. 

Conference attendees unanimously voted to congratulate NASA on 

completion of the Apollo program by sending a letter to Dr. James C. 

Fletcher, NASA Administrator: The conception, design, and implementation of lunar exploration represented “an extraordinary human and 

technological achievement.” To explore another planet, it had been 

necessary for man “to achieve many successive levels of technological 

capability and to surpass formidable barriers. This was accomplished 

brilliantly by the dedicated engineers and astronauts of NASA in conjunction with skilled management. On this technical base a new branch 

of science has been built.” (Transcript ; Goddard News, 3/73, 2 ; 

JSC Roundup, 3/16/73, 1 ; NASA Activities, 4/15/73, 67) 

March 5-9: More than 1000 administrators, congressmen, and government, industry, and university scientists attended the Erts 1 Earth 

Resources and Technology Satellite Symposium sponsored by Goddard 

Space Flight Center in New Carrollton, Md. Two hundred papers 

presented results from Erts I (launched July 23, 1972) experiments 

in agriculture and forestry, mineral resources and geology, environmental surveys, land-use mapping, and marine surveys. 

Dr. Marian Baumgardner, scientist at the Purdue Univ. Laboratory 

for the Applications of Remote Sensing, said results from Erts 1 

study of semi-arid regions suggested that the satellite could identify 

and map vegetative, species, and management differences in range 

lands; gross soil patterns and differences related to agricultural and 

land-use-management problems and practices; areas of surface water 

and changes related to ground water recharge; crop damage by hail 

and windstorms; and areas of bare soil and related problems of erosion 

and conservation. 

Dr. William A. Fischer, US. Geological Survey scientist, said data 

66 
March 5-9 

einforced recent plate tectonic 

earth’s crust. The satellite had 

wn or not put together as concrust. The fractures indicated “there 

, extending deep down into the 

crust.” 

Dr. John Miller of the Univ. of Alaska said seismic data and Erts 1 

identification of previously unknown fractures “has been an important 

input to the design of a bridge structure across the Yukon River . . . and possibly the pipeline.” (Transcript) 

The Communications Subcommittee of the Intergovernmental Maritime 

Consultative Organization-a United Nations affiliate-voted 20-to-1 

in London to convene an international conference of governments in 

October 1974 on the establishment of a global maritime satellite communications service. The one dissenting vote was cast by the US., 

which argued that formation of a new organization was premature. The 

US. favored operation of a maritime service by the 80-nation International Telecommunications Satellite Organization. (Av Vk, 3/26/73, 

5P-60) 

The Air Force launched an unidentified reconnaissance satellite 

on an Atlas-Agena booster from Eastern Test Range at 4:30 am EST. 

Orbital parameters: 36 679-km (22 791.3-mi) apogee, 35 855-km 

(22 279.3-mi) perigee, 1435-min (23.9-hr) period, and 0.2” inclination. (UN Registry; Today, 3/7/73) 

* Cosmos 551 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Baykonur Cosmodrome 

into orbit with a 292-km (181.4-mi) apogee, 202-km (125.5-mi) perigee, 89.4-min period, and 65.0” inclination. The satellite reentered 

March 20. (GSFC SSR, 3/31/73; SBD, 3/7/73, 35) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, testified on long-term objectives during the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space 

Sciences hearings on the FY 1974 NASA authorization. Among effects 

of space and aeronautics on “all Americans and, to a degree, people 

throughout the world, in 1985,” he foresaw a rise in air cargo revenues 

from the current $1.6 billion per year to $14 billion per year, with 

development of automated handling and compatible aircraft. Trade 

and tourism would flourish with the use of hypersonic jet aircraft, 

“which we will be thinking about in 1985 and maybe other nations 

will have developed.” Such an aircraft could fly from Washington to 

Peking in 11/2 hrs. Hydrogen fuel that produced water rather than 

pollutant fumes would replace present aviation fuels. 

In space, Dr. Fletcher saw a proliferation of domestic satellites leading to economic use of long-distance telephone calls for “discussing 

almost anything.” Large-scale digital computers-spinoffs of the space 

age-would be used educationally ; “computer-aided instruction is the 

coming thing. This is the quickest way to learn if we can afford to 

build the system, and by 1985, we think we can.” Other NASA objecto 15 yrs were a satellite-operated 

signals from pocket-sized radios 

sensors in preventive medicine 

ter-alert and relief-control system 

space processing to separate vivaccines, an international space 

March 6: 

alized within the 

67 
March 6 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

laboratory, an international lunar expedition, and expanded planetary 

exploration. 

Dr. Fletcher said NASA could be called an environmental agency. “It 

is not just that space is our environment, but it is rather that . . . virtually everything we do, manned or unmanned, science or applications, helps in some practical way to improve the environment of 

our planet and helps us understand the forces that affect it. Perhaps 

that is our essential task, to study and understand the earth and its 

environment.” (Transcript) 

The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on 

Aeronautics and Space Technology opened its hearings on the FY 

1974 NASA authorization. Rep. Ken Hechler (D-W. Va.) , Committee 

Chairman, said the Subcommittee would be particularly concerned 

with “the extent of progress toward the enunciation of a national 

aeronautics and aviation policy.” The Subcommittee had been partially 

responsible, he said, for the reduction of emphasis on aeronautics because it was “not aggressive enough in its insistence that more emphasis be placed on aeronautics during . . . the late 1950’s when the 

Committee was first established, and the early 1960’s when the tremendous emphasis on space tended to push aeronautics . . . into the 

background.” 

Roy P. Jackson, NASA Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and 

Space Technology, testified that reorientation of NASA’s space and aeronautical programs to meet changing national goals had been completed 

“without jeopardizing the continuing development of a broad base for 

new knowledge, and the potential for meeting future, but presently unseen, needs.” In the OAST aeronautics program the research and technology base took priority over experimental programs. The R&T base was 

“work that is unparalleled in the U.S. It is the data base from which 

springs new ideas for development in the future.” When faced with 

the necessity to cut expenditures, “we had to consider primarily a reduction in our work on flight experiments and experimental programs.” 

Among examples of meeting future needs, hydrogen as a long-term 

aircraft fuel for the distant future was a “concept of potential major 

importance to the reduction of air pollution, while simultaneously conserving our increasingly scarce petroleum reserves.” Hydrogen eliminated hydrocarbon pollution and was “a more efficient fuel, but the 

reduction of NO, [oxides of nitrogen] may require additional effort.” 

The “earliest likely commercial use of hydrogen as an aircraft fuel will 

be about 15 to 20 years hence.” Hydrogen was “a low-density, cryogenic fuel which represents problems of relatively large, insulated 

tanks, the need for materials to keep their strength through wide temperature variations, very low temperature hardware including pumps, 

valves, seals and associated maintenance. In addition to cost, hydrogen 

is difficult to store and transport. . . . Our experience with the practical use of liquid hydrogen in NASA’s space program suggests that 

there will be some complexities to solve but these should not be insurmountable.” 

Dr. Seymour C. Himmel, Deputy Associate Administrator for Technology in OAST, reported on the quiet, clean, short-haul experimental 

engine ( QCSEE) program to integrate and demonstrate technology required for an environmentally acceptable and economical powered-lift 

propulsion system. “QCSEE will utilize a basic existing engine core, 

68 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 6 

modified as required to mate with specially designed low-pressure spool 

fans and turbines to build up an experimental engine. This, together 

with appropriate flight-type acoustic nacelles and wing section installations, will be tested for noise and performance and operating characteristics. The design and test program will provide the technology 

base needed to help guide Government . . . environmental rulemaking 

and to provide industry with data to evaluate propulsion concept 

effectiveness and development risks.” 

George W. Cherry, Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in 

OAST, described the status of aeronautics programs after revisions necessitated by FY 1974 budget restrictions. The General Electric Co. quiet 

engine contract had been completed and both engines delivered to 

NASA. Engines A and C were scheduled for extensive in-house research 

programs at Lewis Research Center. An in-house study underway at 

LeRc would determine the technical value of another contracted effort, 

for a second-generation quiet engine. “In the meantime, we are working to generate component noise design and performance data, so 

that a significant noise reduction below that demonstrated by the first 

Quiet Engine can be obtained in any future engine program. No important area in aeronautical propulsion has been terminated, although 

funding levels for certain portions of the aeronautics programs have 

been readjusted based on a review of priorities. The F-8 high-speed 

supercritical wing verification project was not cut back or terminated. 

During FY 1973, the project was completed according to plan. The 

results were very encouraging and gave confidence as to wind-tunnel 

test results at transonic speeds.” A follow-on to the F-8 was under 

study. Depending upon results, a follow-on F-8 flight-test program 

might be undertaken in FY 1975. (Transcript) 0 The Subcommittee on Manned Space Flight of the House Committee on 

Science and Astronautics continued hearings on NASA’s FY 1974 

authorization. Dale D. Myers, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned 

Space Flight, identified locations for space shuttle development: Kennedy Space Center and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., as the 

launch and landing sites; NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility for the 

external tank production; and the Rockwell International Corp. facility 

at Downey, Calif., for orbiter and systems integration. “The major 

unknown, at the moment, is where the solid rocket boosters will be 

produced and tested. We expect that this location will be identified when 

the solid fueled rocket booster contract is awarded this November.” 

Philip E. Culbertson, Director of Mission and Payload Integration 

in OMSF, contrasted a typical operational communications satellite program using expendable launch vehicles with one using the space shuttle. 

Launched on the Titan IIIB-Centaur launch vehicle, each spacecraft was 

estimated at 467 kg (1030 Ibs) . To fulfill 1979-1990 requirements for 

reliable communications services, 26 spacecraft would be required. Use 

of the Titan IIIB-Centaur would require 26 new spacecraft and 26 

new launch vehicles, at an average cost for each flight of $25.8 million. 

“If the same program is carried out using the Shuttle and Tug, the 

cost changes significantly. First, with the Shuttle we can apply the 

low cost approaches to payload design. We are no longer constrained 

by weight limitations ; therefore, we can ruggedize the spacecraft 

structure, simplify the design and verification test program, and thus 

reduce both development and unit spacecraft cost.” The shuttle and 

69 
March 6 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

tug combination could deploy and retrieve 2 satellites on a single 

flight, making 13 flights to deploy 26 spacecraft-10 new and 16 

refurbished. On 8 of these flights 2 spacecraft would be deployed and 

retrieved. “The total cost for conducting the program would be $14.9 

million per spacecraft flight, compared to the $25.8 million for the 

expendable approach-a savings of 42 percent.” 

M/G Robert H. Curtin (USAF, Ret.), NASA Director of Facilities, 

discussed disposition of facilities at Lewis Research Center’s Plum 

Brook Station, which would be closed because of FY 1974 budget cuts. 

LeRC was discussing the station’s availability and capability with potential user agencies-including the Electric Research Council, which 

planned to establish an electric power research institute, and the Business and Employment Council of the Governor of Ohio, which had 

recommended establishment of a state-funded Ohio Development Center. LeRC was studying possible use of the station’s reactor for environmental research by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Plum 

Brook space power facility was being prepared to test the shroud for 

NASA’s Viking spacecraft but “there are no additional programmatic 

needs for the use of this facility and it is anticipated that it will be 

placed in a standby mode by the end of Fiscal Year 1974.” (Transcript) 

‘0 NASA Associate Administrator for Applications Charles W. Mathews continued testimony before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications during FY 

1974 NASA authorization hearings: The ERTS-B launch was changed 

from November 1973 to the first quarter of 1976, permitting an instrument to measure the heat energy radiated from the land and the 

water surface to be incorporated. These data would be used to locate, 

map, and identify pollution in large lakes, bays and estuaries, as well 

as to obtain temperature information over land areas. NASA had shifted 

the emphasis of the earth observation aircraft program because of 

Erts 1 (launched July 23, 1972) and Skylab (scheduled for May 

launch). “Heretofore the aircraft program was principally used to test 

instruments and to investigate techniques. It is now to be used in support of investigations associated with Earth observation spacecraft. 

The net effect is an increase . . . of aircraft flights, sensors and data 

processing. The aircraft program capability will be devoting approximately 80 percent of its time to this latter effort and the remainder 

will be used in experimental work on new instruments.” (Transcript) 

The Thor-Delta launch vehicle and “its entire missile launch system” 

were being sold to Japan by McDonnell Douglas Corp., Director Andrew 

Biemiller of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial 

Organizations ( AFL-CIO) Dept. of Legislation said in testimony before 

the House Committee on Finance’s Subcommittee on International 

Trade. Biemiller told the Subcommittee that the US. aerospace industry, “where the US. has held technological supremacy,’’ was 

“steadily being exported abroad.” Dept. of State spokesman Charles W. 

Bray, 111, later told the press in Washington that the sale had been 

approved under a 1969 agreement on space cooperation. Japan would 

be obligated to use the rocket system for peaceful purposes only. (CR, 

3/6/73, 53977-9; Doder, W Post, 3/7/73, A10) 

The decision to publicize weather information from a secret Air Force 

satellite system was announced by Under Secretary of the Air Force 

John L. McLucas at a Washington press conference. Information would 

70 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 6 

be made available to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from “several” satellites orbiting at altitudes of 800 km (500 

mi) , providing more precise information on cloud cover than available 

from the higher altitude NOAA satellites. A USAF-NOAA meeting March 

19 would arrange for transfer of information. (W Star & News, 

3/7/73, A6) 

0 NASA and space shuttle contractors held the third quarterly Space Shuttle 

Review at Marshall Space Flight Center. Attended by 400, the review 

provided information on external tanks and solid rocket boosters. 

(Marshall Star, 3/7/73, 1) 

NASA and the Dept. of Defense were in disagreement over use of a highfrequency radio link between the earth and space, Thomas O’Toole 

said in the Washington Post. NASA wanted to use the frequency to 

transmit voice, data, and televised instructions to the ATS-F Applications Technology Satellite, to be launched in April 1974. The Air Force 

and the Army feared interference with their own radio signals. A 

move to lower the frequency for satellite communications would cost 

NASA as much as $4 million to install a new transponder and could 

delay the launch four months. (O’Toole, W Post, 3/6/73, 5) 

U.S.S.R. sounding rocket launchings, first step in joint Soviet-French meteorological studies, had begun from French Kerguelen Island, Tass 

reported. The first rocket had studied a vertical cross-section of the 

atmosphere over the island and reported temperature, pressure, and 

wind velocity in the upper atmosphere. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 3/9/73, L1) 

Elements of the space shuttle preliminary bioresearch laboratory 

simulator had been delivered to Marshall Space Flight Center, MSFC 

announced. Equipment would be installed aboard the payload carrier 

simulator for testing. The bioresearch laboratory model, the first 

shuttle-era payload to be delivered for testing and integration at MSFC, 

included a mass-measurement and microscopy unit, preparation unit, 

centrifuge, cryogenic freezer for storage of tissue, and an instrument 

for freeze-drying tissue. ( MSFC Release 73-31) 

Dale D. Myers, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, 

testified on cooperation with the Dept. of Defense during Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences hearings on the FY 1974 

NASA authorization : NASA and DOD were evaluating alternative vehicles 

to the space tug and development approaches that could provide the 

capability to transport shuttle payloads to and from higher-than-earth 

orbits, or propel payloads to earth-escape velocity. A joint decision 

would be made in the fall as to which agency would conduct the development of “this very important propulsive stage.” Air Force personnel had been assigned to the space shuttle program offices, and NASA 

personnel served in a liaison capacity at the Air Force Space and 

Missile Systems Organization ( SAMSO) . Civilian and military representatives of DOD served on source evaluation boards and working groups on 

aerodynamics, structure, propulsion, crew systems, electronics, and operations. DOD sponsored special industry and in-house studies such as 

payload requirements, security, and crew safety. DOD also provided 

results of research in solid rocket technology, lifting bodies, thermal protection, and similar topics. (Transcript) 

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Program Director Chester M. Lee testified on 

the status of the joint 1975 U.S.4.J.S.S.R. mission, during the House 

Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Manned 

March 7: 

71 
March 7 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Space Flight hearings on the FY 1974 NASA authorization. Activities 

were being directed to identify and define candidate ASTP experiments 

to provide data for US. and Soviet scientists,. provide for coinvestigators 

in both countries, require active cooperation by Soviet cosmonauts, 

and use existing hardware where possible. Experiments would be discussed at the March meeting of US.-U.S.S.R. working groups [see 

March 15-30]. No launch vehicle work specifically for ASTP had begun, but modification, testing, and checkout would begin during the 

coming year at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39 and other 

facilities. The program was “on schedule and moving well toward our 

current mission date of mid-July 1975.” (Transcript) 

* Roy P. Jackson, NASA Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and Space 

Technology, testified on aeronautical programs before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Aeronautics and 

Space Technology during FY 1974 NASA authorization hearings: “NASA’s 

advanced transport technology (ATT) program is aimed at expediting 

technology advances that could facilitate development of environmentally acceptable, and economically superior, next-generation US. 

air transports. The ATT system studies have shown that by the early 

1980’s a new subsonic/sonic transport-quieter, cleaner, safer, and 

more economical than the current wide-body jet transports-could be 

realized through technology advances which could be ready for commitment to application late in the 1970’s. These advances would include supercritical aerodynamics and related configuration treatment, 

techniques for suppression of engine noise and emissions, composite 

structures, and active control systems.” The studies would be extended 

in FY 1974 “by concentrating more heavily on the system improvement 

tradeoffs, and corresponding technology, involved in optimizing design 

for efficient terminal operations as well as cruise performance.” 

An analysis and wind-tunnel test program would investigate the 

sources and the reduction of airframe noise. “Recent studies and flight 

tests have indicated that as we continue to reduce engine source noise, 

it may also be necessary . . . to treat airframe noise.” Further testing 

of airframe shielding and analyses would determine the operational 

and economic feasibility of new concepts like the yawed-wing, lowsupersonic design being investigated at Ames Research Center. Propulsion technology programs underway would examine further noise 

reduction potential than that already being demonstrated in the conventional takeoff and landing aircraft experimental quiet engine program. When results were promising, plans for a follow-on CTOL experimental quiet engine, Mark 11, would be developed. 

The terminal-configured vehicles and avionics program, “a major 

new thrust in NASA research,” was described by George W. Cherry, 

Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in OAST : “While undertaken primarily to achieve increased capacity and quieter operations 

in the terminal area, this research will also aim at . . . improved accuracy, reliability, and automation of instrument flight in the approach, 

landing, and rollout process.” Facilities at Wallops Station and at 

Langley Research Center would simulate an advanced complex air 

terminal through hard-wire connections to the Federal Aviation Administration’s National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center. A 

specially equipped Boeing 737 would be flown to ensure compatibility 

of advanced airborne navigation, guidance, and control with the ad72 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 7 

vanced landing aids and the air traffic control procedures under development by the FAA. 

Dr. Seymour C. Himmel, Deputy Associate Administrator for Technology in OAST, reported NASA general-aviation programs were being 

directed to provide technology for designing future U.S. aircraft that 

are “safer, more productive, and clearly superior to the rapidly growing 

foreign competition.” NASA’s role encompassed “a broad technology effort . . . for a data base to improve the safety of all flight operations, 

while simultaneously pursuing the growing technological need for increased efficiency and performance” of general aviation. US. aviation 

products dominated world markets but this advantage was disappearing 

in the face of a rapidly emerging foreign production capacity. Cumulative imports of turbine-powered aircraft outnumbered exports, with 

a cumulative deficit of more than 200 aircraft and $200 million. 

(Transcript) 

The Anglo-French Concorde supersonic transport aircraft carried an 

11 000-kg (24 000-lb) payload on a 6300-km (3900-mi), 3-hr 38-min 

flight-time journey from Toulouse, France, to the Madeira Islands and 

return. The distance flown equaled the distance between Washington, 

D.C., and Paris over which current scheduled flights took 7 hrs 42 min. 

(BAc-A&ospatiale Release 6C/73) 

0 President Nixon congratulated recipients of the 1973 Federal Women’s 

Award at the White House. Among the recipients was Marjorie R. 

Townsend, Project Manager, Small Astronomy Satellite, Goddard Space 

Flight Center [see Feb. 221. (PD, 3/12/73, 233) 

Rep. Lawrence R. Coughlin (R-Pa.) resigned from the House Committee 

on Science and Astronautics and was elected to the House Committee 

on the Judiciary. (NASA LAR XII/26) 

* The Air Force announced the award of a $62 426 400 fixed-price-incentive 

contract to Boeing Co. for operational and maintenance ground equipment for the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile force for FY 

1973. (DOD Release 116-73) 

Communications Satellite Corp. sought authority from the Federal Communications Commission to construct advanced satellites and 

related ground control facilities for lease to American Telephone & 

Telegraph Co. to provide domestic satellite services to all 50 states 

and Puerto Rico. Each satellite would provide 14400 two-way voicegrade circuits. Ground stations for tracking, telemetry, and command 

duties would be in Connecticut and California. The ComSatCorp filing 

was similar to one made in October 1970 and revised in March 1971, 

and would expand coverage to include Hawaii and Puerto Rico. (ComSatCorp Release 73-12) 

0 Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite (launched July 23, 1972) 

photos showing pollution spreading across Lake Champlain would be 

used in court as evidence against a factory accused of discharging 

pollution, the Wmhington Post reported. The case, brought by the 

state of Vermont against the state of New York and the International 

Paper Corp., would mark the first use of a satellite photo in legal 

action. The photo, of Lake Champlain from 900-km (560-mi) altitude, 

showed a brown circle extending 0.6 km (0.4 mi) from the New York 

shore and originating from an International Paper Corp. mill. (O’Toole, 

W Post, 3/8/73, A3) 

March 8: 

73 
March 8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The US. and the U.S.S.R. completed their joint 2O-‘day Bering Sea 

mission, begun Feb. 17 to determine the sea’s surface characteristics, 

ice cover, and currents originating in the Pacific. NASA’s instrumented 

Convair 990 aircraft, a Soviet 11-18 aircraft, US. Coast Guard icebreaker Staten Island, and Soviet weathership Priboy had gathered 

data for processing in mainland laboratories. (Moscow Domestic Service, FBIS-SOV, 3/8/73, C2) 

The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee 011 

Aeronautics and Space Technology continued hearings on the FY 19743 

NASA authorization. 

George W. Cherry, Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in 

the NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology, described the 

Dept. of Transportation Climatic-Impact Assessment Program ( CIAP) , in which NASA was cooperating: The CIAP “undertakes to assess the 

potential impact on the atmosphere of large fleets of SSTS [supersonic 

transports] operating in the eighties and the biological consequences 

of their potential modification of the stratosphere. We are cooperating 

with DOT by contributing to the technology needs of CIAP, with particular emphasis on the levels to which pollution can be limited.” Contradictory requirements for civil transport aircraft (low-fuel consumption 

engines required by SSTS for good range and payload characteristics, 

tended to be extremely noisy in terminal areas) might be best met 

by variable-cycle engines that varied their mode of operation in each 

condition of the flight profile. NASA would “intensively study variable 

cycle-engine concepts in FY 1974.” 

Dr. Seymour C. Himmel, Deputy Associate Administrator for Teehnology in OAST, testified that hypersonic research for potential application to military and civil airbreathing cruise vehicles was directed 

at “the critical aspects of propulsion, structures, and aerodynamics 

for this flight regime where hydrogen is used both as the fuel and as 

a coolant.” Hydrogen was the most likely candidate for hypersonic aircraft fuel because its high coolant capacity was essential for a propulsion system to survive in the high-temperature environment, and liquid 

hydrogen’s coolant capacity could cool portions of the vehicle’s structure away from the engine area. NASA’S structures and materials program provided essential technology for designing lightweight, reliable, 

actively cooled structures and advanced the technology of actively cooling structures heated to high temperatures. The program also extended 

shuttle technology on reusable surface insulation toward hypersonic 

cruise application. 

Flight Research Center test pilot Gary E. Krier testified on NASA’s 

digital fly-by-wire program to develop an all-electric flight-control 

system using intelligence inserted into the digital computer memory. 

“We did this by using refurbished Apollo equipment and two surplus 

[Navy] F-8 fighters. Using this approach, we estimate we flew about 

2 years earlier than we otherwise could have.’’ To date, NASA had flown 

15 DFBW flights with no major problems. “Airliners that we’ll ride in 

the 1980’s could profit from fly-by-wire in the form of smooth flight 

at very high speeds and the near elimination of the response to turbulence by computer application of smoothing controls.” The “best 

use of FBW” was to build a control-configured vehicle [CCV] with 

reduced drag, increased lift, and slower approach and landing speeds. 

“It has been estimated that landing speed could be cut by 25 percent 

74 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 8 

and range increased 15 percent with no sacrifice in mission capability, 

just by modifying existing aircraft. A much larger improvement in 

performance could be gained by starting from scratch with FBW. We 

have been refining aircraft for years now, and the FBW/CCV combination gives us a chance to make a quantum jump in aircraft performance.” (Transcript) 

* NASA launched an Aerobee 170 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying an American Science and Engineering, Inc., solar 

physics experiment to a 170.1-km (105.7-mi) altitude. The rocket and 

instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off) 

* Secretary of the Navy John W. Warner and Grumman Corp. President 

John C. Bierwirth signed an agreement for the Grumman Aerospace 

Corp. to build 48 additional F-14 jet fighter aircraft at current contract 

prices. The Navy would not exercise further options under the current 

contract and would limit its purchases to 134 aircraft. Future purchases 

would be dependent upon congressional authorization and funding. 

(Text) 

The Air Force launched an unidentified satellite by Titan IIID 

launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base into orbit with 263-km 

(163.4-mi) apogee, 152-km (94.5-mi) perigee, 88.6-min period, and 

95.7” inclination. The satellite reentered May 19. (GSFC SSR, 3/31/73; 

5/31/73; NYT, 3/10/73, 31) 

Photo-mapping of Mars by Mariner 9 (launched May 30, 1971) had revealed multiple circular features surrounding both poles which might 

indicate that the Martian north and south poles had moved, California 

Institute of Technology scientists reported in Science. Some of the 

concentric patterns were centered on points displaced from the present 

north and south poles of Mars, implying that these were ancient positions of the poles and testifying to a slow drift of the Martian spin 

axis. Such a drift of the earth axis could explain the evidence for radical 

climate changes in the past-fossil coral reefs in Greenland and fossil 

forests in the South Pole-and revive the debate with scientists who 

believed the climate changes were due to the constant moving of the 

earth‘s continents and oceans. (Murray, Malin, Science, 3/9/73, 997- 

999) 

* The Subcommittee on Manned Space Flight transmitted Space ShuttZeSkylab, 1973: Status Report (dated January 1973) to its parent House 

Committee on Science and Astronautics. The report covered the transition from detailed design to development phase of NASA’s shuttle program (in which the first manned flight was planned for 1978) and 

the updated cost, performance, and status of the Skylab program (to 

be completed in 1973). The Subcommittee concluded that technology 

and resources existed for successful development of the NASA configuration for an earth-orbital shuttle and that the shuttle design would permit the total development cost to stay within $5.15 billion and the 

per-flight operational cost within $10.5 million. Success in meeting this 

cost was “particularly sensitive” to the cost of the hydrogen-oxygen 

tanks and an acceptable recoverable and refurbishment cost of the 

solid-fueled rocket boosters. Space tug development was “of key importance to gaining full utility of the space shuttle.” Development of 

a low-cost space shuttle system was essential “if the nation is to realize 

the full benefits of near space in . . . scientific exploration, practical 

application, and national security.” 

March 9: 

75 
March 9 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The Skylab program was within costs projected by NASA for FY 

1973. Development schedules were being met “with some problems being encountered in procuring and integrating experiments.” NASA was 

recommended to consider the possibility of flying Skylab in the 1974- 

1976 period and also possible Skylab revisits after the first three 

manned missions. (Text) 

* The 16th Annual Goddard Memorial Dinner was held in Washington, 

D.C., with ApoZZo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, 

and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt among the honored guests. 

The Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy was presented to Dr. 

George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator. The citation read: “TO 

the Honorable George M. Low who has held key positions in the 

space program since its beginning, and has played a vital role in 

putting men into space and later, on the moon. Among Dr. Low’s 

outstanding contributions was, as acting NASA Administrator in 1971, 

the negotiation of the space agreement with the Soviet Union which 

provided the foundation for the Apollo/Soyuz flight in 1975 and other 

joint space endeavors.” 

The National Space Club Press Award was presented to Ralph Morse 

of Life magazine for “his ingenuity in photographically interpreting 

the dynamics of the United States Space Program and for his resourcefulness in portraying the human experience in its larger dimension.” 

The Astronautics Engineer Award went to Wilfred E. Scull of Goddard 

Space Flight Center for “outstanding leadership-from decision to 

fruition-of the Earth Resources Technology Satellite Project.” The 

Nelson P. Jackson Aerospace Award was presented to The General 

Electric Co. for “outstanding accomplishment” as prime contractor to 

NASA for the Earth Resources Technology Satellite and ground data 

handling system. (Program) 

* Chairman Maurice M. Levy of the European Space Research Organization Council described steps to complete plans for European participation in the space shuttle program, during FY 1974 NASA authorization 

hearings before the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space 

Sciences: “The ESRO Council has already approved the text of an agreement laying down the arrangements under which the Spacelab [sortie 

lab] will be developed, first in ESRO and subsequently within the European Space Agency which, in conformity with the decisions taken in 

Brussels, is expected to be set up in 1974. This agreement is open for 

signature between March 1 and the end of July. It will probably be 

implemented very shortly.” A technical agreement would have to be 

negotiated between NASA and ESRO as to Spacelab’s procurement and 

its integration into the space shuttle. A second agreement between governments would be necessary to cover commitments for nonduplication 

of efforts, the possibility of transferring technology to other European 

programs, access to the whole shuttle system, and the availability of 

conventional launch vehicles. 

M/G Robert H. Curtin (USAF, Ret.), NASA Director of Facilities, 

testified that the $8.9-milGon budget request for space shuttle facility 

planning-in addition to $67.2 million for shuttle facility modification 

proj ects-included studies, engineering support, and preliminary engineering reports for upcoming projects and the final design for the 

pending FY 1975 facility needs. “This specific final design, when accomplished, will essentially complete facility design for the shuttle 

76 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 9 

ground test program, the early and initial phase of Solid Rocket 

Booster (SRB) production and test facilities,” and the pads and mobile 

launchers at the Kennedy Space Center. (Transcript; Text) 

6 Microwave measurements of the atmosphere of Venus were described by 

Univ. of California scientists in Science. Two sets of passive radio observations-measurements of the spectrum of the disc temperature 

near the 1-cm wavelength and interferometric measurements of the 

planetary limb darkening at the 1.35-cm water vapor resonance-had 

shown no evidence of water vapor in the lower atmosphere of Venus. 

The upper limit for the mixing ratio of water vapor to dry air was 

substantially less than the amounts derived from the Venus probes. 

The amount of water vapor could not produce dense clouds nor contribute significantly to a greenhouse effect. (Janssen et al., Science, 

3/9/73, 994-996) 

Problems of the European space program were described in a Science 

article by Dominique Verguese of Paris Le Monde: Since 1964 the 

European Space Research Organization and the European Launcher 

Development Organization had spent $1 billion on space. One third 

had been used for the successful launchings of seven satellites but the 

remainder had been spent on an expensive and yet unsuccessful booster. 

Interest in the booster had dissipated despite the French desire to continue and the offer to pay for 60% to 70% of the costs. 

At two European conferences on space (December 1971 and December 1972) plans were made to merge ELDO and ESRO into a single 

agency and to allow member nations to cooperate with NASA on building a sortie lab for the space shuttle. France had threatened to leave 

ESRO unless more emphasis was placed on applications satellites and 

ESRO closed its plasma laboratory in Italy and its sounding rocket 

range in Sweden. France had also insisted that more use be made of 

national facilities and teams rather than ESRO’S technical center. 

Final agreements and objectives on a European applications satellite 

could not be made because of the conflicting interests of each nation. 

Nor could it be decided what role national programs should play. But 

Europe had successfully launched 26 satellites and had acquired an 

industrial competence which could easily provide a firm basis for more 

ambitious projects. (Science, 3/9/73, 984986) 

Experiments by international groups using the intersecting storage rings 

of the European Nuclear Research Center (CERN) on the Swiss-French 

border had shown that protons grow when accelerated to great energy, 

the New York Times reported. New questions were raised as to what 

would happen within the nucleus of an atom that was packed with 

protons and neutrons and subjected to high-energy acceleration. Experiments had indicated that the proton-once thought a homogenous 

building block of the atomic nucleus-harbored processes and forces 

yet to be discovered. (Sullivan, NYT, 3/9/73, 1) 

The U.S.S.R.’s Lunokhod 2 began its third working day on the 

moon. The roving vehicle was 400 m (1300 ft) above its landing site 

at the upper rim of the 3.5-billion-yr-old-crater. Lunokhud 2’s primary 

task during its third working day would be to study the crater 

thoroughly. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 3/13/33, L1) 

* The book 13: The Flight That Failed-an account of the aborted Apollo 

13 mission (launched April 11, 1970) by Henry S. F. Cooper, Jr.- 

was reviewed by Joseph McElroy in the New York Times Book Review: 

March 11: 

77 
March 11 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

In a spacecraft so full of safety valves and designed redundancies “it 

had seemed incredible that two of three fuel cells from the two liquid 

oxygen tanks in the service module could go dead. . . . But to lose 

two fuel cells and then eventually two oxygen tanks? Not possible.” 

Command module pilot John L. Swigert, Jr., had said after the mission 

that if anyone had thrown at the crew a simulation of what actually 

happened “they’d have thought it unrealistic.” To have had less than 

this confidence, McElroy said, would have been unrealistic. The care 

and skill with which the many teams of NASA technicians work, plus 

the computers whose development may be “the main reason NASA 

could achieve a moon landing so soon” had created “an efficiency as 

unprecedented as the Apollo 13 disaster was implausible to the engineers at Houston Mission Control.” Cooper’s “plain, detailed picture 

of the teams at their consoles and in discussion and over the intercom 

‘loop’ and under the adroit supervision of Eugene Krantz, a flight director who was unquestionably an executive hero of Apollo 13, gives 

their work a fascinating muscle and texture that might surprise those 

inclined to think this side of NASA boring.” (IVYT Book Review, 

3/11/73, 45) 

Dr. John E. Naugle, NASA Associate Administrator for Space 

Science, testified on the status of space science programs and plans 

during hearings on NASA’s FY 1974 authorization before the Senate 

Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences: “The largest and most 

significant current project is Viking, a program to continue the exploration of Mars with two automated spacecraft during the 1975-76 

opportunity.” A Mariner spacecraft would be launched in October 

or November toward Venus. “AS the Mariner passes close to Venus 

its path will be bent and it will be accelerated toward . . . Mercury. 

If all goes well, we will make our deepest penetration toward the sun and 

get our first view of the sun-scorched Mercury. Pioneer G is ready 

for shipment to Cape Kennedy. It will be launched in April 1973 and 

will follow Pioneer 10 [launched March 2, 19723 through the asteroid 

belt to explore Jupiter. 

“We are proceeding with the development of the two Mariner spacecraft planned for launch to Jupiter and Saturn in 1977. The experiments and experiment teams have been selected. We are proceeding 

also with spacecraft design and will be purchasing some of the subsystems-those common to Viking-in Fiscal Year 1974. The use of 

common subsystems and leftover Viking hardware is helping us to 

minimize costs on this project. The major manned mission of 1973 

is . . . Skylab, which will have many scientific experiments aboard. 

The most important and the largest . . . is the Apollo Telescope Mount 

(ATM) , which contains five major experiments using eight scientific 

instruments, all devoted to observing and studying the sun. This complex assembly of solar instruments is designed to be man-operated in 

a manner similar to a ground-based observatory. The ATM is now 

assembled as part of Skylab, awaiting launch in May 1973. An international campaign of solar observations in 15 countries . . . will be 

run simultaneously with ATM ; a number of sounding-rocket payloads 

will be launched to help calibrate the instruments on ATM and to make 

complementary observations.” 

Os0 7, in orbit, “made many unique observations during the August 

1972 period of intense solar activity and made the first observations 

March 12: 

78 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 12 

of gamma rays in solar flares. OSO-I is planned to be launched late 

in 1974. It will carry several major experiments to make detailed 

measurements of the process that transports energy from the sun’s 

surface to its intensely hot corona. The broad international participation 

in OSO-I is exemplified by a major French instrument and by a group 

of over 40 guest investigators from the US., France, Germany, Sweden, 

the United Kingdom and the U.S.S.R.” 

Associate Administrator for Applications Charles W. Mathews testified on special applications programs: “The Earth and Ocean Physics 

Applications Program ( EOPAP) is an interrelated series of projects 

directed to the solution of important problems in earth and ocean 

dynamics that can best be addressed by the application of space techniques. Major areas of EOPAP are (a) global monitoring, reporting 

and forecasting of ocean-surface conditions and (b) monitoring of 

motions of the whole earth and its crust to obtain a better understanding 

of the processes that produce earthquakes, with the expectation that 

this will lead to the development of techniques for predicting the occurrence, magnitude and location of earthquakes.” The second special 

program underway, the space-processing applications program, was 

organized to exploit the unique environment of space flight, weightlessness and unlimited vacuum, for research and technological developments in material sciences and processing with the specific goal of 

inventing, developing and commercializing new products and manufacturing techniques for use on earth or in space.” NASA’s role was “that of 

an initiator of new technology and, following a suitable ‘incubation 

period,’ a supplier of supporting services to a developing area of commercial endeavor.” (Transcript) 

* Dr. Philip Handler, National Academy of Sciences President and National 

Research Council Chairman, announced the first steps in an extensive 

reorganization of the NRC “to provide a closely coordinated structure 

whereby we may more effectively deploy the resources of the Academy 

and those of the nation’s scientific, technical, and health communities.” 

NRC would consist of assemblies concerned with studies and multidisciplinary commissions concerned with public-policy problems. The 

Assembly of Behavioral and Social Sciences-succeeding the NRC 

Div. of Behavioral Sciences-and the Commission on Natural Resources 

had already been established. A total of three assemblies and five 

commissions would become constituent parts of NRC to develop coherent 

programs and manage advisory activities of NAS. NAS also would 

strengthen procedures for selecting advisory committees to preserve the 

quality of scientific advice to the Governmept and ensure that committee membership was drawn from the entire national scientific community. (NAS-NRC-NAE News Report, 4/73, 1, 6) 

RCA Global Communications, Inc., and RCA Alaska Communications, Inc., 

applied to the Federal Communications Commission for authority to 

build and operate an interim communications satellite system by Aug. 1. 

The $7.4-million system would use Telesat Canada’s satellite with five 

earth stations to provide voice, message, and TV traffic between both 

US. coasts and Alaska until RCA’S domestic satellite system, proposed 

in 1971, was approved and began operation. (W Post, 3/13/73) 

The Senate confirmed Alexander P. Butterfield as Administrator of the 

Federal Aviation Administration. (CR, 3/12/73, D214) 

<c 

79 
March 12 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

0 Piesident Nixon submitted National Science Foundation: Twenty-Second 

Annual Report, for Fiscal Year 1972 to Congress. In his transmittal 

message the President said the Foundation in 1972 had “increased its 

support for scientific research in all disciplines and further expanded 

its involvement in research focused on domestic problems.” (PD, 

3/19/73, 252) 

The 1972 British Gold Medal for Aeronautics had been awarded to Dr. 

G. S. Hislop of Westland Aircraft Ltd. for design and development 

of rotorcraft, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. The Silver 

Medal for Aeronautics had been awarded to Mallinson Powley of Ferranti Ltd. for developmental work on electronic systems, particularly 

advanced weapon systems for British aircraft. (Av Wk, 2/12/73, 9) 0 The U.S.S.R. would produce the passen er door of the Boeing 727 jet 

transport under license, Aviation Weef & Space Technology reported. 

The transaction had been negotiated between Boeing Associated Products and Z/O Licensintorg, the U.S.S.R. licensing agency, and included 

the sale of tooling, parts drawings, and a small amount of hardware. 

(Av Wk, 3/12/73, 26) 

* The Atomic Energy Commission announced it would propose issuance of 

a construction permit and operating license to the Univ. of Utah for a 

research reactor on its Salt Lake City campus. (AEC release R-101) 

NASA Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and Space Technology Roy P. Jackson testified on the shuttle technology programs 

before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Aeronautics and Space Technology during FY 1974 authorization 

hearings: With the shuttle under development, the program had been 

converted from preparing technology to assisting in development. With 

this transition, “we have reduced in fiscal year 1973, and will further 

reduce in fiscal year 1974, our rate of Shuttle-oriented resource investments,” but wind tunnels and arc jets would play a key role in shuttle 

development. Aerodynamic and heat-transfer investigations at subsonic 

through hypersonic speeds in simulated shuttle ascent would focus 

on effects of the rocket plume and separation of rocket engines. Windtunnel and structural laboratory vibration tests of scale models would 

provide vehicle dynamic-response characteristics. Additional tests in 

high-temperature wind tunnels would determine structural behavior 

and integrity of thermal protection systems and supporting structure 

for simulated earth-atmosphere-entry environments. About 14 wind tunnels would be used in the program. 

Dr. Seymour C. Himmel, Deputy Associate Administrator for Technology in OAST, testified on power production for long-distance space 

communications: “For future spacecraft requiring 500-2000 electrical 

watts, our work is focused on the Brayton dynamic conversion system. 

This system uses thermal energy from the isotopic sources to heat a 

working gas which expands through a turbogenerator to produce electricity at four to five times the approximately 6 percent efficiency of 

current RTG’S [radioisotope thermoelectric generators]. Work in fiscal 

1974 will be focused on the design and fabrication of the components 

of an experimental conversion system. Our technology goal is to 

demonstrate 50,000 hours of operation.” (Transcript) 

NASA Associate Administrator for Applications Charles W. Mathews described NASA’s Earth Observatory Satellite ( EOS) program in continued 

testimony before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ 

March 13: 

80 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 13 

Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications during FY 1974 

authorization hearings. The satellite, a potential new start for 1974, 

was intended to provide a multidisciplinary earth observations capability to support the areas of meteorology, environmental quality, earth 

resources and, in some respects, the earth and ocean physics program. 

The system would be the first major shuttle-compatible spacecraft with 

modularity, giving ability to retrieve and repair modular elements of 

the spacecraft, and the spacecraft might also be modular in basic 

size. “We may be able to build up a different size and weight spacecraft, using these modular techniques.” Elements were expected to 

serve the several disciplines without significant changes in components 

through the modular buildup. 

George W. Cherry, Deputy Associate Administrator in OAST, testified 

that Lewis Research Center was providing technical management on 

several Environmental Protection Agency contracts. Turbines, heat exchangers, combustors, and fuel controls obtained from NASA’s low-cost 

jet engine research would be evaluated for use in automobile turbine 

engines. A memorandum of understanding with EPA would expand LeRC 

responsibility for component and system development for advanced automotive power systems and would exploit LeRc test facilities. (Transcript) 

L/C Eduard Burchard, West German Air Force medical officer, had begun two-year tour of duty with the Flight Medicine Section of Johnson 

Space Center, JSC announced. Burchard would work with U.S. scientists on Skylab. (JSC Release 73-26) 

Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator, cited examples of space technology spinoff in testimony before the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences during FY 1974 authorization 

hearings: A heat recovery system developed from an improved 

means for eliminating thermal gradients in spacecraft would soon be 

available for use as a home unit that would provide adequate warm air 

and hot water from a single flame source. A fast-scan infrared camera 

adapted from Marshall Space Flight Center research would project 

60 frames per second, giving “the same flicker-free image you receive 

on your TV set.” An irreversible warm-up indicator adapted from 

NASA-sponsored low-temperature balloon battery research could warn 

when frozen food had been exposed to too high a temperature. 

A low-cost portable drug detector developed under Ames Research 

Center auspices would detect drugs in urine in microscopic amounts. 

ARC had cooperated with the NASA-sponsored Biochemical Application 

Team at Stanford Univ. to develop a consumable pill to telemeter body 

temperature to a remote display unit. The pill could determine the location of ulcers or tumors within the intestines. The need to monitor astronauts’ sleep had led to the development of a sleep analyzer-a soft 

electrode cap-that required no scalp preparation for good electrode 

contact. The NASA-sponsored Biomedical Team at Southwest Research 

Institute had helped make Temper Foam available for prevention of 

bedsores and as an impact-absorbing material for artificial limbs. The 

foam had been developed under ARC contract. (Transcript) 

ApoZZo 17 geologist-astronaut Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt testified on the 

legacy of the ApoIlo program before the House Committee on Science 

and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Manned Space Flight in hearings 

on NASA’s FY 1974 authorization: As man emerged “from the scientific 

Murch 14.- 

81 
March 14 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

revolution brought about by Apollo on the Moon with the simultaneous 

revolution brought about by new insight into the origins of ocean basins 

and continents on the Earth, we may begin to understand the great 

stresses and strains within our crust as ocean floors grow and continents 

move. These stresses and strains profoundly affect the everyday lives of 

people living within belts of present earthquakes and volcanic activity. 

Within future understanding of the frozen ocean of basalt of [Oceanus] 

Procellarum and the vast ridge and volcanic system that splits it, may 

lie the simplification of thought about past events that leads to the expansion of thoughts about present events. I will be the first to admit 

that these last comments give free run to the imagination. However, 

knowledge never becomes a resource until it is married to imagination. 

It is thus . . . that the scientific legacy of Apollo will be realized.” 

Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, Marshall Space Flight Center Director and 

former Apollo Program Director, reported the status of the five scientific 

stations deployed on the moon during the Apollo program: The first 

station deployed by Apollo 12, in November 1969, “is still functioning 

over 3 years after its initial deployment in the very demanding environment of the Moon. . . . The fact that this equipment can stand these 

rigors of temperature and vacuum . . . and still function , . . demonstrates 

one facet of the technology we have developed.” All five stations were 

still functioning, though some of the experiments had been lost. The 

first total station, on Apollo 12, had been designed for a one-year life. 

“And yet we have had it over 3 years . . . and the seismometers worked 

beautifully all 3 years.” The superthermal ion detector was “working 

beautifully and had for 3 years, night and day.” NASA had “five seismic 

units just giving us beautiful information on the seismic tremors of 

the Moon and meteorite impacts, so now we can locate them fairly accurately.” 

Dr. Charles A. Berry, Director of Life Sciences in OMSF, reported: 

We are vastly wiser in many medical and technical areas for our 

‘decade in space.’ Much has been learned about the effects of the space 

flight environment upon man. We have found that some body systems 

respond to space flight factors . . . with changes . . . observable in the 

period immediately following space flight. Occasionally changes have 

been noticeable during the inflight period of the mission. None of 

these changes has been of such a severity as to cause any real concern 

for man’s safety in space, but all changes are . . . being watched closely 

lest they have implications for long duration flight.” Cardiovascular responses which showed the greatest changes also appeared most amenable 

to regulation by inflight countermeasures, such as lower body negative 

pressure. Medication had not proved of value in treating either the 

cardiovascular deconditioning or the loss of exercise capacity. Countermeasures were also being investigated for the small bone density losses 

noted. A decrease in heart size had been noted in both US. and Soviet 

space crewmen and some Soviet crewmen had experienced postflight 

muscular difficulties. “Both astronauts and cosmonauts have also reported sensations resembling sea sickness during spaceflight. On the 

whole, however, US. astronauts do not appear to be excessively plagued 

by motion sickness symptoms. The growth of opportunistic microorganisms appears to be favored in the space environment.” (Transcript) 

66 

82 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 14 

* Alexander P. Butterfield was sworn in as Administrator of the Federal 

Aviation Administration by Secretary of Transportation Claude S. 

Brinegar. Butterfield succeeded John H. Shaffer, who had returned to 

private life after four years as FAA Administrator. (FAA Release, 

3/22/73 ) 

The American Photographic Interpretation Award of the American Society 

of Photogrammetry was presented in Washington, D.C., to NASA’S Earth 

Resources Technology Satellite Team for important contributions to 

ASP’S interests. (NASA Activities, 4/15/73, 72) 

March 15: NASA announced selection of Lockheed California Co. and 

Boeing Co. for negotiations leading to contracts for structural technology studies of an arrow-wing, supersonic, cruise aircraft configuration. Each contractor would apply a Langley Research Center concept 

for a four-engine SST with sharply swept-back wings to the structure 

of a hypothetical aircraft. The aircraft would have a 340000-kg 

(750 000-lb) takeoff weight, 7800-km (4800-mi) design range, 22 000- 

kg (49 000-lb) payload, and 15-yr economic service life. Structural 

concepts would be developed under two 121,-mo, $700 000, cost-plusfixed-fee contracts. (NASA Release 73-43) 

The Aerospace Industries Association reported that aerospace exports continued to be a major factor in the US. balance of trade. In 1972, aerospace exports of $3.8 billion, offset by imports of $546 million, had 

netted $3.2 billion positive contribution to the US. position. The US. 

had registered an overall negative balance of $6.4 billion. Dept. of 

Commerce statistics had revealed that aerospace exports had included 

$2.9 billion in commercial sales and $900 million in military equipment. 

(AIAA News, 3/15/73) 

* NASA Associate Administrator for Tracking and Data Acquisition Gerald 

M. Truszynski testified before the House Committee on Science and 

Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Aeronautics and Space Technology during NASA FY 1974 authorization hearings: Support in 1972 had been 

provided to more than 40 ongoing missions as well as 18 new flight 

projects. New launches-which included Apollo 16 and 17 and the first 

probe to Jupiter, Pioneer 10--“plaeed increased demands on the capacity and reliability of the tracking systems.’’ During the two-year, 

1000 000 000-km (621 400 000-mi) journey of Pioneer 10 to Jupiter’s 

vicinity, the Deep Space Network would continuously monitor the spacecraft’s condition and acquire data from its 13 experiments. 

Major changes in the Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network (STDN) 

had been the installation of a transportable station at St. John’s, Newfoundland, to provide Skylab launch support and the closing of the 

station at Fort Myers, Fla. The closing was “the first of the station 

closures planned to take place over the next few years as the spaceflight 

tracking and data network moves toward a single integrated network in 

the post-Apollo-Soyuz test project time.” (Transcript) 

* Johnson Space Center announced the issuance of requests for proposals 

to build hydraulic actuators for space shuttle applications and to test 

them under simulated space conditions. The actuators were being considered for aerodynamics-surface and thrust-vector control on the shuttle. 

Proposals, leading to a firm-fixed-price research-and-development contract, were due by April 2. Work was to be concluded 12 mos after the 

contract award. ( JSC Release 73-27) 

83 
March 15-30 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

March 15-30: Five US-U.S.S.R. joint working groups met at Johnson 

Space Center and reached agreements on the July 1975 Apollo-Soyuz 

Test Project. Technical specialists from each country would be in the 

other country’s control center during the mission and flight crews and 

specialists would be trained and made familiar with each country’s 

spacecraft and systems. Under a flammability agreement, the US. 

would provide fire resistant material for the Soviet cosmonauts’ flight 

clothing; the cosmonauts would use an Apollo headset in the Apollo 

spacecraft for communications to the Soyuz spacecraft over the Soviet 

communications link; the Soviet TV camera used in the Apollo spacecraft would be in a fireproof hermetically sealed container; and the 

still camera and film used by the cosmonauts in Apollo would be stored 

in a flameproof container. The US. would provide a 16 mm camera 

for Soviet use during docked operations in both Apollo and Soyuz 

spacecraft. Agreements were reached on the prescribed procedure if 

either country encountered anomalous results during test activities that 

concerned the other country and on mission planning for rendezvous. 

The groups agreed that additional testing was required on the docking seals, that the US. would limit Apollo control system thrusting in 

the roll axis to two thrusters to preclude excessive structural loads on 

the Soyuz spacecraft, and that an additional docking test could be performed on the second day, with the Apollo systems passive and the 

Soyuz active, Both countries agreed to perform and exchange safety 

assessments in fire, pyrotechnic devices, cabin pressure, and propulsion 

and control systems. 

The 47-man delegation of Soviet scientists and engineers included 

Cosmonauts Vladimir A. Shatalov and Aleksey S. Yeliseyev and the 

Soviet ASTP Technical Director, Academician Iconstantin D. Bushuyev. 

At a March 19 press conference Bushuyev and US. ASTP Technical Director Glynn S. Lunney agreed that cordial, friendly, and cooperative 

progress was being made in planning the joint mission. Preliminary 

drawings of the two spacecraft had been exchanged so that mockups 

could be built. (C. M. Lee presentation to Aerospace Advisory Panel, 

4/10/73; MSC Release 73-24; JSC Roundup, 3/16/73,1; Wilford, NYT, 

3/20-73, 32; JSC PTO) 

Apollo 16 and 17 lunar samples, representing the widest variety 

of soil and rock from both missions, were presented at Johnson Space 

Center to Soviet Academy of Sciences representatives Vladimir Shcherbina and Lev Tarasov by Dr. Paul W. Gast, JSG Chief of Planetary and 

Earth Sciences Div. The presentation of three grams (one tenth ounce) 

each of rock and soil from the Descartes and Taurus-Littrow landing 

sites was part of the US.-U.S.S.R. agreement for exchange of lunar 

samples. ( JSC Release 73-28) 

0 Some members of Congress were urging a second series of Skylab missions beginning in 1976, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. 

The purpose would be to avoid the hiatus in manned space exploration 

between the joint US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975 and the 

first orbital flight of the space shuttle in 1978. Dr. James Fletcher, NASA 

Administrator, had estimated the cost of a second Skylab series at less 

than $1 billion if the same experiments were flown. Sen. Lowell P. 

Weicker, Jr. (R-Conn.), would try to add funds for a second Skylab 

to NASA’s FY 1974 authorization. (Av Wk, 3/12/73, 16) 

March 16: 

84 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 16 

Brazil was reported to be negotiating with several companies for a $100- 

million domestic communications satellite system to link its cities with 

remote areas not reached by ground systems. A special government 

commission would study proposals for the satellite program to relay 

thousands of simultaneous phone calls and multiple TV channels. If 

the program was authorized, Brazil would become the third country in 

the world with a nationwide domestic comsat system. (LATNS, Today, 

3/16/73) 

* A crew escape module was being tested by the Air Force at Holloman Air 

Force Base, N. Mex. The detachable crew compartment of a B-l 

advanced bomber, designed by Air Force System Command’s Aeronautical Systems Division and Rockwell International Corp., would be 

able to save four men from a disabled aircraft over land or water. The 

compartment could be blasted free of the aircraft by rocket engines; 

the fins and spoiler would deploy for stabilization until the parachute 

opened to bring the men down safely. (AFSC Release 15.73) 

The Subcommittee on Priorities and Economies in Government of the 

congressional Joint Economic Committee released the report FederaE 

Transportation Policy: The SST Again. The British-French Concorde 

supersonic transport was a commercial failure because of high costs, 

limited range-payload capabilities, and unknown environmental effects, 

the report concluded. It recommended that no further attempts be made 

to provide funds for a US. SST. (Text) 

0 NASA launched a Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket from Poker Flats, 

Alaska, carrying a Univ. of Minnesota and Univ. of New Hampshire 

auroral studies experiment. The rocket and instrumentation performed 

satisfactorily but the tracking radar lost the signal at 55 sec. (GSFC proj 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, reported on NASA’s 

contribution toward environmental improvement, in a speech before 

the 37th Annual Meeting of the National Wildlife Assn. in Washington, 

D.C.: “NO part of the changing, moving face of the globe we inhabit 

is free of human influence or removed from human interest. We therefore can afford to leave no part unmonitored. From forest fires to 

hurricanes, from the slow erosion of granite hills to the short-lived 

volcanic eruption or avalanche, from the atmospheric particulates to 

crop diseases to oil spills-we need to know the condition of our 

environment, minute by minute.” From this knowledge would flow the 

interrelated set of local, national, and international measures “that 

will make our planet what we want it to be.” The key was “to know 

how they will be deployed and how they will be used. I personally believe that the greatest lag today is in the development of mature social 

and political institutions to collect, manage, and act on the whole new 

level of environmental information we are able to generate.” The major 

impact of current activities, largely data collection by Erts 1 Earth 

Resources Technology Satellite (launched by NASA July 23, 1972), 

would be ‘’to force the development of a new level of maturity on 

society.’’ NASA’s jobs were to extract, display, and use the information 

its tools could provide. “We must develop and expand natural and predictive models of the new environment . . . to provide . . . real assessments so necessary in real-world decision making.” The larger job was 

the “development of competent local, regional, national, and global institutions that will build and operate such systems.” (Text) 

off) 

Murch 17: 

85 
March 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* Infrared photos were made from a leased aircraft by Marshall Space Flight 

Center’s Environmental Applications Office during an Alabama flood 

emergency. Photos-for analysis of flooded areas, water sources, flow 

patterns, and runoff routes-had been requested by the US. Geological 

Survey. They would be used also by civil defense organizations, the 

Tennessee Valley Authority, Redstone Arsenal engineers, and the North 

Alabama Regional Council of Governments. ( MSFC Release 73-35) 

0 Selection of four companies to continue second-phase development of a 

microwave landing system was announced by Secretary of Transportation Claude S. Brinegar. International Telephone & Telegraph Corp. 

had been awarded a $4 765 760 contract; Hazeltine Corp., $4 401 000; 

Bendix Corp., $3 196 090; and Texas Instruments, Inc., $3 063 840. 

The MLS would provide Category I11 (zero visibility-zero ceiling) landing capabilities as well as low-cost ground facilities for use at lowdensity airports. ( FAA Release 73-15) 

Proposals to outfit Boeing 747 aircraft with instruments to 

monitor pollution in the upper atmosphere were being solicited for 

the Global Air Sampling Program, NASA announced. Manufacturers 

would submit bids covering design and fabrication of instruments to 

sample gaseous and particulate pollutants, installation on Boeing 747, 

and flight-testing. The contract would be awarded by July. (LeRC 

Release 73-15) 

0 A secret Department of Defense study and an independent Air Force study 

had shown that costs on the F-15 fighter aircraft could run $1.7 billion 

-2l%-above estimates given to Congress, the Washington Star and 

Daily News reported. The engine developed for the F-15 had had 52 

hitherto undisclosed hardware breakdowns. Secretary of the Air Force 

Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., was convinced the F-15 would not encounter the cost problems plagued by other large aircraft programs 

but was concerned about the engine problems. Seamans had asked NASA 

to help solve the problem and find better ways to develop new aircraft 

engines, the newspaper said. (Kelly, W Star & News, 3/18/73, Al) 

President Nixon submitted Aeronautics and Space Report of 

the President: 1972 Activities to Congress. He said in his transmittal 

message : “The Apollo program was successfully concluded with the 

flights of Apollo 16 and 17. These missions were designed to obtain 

maximum scientific return and provided almost half the lunar exploration time in the Apollo program. Though it is far too early to attempt 

a definitive assessment of the value of this program, it is clear that one 

result will be a quantum jump in both our scientific knowledge and our 

technical expertise. Our unmanned satellites include a variety of vehicles ranging from meteorological, navigational and communication 

satellites to a new experimental spacecraft providing information on 

our resources and environment. Increasing practical applications for 

satellite technology confirm the immediate value of our efforts in space, 

while observatory satellites and others carrying specialized scientific 

instruments provide accurate and dependable data never before available to scientists on earth. The conclusion of the Apollo programs marks 

only another step in this Nation’s push into space.” 

The year 1972 had also seen advances in aeronautical research and 

development. “It should be emphasized that work in this field is particularly vital if America is to maintain its leadership in the development and production of civil and military aircraft and engines. Our 

March 18: 

March 19: 

86 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 19 

efforts in aeronautics and space will allow us to meet demands in 

these and other important domestic and foreign areas.” 

The report said the year had been one “of significant, advanced 

accomplishments in lunar exploration, exploration of the planets and 

the universe, and in aeronautical concepts.” A balanced program had 

been initiated to “continue exploration in space, space science studies, 

application of spacr for benefits on earth, and the development of new 

technology for space and aeronautics” by the 16 Federal agencies 

reporting. (Text) 

An on-the-job training program began at Johnson Space Center to train 

a team from Mexico’s National Commission for Outer Space (Comision 

Nacional del Espacio Exterior) in remote sensing. The program would 

prepare the team to use a remote-sensing aircraft purchased by Mexico 

in December 1972. NASA’s instrumented NP-SA aircraft would carry 

the team on a survey flight that also would provide information to six 

Mexican investigators using the earth resources experiment package 

( EREP) aboard Skylab. ( JSC Release 73-43) 

Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D-Wash.), with 27 cosponsors, introduced S. 

1283, to establish an interagency “Earth Management Project” for 

research, development, and demonstration in fuels and energy for the 

coordination of and financial supplementation of Federal energy research and development. The bill would include an assistant administrator from NASA. (CR, 3/19/73, S5021-37) 

Academician Anatoly A. Blagonravov discussed the role of automatic 

vehicles in a Pravda article: Automatic explorers could pave the way 

for manned exploration but both were necessary. Space science was an 

inalienable part of the national economy. “It is impossible to conceive 

of mankind’s tomorrow without further penetration of outer space. This 

is not a mere curiosity but a necessity of the development of science and 

our civilization.” ( FBIS-SOV, 3/23/73, Ll-L3) 

March 19-21 : The US.-U.S.S.R. Joint Commission on Scientific and 

Technical Cooperation met in Washington. The U.S.S.R. agreed to 

help guide and finance a US. deep sea drilling project in the Antarctic. 

The project’s drill ship, Glomar Challenger, had discovered evidence 

of natural gas in the floor of the Ross Sea. Drilling had also shown 

the Antarctic ice sheet to be 15 million yrs older than originally thought 

and was expected to increase knowledge of ocean basins, their climates, 

and inhabitants. Participation of the U.S.S.R. with the Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling, a consortium of five US. 

institutions, would open up the Black and Baltic seas. 

Also agreed on were joint projects in pollution control and water 

resources management. (Sullivan, NYT, 3/23/73, 1) 

US. and U.S.S.R. experts meeting in Moscow on air pollution exchanged information on purification of smoke gases at power 

plants and on reduction of harmful waste from diesel engines. Provision for the meetings had been made in a memorandum adopted 

September 1972 at the first session of the U.S.-U.S.S.R. Joint Commission on Cooperation in the Field of Environmental Protection, which 

had provided for joint participation in designing projects, exchange 

of models, and exchanges of technical groups for testing, participation 

in symposiums, and obtaining supplementary information. (Tass, FBISSov, 3/30/73, G1) 

March 19-29: 

87 
March 20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS. 1973 

March 20: The U.S.S.R. launched Meteor 14 from Plesetsk to obtain 

meteorological information for weather forecasts. Orbital parameters: 

892-km (554.3-mi) apogee, 872-km (541.8-mi) perigee, 102.5-min 

period, and 81.2” inclination. The satellite would study cloud and snow 

cover and gather data on reflected heat. (GSFC SSR, 3/31/73; Tass, 

FBIS-SOV, 3/21/73, L1; SBD, 3/22/73, 124) 

* Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, with other NASA officials, 

testified on the FY 1974 NASA authorization request in hearings before 

the House Committee on Science and Astronautics. 

Dr. Fletcher pointed out that the NASA request of $3.016 billion was 

down $400 million from FY 1973 but said the agency program was 

significant. In 1972 NASA had completed the transition from manned 

exploration to a focus on practical benefits, unmanned exploration, 

and development of the space shuttle “as the means to make more 

practical and more economical all future uses of space, unmanned 

and manned, especially for applications of economic, commercial, international, or national security significance.” Work on uses of the 

shuttle was “reinforcing our view that the Space Shuttle system will not 

only provide the launch capability needed for future space activities 

of all types but will revolutionize the ways in which space is used as 

well. The more the specialists in various fields look at the shuttle’s 

capabilities, especially in the sortie mode, the more they see how its 

weight and volume capacity and flexible operations will permit them 

to carry out experiments and useful applications in a much simpler 

and economical manner.” 

Assistant Administrator for Institutional Management Joseph F. 

Malaga testified that NASA Hq. would have 1581 permanent positions 

in FY 174 after agency reduction in force, or 6.3% of the total NASA 

Civil Service employment. “This is down 600 positions from the 1968 

peak, when it represented 6.7 percent of the NASA total. Headquarters 

has thus kept its size consonant with agency size.” 

NASA’s policy on disposition of manpower and equipment necessitated by FY 1974 budget cuts was described by Richard C. McCurdy, 

Associate Administrator for Organization and Management, in a prepared statement: “We are already well into the organization and operation of a comprehensive program to identify specific employee preferences and abilities and corresponding suitable potential employers. We 

have set up training for staff members in gathering job information and 

in counseling employees, and have arranged for a coordinated flow of 

information about job openings throughout NASA, and other Federal 

agencies, state and local government units, educational institutions and 

private industry. . . . But even more basic . . . is our recognition that 

these people represent a virtually irreplaceable national resource.” He 

referred not only to “this highly talented and trained professionaltechnical work force but also to the complex of sophisticated plant and 

equipment which must be partially idled. . . . It would be unconscionable 

to permit key elements of America’s aeronautics and space capability 

to be disbanded or retired without making every effort to keep them 

available for further service to the nation.” 

Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator, testified on “practical returns from our space investment,” including the work of NASA 

Applications Teams in the technology utilization program. Teams assisted local, state and Federal Government agencies in biomedicine, air 

88 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 20 

and water pollution, fire safety, transportation, housing, law enforcement, postal service, and mine safety. “Those teams work with the user 

to explore important technical problems in his specific field and then, 

often with the help of specialists at NASA field centers, search for aerospace technology which can be used in the solution of the problems.” A 

technique used by NASA to inspect space vehicles had been adapted to improve the x-ray diagnosis of tumors and cardiovascular problems, with 

a tenfold reduction in radiation dosage. (Transcript) 

* Cochairman of the US-U.S.S.R. Joint Commission on Scientific and 

Technical Cooperation-the National Science Foundation Director, Dr. 

H. Guyford Stever, and Soviet Academician V. A. Trapeznikov-met 

with President Nixon at the White House. Dr. Stever told the president: 

“The signing of the agreement on science and technology, plus the other 

initiatives that you have taken, have triggered a great amount of cooperation in science and research, exchange of technical data with 

firms. And I think the progress is excellent.” (PD, 3/26/73, 288) 

0 NASA launched a Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket from Poker Flats, 

Alaska, carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center magnetospheric physics 

experiment to a 225.3-km (140-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

A New YOT~ Times editorial commented on results of the March 5-8 

Fourth Lunar Science Conference: The scientists had had “far more 

factual information . . . than has ever before been available” but current 

hypotheses about the moon’s history “have an obvious weakness. They 

are based almost entirely upon material and observations obtained 

from the near side of the moon.” The moon’s far side remained 

primarily luna incognita.” The next major objective of lunar exploration “over the decades ahead must be to land instruments and/or men 

on that far side so that scientists will at long last have samples and other 

data permitting them to analyze the total moon, not-as nowprimarily the side we see in the sky.” (NYT, 3/20/73, 36) 

NASA Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and Space Technology Roy P. Jackson testified on aircraft programs during hearings 

of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences on NASA’s 

FY 1974 authorization: “The objective of the engine refan program . . . at Lewis Research Center is to demonstrate the feasibility and cost of 

significantly reducing the noise of current civil fleet engines. The JTSD, 

which powers the Boeing 727 and 737 and the McDonnell Douglas 

DC-9, will continue in extensive civil fleet use well into the 1980’s. The 

first JTSD refanned engine ground test is scheduled for January 1974.” 

Flight tests would occur in FY 1975. Analysis of benefits from refanning 

indicated that approximately 50% greater community noise improvement could be gained from a fleet-wide JT8D refan retrofit than from 

a fleet-wide JT3D refan retrofit. The JT3D powered the four-engine 

Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. “This analysis resulted in the decision 

in January to concentrate, within available resources, on the JT8D and 

to defer work on the JT3D.” NASA’s experimental quiet engine program 

had achieved its major goals during FY 1973 and would be continued 

in FY 1974. “Altitude performance tests . . . will start soon in the 

christening run of the Lewis Propulsion Laboratory expansion aut‘horized in 1967. After initial acoustic testing, a sonic inlet, which chokes 

off forward sound propagation, will be added to engine C.” Technology 

was in hand to permit a new generation of civil aircraft engines, with 

LL 

M~Tc~ 21 : 

89 
March 21 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

acceptable economics, whose noise footprint in terminal operations 

would be less than 50% of that of the generation of relatively quiet 

wide-body jet aircraft now coming on the line in the civil fleet. (Transcript) 

e Confirmation of U.S.S.R. development of the SS-17 missile-a follow-on 

to the SS-11 with first strike capability against the US.-was given by 

Dept. of Defense spokesman Jerry W. Friedheim. The press had quoted 

US. military analysts as saying the U.S.S.R. had successfully tested 

the SS-17, which had an onboard computer to direct it to a predetermined impact point and to adjust for variables. Reports had said the 

SS-17 could attack US. Minuteman missile silos and advance Soviet 

development of accurate multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVS) for its intercontinental missiles. ( DOD PIO ; Beecher, 

NYT, 3/21/73, 4; Aero Daily, 3/22/73; Av Wk, 3/26/73, 11) 

* NASA launched a Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket from Poker Flats, 

Alaska, carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center magnetospheric physics 

experiment to a 239.8-km (149-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off) 

Skylab mission simulation and flight-readiness tests were 

completed at Kennedy Space Center, including experiment hardware 

and the control system. The first Skylab crew-Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. 

Joseph P. Kerwin, and Paul J. Weitz-participated in the checkout. 

Decisions were made to replace three water accumulators and bladders 

in the airlock module and the multiple docking adapter coolant system. 

(NASA Release 73-55) 

Cosmos 552 was launched from Plesetsk by the U.S.S.R. into 

orbit with 308-km (191.4-mi) apogee, 202-km (125.5-mi) perigee, 

89.5-min period, and 72.8” inclination and reentered April 3. (GSFC 

SSR, 3/31/73; 4/30/73; SBD, 3/23/73, 32) e Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, continued testimony before 

the House Committee on Science and Astronautics during hearings on 

the FY 1974 NASA authorization. Dr. Fletcher explained the decision 

to cancel the quiet, experimental, short takeoff and landing ( QUESTOL) 

aircraft program because of FY 1974 budgetary restrictions. “The Air 

Force STOL program turned out to use some of the advanced concepts 

that we had developed in NASA and some of which we were planning 

to use on the QUESTOL.” The main difficulty with the Air Force advanced medium STOL transport (AMST) “is that it doesn’t have the 

proper engine-you couldn’t operate a noisy transport like that for commercial uses, especially in a city-and we are proceeding post haste with 

the advancement of technology for an engine for missions such as that, 

in the quiet, clean, STOL experimental engine (QCSEE) program.’’ It 

was not clear when the STOL would be phased into the current fleet. 

“The technology would be developed by and large for commercial aircraft, with quiet engines and at some later date either we or more 

probably a commercial company can put these technologies together 

and develop that STOL as the need requires.” (Transcript) 

0 The success of Project Boomerang, first earth-orbital flight of a balloon 

carrying scientific instruments, was announced by NASA. The 19-m 

(64-ft) balloon (launched Jan. 24 for NASA by the US. National 

Scientific Balloon Facility from Oakey Airfield, Queensland, Australia) 

had circled the earth 36 days at 24 000-m (78 000-ft) altitude and made 

two orbits before being brought back. A second balloon, launched 

March 21-25: 

March 22: 

90 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 22 

Jan. 28, was still aloft but had been slowed by changes in the prevailing 

winds. It was expected to complete its second orbit by the month’s end. 

Each balloon had carried about 4Q kg (90 Ibs) of passive experiments 

to study cosmic rays and their effect on corn seedlings and other vegetation and to collect micrometeorites. The first balloon’s payload had 

parachuted to within 15 km (9 mi) of the launch site. Project Boomerang was primarily an engineering test in NASA’s balloon program to 

study near-earth phenomena. The program’s goal was to build superpressure balloons that would orbit at altitudes to 40 000 m (130 000 ft) , stay aloft for six months or more, and carry up to 227 kg (500 Ibs) of 

scientific instruments. (NASA Release 73-48 ; NASA PIO) 

0 The Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences continued FY 

1974 NASA authorization hearings with testimony by NASA Associate 

Administrator for Tracking and Data Acquisition Gerald M. Truszynski : 

The NASA Communications Nrtwork (NASCOM) “during the life of the 

Apollo program advanced the expansion of communications satellites 

throughout thr world by relying solely on them for direct reliable communications from certain remote tracking stations where previously 

marginal communications were available.” Innovations in data transmission had been introduced to meet Apollo program data requirements, 

“and many of these new techniques have been adopted by other Government agencies, industry, and the developing countries of the world.” Examples included network technical control and monitor techniques, 

high-data-rate transmission at low error rates, and the use of a single 

wideband channel for voice, data, or teletype, or any combination of 

them. “World standards for data transmission which were unique for 

Apollo . . . are now becoming commonplace. The NASCOM . . . has not 

only successfully completed every task assigned to it in support of our 

complex program, but during the process . . . has advanced the level of 

performance in overall communications systems.” 

Assistant Administrator for Institutional Management Joseph F. 

Malaga and Associate Administrator for Organization and Management 

Richard C. McCurdy testified on NASA manpower adjustments necessitated by FY 1974 budgetary restrictions. A prepared statement by 

McCurdy said that college recruiting figures showed junior professionals 

recruited by NASA had dropped from 965 in 1966 to 56 in FY 1972 and 

rose only to 118 for the first half of FY 1973. “The necessary reinvigoration of the organization through the introduction of new blood is thus 

not yet in sight, nor will it be until some stability in staffing and supporting funding has been assured.” 

Assistant Administrator for International Affairs Arnold W. Frutkin 

testified on the 1975 US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz Test Project: “The 

cooperation achieved with the Soviet Union seems to offer very considerable promise. If United States and Soviet manned spacecraft can 

rendezvous, dock, and transfer crew members, both countries will have 

increased their chance of rescuing astronauts under stress without commensurate increases in the cost of standby rescue capabilities.” If successful, the ASTP mission would “point the way to future joint activities 

which should help both countries gain more in space than they would 

from separate programs.” (Transcript) 

Declining jobs at Kennedy Space Center would level off at about 9600 

total for contractors and Civil Service in 1976 when the space shuttle 

buildup began, Today quoted KSC Director of Administration George 

91 
March 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

A. Van Staden as saying. The number would be a drop from the current 

14 500 but would mean community stability in employment for the 

first time. Previously NASA had projected 6000 to 7000 jobs for shuttle 

operations. Employment would fall by 3000 at the end of 1973, with 

completion of Skylab, and would drop again after the mid-1975 

Apollo-Soyuz mission. When the 9600 level was reached in 1976, jobs 

would gradually build up for two years, to about 10800 in 1978 when 

shuttle testing began. (Today, 3/22/73, Al) 

a American Telephone & Telegraph Corp. planned to sell its stock ownership in the Communications Satellite Corp. to the public, the Washington Star and Daily News reported. AT&T had purchased 2895750 

shares, 29% of the total, in 1964 and would have to sell as a condition 

set by the Federal Communications Commission for participation in a 

domestic satellite system. (W Star & News, 3/22/73, A20) 

* The Florida Senate Natural Resources Committee had unanimously endorsed a proposal to restore the name “Cape Canaveral” to Cape Kennedy, Today reported. If the bill-sponsored by State Sen. Henry Sayler 

(R-St. Petersburg) , State Sen. John Vogt (D-Merritt Island), and 

State Sen. Lori Wilson (I-Merritt Island)-became law, “Cape Canaveral” would appear on all official state maps and publications. (Today, 

3/22/72, Ell) a General Dynamics Corp. successfully completed static and failsafe tests of 

a composite aircraft fuselage structure that was 47% graphic-epoxy, 

12% boron-epoxy, and 14% fiber-epoxy. The structure demonstrated 

the applicability of advanced composite materials to primary aircraft 

fuselage construction in a program to develop techniques that would 

make composite fabrication competitive with conventional metal construction. (Av Wk, 4/2/73? 24) 

The House passed H.J.R. 5 to designate the week of April 23 as Nicolaus 

Copernicus Week, marking the quinquicentennial of the pioneer astronomer’s birth. (CR, 3/22/73, D286) 

NASA and the Army Air Mobility Research and Development 

Laboratory had requested contract bids for design, construction, flighttest, and delivery by mid-1976 of two rotor system research aircraft 

(RSRA) , NASA announced. The RSRA would be used in the joint NASAArmy advanced rotor concepts program to develop technology for increased performance, safety, reliability, and strength and for reduced 

noise, maintenance, and vibration of rotary wing aircraft. The RSRA 

would be based at Langley Research Center as flying laboratories to 

test new rotary wing concepts for civil aviation. (NASA Release 73-49) 

0 NASA launched an Aerobee 170A sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying a California Institute of Technology payload to a 

199.6-km (124-mi) altitude to map extended x-ray sources using multiwire proportional counters. The rocket and instrumentation performed 

satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off) 

0 The Air Force Aerospace Defense Command said in Colorado Springs, 

Colo., that 2897 man-made objects were orbiting the earth. The US. 

had orbited 1978 and the U.S.S.R., 843. (UPI, NYT, 3/24/73, 7) e The Air Force announced award of a $2 233 952 cost-plus-incentive-fee 

contract to TRW Inc. for operational support of a space test program 

applicable to atmospheric research. ( DOD Release 141-72) 

Kennedy Space Center’s Earth Resources Office would participate with Florida’s Dept. of Natural Resources in a three-year experiMarch 23: 

March 25: 

92 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 25 

ment to determine whether Siberian white amur could check the growth 

of aquatic weeds choking Florida’s inland waters, KSC announced. Four 

experimental ponds and lakes would be stocked with white amur. Specially equipped NASA-6 twin-engine Beechcraft aircraft would photograph the fish‘s progress using color infrared and standard photography. 

If the resulting vegetation maps indicated the white amur ate undesirable vegetation, it would be introduced to other areas, saving the Government $10 million a year in harvesting and research expenses. (KSC 

Release 50-73) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, testified before the 

House Committee on Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Housing and 

Urban Development-Space-Science-Veterans during hearings on NASA 

FY 1974 appropriations: “I recognize that in the allocation of funds 

to support the multitude of agencies and programs in the overall budget, 

hard decisions must be made each year based upon overall considerations of national priorities and needs. And with respect to NASA, hard 

decisions have already been made-in the past in cutting NASA spending 

almost in half and again this year in cutting NASA about $400 million 

below the level approved for FY 1973. But when we consider the benefits of NASA’S programs-in advancing scientific knowledge, in exploration, in the practical applications of aeronautics and space, in 

contributing to international cooperation, and perhaps most importantly 

in advancing technology-and when we consider the NASA portion of the 

overall Federal budget for FY 1974 amounts to less than 1.2 percent, 

down from 4.3 percent in 1965, a factor of more than three-I am 

convinced that NASA more than justifies its present place in the ranking 

of national priorities.” (Transcript) 

Establishment of the lunar data analysis and synthesis program was announced by NASA. Scientists throughout the world would be invited to 

propose investigations drawing on a variety of lunar data and cutting 

across a number of scientific disciplines to build a detailed picture of 

the moon’s origin, history, and characteristics. The knowledge would 

carry implications for other solar system planets, including the earth, 

and would provide the basis for future mission planning and broad 

dissemination of new knowledge to the public. The program would be 

conducted by the Lunar Programs Div., headed by William T. O’Bryant, 

in the Office of Space Science. (NASA Release 73-50) 

The U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences and NASA had agreed to a joint exhibit 

of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project at the 30th International Exposition at 

LeBourget Airport, Paris, May 24 to June 3, NASA announced. Each 

agency would exhibit actual size models of Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft 

in docked configuration. (NASA Release 73-28) 

The U.S.S.R. intended to purchase 10 Apollo extravehicular spacesuits of 

the kind used on the Apollo 15,16, and 17 missions to use in a comparative study with its own suits, Aviation Week & Space Technology 

reported. Icx-International Computer Exchange, Inc., had been negotiating the terms of the purchase between ILC Industries, Inc., which manufactured the spacesuits, and the U.S.S.R. State Committee for Science 

and Technology and the Institute for Medical Biological Problems of the 

U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences. A contract could be signed within 30 to 

60 days and the suits delivered during the last quarter of 1973 if ICX 

could obtain an export license from the US. Department of State. (Av 

March 26: 

Wk, 3/26/73, 17-18) 

93 

12- 
March 26 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* NASA selected Kentron Hawaii, Ltd., Continental Operations, for negotiation of a contract for engineering support services at Johnson Space 

Center. The contract would be awarded on a cost-plus-fixed-fee basis 

with provisions for an award fee. ( JSC Release 73-30) 

Wallops Station announced contract awards: $349291 to RCA for a laser 

tracking system, $154 749 to Dynalectron Corp. for photographic laboratory services, $106 714 to Metric Systems Corp. for a real-time meteorological data-processing system, and $205 000 to the Joseph S. Floyd 

Corp. for rehabilitation of a sounding rocket facility. (WS Release 

* National Academy of Engineering President Clarence H. Linder, on behalf 

of the NAE Council, issued a statement calling for incorporation of NAE, 

independent from its affiliation with the National Academy of Sciences, 

and establishment of an NAE foundation to collect and disburse funds. 

Linder said the action arose “from the existence of apparently irreconcilable differences in arranging for the joint governance of the 

National Research Council by the two Academies.” ( NAS-NRC-NAE News 

Report, 4/73, 1) 

* The General Accounting Office released its study Cost Growth in Major 

Weapons Systems made at the request of the House Committee on Armed 

Services. Cost overruns on 45 major weapon systems in the U.S. arsenal 

had totaled $31.3 billion. Each of the 45 systems had incurred an overrun. (Text) 

Adm. Thomas H. Moorer (USN), Chairman of the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff, delivered the report United States Military Posture for 

FY 1974 to the Senate Committee on Appropriations’ Subcommittee on 

Defense Appropriations: Strategic parity existed between the U.S. and 

the U.S.S.R. “While the Soviet Union has a substantial advantage, not 

only in the numbers of strategic missiles, but also in missile throwweight, the United States still has a substantial advantage in other areas 

of key importance to the overall strategic balance-e.g., missile accuracy, MIRVS [multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles], submarine quietness, sonars, and numbers of bombers and bomber payload. 

And, while the Soviet Union has enormous advantage in air defense, 

without an extensive ABM (antiballistic missile] defense . . . the air defense could be substantially undercut by ballistic missile attack, particularly . . . a large number of MIRVS.” The U.S. advantages were transitory, resting on a “technological lead that has been steadily narrowing 

over the past decade.” With the momentum of the Soviet offensive research and development program, “we cannot preclude the possibility 

that our technological lead in this area may further diminish or disappear altogether during the current decade.” Adm. Moorer believed “that 

the Soviet Union will soon succeed in its efforts to develop an effective 

MIRV system for its strategic missiles. Thus, the Soviet Union may be 

able to challenge our lead in both missile guidance and MIRVS . . . , and 

thereby pose a significant threat to our Minuteman force.” (Text) 

In a statement confirmed later by Dept. of Defense spokesman Jerry 

W. Friedheim, Adm. Moorer said the U.S.S.R. was actively testing three 

new intercontinental ballistic missiles and might deploy 60 improved 

multiple-warhead versions of an existing missile during the summer. He 

said the People’s Republic of China was expanding production of 

weapon-grade nuclear materiel and slowly but steadily building a stock 

73-1) 

March 26-27: 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 March 26-27 

of strategic and tactical nuclear weapons. (Beecher, NYT, 3/28/73, 4; 

DOD PIO) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, and Dr. Fernando 

de Mendonca, Director General of the Brazilian Institute for Space 

Research (INPE) , signed a Memorandum of Understanding to extend 

the NASA-INPE cooperative project in remote sensing using the Erts 1 

Earth Resources Technology Satellite launched by NASA July 23, 1972. 

The project’s purpose was to advance applications of spacecraft and 

aircraft remote sensing to monitor environmental conditions. INPE 

would establish a data-acquisition sJation at Cuiaba, central Brazil, and 

a data-processing facility in Sao Paulo state. There would be no exchange of funds; both agencies would share all data and information 

necessary for the conduct of the program; and INPE would make available to NASA, cost free, copies of ERTS data it acquired and processed. 

The data would be available to the domestic and international community. (NASA Release 73-82) 

0 Langley Research Center had purchased a 737-100 aircraft from Boeing 

Commercial Airplane Co. for research on advanced flight systems for 

future air terminal environments, NASA announced. The twin-j et transport, the first 737 built, would be delivered to Langley in January 1974. 

The $2-million contract with Boeing included modification, refurbishment, and NASA pilot and ground crew training. Special equipment 

would permit study of efficient air paths, aircraft performance requirements, automatic systems, displays, and pilot workloads. ( NASA Release 73-57) 

0 A Federal Aviation Administration rule protecting the public from sonic 

booms generated by civil supersonic aircraft was announced by Secretary of Transportation Claude S. Brinegar. The rule, prohibiting civil 

aircraft from exceeding mach 1 when flying over land mass or territorial waters of US., would become effective April 27, 1973. (FAA Release 73-57) 

Award by NASA contractor Informatics TISCO, Inc., of $410000 in subcontracts to three minority business enterprises for technical and production activities at NASA’s Scientific and Technical Information Facility 

in College Park, Md., was announced by NASA. Awards to Reliable 

Engineering Associates, Inc., Automated Typographics, Inc., and Plato 

Systems, Inc., brought total NASA minority contracts to $513 540, or 

15% of the total $3-million contract value. (NASA Release 73-53) 

Federal Aviation Administration award of a six-month $125 082 contract 

to Boeing Co. to develop data to identify aircraft noise patterns in 

airport vicinities was announced by Secretary of Transportation Claude 

S. Brinegar. Boeing would collect and analyze noise and performance 

data on its four in-service commercial aircraft-Boeing 707, 727, 737, 

and 747. (FAA Release 73-55) 

0 Rep. Charles A. Vanik (D-Ohio) introduced H.R. 6194, Energy Development and Supply Act of 1973. The bill would establish the Energy 

Development and supply Commission, a NASA-like agency to “coordinate the Nation’s energy policies and develop new sources of clean, 

cheap energy.” (CRY 3/27/73, H2189) 

NASA launched a Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket from Poker Flats, 

Alaska, carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center magnetospheric physics experiment to a 233.2-km (144.9-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

March 27: 

95 
March 27 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The Air Force announced award of a $2 000 000 cost-plus-incentive-fee 

contract to General Electric Co. for services and supplies for reentry 

system components and related assembly, checkout, and integration 

support for an advanced ballistic reentry system. (DOD Release 146-73) 

Secretary of Defense Elliott L. Richardson testified on the 

Air Force advanced medium STOL (short takeoff and landing) transport (AMST) prototype development program before the Senate Committee on Armed Services in hearings on the FY 1974 Dept. of Defense 

budget and FY 19761978 program: The AMST program’s purpose was 

“to determine the feasibility of developing an operationally useful 

STOL aircraft which could be procured in quantity at an average unit 

flyaway cost (in FY 1972 dollars) of about $7 million each, as an 

eventual replacement for the C-130 in the 1980s. A decision on engineering development and production of this aircraft will be made only 

after the prototypes have been evaluated in terms of both performance 

and cost.’’ The FY 1974 budget included $67 million to continue prototype development of the AMST. (Testimony) 

Grumman Aerospace Corp. would lay off 1000 employees to reduce operating expenses, the New York Times reported. The expense paring had 

been ordered by Deputy Secretary of Defense William P. Clements to increase operating efficiency after the controversy over increasing costs 

of the Grumman-produced F-14 fighter aircraft. (Andelman, NYT, 

3/28/73, P28) 

March 28-29: Dr. John E. Naugle, NASA Associate Administrator for 

Space Science, testified before the House Committee on Science and 

Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications during 

NASA FY 1974 authorization hearings: The Office of Space Science 

had assumed total responsibility for collecting, handling, and analyzing 

data from the Apollo program, and “we plan to devote the next several 

years to their detailed analysis and interpretation. Our objective is a 

better understanding of the origin, history and present environment of 

the Moon, and the definition of goals and objectives of possible future 

flight programs. These studies will also use the data from the stillcontinuing flight program of the Soviet Union.” The French-built laser 

reflector on the Soviet lunar roving vehicle Lunokhod 2 deposited on 

the moon by Luna 21 (launched Jan. 8), “in addition to the three 

carried by Apollos 11, 14, and 15, provides another control point for 

lunar mapping studies and other scientific objectives. The close cooperation between the French and Soviets in putting the device on the Moon 

and between the Americans and French in securing early observations 

is a striking example of the possibilities for effective scientific cooperation in space among the nations of the world.” 

Pioneer 10 (launched March 2, 1972) was “very much a pathfinder 

as it goes to Jupiter. We know Jupiter has intense radiation fields. We 

plan for Pioneer 10 to pass by Jupiter about three-and-a-half Jupiter 

radii from the planet. We think that Pioneer 10 at that distance . . . will be able to survive as it goes through those radiation belts. If by 

chance it does not, then we would probably retarget Pioneer G so that 

it stayed farther OU~.” If Pioneer 10 survived the radiation belts, “we 

would probably target Pioneer G closer so. that we could get a better 

look at Jupiter and get more information about the intensity of the 

radiation belts as we get closer to Jupiter.” (Transcript) 

March 28: 

96 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

March 28-30: 

March 28-30 

A symposium on federally sponsored university research in 

transportation noise was conducted at Stanford Univ. by the Dept. of 

Transportation in cooperation with NASA and the National Science 

Foundation. Papers presented by university researchers and representatives of Government agencies covered jet noise, combustion noise, 

noise from moving bodies, sound propagation through ducts, rotor noise, 

high-intensity sound, tire noise, and economic and community aspects 

of noise. (DOT Release 15-73; DOT PIO) 

USNS Vanguard, 181-m (595-ft) NASA tracking ship, Ieft Port 

Canaveral, Fla., for Mar Del Plata, Argentina, to support Skylab missions scheduled to begin in May. Vunguurd would be a link in NASA’s 

worldwide tracking network relaying two-way information between a 

spacecraft and mission control at Johnson Space Center in Houston 

via Goddard Space Flight Center. En route Vanguard would record 

tracking data for the Pioneer G launch scheduled for April 5. (CFSC 

Release; Skylab prog off) 

4 Four seven-year subcontracts totaling $140 million for the design and 

fabrication of major structural components for the space shuttle orbiter 

were awarded by Rockwell International Corp. Fairchild Hiller Corp. 

received a $13-million contract for the design and fabrication of the 

vertical tail. Grumman Aerospace Corp. received a $4O-million contract 

to design and build the double delta orbiter wing. Convair Aerospace 

Div. of General Dynamics Corp. was awarded a $4O-million contract 

to build the mid-fuselage that formed the payload bay section. McDonne11 Douglas Astronautics Co. received a $50-million contract to 

design and build the orbital maneuvering system that would aid in 

orbital circularization and change and in rendezvous and deorbit maneuvers. (RI Release SP-17) 

4 President Nixon, in a nationwide TV and radio address, said: “Our defense budget today takes the lowest percentage of our gross national 

product that it has in 20 years.” But the US. “must never forget that 

we would not have made the progress toward lasting peace that we 

have made in this past year unless we had had the military strength 

that commanded respect. This year we have begun new negotiations 

with the Soviet Union for further limitations on nuclear arms. . . . If 

prior to these negotiations we . . . unilaterally reduce our defense 

budget, or reduce our forces in Europe, any chance for successful 

negotiations for mutual reduction of forces or limitation of arms will 

be destroyed.” (PD, 4/2/73, 311-15) 

0 NASA-developed spacecraft sterilization technology was being used by the 

Bird Co. to produce a breathing machine that could be sterilized entirely by dry heat to prevent transfer of infectious organisms, Jet 

Propulsion Laboratory announced. A JPL team had worked with industry to produce a sterilizable ventilator to aid surgical patients and 

sufferers from respiratory diseases. Ventilator prototypes would be 

field-tested in at least one Los Angeles area hospital. (JPL Release 654) 

4 All outstanding options on the Concorde supersonic transport had been 

dropped, The Washington Post reported. British Aircraft CorpAkrospatiale combined British-French manufacturers, would take only 

direct orders. The action had followed the cancellation of 20 options by 

US. commercial airline companies and would end marketing “brinkmanship.” (Egan, W Post, 3/29/73, C11) 

Murch 29: 

97 
March 30 

March 30: 

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Preparations for twin launches of the Skylab space station and 

its first three-man crew continued with few significant problems, NASA 

announced. Major elements of the space station had completed integrated mission simulation and flight-readiness testing. Seventy percent 

of stowed items had been placed in the Workshop section. Simulated 

loading of propellant into the Saturn IB launch vehicle had been completed. A leaking valve in the service module had caused replacement of 

a 244- by 91-cm (96- by 36-in) panel containing propellant tanks, 

plumbing, and engines. Excessive leakage in the oxidizer tank bladder 

was also being investigated. (NASA Release 73-61) 

* A video tape recorder aboard Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite 

(launched July 23, 1972) had developed sporadic bursts of noise that 

degraded recorded photographic images, NASA announced. Investigations were underway to determine the cause and full impact of the 

problem. Real-time photos were unaffected. (NASA Release 73-62) 

NASA launched two sounding rockets, one from Alaska and one from White 

Sands Missile Range. A Nike-Tomahawk from Poker Flats, Alaska, 

carried a Goddard Space Flight Center magnetospheric physics experiment to a 233.2-km (144.9-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

An Aerobee 170A from White Sands carried a Massachusetts Institute of Technology x-ray astronomy experiment to a 184.3-km (114.5- 

mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

(GSFC proj off) 

* Light pollution was a threat to astronomy, a Science article reported. The 

level of sky light caused by outdoor lighting systems was growing at a 

rate of 20% per year nationwide. Light pollution was already damaging 

to some astronomical programs and was “likely to become a major 

factor limiting progress in the next decade. Suitable sites in the United 

States for new dark sky observing facilities are very difficult to find.” 

Observatories should establish programs to monitor sky brightness. 

“The astronomical community should establish a mechanism by which 

such programs can be supported and coordinated.” (Riegel, Science, 

President Nixon accepted the resignation of V/A John M. Lee 

as Assistant Director of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, effective April 1. (PD, 4/9/73, 335) 

* NASA launched a Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket from Poker Flats, 

Alaska, carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center magnetospheric physics 

experiment to a 239.8-km (149-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

During March: A large comet from 16 to 160 km (10 to 100 mi) in 

diameter was discovered past Jupiter’s orbit by Czechslovakian-born 

astronomer Dr. Lubos Kohoutek, using a telescope at Hamburg Observatory in Bergedorf, West Germany. Dr. Brian Marsden, Director of 

the Smithsonian Institution’s Central Telegram Bureau, said later that 

Comet Kohoutek should reach perihelion, its closest point to the sun21 million km (13 million mi)-Dec. 27, “when it should shine perhaps as luminously as the star Sirius.” Its nearest approach to the 

earth would be 121 million to 129 million km (75 million to 80 million 

mi) in mid-January 1974. The comet should be visible six weeks before, and northern hemisphere observers should enjoy a good view of 

it Jan. 10-15, 1974. (Alexander, W Post, 4/15/73, G7) 

3J30J73, 1285-91) 

March 31: 

98 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 During March 

* The House Committee on Science and Astronautics published The Federal 

Government and Energy R. & D.: Historical Background. The report, 

by the Science Policy Research Div. of the Library of Congress Congressional Research Service, said energy research and development in the 

Federal Government had “followed a typically American pragmatic 

course. A need has appeared-necessary research has been conducteddevelopment has occurred almost simultaneously.” One exception was 

the National Science Foundation. “Its support of basic research includes energy R&D projects which may or may not be based on any 

demonstrated needs for practical results.” To a much less extent, “basic 

research is conducted in other Federal agencies but their projects are 

usually mission-oriented.” There was no comprehensive national energy 

R&D program or policy. (Text) 

* Russian translation computers of the Foreign Translation Div. of WrightPatterson Air Force Base, Ohio, would be used in the exchange of 

technical and scientifie information necessary for the Apollo-Soyuz Test 

Project, the Air Force Systems Command Newsreview reported. The 

computers, called Systrain, translated Russian to English at the rate 

of 100000 to 300000 words per hour using 10 topical glossaries and 

300 000 terms. Systrain could translate multiple-meaning Russian words, 

resolve problems of ambiguity, analyze sentence structure, and provide 

finished English translations of technical documents. ( AFSC Newsreview, 

3/73, 12) 

99 

April 1973 

April 1: Kenneth E. Hodges joined NASA as Director, Aeronautical Operating Systems Office, in the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology. 

He had recently finished a one-year tour of duty with the Aeronautics 

and Space Council and formerly had been a flight-test engineer with 

Lockheed-California Co. (NASA Hq WB, 4/9/73, 1) 

Science & Government Report commented on results of the March 19-21 

Washington, D.C., meeting of the US.-U.S.S.R. Joint Commission on 

Scientific and Technical Cooperation: “What is clear is that after two 

postponements of the Commission’s debut and a good deal of indecisiveness, at least on the Washington end, concerning how much R&D [research and development] cooperation to offer the Soviets, both parties 

are approaching the relationship with caution and no evidence of haste. 

We will no doubt be seeing more Soviet researchers than ever before, 

and access to labs in the USSR will be eased a bit for American visitors, 

but the politically inspired match of the two research communities 

should not be mistaken for a raging love affair.” (Sci & Gout Rpt, 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, testified on NASA’s 

role in supersonic transport aircraft development before the House 

Committee on Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Housing and Urban 

Development-Space-Science-Veterans during FY 1974 appropriation 

hearings: “I don’t think we can turn our back on supersonic technology. This is a fact of life. Military planes are flying supersonically 

in this country; SSTS are flying in Europe and Russia. We can not 

just say we don’t want to build a transport ourselves and therefore we 

should turn off all technology in this area. What we are doing in NASA 

is trying to address ourselves to the main problems with supersonic 

flight, both military and civilian. The main problems include the 

economic factors involved, the pollution of the stratosphere, and the 

noise.” NASA was the only agency qualified to investigate these problems 

but “I do think that the Congress has responsibility to determine any 

future development of a supersonic transport in this country, at least 

as far as the Government’s support of such a program, and it is not 

our intention to in any way change that decision.” (Transcript) 

* NASA released to industry a request for proposals for design, development, 

and production of the space shuttle external tank. Invited to bid were 

McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co., Boeing Co., Chrysler Corp., and 

Martin Marietta Corp.’s Aerospace Div. (NASA Release 73-64) 

New York advertising art director Richard Kline had stumbled on a 

radically new concept in aerodynamics while designing paper airplanes 

for his son, Time magazine reported. Wind-tunnel tests had confirmed 

that Kline’s wing would greatly resist stalling. Instead of being curved 

like most airfoils, the wing was flat on top and, from the leading edge, 

the cross-section gradually thickened into a wedge. The underside swept 

abruptly forward. Tests had shown that the wing could provide lift 

4/1/73, 3) April 2: 

101 

PRECEDING PAGE BLANK NOT FILldElY 
April 2 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

even when tilted at 19’, when conventional wings lost their lift and 

caused stalls. (Time, 4/2/73) 

0 Sir Geoffrey E. Knight, Vice Chairman of British Aircraft Corp., and 

Henri Ziegler, President of Akrospatiale, had received the 1973 Tony 

Janus Award for “significant contribution in the field of commercial 

aviation” for developing the Anglo-French Concorde, Aviation Week 

& Space Technology reported. (Av Wk, 4/2/73, 11) 

The National Science Foundation released Resources for Scientific Activities at Universities ad Colleges, 1971 (NSF 72-315). Scientists in research and development declined 1% per year between 1969 and 1971 

from an annual growth rate of 6% from 1965 to 1969. Teaching staff 

growth rate remained at about 10% per year 1965-1971. R&D scientists 

dropped from 26% of the total teaching staff in 1965 to 20% in 1971. 

The increase of graduate students working on R&D projects fell from 

an annual rate of 8Yo 1965-1969 to 2% 1969-1971. Science expenditures in 1970 totaled $7.9 billion-an increase of 6% per year over the 

$7.0 billion in 1968. The 1964-1968 annual growth rate was 15%. 

Federal financing of R&D leveled off to a 3% increase per year in 1968 

to 1970, but recent data indicated a higher rate of increase in Federal 

obligations to colleges and universities for FY 1972 and FY 1973. 

(Text) 

April 3-May 28: The U.S.S.R. launched unmanned Salyut 2 scientific 

space station from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with 260-km 

(161.6-mi) apogee, 215-km (133.6-mi) perigee, 89-min period, and 

51.6O inclination. The Soviet news agency Tass announced objectives 

were to perfect design, onboard systems, and equipment and to conduct 

scientific and technical experiments in space flight. Tass said systems 

were functioning normally. 

Western observers speculated that a manned spacecraft would be 

launched to dock with Salyut 2 and establish a manned orbital workshop, resuming Soviet manned space flight after a two-year hiatus. The 

large Soviet tracking ships Cagarin and Komurov had been sighted 

in March moving from the Black Sea toward positions in the Atlantic 

Ocean. 

On April 11 Tass confirmed earlier US. press reports that Salyut 2 

had been maneuvered into a higher orbit. April 4 and 8 maneuvers had 

raised it to a 296-km (183.9-mi) apogee and 261-km (162.2-mi) perigee, with an 89.8-min period and a 51.6’ inclination. Stable radio 

communication was being maintained and the “improved design of onboard systems and instruments” was being tested. Tass said systems 

and instruments were functioning normally. The new orbit, out of 

normal range of a manned Soyuz spacecraft, indicated to some observers a holding orbit because of delay in launching cosmonauts to 

join the station. 

Tracking data showed an increase in the number of fragments following the spacecraft after April 14. By the end of the month Goddard 

Space Flight Center listed 27 objects, of which 25 had reentered the 

atmosphere. 

On April 18 Moscow sources said the U.S.S.R. had no plans for a 

manned flight to link with the space station and that Salyut 2 was 

carrying out experiments in connection with the joint US.-U.S.S.R. 

Apollo-Soyuz mission planned for 1975. Earlier Maj. Gen. Vladimir A. 

Shatalov, chief of the cosmonaut training project, had said Salyut 

102 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 3-May 28 

laboratories could gather information for weather forecasting, geology, 

transport, communications, agriculture, and environmental protectionwithout mentioning manned flight. 

By April 25 US. observers suspected that an April 14 failure, possibly an explosion or a wildly firing thruster, had sent the station tumbling end over end, tearing off the four solar panels and damaging the 

compartment, making cosmonaut manning of the station impossible. 

Radio signals from Salyut 2 were reported to have ceased. On April 

28 Tass reported that Salyut 2 had “concluded the programme of flight” 

and that the data obtained in the experiments confirmed “the correctness of design and structural decisions and the properties chosen for 

the main systems and on-board equipment of the station. These data 

will be used in building a new spacecraft.” The spacecraft reentered 

May 28. 

Salyut 1, the world’s first experimental orbiting workshop, had been 

launched April 19, 1971. A three-man crew-launched aboard Soyuz 10 

April 23, 1971-had docked with SaZyut 1 but did not board, returning 

to earth after two days in space. Three more cosmonauts-launched on 

Soyuz 11 June 6, 1971-docked, boarded the station, and conducted 

scientific experiments for 23 days. During their return to earth in 

Soyuz 11 June 30, they died after a valve accidentally opened and 

evacuated the air from the spacecraft compartment. A second Salyut 

was believed by Western observers to have been launched in July 1972 

without achieving orbit. (GSFC SSR: 4/30/73; 5/23/73. Un Gen Assembly Release A/AC.105/INF.272. FBIS-SOV: 4/4,12,30/73. NYT: 

Wilford, 4/4,11,25/73 ; 4/29/73. W Post: 4/16/73 ; O’Toole, 4/18,25/ 

73, 5/2/73, 10/29/73; UPI, 4/19/73. Av Wk: 4/9/73, 21. A&A 

1971.) 

Dr. John S. Foster, Jr., Director of Defense Research and Engineering in the Dept. of Defense, testified that DOD space shuttle efforts 

were being expanded, during NASA FY 1974 authorization hearings 

before the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. A 

program memorandum on DOD shuttle use, to be coordinated with NASA, 

would include plans for early entry into the shuttle program, identify 

key DOD planning milestones, and treat funding and management issues. DOD would “place increased emphasis on new concepts of payload 

design and operation . . . essential to achieving the Shuttle’s full potential for more effective, less costly space operations.’’ Goals of DOD 

planning and coordination were to ensure that NASA knew and understood DOD needs so that the shuttle would be of maximum utility to 

DOD, to provide data essential to integrated planning and support decisions on future shuttle use, to explore ways to benefit most from the 

shuttle’s unique capabilities, and to coordinate DOD shuttle activities 

with NASA to the best possible use of both agencies. The DOD ShuttleUser Committee had been established as “a focal point for our broad 

and varied interests in the future military use of space.” The Committee, under Air Force chairmanship, included representatives of other 

military departments and the Joint Chiefs of Staff; NASA would be invited to provide an observer. The Committee would guide studies of 

payloads and missions, explore the transition from launching DOD 

payloads with expendable vehicles to using the shuttle, and possibly 

would identify experimental DOD payloads to be carried on shuttle research and development flights for NASA. 

April 3: 

103 
April 3 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

DOD’S FY 1974 space program budget request of $1.6 million, $205 

million more than in FY 1973, would reduce the vulnerability of the 

Transit navigation satellite system ; procure spacecraft and boosters for 

the Fleet Satellite Communications ( FLTSATCOM) System and the Defense Satellite Communications System ( DSCS) ; cover research and 

development costs of early-warning general support; and increase supporting R&D for the space test program, for advanced surveillance technology for earth-limb-measurement satellites, and for a joint-service 

navigation satellite experiment. FY 1974 funding for procurement of 

early-warning satellites and boosters had been reduced. (Transcript) 

0 NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Science Vincent L. 

Johnson testified on NASA’s balloon program as the House Committee 

on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications concluded FY 1974 authorization hearings: “Balloons are 

used for a variety of programs in both atmospheric science and astronomy. We, in many cases, launch with a balloon a prototype of an astronomical instrument which we may later fly on a sounding rocket or 

orbiting satellite.” Payloads ranged from test instruments to an infrared experiment; “as you get above the water vapor in the atmosphere 

you can do very good infrared experiments, and you can keep the instrument pointed precisely for quite long periods . . . and do very 

valuable scientific work at nominal cost.” Balloons were launched from 

Texas, South Dakota, Missouri, and Alabama in the US., and from 

Canada, Australia, and Argentina. “One of the beauties of the balloon 

program is that they can be launched from many areas, and we can 

recover the payloads. . . . We use the same payload many times for 

balloon observations, and it’s not at all unusual to use the same payload for half a dozen flights with sometimes slightly different instrumentation each time.” (Transcript) 

* US. Geological Survey geologist Dr. Peter D. Rowley said in Denver, 

Colo., that results of a three-month field trip in Antarctica had backed 

the theory of a continental drift occurring over hundreds of millions 

of years. The field work, ending in January, had shown that mountains 

on the Antarctic peninsula’s Lassiter Coast and adjacent areas were 

“missing pieces that can link the great mountain chains of the world.” 

Rock samples taken by his team were 65 million to 135 million yrs old 

and had been pushed above the ocean’s surface by upheavals that occurred when the earth‘s crust cooled, (UPI, LA Her-Exam, 4/4/73) 

0 NASA launched a Black Brant VC sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Naval Research Laboratory payload to a 245.3-km 

(152.4-mi) altitude to evaluate instrumentation for the calibration 

rocket (CALROC) series to be launched in support of the manned Skylab missions [see Jan. 221. The rocket performed satisfactorily but 

minimum data were acquired from the instrumentation. (GSFC proj off) 

Launching of Skylab, the Nation’s first space station, was set for 

May 14 at 1:30 pm EDT from Kennedy Space Center. The launch was 

scheduled after completion of a comprehensive two-day review of prelaunch test results and remaining work by top Skylab program officials. 

(NASA Release 73-67) 

0 Nimbus 5 (launched by NASA Dec. 11, 1972) was adjudged a success. 

It had satisfied the mission objectives of improving the capability for 

vertical sounding of temperature and moisture in the atmosphere for 

10 wks and demonstrating improved thermal mapping of the earth. 

- 

April 4: 

104 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 4 

Four of the six Nimbus 5 experiments were functioning normally at the 

end of the 10-wk period ending Feb. 19, 1973. The infrared temperature profile radiometer was operating in a limited mode. The electrically scanning microwave radiometer had failed Jan. 4. (NASA prog off) 

* The Apollo Honor Awards Ceremony at NASA Hq. celebrated the success 

of the Dec. 7-19, 1972, Apollo 17 mission and honored 47 persons for 

contributions to the success of the entire program. Dr. James C. 

Fletcher, NASA Administrator, said in a foreword to the ceremony that 

Apollo’s richest achievement might be the spiritual unity it provided 

“by enabling all Americans, and all the world watching our astronauts’ 

progress moonward, to discover the uniqueness of our beautiful yet 

fragile Earth as viewed from the perspective of the Moon. Unique in 

the solar system, it is the only home of the Family of Man; and seen 

from the perspective of the Moon, the common humanity that we all 

share becomes more evident than the temporal differences that keep us 

apart.” 

Dr. Fletcher and Dr. George M. Low, NASA Associate Administrator, 

presented awards, while Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt congratulated recipients. 

The NASA Distinguished Service Award was presented to Dr. Charles A. 

Berry, Director of Life Sciences, and Director Chester M. Lee of the 

Apollo-Soyuz Test Program, who had been Mission Director for ApoZZo 

12 through 17. Exceptional Service Medals were presented to 21 employees; the Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal to 14 scientists 

from Government, industry, and universities; and the Group Achievement Awards to 10 teams from industry and Government, 

The Distinguished Public Service Medal, NASA’S highest award to nonGovernment personnel, went to: Dr. B. Paul Blasingame, Delco Electronics Div., General Motors Corp. ; Joseph F. Clayton, Aerospace Systems Div., Bendix Corp. ; Clinton H. Grace, International Business 

Machines Corp.; Robert E. Greer, George W. Jeffs, and Joseph P. McNamara, Rockwell International Corp. ; Thomas J. Kelly, Grumman 

Aerospace Corp.; H. Douglas Lowrey, Chrysler Corp. Space Div.; 

Richard H. Nelson, Boeing Co. Space Div. Aerospace Group; and 

Theodore D. Smith, McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co. (Program ; 

NASA Release 73-60; RI PRO) 

0 Appointment of Dr. Myron S. Malkin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Technical Evaluation), as Director of the State Shuttle Program 

in the NASA Office of Manned Space Flight effective April 9, was announced by NASA. Malkin would be responsible for planning and directing the design, development, and test of the space shuttle system. 

(NASA Release 73-68) 

Dr. Karl G. Harr, Jr., President of the Aerospace Industries Assn. of 

America, Inc., testified on the effects of the Apollo program before 

the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences during NASA 

FY 1974 authorization hearings: Apollo “did not just sweep across 

our landscape to successful achievement of its specific objectives. Its 

effects on Earth are permanent and pervasive. Not just the hundreds 

of thousands of jobs it provided, the schools and homes it caused to be 

built, and the economic impact of the program itself; not just the invaluable accretion of scientific knowledge; not just the restoration of 

faith in American technological leadership-but a radical and enduring 

upgrading of technological capability throughout American industry. 

105 
April 4 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

It is such advances that have enabled the United States to retain its 

preeminence in high technology production. And it is the continuation 

of such preeminence that is at stake when we consider the future of 

our space program.” (Transcript) 

Apollo 15 Astronaut James B. Irwin was hospitalized in 

Aurora, Colo., after a heart attack. He was released April 26 after 

three weeks treatment in the Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in 

Aurora. A hospital spokesman said recovery ultimately would be complete, but “it will be considerable time before he can return to full 

action.” Since leaving NASA, Irwin had, worked for the Johns-Manville 

Corp. and had begun an evangelistic organization, High Flight, Inc. 

(B Sun, 4/27/73; NYT, 4/27/73, 43) 

April 5-26: NASA’s Pioneer 11 (Pioneer-G), second Jupiter probe, was 

successfully launched into an excellent trajectory from Eastern Test 

Range at 9:11 pm EST by a three-stage Atlas-Centaur-TE-M-364-4 

launch vehicle. Eighteen hundred persons watched the nighttime launch 

after touring the Kennedy Space Center Flight Training and Vehicle 

Assembly Buildings, where Skylab was being prepared for a mid-May 

launch. 

Pioneer 11 sped away from earth at a velocity of 51 800 km per hr 

(32 200 mph), equaling the speed of Pioneer 10 (launched March 2, 

1972, and still heading toward Jupiter), which flew faster than any 

previous man-made object. The primary objective was to obtain precursory scientific information beyond the Mars orbit with emphasis 

on investigation of the interplanetary medium during the 609- to 

825-day journey, the Asteroid Belt, and Jupiter and its environment. 

The secondary objective was to advance the technology for long-duration 

flights to the outer planets. 

The 259-kg (570-lb) spin-stabilized spacecraft carried 12 scientific 

experiments to measure magnetic fields, plasma, cosmic rays and 

charged particles; the electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared ranges ; and the asteroid-meteoroid population. During 

the encounter trajectory with Jupiter, the spacecraft would provide the 

best possible information on the radiation environment, provide good 

viewing conditions of Jupiter before periapses, and obtain a short 

occultation of the spacecraft by Jupiter. 

The spacecraft also carried a pictorial plaque identical to the one 

carried on Pioneer 10 for identification of its origin by any possible 

intelligent beings of another solar system. 

Six hours following launch the large number of thruster pulses used 

to precess the spacecraft and point the antenna toward the sun provided 

the impulse to deploy fully one of the two radioisotope thermoelectric 

generators that had failed to deploy completely at first. The magnetometer boom was deployed and the spin rate stabilized at 5.4 rpm. 

On April 6 four science instruments-the helium vector magnetometer, 

charged particles experiment, geiger tube telescope, and meteoroid, 

detector-were turned on. 

An April 11 midcourse correction moved the target point at Jupiter 

from slightly ahead of the planet as it moved on its orbit, and above 

the equatorial plane, to slightly behind the planet and below the equator. 

The adjusted course would allow several mission choices: to make an 

equatorial pass either close to or distant from the planet to inspect 

one or more of its moons; to pass over the flattened pole of the planet; 

April 4-26: 

106 
ASTRONAUTICS ANI) AEKONAUTICS, 1973 April 5-26 

to fly on to Saturn in 1980: or, like Pioneer 10, to leave the solar 

system and escape into interstellar space. The option chosen would depend on Pioneer 10 findings during its pass of Jupiter in December. 

Nine of the twelve experiments were turned on and were operating 

normally. 

The control center for Pioneer 11 was transferred April 16 from Jet 

Propulsion Laboratory to the Pioneer Missions Operations Center at 

Ames Research Center. On April 26 Pioneer 11, traveling at 9.34 km 

per sec (20 900 mph), was 14 350 000 km (8 920 000 mi) from the 

earth. A second midcourse correction was made. The operation of all 

spacecraft subsystems was normal and 11 of the 12 experiments were 

transmitting good data. Six to seven hits had been recorded by the 

meteoroid detector. The infrared radiometer remained to be turned on. 

The spacecraft was expected to enter the Asteroid Belt in August 1973 

and reach Jupiter in December 1974. 

The Pioneer program, begun in 1958, was directed by Ames Research Center. Pioneer 6 and 7 (launched Dec. 16, 1965, and Aug. 17, 

1966, to study the heliocentric space environment) and Pioneer 8 and 

9 (launched Dec. 13, 1967, and Nov. 8, 1968, to study interplanetary 

phenomena) continued to supply data from heliocentric orbit on solar 

plasma, magnetic and electric fields, and cosmic rays. (NASA prog off; 

NASA Releases 7341, 73-72; ARC Release 73-43; ICSC Release 61-73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Molniya 11-5 communications satellite 

from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with 39 828-km (24 748.0-mi) 

apogee, 525-km (326.2-mi) perigee, 717.7-min period, and 65.2" inclination. The satellite would help provide a system of long-range telephone and telegraph radio communications in the U.S.S.R. and transmit 

Soviet central TV programs to the Orbita network. (GSFC SSR, 4/30/ 

73; Tass, FBIS-SOV, 4/6/73, L1; SBD, 4/6/73, 205) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, and Apollo 17 Astronauts 

Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt attended an awards ceremony at Kennedy Space Center honoring ICSC 

personnel and contractor employees for their contributions to the 

ApoZZo 17 mission (launched Dec. 7, 1972). (KSC Release 54-73) 

0 NASA research to improve general-aviation-aircraft flight control systems 

and increase the use of new flight equipment was described by Flight 

Research Center and Langley Research Center engineers at the Society 

of Automotive Engineers Business Aircraft Meeting in Wichita, Kan. 

FRC flight tests of a new attitude-command-control system aboard an 

experimental aircraft had shown that a flight-path control system similar to an automobile's steering system was a great improvement over 

conventional control systems. Use of the new system, plus an improved 

flight display tested by FRC, could reduce the general-aviation workload 

throughout most flights. Astronautics Corp. of America was developing 

a low-cost flight director under NASA contract. The Univ. of Kansas 

would evaluate its economical, separate, surface-stability-augmentation 

flight control system on a modified commuter aircraft under a NASA 

grant. LaRC was developing structural design technology to provide the 

greatest chance of pilot and passenger survival in a crash. Full-scale aircraft crashes were simulated by using a 60-m (200-ft) pendulum to 

swing instrumented aircraft into the ground at controlled angles and 

speeds. Resulting data were used to design aircraft to absorb more of 

the crash forces without destroying the cabin areas. NASA stall and spin 

April 5: 

107 
April 5 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

studies at LaRC used a vertical wind tunnel, unique in the US., to 

develop data for designing aircraft with improved spin recovery 

characteristics. (NASA Release 73-63 ; FRC Release 7-73) 

Lewis Research Center scientists and the US. Coast Guard were developing an ice information system to reduce multimillion-dollar annual 

losses from ice that blocked commercial shipping on the Great Lakes, 

NASA announced. The system would use aircraft, or eventually satellites, 

with sensors to gather information on ice thickness, type, and distribution. The information would be relayed in map form to ice breakers 

and cargo vessels. (NASA Release 73-66) 

Long-operating orbital stations with changing crews would mark the main 

trend of Soviet cosmonautic development in the near future, Maj. Gen. 

Vladimir A. Shatalov, director of cosmonaut training and veteran of 

three space flights, said in a Moscow press interview. Along with spacecraft to deliver scientists and technicians, instruments, fuel, and food in 

orbit, the stations opened unseen possibilities for global meteorology, 

observations of the wor1d's oceans, long-distance communications, and 

geological survey. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 4/5/73, L3) 

* The Federal Aviation Administration released Aviation Forecasts, Fiscal 

Years 1973-1984. Airline passenger traffic was expected to increase 10% 

annually, passing the 500 million mark in 1984. The number of hours 

flown by general-aviation aircraft would increase from 27.7 million in 

FY 1973 to 46.6 million in FY 1984 and the general-aviation fleet from 

136 000 to 217 000 aircraft. U.S. airline passenger enplanements 

would increase from 200.4 million to 524 million in FY 1984, with 

international passengers increasing from 21.3 million to 62.8 million 

and domestic from 179.1 million to 461.2 million. Revenue passengermiles recorded by US. air carriers were expected to reflect a continuing 

long-term trend of increased average passenger trip length ; the FY 

1984 total of 500.5 billion was expected to more than triple the FY 

1973 figure of 162.1 billion. The air carrier fleet would increase by 

1000 additional aircraft, bringing the total fleet to 3600, of which 60% 

would be wide-body aircraft accounting for 80% of available seatmiles. 

Operations at airport control towers were expected to rise from 

56.8 million to 112.5 million. Annual production of US. civil aircraft 

would jump from 10005 in FY 1973 to 24465 in FY 1984, with 

general aviation accounting for most of the gain. Annual air carrier 

aircraft production would increase from 205 to 265, while the generalaviation figure would soar from 9800 to 24 200. (FAA Release 73-60) 

* The National Academy of Engineering announced election of 70 members, 

including Director Edgar M. Cortright, Jr., of Langley Research Center; 

Dr. Eberhard F. M. Rees, Marshall Space Flight Center Director; 

Ames Research Center engineer Robert T. Jones; Robert J. Parks, 

Assistant Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director for Flight Projects ; and 

Communications Satellite Corp. President Joseph V. Charyk. (NAE 

Release, 4/5/73) 

* Award of a $6 826 250 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to Boeing Co. for advanced development of an integrated aircraft propulsion control system 

was announced by the Air Force. (DOD Release 165-73) 

The US. and Brazil governments confirmed the Memorandum of 

Understanding signed by NASA and the Brazilian Institute for Space 

April 6: 

108 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 6 

Research March 27. The agreement called for extension of a cooperative project in earth resources remote sensing. (NASA Release 73-82) 

NASA announced th.e appointment of Edward Z. Gray, Assistant to the 

President of Grumman Aerospace Corp., as Assistant Administrator for 

Industry Affairs and Technology Utilization, effective April 16. Gray, 

an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and 

Astronautics, had been with NASA’s Office of Manned Space Flight for 

four years before joining Grumman in 1967. From 1940 to 1963 he 

was with Boeing Co. (NASA Release 73-54) 

0 The Senate confirmed the nomination of Col. Michael Collins (USAF, R.) 

to be a brigadier general. Gen. Collins, ApoZZo 11 command module 

pilot, was Director of the National Air and Space Museum of the 

Smithsonian Institution. (GR, 4/6/73, S6858 ; NASA Astronauts) 

Discovery of the most distant quasar yet detected was reported in the 

British journal Nature by Univ. of Arizona astrophysicists. Quasar 

OH471 appeared to be receding from the Milky Way galaxy at a speed 

91% of the speed of light. The previous most distant quasar had been 

calculated to be receding at an 89% speed. (Carswell, Strettmatter, 

Nature, 4/6/73, 394) 

NASA Associate Deputy Administrator Willis H. Shapley testified on improved opportunities and working conditions for black employees at 

NASA’s tracking and data-acquisition station near Johannesburg, South 

Africa, before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs’ Subcommittee 

on Africa: “We believe that since 1971 we have made reasonable advances in obtaining the cooperation of the South- African authorities in 

efforts to improve conditions for blacks employed at the station. While 

the situation will never be satisfactory to us as long as South Africa’s 

apartheid practices continue, we believe that within the constraints of 

the existing situation . . . some concrete gains have been achieved and 

others will follow.” (Testimony) 

President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of Dr. Fred C. 

Ickle to be Director of the US. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. 

The nomination was confirmed June 30. Ickle, a RAND Corp. executive 

and former Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, would 

succeed Gerard C. Smith, who had resigned. (PD, 4/16/73, 340, 378; 

Kilpatrick, W Post, 4/7/73, A2; CR, 6/30/73, 512726) 

The dismantling of the Federal fellowship program would liquidate some 

excesses but, “on balance, is a destructive move” at a time “when the 

need for some kinds of scientists and engineers is actually growing,” a 

Science editorial said. “After Sputnik was launched, this nation engaged 

in a frantic effort to expand its scientific capabilities. For a number of 

years government funds available for research in the physical and 

biomedical sciences increased rapidly. At the same time, the Apollo 

program was implemented. These developments created a shortage of 

scientists and engineers.” When Government support ceased to grow 

and unemployment arose, those in the Government who wanted to dismantle the fellowship program had had a useful excuse. But the unemployment argument was no longer valid. “The index of employment 

opportunities has climbed above 100. In some regions there already 

are shortages of engineers.” In years ahead, “this nation will encounter 

many unexpected problems requiring the skills of scientists and engineers. We may well come to regret bitterly the fact that we have been 

unable to do better than follow destructive blow-hot, blow-cold educa109 
April 6 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

tional policies. We should adopt the more realistic assumption that this 

nation must have good science, good medicine, and good engineering, 

and we should make it possible for the top students, regardless of 

financial ability, to participate.” (Abelson, Science, 4/6/73, 13) 

Two satellites, five aircraft, and ten surface vessels were used 

to study the New York Bight. The waters extending from Staten Island 

to more than 32 km (20 mi) east of Asbury Park, N.J.-used as a dump 

for sewer sludge, acid wastes, and dredging and excavation materialswere dyed green. Water circulation at and near the surface was mapped 

to plan balanced use of the coastal environment and to assess the impact 

of natural and man-made substances on the coastal zone. Data gathered 

by sensors on the aircraft and on Erts 1 (launched July 23, 1972) and 

Noaa 2 (launched Oct. 15, 1972) were checked for accuracy by 

measurements gathered by surface vessels. The program was managed 

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with participation by NASA and the Navy, Environmental Protection Agency, Coast 

Guard, Federal Aviation Administration, and State of New Jersey. 

( NOAA Release 73-60) 

The first closeup radar images of the moon’s surface-obtained 

during the Dec. 7-19, 1972, Apollo 17 mission-had been assembled 

by scientists and engineers from Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Univ. 

of Utah, the Univ. of Michigan, and the Center for Astrogeology of the 

US. Geological Survey, NASA announced. The “pictures,” products of 

the Apollo lunar sounder experiment, would eventually provide a 

geological cross-section of the moon, detailing subsurface structure to a 

depth of 1.3 km (0.8 mi). (NASA Release 73-65) a The April 6 announcement of the discovery of a distant quasar had 

strengthened the growing theory among astronomers that they had seen 

the edge of the universe, Walter Sullivan said in the New York Times. 

The implication was that, as Einstein believed, the universe was finite. 

“Beyond its expanding volume, . . . nothing exists--not even space, 

because, in this concept, over such great distances space curves back 

upon itself.” By determining the rate at which a quasar was flying 

away from the earth, astronomers could estimate its distance in terms 

of the time its light had traveled to the earth. The universe appeared 

to have originated in a “big bang” some 13 billion yrs ago, and the 

earliest quasars should be visible far enough away for their light to 

have been traveling earthward for that long. “But looking across vast 

distances-and hence, far back into time-man can see out only to 12 

billion years (in the most distant quasars) .” Hale Observatory astronomer Dr. Alan R. Sandage had said that in these quasars astronomers 

were seeing “the edge of the world.” Astronomers had long suspected 

the existence of some sort of wall preventing them from seeing quasars 

in the region beyond 12 billion yrs. “Now it is beginning to look as 

though the ‘wall’ is real.” (NYT, 4/8/73, 63) 

Lunokhod 2 (landed on the moon by Luna 21 Jan. 16) began 

its fourth lunar day in the Sea of Serenity near the Le Monnier Crater 

with the activation of its solar battery. All onboard systems functioned 

normally after the third lunar night. During an April 9 session cosmic 

ray characteristics were researched, magnetic measurements made, and 

panoramic photos of the parking site were taken. Lunokhod 2 was 

brought to an area in the eastern part of the crater where a layer of 

basalt lava was bisected by a fissure 16 km (10 mi) long and 100 m 

April 6-13: 

April 8: 

April 8-23: 

110 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 8-23 

(328 ft) deep in some places, to study the chemical composition and 

magnetic properties of the lunar rock in the fissure. Ledge rocks aided 

Lunokhod 2’s movement. The vehicle did not stick in the loose ground 

and its velocity could be increased. 

On April 17 the lunar vehicle was halted to replenish electric power 

reserves before making a complex trip around the fissure. On April 23 

Lunokhod 2 was parked for the lunar night after covering 11 km 

(7 mi). (Moscow Domestic Service, FEE-SOV, 4/9/73, L1; Tass, FBISSov, 4/11/73, L1-L2; 4/16/73, L1; 4/18/73, L1; Reuters, NYT, 

4/23/73, 43) 

Appointments of Philip E. Culbertson as Director of the new 

Mission and Payload Integration Directorate in the Office of Manned 

Space Flight and of Capt. Robert F. Freitag (USN, Ret.) as Deputy 

Director of the Advanced Programs Directorate, OMSF, were announced 

by NASA. Culbertson, formerly Director of Advanced Manned Missions, 

would be responsible for planning, direction, and coordination of 

payload activity and for management of the interface between users 

and the space shuttle, sortie lab, and tug. Freitag would participate in 

planning future manned space flight systems and in early development 

work. (NASA Hq WB, 4/9/73, 6) 

0 Soviet test pilot Aleksander Fedotov had flown an advanced M~G-23 jet 

fighter aircraft at 2599 km per hr (1615 mph) in a closed-circuit 

flight of 100 km (62 mi), to beat his own October 1961 Class C, Group 

111 aircraft record of 2401 km per hr (1492 mph), the U.S.S.R. announced. Tass said details of Fedotov’s flight were being submitted to 

the International Aeronautical Federation in Paris. (NYT, 4/9/73, 

49; NAA Record Book) 

0 Flight Research Center technologist Kenneth W. Iliff-a 32-year-old, 

wheelchair-bound victim of bulbar and paralytic polio in his youth-had 

been selected by NASA as the agency’s Outstanding Handicapped Federal 

Employee of the Year, FRC announced. Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, had nominated Iliff, to receive the same award for the 

entire Federal Government. Iliff would receive his doctorate from the 

Univ. of Southern California at Los Angeles in June, had helped develop advanced analytical techniques for NASA, including an optimal 

parameter estimation. ( FRC Release 9-73) 

0 Two European space consortiums were in competition to develop the 

manned spacelab to be flown on the U.S. space shuttle, Aviation Week & 

Space Technology reported. Groups led by mNO-VFW-Fokker and 

Messerschmitt-Boeklow-Blohm GmbH were in Phase B studies to define 

Spacelab (sortie lab) costs and configurations. The studies would end 

in July to allow the European Space Research Organization to decide 

on supporting Spacelab development. ERNO planned to offer two Spacelab configurations. One would be certain of meeting the established cost 

criteria. The second would be more expensive but technically more advanced. The MBB system used a common support system of a single 

module housing all general-purpose subsystems, with separate individual 

payload systems inserted as needed. Scientific payloads could be prepared independently of launch cycle constraints. One set of payload 

experiments could return to earth and another set be slid into place 

within two weeks. (Av Wk, 4/9/73, 22) 

* NASA launched an Aerobee 170 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying a Naval Research Laboratory astronomy experiment to 

April 9: 

111 
April 9 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

a 197.8-km (122.9-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

Skylab Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., Joseph P. Kerwin, and 

Paul J. Weitz completed training at Marshall Space Flight Center for a 

three-hour extravehicular activity scheduled for the Skylab 1-2 mission, 

set for May 14 and 15 launches. Although Conrad and Kerwin were to 

perform the EVA, all three crew members trained so that any combination of two could accomplish the activity. The training-begun in 

February 1972-took place in MSFC’S Neutral Buoyancy Simulator, 

which held a full-scale mockup of a major portion of the Skylab cluster 

in a simulated weightless environment. ( MSFC Release 73-55) 

* ApoZZo 17 astronaut-geologist Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt championed manned 

space flight in testimony before the Senate Committee on Aeronautical 

and Space Sciences during FY 1974 NASA authorization hearings: 

Man’s unique capabilities in space flight come into play in situations 

requiring special insight in dealing with complex processes or events 

occurring over relatively short timespans. This has been most obvious 

in space in the geological exploration of the Moon, for example, in the 

rapid and comprehensive collection of samples, photographs, and observational data in the valley of Taurus-Littrow last December. This 

capacity will also be clear in certain aspects of Earth and solar observation where short-term dynamic processes are involved and in many space 

laboratory situations where rapid adj ustments to changing experimental 

conditions are necessary. The dynamic range of the human eye and the 

mind’s capability for rapid visual integration of changing geometry, 

color, and lighting make up an extremely versatile sensor system. In 

addition, when combined with experience and training of the man, this 

system allows €or the efficient selection of other sensors pertinent to the 

problem at hand. By such selection man can intelligently reduce the 

quantity of data which analytical systems on the ground will be required to sort and treat in detail. This capability for on-the-spot data 

selection is not a trivial aspect of man’s presence at the data collection 

point. Probably one of man’s most useful capabilities is the precision 

by which he can operate, adjust, modify, or repair equipment. There 

is as yet little competition for man in this area on Earth or in space 

flight.” (Transcript) 

* President Nixon issued Proclamation 4206 designating the week of April 23 

as Nicolaus Copernicus Week in celebration of the 500th anniversary of 

the Polish astronomer’s birth. He said, “This anniversary should also 

serve to remind us that the study of science is one of man’s noblest 

pursuits.” (PD 4/16/73, 356) 

President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nominations of Principal 

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Jerry W. 

Friedheim to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and 

of John 0. March to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative 

Affairs. Friedheim would succeed Daniel Z. Henkin, and March, Gardiner L. Tucker, both of whom had resigned. (PD, 4/16/73, 355, 365, 

378) 

A “quiet but intense” debate was developing in the Dept. of Defense over 

which service would “dominate America’s nuclear arsenal and win the 

major share of appropriations,” the New YOT~ Times reported. In “the 

most serious challenge of Air Force primacy since the start of the nuclear era,” the Navy was pressing for construction of 12 Trident subApril 10: 

66 

112 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 10 

marines with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles ( MIRVS) . As a weapon system the Trident would be “more mobile and less vulnerable than ICBM’s [intercontinental ballistic missiles] and more lethal 

than bombers.” The debate had remained “in the house” to date, but few 

believed it could be kept from Congress and the media. “The amounts 

involved are too large and Congressional hostility to what is considered 

excessive spending too pronounced.” (Middleton, NYT, 4/10/73, 16) 

Aviation pioneer Col. Clarence M. Young (USA, Ret.), holder of US. Civil 

Air License No. 2, died in Cottonwood, Ariz., at the age of 84. He had 

been appointed Director of Aeronautics in the Dept. of Commerce in 

1927 and helped develop the Federal airways system. From 1929 to 

1933 he was Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics. Young 

joined Pan American World Airways, Inc., in 1934 to pioneer the first 

flying service across the Pacific. He was named to the Civil Aeronautics 

Board in 1946 and rejoined Pan Am in 1950 to direct its Pacific-Alaska 

Div. until his retirement. He learned to fly as a bomber pilot in World 

War I, was a member of the Aviation Hall of Fame, and had been 

named an Elder Statesman by the National Aeronautic Assn. (AP, NYT, 

4/12/73, 44) 

The Aerospace Industries Assn. of America’s International 

Committee held its Spring National Meeting in San Francisco. Richard 

J. H. Barnes, Director of International Planning & Programs in NASA’s 

Office of International Affairs,, discussed US.-European cooperation on 

the space shuttle sortie lab (designated Spacelab by the European Space 

Research Organization). ESRO was sponsoring a Phase B design competition between European industrial consortiums. Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Spain were participating, with other European countries 

expected to join. Germany had pledged to fund at least 40% of the 

program; Italy 20%. The program’s hardware phase was expected to 

start in early 1974. ESRO would design, develop, and deliver one Spacelab 

flight unit to NASA. NASA would provide assistance and would purchase 

one or more production units. Participating European countries would 

receive preference over nonparticipating countries in future use of the 

Spacelab. 

Ludwig Boelkow, President of the West German consortium 

Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH, described the status of European 

civil aircraft production: “The resources which only the US. had in 

the early fifties are now also available in Europe. . . . Europe today 

enjoys a slight edge in SST [supersonic transport] technology, as evidenced by the Concorde, and I believe equality in subsonic jets, as 

evidenced by the excellent progress in terms of cost, schedule, and test 

performance of the A300 B [European airbus] .” ( AIA Memorandum 

GEN 73-43) 

The Air Force Systems Command announced it was developing 

the Air Force Satellite Communications ( AFSATCOM) System to satisfy 

high-priority Air Force requirements for command and control of 

forces. AFSATCOM’S space segment would consist of Air Force ultrahighfrequency transponders on the Navy Fleet Satellite Communications 

(FLTSATCOM) System, the Air Force Satellite Data System (SDS), and 

the global backup capability on other Dept. of Defense host satellites. 

The production contract award would be made after an extensive test 

program. (AFSC Release 029.73) 

April 20-12: 

April 11: 

113 
April 11 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

0 The Federal Communications Commission granted permission to Communications Satellite Corp. to contract for three satellites to be used for 

a maritime communications satellite system. A construction permit would 

be granted later. FCC stipulated that ComSatCorp must allow all carriers 

already providing maritime service to invest and participate in the entire system. (AP, W Star-News, 8/30/73, D6; FCC PIO) 

e US., French, and British scientists would witness the eclipse of the sun on 

June 30 while flying aboard the Anglo-French Concorde supersonic 

transport aircraft, Concorde’s French manufacturer Akrospatiale told 

the press in Paris. A special flight at twice the speed of sound along the 

3000-km (1900-mi) eclipse path from Las Palmas, Canary Islands, to 

Fort Lamay, Chad, would extend observing time to 80 min-11 times 

what it would be on the ground and 7 times what it would be from a subsonic aircraft. (UPI, NYT, 4/12/73, 13) 

0 Developing technologies in short-haul air transportation were discussed by 

Rep. Silvio 0. Conte (R-Mass.) in a speech before the Short-Haul Air 

Transportation-sToL Symposium in McLean, Va. : “Steep approaching, 

quiet, short-runway aircraft are now appearing on the drawing boards. 

The 45-passenger DeHavilland DHC-7, able to operate from short runways quietly and economically, is scheduled to appear by the mid-70’s. 

The Air Force is going ahead with construction of two prototype jet 

STOL [short takeoff and landing] transports from which technical fallout 

is inevitable. The major airframe manufacturers are seriously studying 

the type of short-haul aircraft that can meet the environmental and 

market demands of the next decade.” NASA was developing a clean, 

quiet experimental engine. “Of all things necessary for a practical and 

acceptable short-haul aircraft to meet our future transportation needs, a quiet engine is the most crucial.” (CR, 4/19/73, E2581-2) 

e A Kansas City Times editorial commented on the proximity of Soviet 

Salyut 2 and US. Skylab launch dates: “A minor fuss has been made 

over the timing of Salyut’s launch [April 31, which was seen by some 

as an attempt by the Soviets, after several misfortunes and embarrassments, to steal a bit of the luster from a US. manned flight. The point 

is irrelevant. These are not merely showpiece, national prestige projects. 

They are bricks-and-mortar foundation-laying for both countries’ futures 

in space. In the race for the moon, being first counted for something. 

In . . . learning to function usefully in a long-term space environment, 

the test is not how soon you get up but what’s accomplished after you’re 

there.” (KC Times, 4/11/73) 

The 10th Annual Space Congress met in Cocoa Beach, Fla. 

Dr. Franco Fiori, scientific counselor at the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C., said space cooperation had brought a “wide spectrum” of 

advances in space science. Col. William G. Bastido of the Air Force 

Bureau of International Scientific and Technological Affairs noted that 

European countries had allocated $300 million toward the space shuttle 

program. Capt. Robert F. Freitag (USN, Ret.), Deputy Director of Advanced Programs in the NASA Office of Manned Space Flight, said 

international space cooperation might not be an easy solution to international problems, but was the right approach. NASA Associate Administrator for Applications Charles W. Mathews chaired a panel discussion 

on practical applications in space. (0 Sen, 4/12/73 ; Today, 4/14/73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 553 from Plesetsk into orbit with a 486-km (302.0-mi) apogee, 270-km (167.8-mi) perigee, 92-min period, 

April 11-14: 

April 12: 

114 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 12 

and 70.9’ inclination-on the 12th anniversary of Vostok 1, the first 

manned orbital space flight. The satellite reentered Nov. 11. National 

Cosmonaut Day honored the April 12, 1961, mission flown by Cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin, the first man in space. Some observers had expected the announcement of a new manned Soviet mission, but in an 

interview published by Pravda Cosmonaut Vladimir A. Shatalov indicated there was sufficient time left for a crew to be placed aboard 

the Salyut 2 space station, launched April 3. (GSFC SSR, 4/30/73, 

11/30/73; SBD, 4/16/73, 253; LA Times, 4/13/73; A&A 1972) 

* NASA’s instrumented Convair 990 aircraft Galileo, piloted by Ames Research Center pilot J. Patrick Riley, and a Navy P-3 Orion antisubmarine patrol aircraft crashed in flames after colliding over Moffett Field, 

Calif. All aboard the Convair-the four-man crew and seven NASA 

technicians-were killed. There was one survivor among the six-man 

Navy crew. The Galileo, known worldwide as a flying laboratory and a 

test bed for instruments, was on an earth resources survey test flight. 

[See April 13.1 (UPI, W Post, 4/13/73, A3; CR, 4/13/73, 57383; 

Langley Researcher, 4/27/73, 3; AP, W Post, 4/14/73, A3) 

The Federal Communications Commission approved Communications Satellite Corp.’s request to provide communications satellite service to Navy 

and commercial shipping [see March 51. (B Sun, 4/13/73, ClI) 

* The Astronomy Survey Committee of the National Academy of Sciences 

and the National Research Council issued Astronomy and Astrophysics 

for the 1970’s, VoI. 2, Report of the Panels. The report confirmed the 

Committee’s 1972 observation that the opening of the radio sky had 

suggested the presence of undiscovered physical laws and requirements 

for new observations and explanations. The observation had been made 

in Vol. 1, released June 1, 1972. The Panel on Radio Astronomy report 

said: “The processes taking place in the radiation-emitting region of 

pulsars are the most extreme we know of in the galaxy and far surpass 

in energy production any power source yet invented.” The understanding of the generating mechanism through further detailed study would 

improve the understanding of physics and could lead to “major developments in energy generation here on earth.” Suspicion was growing 

that the molecules already discovered in space were part of “a large 

group of molecules of ever-increasing complexity that may exist in 

space.” Belief was growing “that interstellar clouds . . . and fast particles 

may form large organic molecules. Such molecules, which may be as 

complex as the amino acids and may be of equal importance in our 

understanding of life, may be discovered by observations made at radio 

frequencies.” 

The Panel on Optical Astronomy noted that new technology for basing 

detectors in the upper atmosphere and in space had begun to make infrared astronomy “realistic.” The Panel on Space Astronomy said, “It appears that much of the energy emitted from astronomical objects and 

from the universe itself probably resides in the infrared, and hence some 

of the most important astronomical discoveries will be made in this 

region.” The Panel on Astrophysics and Relativity said that violent activity in the nuclei of galaxies was “probably commonplace” and not 

due to thermonuclear processes. The report concluded: “Man has 

landed on his first planet-the moon. But his mind and eye have traveled billions of light years into the past and in the next decade will 

115 
April 12 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

penetrate unimagined new worlds.” ( NAS-NRC-NAE News Report, 4/73, 

The prototype of a miniature medical diagnostic system developed for 

NASA’s use aboard manned space stations by the Atomic Energy Commission’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory might have clinical uses, NASA 

announced. The analyzer, being tested at Johnson Space Center, provided fast, automated blood analysis by using one fiftieth the amount of 

blood required by existing analyzers. It could help a doctor perform 

rapid analysis in his office, with results within minutes. (NASA Release 

73-7 1 ) 

The Smithsonian InStitution held the first showing of its “Experimental 

Experimentarium,” a prototype of the “Spacearium” theater planned for 

the National Air and Space Museum, to open in 1976. The Experimentarium-a small planetarium in the old Air and Space Museum-showed 

a panorama of a NASA launch. (W Star & News, 4/13/73, D8) 

* The possibility that three Soviet cosmonauts had died in training accidents 

early in the Soviet space program was discussed by James E. Oberg of 

the Dept. of Defense Computer Institute in a speech before the American 

Astronautical Society in Washington, D.C. Oberg, a Soviet space program observer, said photos and training films showed four cosmonautsidentified only as Ivan, Vasily, Grigori, and Valentin-in 1960 and 

1961, before the April 12, 1961, Vostok 1 first manned orbital space 

flight. None of these cosmonauts had been seen or heard of since. Oberg 

said they might still be training for a Salyut space station or a lunar 

landing mission or they could have been killed in accidents before 

making their intended flights. Oberg said there was no apparent truth 

to stories that as many as 18 cosmonauts had died secretly. (O’Toole, 

W Post, 4/13/73, A3) 

Preparations for the first Skylab mission, launch of the Skylab 1 

Orbital Workshop scheduled for May 14, continued with only minor 

discrepancies, NASA announced. Onboard experiments and major spacecraft elements that had not flown before required extensive first-time 

testing. Lower than desired voltage had been detected in one cell in each 

of two important flight batteries. The batteries would be replaced and 

tested. Stowage of crew equipment and consumables in the Orbital 

Workshop had been completed. Testing of the Saturn IB and the command and service modules continued without major problems. (NASA 

Release 73-74) 

0 Australian Prime Minister E. G. Whitlam and Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA 

Administrator, officially opened the largest space-tracking antenna 

erected in Australia for NASA. The 64-m-dia (210-ft-dia) antenna at the 

Tidbinbilla Deep Space Communications Complex near Canberra would 

be part of NASA’s global Deep Space Network (DSN) of three stations. 

The first station was built at Goldstone, Calif., in 1966 and the third 

was nearing completion in Madrid, Spain. (NASA Release 73-69; NASA 

* The April 12 loss of NASA’s instrumented Convair 990 aircraft Galileo 

would have “very serious effects” on NASA’s research programs, Dr. 

Hans Mark, Ames Research Center Director, told the press in Mountainview, Calif. The $5-million aircraft had been carrying more than 

$1-million worth of equipment when it and a Navy aircraft collided 

and crashed in flames. The Galileo had participated in the Feb. 17- 

March 8 U.S.-U.S.S.R. survey of the Bering Sea and was scheduled 

1; NAS PIO) 

ApriZ 13: 

PAO) 

116 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 13 

to chart the patterns of whales and other sea mammals. “It was one of 

the major programs at Ames.” Dr. Mark said. “We do not have another 

aircraft to carry on its work.” It would be “impossible” to go ahead 

with the project. A joint NASA-Navy investigation would try to determine the cause of the collision. R/A Herbert s. Ainsworth (USN) 

told the press that human error was responsible. (P Post, 4/14/73, A3) 

ApoZZo 13 Astronaut John L. Swigert, Jr., was named Executive Director 

of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics staff, succeeding 

Charles F. Ducander, who was retiring effective June 30. Committee 

Chairman, Rep. Olin E. Teague (D-Tex.) , said Swigert’s “broadly 

based skill and enthusiasm” would “aid in expanding the effort being 

made by the Committee to assure that our national space program and 

federal research and development will receive adequate support in the 

mid-1970s.’’ (AP, Houston Post, 4/14/73 ; Com Off) 

* A U.S. Navy and United Kingdom agreement to begin an eight-month 

study of an advanced vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) 

Harrier aircraft was announced by Secretary of the Navy John W. 

Warner. Rolls-Royce Ltd. and Hawker Siddeley Group Ltd., of the U.K., 

and McDonnell Douglas Corp. and United Aircraft Corp. Pratt 81 

Whitney Div. would study the design of the Pegasus 15 engine, specifications of the new power plant, projected costs, identification of airframe 

modifications for the uprated engine and an advanced technology wing, 

test performance predictions, preparation of a preliminary aircraft 

specification, and definition of a possible full development program. 

( DOD Release 189-73) 

* The Air Force had made the first major improvements in aircraft landing 

techniques in more than two decades with installation of solid-state 

instrument landing systems (ILS) at six Air Force bases, the Air Force 

Systems Command announced. The new systems automatically transmitted signals that appeared on cockpit instruments to indicate the 

aircraft’s position in relation to the runway’s centerline and the pilot’s 

glide slope. They replaced failure-prone tube circuits and introduced 

longer system life, greater reliability, and easier maintenance. ( AFSC 

Release 035.73) 

President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of William E. 

Kriegsman to be a Commissioner of the Atomic Energy Commission 

succeeding Dr. James R. Schlesinger, who had become Director of the 

Central Intelligence Agency. The nomination was confirmed May 31. 

Icriegsman was manager of the Washington, D.C., office of Arthur D. 

Little, Inc., and a former White House staff assistant in environment, 

space, nuclear energy, and oceanography. (PD, 4/16/73, 368, 378 ; CR, 

5/31/73, D603) 

* The Atomic Energy Commission announced that space reactor technology 

declassification had been completed with the declassification of engineering scale information developed in the SNAP-50 (systems for auxiliary 

nuclear power) space reactor program and the lithium-cooled reactor 

experiment. Thermionic-converter-reactor and uranium-zirconiumhydride-reactor technology had been declassified in 1972 and nuclearrocket-propulsion technology earlier in 1973. (AEC Release R-156) 

Rep. Don Edwards (D-Calif.) urged in a letter to the Dept. of 

the Navy that Moffett Field, where NASA’s instrumented Convair 990 

GaEiZeo and a Navy P-3 Orion crashed after colliding in mid-air April 

April 14: 

117 
April 14 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

12, be closed because of the “dangerous situation” and ccnuisance’’ it 

caused. (UPI, Virginia-PiZot, 4/15/73) 

* An exhibit honoring black pilots, including the 450 who flew combat missions in World War 11, was opened at the Air Force Museum at WrightPatterson Air Force Base, Ohio. (UPI, W Star & News, 4/8/73, 4) 

Storm penetrations by high-performance jet aircraft 

enabled ground-based scientists to check radar returns against airborne 

measurements of in-cloud turbulence for the first time. A two-month 

experiment by the Air Force Systems Command’s Cambridge Research 

Laboratories and the National Severe Storm Laboratories of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at Norman, Okla., 

fingerprinted the wind to gather faster, more accurate information to 

identify tornadoes and devastating windstorms. Hazardous air currents 

swirling inside storms registered a distinct impression on doppler radar. 

Radar signals were processed through an electronics package to permit 

observers to pinpoint and measure gusts or turbulence. With severe 

storm patterns identifiable, observers could forecast their threat to aircraft in flight and people and installations on the ground. (AFSC Kelease OIP 101. 73; AFSC PIO) 

The Skylab Orbital Workshop atop its Saturn V launch vehicle 

was moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space 

Center to Launch Complex 39, Pad A, for May 14 launch. The move 

marked the first time that both Complex 39 launch pads were occupied 

simultaneously by space vehicles. The Saturn IB rocket and Apollo 

spacecraft to convey Skylab’s first crew had been positioned on Pad B 

for May 15 launch. (KSC Release, 4/10/73; KSC PIO) 

* A lightweight version of the space shuttle was being refined by Rockwell 

International Corp.’s North American Aerospace Group for the major 

systems requirement milestone, Aviation Week & Space Technology 

reported. The lightweight version, with a gross liftoff weight of 1.86 

million kg (4.10 million lbs), was scaled down in size from the previous 

baseline configuration, which had a gross liftoff weight of 2.38 million 

kg (5.25 million Ibs). It had the same maximum payload capability of 

29 480 kg (65 000 Ibs) . The major weight reduction had been achieved 

by switching to a more efficient double delta wing on the orbitor. Also, 

a newly designed external fuel tank, which could be separated from 

the vehicle before orbital velocity was reached, would eliminate the 

need for a solid-fueled-rocket deorbit motor on the nose of the tank. 

The solid-fueled boosters were also redesigned to a lighter weight. 

* The European Space Research Organization had begun negotiations with 

Communications Satellite Corp. and RCA Global Communications, Inc., 

to select a corporate partner that would own the US. portion of its 

proposed experimental communications satellite system, Aviation Week 

& Space Technology reported. Five companies had submitted bids to the 

ESRO competition. A final choice would be made before June. ( A v W k , 

4/16/73, 9) 

* Textron Corp.’s Bell Helicopter Div. had been selected to design and build 

two tilt-rotor aircraft for a joint NASA-Army research project, the wall 

Street Journal reported. The aircraft would use large rotors at its wing 

tips to take off like a helicopter. Airborne, the rotors would be tilted 

forward and would serve as propellors for cruising. They would be 

tilted back again for landing. NASA had said the concept combined the 

April 15-June 16: 

April 16: 

(Av Wk, 4/16/73, 18-19) 

118 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 16 

longer range and higher speed of conventional aircraft with helicopter 

utility, factors desirable for Army air-mobile missions and civilian 

short-haul transport. (WSJ, 4/16/73, 3) 

* Dr. Dudley G. McConnell, Director of NASA’s Scientific and Technical Information Office, became Assistant Administrator for Equal Opportunity 

Programs, responsible for NASA’s internal equal opportunity program 

and contractor compliance program. Mrs. Ruth Bates Harris, Director 

of NASA Equal Employment Opportunity and Deputy Director of the 

Equal Employment Opportunity Office, became Deputy Assistant Administrator for Equal Opportunity Programs. Dr. McConnell also would 

serve pro tern as Acting Director of the Scientific and Technical Information Office. (NASA Ann; NASA Release 73-73) 

* The Nixon Administration’s proposed Criminal Code Reform Act of 1973 

contained language that could make it a felony for aerospace industry 

representatives in Washington to notify their companies of potential 

business until the Government officially permitted them to do so, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. The broadly worded bill would 

make it illegal “to knowingly communicate information relating to the 

national defense to a person not authorized to receive it.” (Av Wk, 

4/16/73, 11) 

* Award of a $19 500 000 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to McDonnell 

Douglas Astronautics Co. for design, construction, and testing of an 

electromagnetic pulse simulator for testing large aircraft systems was 

announced by the Air Force. (DOD Release 190-73) 

A joint meeting on the space shuttle Sortie Lab/Spacelab 

Project at Johnson Space Center and Marshall Space Flight Center was 

attended by 20 representatives of the European Space Research Organization ( ESRO) , European Space Research and Technology Center 

(ESTEC) , and European space consortiums headed by MesserschmittBoelkow-Blohm GmbH and ERNO Raumfahrttechnik GmbH. The group 

was briefed by NASA on the space shuttle and Skylab programs, concept 

verification testing, and the MSFC sortie lab activities. The consortiums 

presented a summary of European Spacelab studies. (MSFC Release 73- 

The American Geophysical Union met in Washington, D.C. 

Cornel1 Univ. engineers Thomas R. McDonough and Neil M. Brice propounded the theory that Saturn was encompassed by a great ring of hydrogen gas that had escaped from Titan’s gravity pull and drifted into 

space. The ring was invisible from earth because of atmospheric interference, but should be visible to satellites that could see it with ultraviolet light. Other solar system planets might also have undetected rings. 

Dr. Bruce Murray, Cal Tech astronomer and principal TV investigator of the Mariner 9 mission (launched May 30, 1971), disputed the 

theory that ancient floods on Mars had carved the huge canyons shown 

in the Mariner 9 photos. “Mars’ atmosphere, which, at present, is only 

one-hundredth as dense as the earth‘s, very probably never has been 

dense enough for water to run on the planet’s surface.” There might 

had virtually no atmosphere at all.’’ (NYT, 

ena Star-News, 4/22/73) 

signing of a definitive contract with Rockwell International Corp.’s Space Div. for design, development, and protion of the orbiter vehicle for the integration of all space shuttle 

system elements.. The cost-rei rsement, fixed-fee, and award-fee ConApril 16-17: 

44) April 16-20: 

April 17: NASA announc 

119 
April 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

tract would have a $477 400 000 initial increment. The contract superseded an Aug. 9, 1972, letter contract and would continue through Aug. 

3, 1974. A second work increment-the balance of design, development, test, and evaluation, plus delivery of two orbiters-was planned 

to begin Aug. 4, 1974. Rockwell planned to subcontract to firms and 

suppliers in almost every state. (NASA Release 73-76) 

e The appointment of Gerald D. Griffin-flight director on the ApoZZo 12, 15, 

and 17 missions-as NASA Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs 

effective April 23 was announced by Johnson Space Center. He would 

succeed H. Dale Grubbs, who was leaving after holding the post since 

1970. Griffin had received NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal for his 

work on Apollo 12 and 15 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom 

Group Achievement Award for ApoZZo 13. He joined JSC (then the 

Manned Spacecraft Center) in 1964 and was named a flight director 

in 1968. (JSC Release 73-39) 

0 Dr. John S. Foster, Jr., Director of Defense Research and Engineering in 

the Dept. of Defense, testified before the Senate Committee on Armed 

Services on the Soviet thrust for military and technological superiority: 

“The United States reacted to one Soviet technological advance-the 

Sputnik-with a successful ten-year effort to restore our technological 

superiority in space. Now we are lagging again in some technology areas 

and it may well require another decade after some new jolt before the 

United States regains an acceptable technological posture.” The U.S.S.R. 

was “at such levels of technical competence in broad areas of defense 

technology that technological breakthroughs of major significance are 

possible. They could seriously destabilize the balance of world power 

and weaken our strength for deterrence and negotiations. They could 

encourage military opportunism in any of a number of areas and raise 

the risk of war or armed confrontation.” (Testimony) 

0 The exhibit “The Image of the Moon-Galileo to Apollo XI,” from the art 

collection of Anthony Michaelis, opened at the Univ. of Houston in Clear 

Lake City, Tex., in cooperation with the Univ. of Houston Libraries. 

(Invitation) 

e Cost-plus-fixed-fee contract awards for demonstrator programs for turbofan engine technology were announced by the Air Force: $6 080 000 to 

United Aircraft Corp. and $1 141 633 to Teledyne Industries, Inc. (DOD 

Release 193-73) 

Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on 

Aeronautical and Space Sciences, introduced S. 1610 to amend the 

Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to require installation of airborne, cooperative collision avoidance systems on certain military and civilian aircraft. (CR, 4/17/73, S7546-7) 

0 Sen. Edward J. Gurney (R-Fla.) reintroduced S.J. R. 94, to redesignate 

Cape Kennedy Cape Canaveral. (CR, 4/17/73, 57554-5) 

0 A New York Times editorial criticized the inclusion in the FY 1974 Federal 

budget of $5.8 million for further studies of the supersonic transport’s 

possible effect on the stratosphere: “While there may be no harm in 

pursuing a scientific study of the question, the Government’s intent 

clearly goes beyond pure research or the problem raised by foreign and 

military supersonic planes. A high Administration official has bluntly 

stated that the study would be ‘prefatory to possible introduction of an 

SST program at a later date.’ The option ‘is held open.’ With an array of 

fiscal, political and scientific factors against it, the case for the SST at this 

120 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 17 

late date would seem to rest solely on the advantage to a tiny handful of 

people crossing the oceans in three or four hours instead of six or 

seven-scarcely a reason for reviving a discredited project which is still 

being liquidated at public expense.” (NYT, 4/17/73, 39) 

NASA released a preliminary timeline of the Skylab missions 

scheduled to begin with the Skylab 1 launch of the orbiting laboratory 

at 1:30 pm EDT May 14 from Kennedy Space Center. The Skylab 2 mission, carrying the first three crewmen, would leave the pad at 1:00 pm 

EDT May 15 and dock with the orbiting laboratory at 8:40 pm EDT. At 

8:30 am May 16 the tunnel would be pressurized and the astronauts 

would enter Skylab. On the 28th day, at 8:46 am June 12, the crew 

would reenter the command module, undock, and return for splashdown 

at 1:U pm, 1300 km (800 mi) southwest of San Diego. 

Skylab was to operate for eight months in earth orbit, occupied at 

intervals by three-men crews who would make scientific and technical 

investigations and observations related to such areas as earth resources, 

physiological effects of longduration weightlessness, solar phenomena, 

and metal processing in zero-g conditions. (NASA Release 73-78) 

A series of calibration rocket (CALROC) launches at White Sands Missile 

Range during the manned Skylab 2 mission scheduled for May would 

provide a reference for the calibration of equipment used in two experiments on Skylab’s Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) , Marshall Space 

Flight Center announced. CALROC launches were also scheduled during 

the Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 missions. The rockets would acquire solar 

flux data on specific regions of the sun in conjunction with.Skylab 

astronaut observations of the same regions with ATM experiments. Instrumentation on CALROC would be similar to but smaller than that 

aboard the .~TM. Black Brant VCs would be used for all the launches. 

Taking part in the program, managed by MSFC, were Goddard Space 

Flight Center, Ames Research Center, the Naval Research Laboratory, 

Harvard College Observatory, and White Sands Naval Ordnance Missile Test Facility. ( MSFC Release 73-42) 

0 President Nixon issued Executive Order 11712 establishing a Special 

Committee on Energy and a National Energy Office in the Executive 

Office of the President. In a message to Congress on US. energy policy, 

he said: “If we are to be certain that the forward thrust of our economy 

will not be hampered by insufficient energy supplies or by energy 

supplies that are prohibitively expensive, then we must not continue 

to be dependent on conventional forms of energy. We must instead 

make every useful effort through research and development to provide 

both alternative sources of energy and new technologies for producing 

and utilizing this energy. For the short-term future, our . . . strategy will 

provide technologies to extract and utilize our existing fossil fuels in 

a manner most compatible with a healthy environment. . . from 1985 

to the beginning of the next century, we will have more sophisticated 

development of our fossil fuel resources and . . . full development of the 

Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor. Our efforts for the distant future 

center on the development of technologies-such as duclear fusion and 

solar power-that can provide us with a virtually limitless supply of 

clean energy.” (PD, 4/23/73, 389-406; 412-3) 

0 Astronaut Fred W. Haise, Jr.-ApoZZo 13 lunar module pilot, Apollo 8 and 

11 backup pilot, and Apollo 16 backup commander-had been named 

Technical Assistant to the Manager, Orbiter Projects Office, at Johnson 

April 18: 

121 
April 18 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Space Center, JSC announced. Haise, who had logged 142 hrs 54 min in 

space, would be responsible for assisting Manager Aaron Cohen in the 

overall management of the space shuttle orbiter development. ( JSC 

Release 7341) 

The appointment of William J. Hamon, Director of Program Budget and 

Control in the Office of Manned Space Flight's Sortie Lab Task Force, 

as NASA Resident Liaison Officer at the European Space Research Organization's Research and Technology Center ( ESTEC) in Noordwijk, The 

Netherlands, was announced by NASA. He would be responsible for 

liaison between NASA Hq. and Marshall Space Flight Center and the 

ESTEC sortie lab project. (NASA Release 73-70) 

* The Air Force Space and Missiles Organization (SAMSO) Air Force Satellite Facility ( AFSF) received a Presidential Management Improvement 

Certificate for excellence in improving Government operations, from 

Secretary of Defense Elliot L. Richardson in Washington, D.C., ceremonies. The certificate was presented to Col. John J. Schmitt, Jr. 

(USAF) , AFSF Commander, ( AFSC Newsreview, 6/73, 4) 

e Aviation pioneer Roy W. Hooe died in Martinsburg, W. Va., at the age of 

78. He had been a member of the five-man crew of the Question Mark, 

a trimotor aircraft which set a 151-hr endurance record during pioneer 

tests of mid-air refueling in 1929. Hooe had retired as an Air Force 

master sergeant in 1950 after 30 yrs in the Air Force and its predecessor 

flying services. (W Star & News, 4/21/73, A12) 

The U.S.S.R., with the cooperation of the Polish People's Republic, launched Intercosmos Copernicus 500 from Kapustin Yar to 

mark the 500th anniversary of the birth of the Polish scientist Nicolaus 

Copernicus. The satellite entered orbit with a 1518-km (943.2-mi) 

apogee, 199-km ( 123.7-mi) perigee, 102.1-min period, and 48.4' inclination. Copernicus 500-built by Soviet and Polish scientists and carrying 

Soviet, Polish, and Czechoslovakian instruments-measured solar radiation and characteristics of the earth's ionosphere before reentering 

Oct. 15. (GSFC SSR, 4/30/73, 10/31/73; Tass, FBIS-SOV, 4/20/73, L1; 

Warsaw PAP, FBIS-Poland, 4/25/73, G4; SBD, 4/20/73, 238) 

Cosmos 554 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into orbit with 

a 329-km (204.4-mi) apogee, 171-km (106.3-mi) perigee, 89.4-min 

period, and 72.8' inclination. The spacecraft reentered May 27. Western observers believed it was a reconnaissance satellite and that it had 

exploded or been exploded during recovery. By the end of May more 

than 180 pieces had been recorded by tracking stations. (CSFC SSR, 

4/30/73; 5/31/73; O'Toole, W Post, 5/19/73, A12; SBD, 4/20/73, 

285; 5/21/73, 116) 

* NASA and the Soviet Academy of Sciences had approved results of the Feb. 

26-March 3 Moscow meeting of the US.-U.S.S.R. Joint Working Group 

on Space Biology and Medicine, NASA announced. The Group had agreed 

on common medical procedures to permit comparison of pre- and postflight data on astronaut and cosmonaut body functions. (NASA Release 

73-79) 

0 Johnson Space Center notified 45 Civil Service employees that they would 

be released because of NASA manpower reductions; an additional 38 were 

informed they would be reassigned or placed in lower-grade jobs. The 

action, to be completed by June 1, would reduce the JSC work force to 

3727 Civil Service personnel. ( JSC Release 7340) 

April 19: 

122 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 20-30 

April 20-30: Canadian domestic communications satellite Telesat-B-- 

named Anik 2, Eskimo for brother-was successfully launched at 6:47 

pm EST from Eastern Test Range by a three-stage, long-tank, thrustaugumented Thor-Delta launch vehicle. Anik 2 was placed in a highly 

elliptical transfer orbit with a 36 480-km (22 667.6-mi) apogee, 212-km 

(131.7-mi) perigee, and a 26.7" inclination. After checkout and reorientation of the spacecraft, the apogee motor was fired at 5:OO pm EST 

April 23, bringing the spacecraft into near synchronous circular orbit 

with a 35 709-km (22 188.5-mi) apogee, 35 604-km (22 123.3-mi) 

perigee, 1430.7-min period, and 0.1' inclination. The spacecraft was 

drifting 3" per day toward its final operational position off the west 

coast of South America. 

Under NASA-Telesat Canada contract, the NASA mission objective was 

to place Anik 2 into an orbit of sufficient accuracy to allow the spacecraft 

propulsion systems to place it in a stationary synchronous orbit while 

retaining sufficient stationkeeping propulsion to meet the mission lifetime requirements. The objective was met and the mission was adjudged 

a success April 30. 

Anik 2-second in a series of Canadian domestic communications 

satellites-was built by Hughes Aircraft Co. under contract with Telesat 

Canada and designed to provide transmission of TV, voice, and data 

throughout Canada for seven years. The spacecraft system provided 12 

channels of communications to relay 10 color TV channels or up to 

9600 telephone circuits. Two channels would be protection channels for 

the 10 traffic-carrying channels. 

The spacecraft was 1.8 m in diameter and 3.4 m high (6 by 11 ft). 

At launch it weighed 540 kg (1200 lbs) and its orbiting weight was 

270 kg (600 lbs) . The electronics system was powered by 23 000 solar 

cells with sufficient onboard battery capacity to maintain service during 

a sun eclipse of the solar cells. 

Anik I had been launched Nov. 9, 1972. The two-satellite system 

would act as space repeaters to receive transmissions from earth stations 

and retransmitt them to earth stations in Canada. A third satellite was 

retained on the ground as protection against space failure of the first 

two spacecraft and could be launched ini 1975 to expand the system if 

required. 

NASA would be reimbursed by Telesat Canada for costs of the ThorDelta launch vehicle and services. The project was managed for NASA's 

Office of Space Sciences by Goddard Space Flight Center. (NASA prog 

off; NASA Release 73-58 ; GSFC SSR, 4/30/73) 

Checkouts of the first two Skylab launch vehicles and their 

spacecraft, in position on Pads A and B of Launch Complex 39 at 

Kennedy Space Center, continued without major problems. Top program officials from NASA Hq. and Centers had completed the final flight 

readiness review of all aspects of Skylab, including launch and mission 

operations, spacecraft and experimental hardware, safety, range readiness, recovery, and flight-crew readiness. (NASA Release 73-81) 0 The appointment of Frederick A. Meister, Jr., as Deputy Associate Administrator of Plans for the Federal Aviation Administration was announced by FAA Administrator Alexander P. Butterfield. Meister would 

succeed Ronald W. Pulling, who had retired. (FAA Release 73-68) 

The year's biggest congressional defense debate would be whether to proceed with the Trident submarine project, the Los Angeles Times said. 

April 20: 

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April 20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The $1.7 billion requested in FY 1974 for the Trident was “the biggest 

single appropriation being sought for any weapons system.” If the program went ahead, 10 missile-firing submarines would be built at a total 

$13.5-billion cost. Dept. of Defense officials said the Trident submarines 

were needed to compensate for the 6241 edge in missile-firing submarines allowed the U.S.S.R. under the 1972 arms control agreement. 

Economy forces in Congress argued that an easier and less expensive 

way to guarantee continued invulnerability for U.S. sea-based deterrents 

would be to equip the existing Polaris-Poseidon fleet with a firstgeneration Trident with a range of more than 6000 km (4000 mi). 

(Conine, LA Times, 7/20/73, 7) 

The development of Laserphoto-a system of news photo transmission using a laser beam receiver to deliver dry glossy prints, cut 

and stacked, to editors’ desks-was announced in New York by Associated Press President J. Wes Gallagher. AP also announced plans for 

electronic dark rooms where photos would be stored in computers, edited 

on video screens, and transmitted at high speeds. Both systems had been 

developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (AP, B Sun, 

4/23/73, A3; WSI, 4/23/73, 1) 

A Proton booster reportedly was launched by the U.S.S.R., 

failed, and fell into the Pacific Ocean during the final week of April. 

The Washington Post later quoted US. space observers as saying the 

booster probably had carried a Lunokhod moon vehicle. The Post said 

this failure and the failure of the Salyut 2 (launched April 3) had 

thrown the 1975 US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz mission in doubt because 

both failures had involved hardware managed by the same Soviet space 

officials. (O’Toole, W Post, 5/4/73, Al) 

Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, Marshall Space Flight Center Director, 

announced personnel actions to reduce the Center’s total Civil Service 

personnel to 5214 by June 30. Separation notices had been given to 

108 employees-87 at Huntsville, Ala., and 21 at MSFC installations elsewhere. A total of 67 MSFC employees would receive notices of change to 

lower grade, with 15 losing some salary. Reassignment of 57 would be 

made concurrently with the reduction in force. (MSFC Release 73-45) 

0 The European Space Research Organization had selected two new scientific 

satellite programs while rejecting participation in NASA’s Venus orbiter 

program, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. A joint International Sun-Earth Physics Satellite ( ISEPS) program-to study solar 

winds and observe the discontinuities such as the magnetopause, bow 

shock, neutral sheet in the tail, and wave shocks-would place two 

satellites in orbit by a single booster in 1977. ESRO would develop one 

satellite at a cost of $28 million; NASA, the other. The second ESRO program, the Highly Eccentric Lunar Occultation Satellite ( HELOS) , would 

be launched in 1979 to define the position, map the spatial and spectral 

features, and monitor the time variabilities of x-ray sources. It would 

cost an estimated $75 million. (Av Wk, 4/23/73, 28) 

0 The US. Postal Service issued an eight-cent stamp commemorating the 

500th anniversary of the birth of Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. First-day ceremonies, sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and 

the National Science Foundation, were held at the National Museum of 

History and Technology. The first-day flight cover featured a photo of 

Orbiting Astronomy Satellite Oao 3, named Copernicus and launched 

by NASA Aug. 21, 1972. (USPS Philatelic Release 8; Flight cover) 

124 

April 22: 

April 22-30: 

April 23: 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 23 

0 Exclusive astronaut writing contracts with Life magazine and other media 

had harmed the press, the public interest, the space program, and the 

astronauts themselves, Robert Sherrod said in a Columbia Journalism 

Review article released in advance of its May/June publication date. The 

contracts had brought relatively little money to all but a few astronauts 

and had distorted their individuality and diversity into a “deodorized, 

plasticized, and homogenized” image. Under the contract system, NASA 

could censor whatever the astronauts signed. “Even though this censorship was rarely invoked, it was inhibiting; so was the necessity of 

Life’s making the astronauts look good, and vice versa.” President 

Kennedy had originally opposed the contracts, but had been persuaded in their favor by Project Mercury Astronaut John H. Glenn. 

Former President Johnson had supported the contracts in a letter Sherrod received a few months before Johnson’s Jan. 22 death. Sherrod 

said the contract system had had no adverse affects on the flow of space 

news. “Due in large part to the exclusion policy, many members of the 

working press deeply resented NASA.” (Text) 

A committee of 35 astronomers met at Marshall Space Flight 

Center to review proposed experiments for the Large Space Telescope 

(LST) to be launched by the space shuttle as a general-purpose facility 

for various astronomical instruments. The committeerepresenting 7 

observatories, 10 US. universities, and NASA installations-would help 

NASA select science participants for LST definition studies. The LST would 

observe galaxies 100 times fainter than those seen by the most powerful 

ground-based telescopes and would provide long-term monitoring of 

atmospheric phenomena on Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. (MSFC 

Release 7346; Marshall Star, 4/25/73, 1) 

The National Academy of Sciences held its annual meeting and participated with the Smithsonian Institution in a joint program to honor the 

Copernican Quincentennial. Dr. Philip Handler, NAS President, announced that Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., retiring Secretary of the Air 

Force, would become president of the National Academy of Engineering 

in May and that the NAE council had voted to sever NAE’S affiliation with 

NAS. NAS elected 95 new members. 

During the program devoted to cosmological questions and humanistic 

aspects of scientific research, Dr. Stephen Toulmin, Provost of the Univ. 

of California at Santa Cruz, said he had detected a lack of purpose 

among younger scientists that might be leading to the end of the intellectual era inaugurated by Copernicus. 

Dr. John A. Wheeler, Princeton Univ. physicist, said the collapse 

of the universe into a single, great “black hole” with the annihilation 

of all matter and all physical laws seemed inevitable. Black holessuperdense objects in space-had been predicted as end products of 

the collapse of large stars when they no longer produced sufficient heat 

to counter the weight of their own material. Black holes could serve as 

examples of what would happen if the universe ceased its expansion 

and began to fall back upon itself. Since its expansion did not have 

sufficient momentum to continue indefinitely, the universe could reach 

its maximum size in 40 billion yrs. Dr. Alan R. Sandage of the Hale 

Observatory said a five percent decrease in the brightness of galaxies 

for each billion years of their lifetime would alter the calculation and 

indicate indefinite expansion of the universe. (NAS Memo to Press; 

Apri2 23-25: 

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April 23-25 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Sullivan, NYT, 4/26/73 ; 4/28/73, 48 ; NYT, 4/26/73, 74; 4/29/73, 

The American Physical Society held its annual meeting in 

Washington, D.C. Dr. Edward H. Teller, Univ. of California physicist 

and atomic scientist, urged legislation to declassify all Government 

scientific secrets after one year. He predicted the action would force 

the U.S.S.R. to take similar action “in maybe 10 years,” because US. 

science and technology would advance faster without secrecy. Naval 

Research Laboratory scientist Dr. Herbert Friedman said most astronomers who believed that creation began with a “big bang” also 

believed that at least as much gas and dust had been left behind when 

the stars were formed as had been consumed in star formation. Recent 

findings had been that two clouds moved out in opposite directions 

from an exploding galaxy to form equally shaped spheres and that 

radio galaxies left wakes as they plowed through space. “In both cases 

you need great quantities of gas to put enough pressure on the clouds 

or the galaxies to slow them down. Galaxies moving through empty 

space leave no wakes or trains behind them.” (W Post, 4/25/73, A3; 

LA Times, 4/26/73) 

A symposium at Lewis Research Center’s Plum Brook Station presented ideas of NASA engineers on new uses by business, industry, labor, other Government agencies, and universities of Plum Brook 

facilities available because of NASA’s imminent shutdown of the station 

for budgetary reasons [see March 61. (LeRc Release 73-21; LeRC PIO) 

The first Skylab prime crew-Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph 

P. Kerwin, and Paul J. Weitz-and backhp crewmen Russell L. 

Schweickart, Dr. F. Story Musgrave, and Bruce McCandless, 11, began 

the 21-day preflight isolation period at 8:30 am EST in preparation 

for May 15 launch. Isolation would continue for seven days following 

their return from Skylab. Crewmen would be restricted to specific areas 

and limited in the number of approved personal contacts allowed during the immediate preflight and postflight periods. During the isolation 

only Skylab food and water would be consumed by the crew members. 

This diet would also continue for 18 days following the return from 

the mission, to obtain baseline data for Skylab medical experiments in 

nutrition and musculoskeletal evaluation series. (NASA Releases 73-84 

& unnumbered, 4/30/74) 

* Richard W. Cook, Deputy Director, Management, at Marshall Space Flight 

Center, would retire in June, MSFC announced. He would be succeeded 

June 3 by John S. Potate, who was attending Massachusetts Institute 

of Technology, on leave from his position of Director of the Apollo 

Program Control Office in the Office of Manned Space Flight. Potate 

had joined the OMSF in 1969. (MSFC Releases 73-47, 73-77; MSFC 

Org Ann 0101) 

0 National Academy of Sciences’ handling of the controversial supersonic 

transport was criticized by Philip M. Boffey, Managing Editor of the 

newsletter Science & Government Report and former Science magazine 

writer, in a report he released after a two-year “evaluation” study of 

NAS. The Washington Post later quoted the report as saying an NAS 

group in 1965 had “incredibly” urged the Government to conduct a 

campaign to persuade the US. public to accept the SST though it had 

become evident that the aircraft would produce harmful sonic booms. 

In 1968, NAS had downplayed the possibility of physical damage from 

47) April 23-26: 

April 23-27: 

April 24: 

126 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 24 

the booms, though it later circulated a “clarifying” statement internally 

to its own members saying the SST would be unacceptable. (Cohn, 

W Post, 4/25/73, A2) 

Cosmos 555 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into 

orbit with a 230-km (142.9-mi) apogee, 216-km (134.2-mi) perigee, 

88.9-min period, and 81’ inclination. The satellite reentered May 7. 

(GSFC SSR, 4/30/73, 5/31/73; SBD, 4/30/73, 333) 

0 All three Skylab crews were briefed at Johnson Space Center by Robert 

A. Citron, Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Short 

Lived Phenomena. The Smithsonian was under contract to NASA to report the major daily earth surface phenomena. During the Skylab missions, scheduled to begin May 14 and 15, the reports would be used 

to advise the crew on suitable targets for hand-held photography and to 

plan or modify earth resources experiment passes which required a 

major reorientation of the spacecraft. During the five months of Skylab 

activities, the crew might expect to see 10 major volcanic eruptions, 5 

major cyclonic storms, and 5 earthquakes and 10 floods large enough 

to cause visible changes in topography. The Center would attempt to 

send research teams into areas where the Skylab scientists observed 

unusual changes. ( JSC Release 73-47) 

0 The Air Force approved the use of $38 million for initial production of 

jet engines for its new F-15 fighter aircraft, despite failure of the prototype engine to satisfy fully key testing requirements called for in the contract with the Pratt & Whitney Div. of United Aircraft Corp. (Getler, 

W Post, 4/26/73, A2) 

The 19 US. students whose scientific experiments had been 

selected for the Skylab missions would help analyze and compile the 

data and results from earth orbit, NASA announced. Henry B. Floyd, 

Manager of the Skylab Student Project at Marshall Space Flight Center, 

had said NASA would leave everything possible to the individual student. 

“We are not telling the student what to do.” Each student experiment 

was being handled individually through principal investigators and 

science advisers who were expected to report results to NASA and the 

US. The students would be invited to report and exchange information at a symposium to be set up by NASA. (MSFC Release 73-49) 

April 27: Countdown demonstration tests were underway at Kennedy 

Space Center for both the Saturn V that would launch Skylab on May 

14 and the smaller Saturn IB that would boost the astronauts into orbit 

on May 15 to join it. The solar telescope flight film had been installed 

in the Skylab multiple docking adapter section and the hatch closed. 

Reassessment and further testing of a leakage problem with an oxidizer 

tank bladder in the command module reaction control system had determined that the bladder was not defective. A Mission Control Center 

network-validation simulation was conducted at the Johnson Space 

Center; an orbital operations simulation had been interrupted to take 

advantage of late software deliveries. 

The Kennedy Space Center Public Information Office moved its 

operations to the Skylab News Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla. All ICSC 

news activities would be conducted from there through two days after 

the launch of Skylab 2. (NASA Release 73-87; KSC Notice to Editors) 

Flight Research Center Director Lee R. Scherer had been named senior 

NASA representative on the Navy-NASA accident board investigating the 

April 12 mid-air collision of NASA’s instrumented Convair 990 aircraft 

April 25: 

April 26: 

~ 

127 
April 27 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

and a Navy P-3 Orion aircraft, FRC’S X-Press reported. FRC’S 990 cockpit simulator had been set up to assist the board in determining the 

specific visibility available. ( FRC X-Press, 4/27/73, 2) 

Dr. Paul A. Gast, Chief of Space and Planetary Sciences at Johnson Space 

Center, and Dr. Gerald J. Wasserburg of Cal Tech had been named 

to receive Columbia Univ.’s Kemp Medal for distinguished public 

service by a geologist, the Pasadena Star-News reported. The citation 

was for “performing a major role in the lunar projects of NASA, which 

have given the scientific world a better understanding of the moon.” 

(Pasadena Star-News, 4/27/73) 

* The role of commercial aircraft in monitoring meteorological parameters 

and atmospheric constituents was discussed in a Science article by Lewis 

Research Center scientist Robert Steinberg. Wide-body jet aircraft 

could supply global atmospheric and tropical meteorological data. 

While scientists are not in total agreement on the magnitude of the 

effect of particulates and gases on the atmosphere, there is almost 

unanimous concurrence that we are severely limited in information, 

and that global baseline concentration must be established for particulates and gases in the troposphere and lower stratosphere as soon as 

possible.” Commercial aircraft were flying 10 hrs a day on long-range 

flights, equipped with inertial navigation systems and central-air-data 

computers coupled to advanced data-storage systems capable of satellite 

interrogation. “This means that there is now a large amount of synoptic 

weather information which can be obtained with a minimum of effort 

and cost. Likewise, a start at obtaining measurements of atmospheric 

constituents on a global basis can be made now.” (Science, 4/27/73, 

375-80) 

April 27-May 2: Goddard Space Flight Center sponsored three scientific 

meetings: the X-ray Astronomy Symposium and the Goddard Scientific 

Colloquium met April 27 and the International Symposium and Workshop on Gamma-ray Astrophysics met April 30-May 2. 

Dr. Floyd W. Stecker, GSFC scientist, and Jean-Loup Puget of the 

Paris Observatory presented their theory before the gamma ray symposium that the galaxies had been formed when equal amounts of 

matter and antimatter in the universe coalesced into separate regions 

after the universe expanded and cooled from an extremely hot, dense 

state about 15 billion yrs ago. The regions could have grown to the 

mass of galaxy clusters by the time the universe had cooled enough to 

go from a plasma to an atomic gaseous state. The theory would account 

for the sizes, mean densities, and rotational speeds of galaxies and was 

consistent with Dr. Stecker’s interpretation of recently observed cosmic 

gamma radiation as resulting from matter-antimatter annihilation. 

(GSFC Note to Editors; NASA Release 73-86) 

Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., retiring Secretary of the Air Force, 

was named by the National Geographic Society to receive its Gen. 

Thomas D. White Space Trophy. The citation said: “Under his leadership great strides were made in Air Force space programs, and new 

early warning and communications space systems were placed in operation.” [See April 30.1 (AP, W Star & News, 4/29/73, A6) 

* U.S.S.R. scientists had named a newly discovered mineral “armstrongite” 

after the US. astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, first man to set foot on the 

moon, the Associated Press reported. The mineral, belonging to the 

zirconium-silicate compounds, had been found by a joint Soviet- 

(6 

April 28: 

128 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 April 28 

Mongolian expedition in the Gobi Desert. A sample of the mineral had 

been sent to Armstrong. (AP, NYT, 4/29/73, 53) 

Los Angeles International Airport banned all landings and takeoffs over populated areas between 11 pm and 6 am and became the 

first US. airport with regular two-way traffic in the same airspace. 

The measures had been taken in response to community protests over 

aircraft noise. Federal Aviation Administration air controllers would 

regulate the two-way traffic, called nose-to-nose operations, and had 

said there would be no safety problem. (Lindsey, NYT, 4/29/73, 58) 

The First International Conference on Offshore Airport 

Technology was sponsored by the New York Section of the American 

Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Federal Aviation 

Administration in Bethesda, Md. Director W. D. Brinckloe of the Univ. 

of Pittsburgh’s Graduate Center for Public Works spoke on the multipurpose use potential of offshore airports : “Experience suggests that 

what should be planned is a terminal, mating all possible transportation 

modes, and complete with all the facilities and services needed to make 

the Terminal City thrive.” Multiple use of the island airport “should be 

given equal attention with more conventional aspects of airport design 

and ocean construction. In the end, it may be the element that makes 

the project economically feasible.” ( AIAA Release, 3/1/73 ; Text) 

The Thomas D. White Space Trophy Award of the National 

Geographic Society was presented in Washington, D.C., to Dr. Robert 

C. Seamans, Jr., Secretary of the Air Force [see April 281. Secretary 

of Defense Elliot L. Richardson said at the award ceremony: “Bob 

Seamans is a distinguished scientist and administrator. He was formerly 

the Deputy Administrator of NASA and, for the past four years, has led 

the Air Force through a period marked by operational innovations and 

the initiation of a large number of essential modernization programs. 

Under his leadership a number of major advances have been made in 

the Department of Defense space programs, while the world has been 

mindful that United States operations in space do not pose a military 

threat to any country.” Dr. Seamans had ensured “a close working 

relationship” between DOD and NASA, “including Defense support of 

NASA space operations and close cooperation in the design of the Space 

Shuttle.” (DOD Release 213-73) 

Wallops Station reported on its cooperative research project with Virginia 

Polytechnic Institute’s Agronomy Dept. to study the application of remote sensing to agriculture. Detailed investigations of circular soil 

ridges with depressed centers, common to Virginia’s Eastern Shore, 

had been made by pedological and remote-sensing techniques. More 

than 150 ridges, called Carolina Bays, had been found in Accomack and 

Northampton Counties. The study included land management and microclimate aspects of the Bays. (Wallops Release 73-3) 

The National Science Foundation released Federal Support to Universities, 

Colleges, and Selected Nonprofit Institutions, Fiscal Year 1971 ( NSF 

73-300) . Total Federal obligations (exclusive of loans) to institutions 

of higher learning increased in current and constant dollars. Currentdollar volume rose $253 million, or 8%, to a record $3480 million. 

Constant-dollar increase was 2%, the first increase since 1967. The 

first 100 universities and colleges in Federal support accounted for 

more than $2.4 billion during 1971, or 69% of Federal funds to all 

academic institutions. Private universities and colleges receiving Federal 

April 29: 

April 29-May 2: 

April 30: 

129 
April 30 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

funds outnumbered public institutions receiving Federal funds 1242 to 

1126, but public institutions accounted for 61% of total Federal obligations, 65% of degrees awarded, and 75% of students enrolled. 

In 1971 life sciences research and development funding was $741 

million, or 48% of all Federal R&D obligations. Obligations for general 

support of NSF and National Institutes of Health science programs was 

$100 million, the same level as in 1970. The Atomic Energy Commis. 

sion continued as the principal Federal agency funding academically 

associated R&D centers, with 64% of the $984 million Federal total. 

NASA and the Dept. of Defense awarded $312 million, or 32% of the 

total. (Text) 

Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, 

and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt concluded the largest and most successful schedule of postflight public appearances undertaken by an astronaut crew. The tour, begun Jan. 12 in Los Angeles, included 57 stops 

in 25 states and the District of Columbia in 11 weeks. The astronauts 

met with 12 state governors and addressed state legislatures in Kansas, 

New Mexico, Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Colorado, 

and Washington. Activities Bureau Chief Eugene A. Marianetti of 

NASA’s Public Events Directorate said later that the astronauts had met 

no evidence of antispace sentiment, “only a lack of adequate information . . . on the actual amount spent on the space program.” (NASA 

Activities, 5/15/73, 89) 

* Iowa Geological Survey scientist James V. Taranik reported on the usefulness of a remote-sensing project to map temperatures of the Mississippi 

River, before the annual Iowa Science, Engineering and Humanities 

Symposium at the Univ. of Iowa. An infrared scanner aboard an aircraft flying at 2000 m (6000 ft) had provided data for a temperature 

map of waters beneath the site of a projected nuclear power plant. The 

map had shown temperatures above the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. If the plant had operated, the power company could have been penalized for a condition that had existed before 

it was opened. (Univ Iowa Spectator, 4/73, 8) 

0 A theory that the solar system had been visited by a space probe from 

another civilization was reported by Duncan A. Lunan, a graduate 

of Glasglow University, in Spacepight. Lunan had found that certain 

long-delayed echoes of equally spaced radio signals transmitted from 

the earth could be interpreted in the form of a code. He had used data 

recorded in the 1920s by Norwegian, Dutch, and French experimenters 

who had noted that the delay times of the echoes varied from one 

signal to the next, but assumed a natural phenomenon. Lunan interpreted the pattern of an October 1928 signal as a star map identifying 

the probe’s origin as the double star Epsilon Bootis and putting its 

arrival in the solar system at 13 000 yrs ago. (SF, 4/73, 122-31) 

Univ. of Wisconsin psychologist Dr. David A. Grant visited the U.S.S.R. 

as the first US. scientist to participate in an exchange agreement between the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science and its 

Soviet counterpart, All Union Znaniye [Knowledge] Society. Dr. Grant 

lectured in Moscow and Leningrad. (AAAS Bulletin, 6/73, 1) 

During April: 

130 
May 1973 

Muy 1: The joint NASA-Navy board investigating the April 12 mid-air 

collision of NASA’s instrumented Convair 990 aircraft Galileo and a 

Navy P-3C Orion antisubmarine aircraft over Moffett Field, Calif., 

completed its investigation, forwarded its report to NASA and the Navy, 

and issued a statement: Both aircraft had been under visual flight 

rules (VFR) at the time of the accident; the P-3C was in the local 

landing pattern making touch-and-go landings and the Convair 990 

was making a straight-in approach. “At initial contact with the control 

tower, the Convair 990 was cleared to continue for Runway 32 Right. 

At seven miles [ll km] the Convair 990 was again cleared to continue 

approach for the right runway. About three miles [5 km] out, the control tower operator cleared the Convair to land on Runway 32 Left. 

The Convair pilot acknowledged the new runway assignment. The 

control tower operator also cleared the P-3C to continue his approach 

to Runway 32 Left. It was the tower operator’s intention to land the 

Convair 990 on Runway 32 Right, but he mistakenly called the wrong 

runway.” There was no evidence that either pilot or the tower personnel 

were aware of the impending collision. (NASA Release 73-88) 

* Explorer 47 Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (launched Sept. 22, 1972) 

was adjudged a success. It had met prelaunch objectives of making detailed and continuous studies of the interplanetary environment and 

studying particle and field interactions in the distant magnetotail. 

Twelve of thirteen scientific instruments were operational and providing 

good data. Failure of the ultralow-energy telescope would reduce total 

scientific return from that experiment 10%. (NASA prog off) 

* NASA’s RM Radiation/Meteoroid Satellite-launched Nov. 9, 1970, with 

Of0 Orbiting Frog Otolith-was adjudged a success. It had substantially met mission objectives and the minimum mission duration of 90 

days had been achieved by the time RM had reentered Feb. 7, 1971. 

The radiation experiment was partially successful, measuring the pulseheight distribution of electrons and of low-energy protons for spectral 

mapping of the South Atlantic magnetic anomaly. Above 50 mev the 

solid-state spectrometers malfunctioned. The meteoroid experiment had 

successfully measured meteoroid velocities and impacting flux despite 

damage to 40% of the front-plane and 10% of the rear-plane impact 

sensors during the first three weeks in orbit. (NASA prog off) 

* The West German government announced it was withdrawing from the 

multinational European Launcher Development Organization ( ELDO). 

ELDO had been building the Europa I1 launcher to launch a communications satellite into earth orbit Oct. 1, but the project collapsed with 

West Germany’s defection. (Kent, LATNS, M Her, 6/1/73) 

U.S. Patent No. 3 730 287 was granted to NASA and to aerospace designer 

Edward Hryniewiecki of Comprehensive Designers, Inc., a Jet Propulsion Laboratory subcontractor, for a vehicle designed to explore 

planets with difficult terrain. Each of four legs with triangular wheels 

131 
May 1 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

would have its own motive power for movement by walking, by turning 

wheels, or on tires revolving around the wheels like endless tracks. The 

vehicle had been planned for unmanned, remotely controlled exploration of Mars, but NASA was willing to license manufacture for oil and 

mineral exploration and rescue operations. (Pat Off PIO; Jones, NYT, 

Award of separate $10000 contracts to nine aerospace companies for 

studies leading to advanced technology for highly maneuverable aircraft 

was announced by Flight Research Center. Boeing Co., Development 

Sciences, Inc., General Dynamics Corp., Grumman Aerospace Corp., 

Lockheed-California Co., LTV Aerospace Corp., Northrop Corp., Rockwell International Corp., and Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical Corp. would 

have three months to define design concepts and prepare a preliminary 

plan for developing design technology. Several contractors might then 

be selected for further contracts of $200 000 each for preliminary design of their concepts. (FRC Release 10-73; FRC PIO) 

A laser to transmit 1 billion bits of data per second between satellites 

was being developed for the Air Force by GTE Sylvania, Inc., United 

Press International reported. The system, using peripheral equipment 

with lighter weight and less power than present satellite radio networks, 

would send more information faster and would operate on a narrow 

bandwidth to reduce interference and interception. (LA Times, 5/5/73) 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists were using a 

new technique to map the sun’s magnetic ccweather”-constantly changing lines of magnetic-polarity reversal related to sunspots, solar flares, 

or storms, and configuration of the solar corona-NOAA announced. 

Developed by Patrick S. McIntosh of NOAA’S Space Environmental 

Laboratory, the technique allowed observers to infer magnetic lines of 

force and magnetic polarities from hydrogen alpha photos of the sun 

made through a telescope with a light filter. The filter excluded all light 

except that in the red wavelength emitted by hydrogen. The inexpensive technique permitted even the smallst observatories to study magnetic fields. (NOAA Release 73-71) 

0 The proposal to redesignate Cape Kennedy Cape Canaveral was killed for 

the current session by the General Legislation Committee of the Florida 

State Legislature. The bill had cleared the Florida Senate March 22, but 

House opponents had said it would be disrespectful to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. (0 Sen, 5/2/73, 7A) 

Science & Government Report quoted the response of an unidentified 

alumnus of the President’s Office of Science and Technology when asked 

if OST had participated in the Watergate episode: “NO, they didn’t 

trust us enough for anything as important as that. If we had been involved, do you think they’d have been using stone age electronics?” 

(referring to eavesdropping devices found in Democratic Party headquarters). (Sci & Gov Rpt, 5/1/73, 1) 

The Skylab manned space laboratory to be launched May 14 

would fly over 89% of the world‘s population and 65% of the earth‘s 

land areas and would be visible to the naked eye, NASA announced. 

Information would be distributed to enable people in most of the populated areas of the world to see Skylab in orbit. Skylab would be visible 

only in clear skies during the two hours before and after dusk when 

the viewer would be in the earth’s shadow and the space station in 

5/5/73, 45) 

May 2: 

132 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 2 

the sunlight. It would appear like the brightest star but would move 

fast enough to be distinguishable from stars. (NASA Release 73-90) 

0 US. space observers believed an accident to the Soviet Salyut 2 space 

station launched April 3 had prevented the U.S.S.R. from carrying out 

a maximum one-month mission manned by a Soyuz crew, Thomas 

O’Toole reported in the Washington Post. Their assessment was that 

Salyut 2 had begun tumbling in orbit when a maneuvering engine fired 

and then kept firing out of control. The firing had forced Salyut 2 

into cartwheel motion through space. Its solar panels had been torn 

loose, cutting the station off from almost all its electric power. The only 

electricity supplied to Salyut 2 after the accident had come from batteries that might now be burned out. A few US. observers thought 

the Soviet tracking ship that instructed the station to make the fatal 

maneuver had received details of the accident by radio from Salyut 2 

before communications ceased. The ship had left its station off Newfoundland and had joined a sister ship in CuraCao, Dutch West Indies, 

where both had been refueled and refitted. The ships were now in 

Cuba, which had led some space observers to think they might put to 

sea again to await a further Soviet attempt to launch a Salyut station. 

(W Post, 5/2/73, A20) 0 Thomas J. Lee had been named Manager of the Marshall Space Flight 

Center Sortie Lab Task Force by Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, MSFC Director, 

the Marshall Star announced. Lee succeeded Jack Trott, who had retired April 30. (Marshall Star, 2/5/73, 1) 

Johnson Space Center announced the award of a $1 947 000 cost-plus-fixedfee contract to Chrysler Corp. to distribute and document wind-tunnel 

data for space shuttle development. (JSC Release 73-50) 

* The Space Science Board of the National Research Council released HZEParticle Efects in Manned Spaceflight. The report, prepared for NASA 

by the Board’s Radiobiological Advisory Panel to the Committee on 

Space Biology and Medicine, concluded that the high-energy, heavy-ion 

irradiation encountered by astronauts outside the earth’s magnetosphere 

or in high-inclination earth orbits would have negligible biological effects for periods of less than two years in space. (NRC Release) 

0 Former astronaut Frank Borman, now an Eastern Air Lines, Inc., senior 

vice president, left Moscow after a visit to the U.S.S.R. at the invitation 

of the Union of Soviet Societies for Friendship and Cultural Relations 

with Foreign Countries. During the visit, which began April 28, Borman 

laid a bouquet at the Kremlin wall where Yuri Gagarin and other cosmonauts were buried and visited the cosmonaut training center and a 

Salyut orbital station mockup at Star City. In an interview he said that he 

believed the 1975 US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz space flight was “the 

forerunner, the prototype to exactly the type of mission that we’ll 

eventually see going to Mars. It is very difficult to project the pace at 

which space exploration will go forward, because it doesn’t depend 

on technology so much as it does on economic and political action. But 

I think that by the end of this century we will have a manned earth 

mission to Mars.” (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 4/30/73, L2; 5/3/73, G2; Moscow 

News, 5/19-25/73) 

Sen. Peter H. Dominick (R-Colo.) introduced S. 1686 to authorize the 

National Science Foundation to facilitate the application of science and 

technology to civilian needs and to assist in establishing civilian research and development priorities. The bill would seek to place a science 

133 
May 2 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

and technolorn adviser in each governor’s office and enable states and 

localities to Grticipate at the Fedvral level in establishing R&D priorities. 

(CR, 5/2/73, S8159) 

President Nixon submitted nominations to the Senate: Howard A. Callawav 

to be Secretary of the Army succeeding Robert F. Froehlke, whosk 

resignation he had accepted May 1; Amrom H. Katz to be Assistant 

Director for Science and Technology of the US. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; and Robert M. Behr to be USACDA’S Assistant Director for Weapons Evaluation and Control. (PD, 5/7/73, 441, 444, 454) 

The Air Force announced the award of a $1 788 000 firm-fixed-price contract for component parts of the multimode radar system for the 65A 

aircraft. (DOD Release 219-73) 

NASA announced a delay in the launch of Intelsat-IV F-6 scheduled 

for May 4. Communications Satellite Corp. had said that a minor variation in the receiver gain had indicated the need for additional tests 

to determine possible causes of the variation. (NASA Note to Editors, 

0 Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, issued a memorandum stating 

that private communications with astronaut crew members of the Skylab 

Orbital Workshop (to be launched May 14) would be permitted for 

morale, operational, and medical reasons. Private calls to families would 

be permitted once a week, without monitoring or public announcement. 

Private operational calls could be requested for “extreme operational 

emergency” and would be announced; paraphrases would be released 

to the public as appropriate. Private medical conversations would be 

scheduled daily and not announced. A daily medical bulletin on crew 

health would be issued to the public. (NASA Release 73-110, attaching 

memo) 

President Nixon sent to Congress United States Foreign Policy for the 

1970’s: Shaping a Durable Peace. The report recalled agreements made 

during the May 1972 Moscow Summit Meetings, including the agreement on a joint rendezvous and docking of Apollo and Soviet Soyuz 

spacecraft in 1975. “Since the summit, all of the agreements have been 

carried out as expected. Our space agencies have conducted preliminary 

tests of models of the spacecraft docking system and crew training will 

begin this summer. The Joint Committee on Environmental Protection 

met in Moscow in September 1972 and planned 30 collaborative projects 

on a variety of subjects. . . . The Joint Commission on Science and 

Technology met in Washington in March 1973 and agreed to carry out 

some 25 projects in . . . energy, chemistry, biology, and agricultural 

research. American and Soviet naval officers will meet this year to review the agreement on reducing incidents between ships and aircraft. 

This process of cooperation has begun to engage an ever widening circle 

of people in various professions and government bureaus in both countries. Direct contact, exchanges of information and experience, and joint 

participation in specific projects will develop a fabric of relationships 

supplementing those at the higher levels of political leadership. Both 

sides have incentives to find additional areas for contact and cooperation, and I anticipate further agreements patterned on those already 

concluded.” (PD, 5/14/73, 455-653) 

0 The House Committee on Science and Astronautics began hearings on 

short-term energy shortages. Acting Director Darrell M. Trent of the 

Office of Emergency Preparedness testified that the US. “economy’s 

May 3: 

5/3/73) 

134 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 3 

demand for all types of energy continues to increase at an amazing rate. 

However, our ability to find and produce domestic supplies of energy 

is not keeping pace with rising demand.” The US. was becoming increasingly dependent on foreign supplies. “Except for Alaskan discoveries, additions to domestic petroleum reserves have fallen behind production since 1967. Gas is already in short supply. . . . At current 

growth rates, demand could double within the next 12 years over what 

it was in 1970. Because of the growing imbalance between domestic 

supply and demand, we may have to import as much as 60 percent of 

all the oil and gas we need in 1985. Such reliance on foreign sources of 

supply could pose serious problems for our national security. . . . The 

cost of our petroleum products alone could rise from about $6 billion 

in 1972 to as high as $45 billion by 1985, with grim implications for 

our troubled balance of payments.” (Transcript) 

Western Union Telegraph Co. President Earl D. Hilburn said the company 

had received letters from seven unidentified companies of intent to order 

$3 million worth of communications satellite transmission services. 

Identification would be withheld until all applications had been received. Western Union’s WESTAR satellite system was the first US. system to be authorized by the Federal Communications Commission. 

Inauguration of services was set for mid-1974. (Western Union Release) 

0 The Mackay Trophy for 1972 was presented by the Air Force and the 

National Aeronautical Assn. to Air Force Vietnam war aces Capt. 

Richard S. Ritchie, Capt. Charles B. DeBellevue, and Capt. Jeffrey S. 

Feinstein at a Dept. of Defense ceremony. The citation was for disregarding their own personal safety in providing protection for allied 

forces attacking high-priority targets deep in hostile enemy territory. 

Also honored was Col. John A. Macready (USAF, Ret.), the only threetime winner of the Mackay Trophy, on the 50th anniversary of the first 

nonstop flight across the U.S., which he piloted with Lt. Oakley G. Kelly 

in a Fokker T-2 aircraft May 3, 1923. (NAA News, 6/73, 1) 

The United Kingdom and the U.S.S.R. were negotiating for introduction of 

supersonic transport services in both countries, British Airways Chairman David Nicolson told a Washington, D.C., meeting of the Aviation/ 

Space Writers Assn. The U.K. also would begin talks with the People’s 

Republic of China toward inauguration of London-Peking air service 

before the year’s end. (AP, P Inq, 5/4/73) 

The retirement of 6. Merritt Preston as Manager of the Kennedy Space 

Center Shuttle Projects Office effective June 30 was announced by Dr. 

Kurt H. Debus, ICSC Director. Preston, during 34 years of Government 

service, had been Assistant Chief of Operations for Project Mercury, 

Deputy Director of Launch Operations at KSC, ICSC Director of Design 

Engineering, and ICSC Director of Center Planning. He had received 

NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1963 for his Mercury work, 

two NASA Exceptional Service Medals for Apollo work, and the Spirit 

of St. Louis Award of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 

1969 for meritorious service in the advancement of aeronautics. (ICSC 

Release 85-73) 

* Award of a $33 982 080 contract to Rockwell International Corp. for lease 

or purchase of 11 75A Sabreliner aircraft with electronic systems, to 

flight-test more than 7000 ground navigational aids, was announced by 

the Federal Aviation Administration. The contract was part of an FAA 

135 
May 3 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

program to replace 47 DC-3s and T-29s with 21 modern, light, twinturbine-powered aircraft for flight inspection. ( FAA Release 73-78) 

* French hydrogen bomb testing in the Pacific was “a moral outrage and a 

diplomatic embarrassment,” a Washington Post editorial said, “but it is 

also a political fact, and one likely to become more rather than less 

important as the 1970s unfold.” As a strategic weapon the French nuclear striking force was relatively elementary, lacking warheads to fit 

into longrange missiles, multiple warheads, long-range missiles, and 

missile-carrying submarines. “AS a political force, however, the force de 

frappe is quite real. As [the late President Charles] de Gaulle intended, 

it is virtually certain to give France a larger voice in the evolution of 

European affairs than it otherwise would have.” ( W Post, 3/5/73, 26) 

European Space Research Organization ( ESRO) representatives 

met with US. space officials in Washington, D.C., to negotiate a draft 

Intergovernmental Agreement and draft a NASA-ESRO Memorandum of 

Understanding. Both agreements would cover US.-European cooperation in sharing costs of space shuttle development. The European countries, through ESRO, would fund and develop the $300- to $4OO-million 

Spacelab, a supporting system important to realization of the space 

shuttle’s full potential. The Spacelab would facilitate joint-use programs 

with US. and foreign astronauts. (NASA Release 73-191) 

Major countdown demonstration testing of the first two Skylab 

launch vehicles and their spacecraft on Kennedy Space Center Pads 

39A and B, with crew participation, had been completed, NASA announced. Both launches remained on schedule for May 14 and 15. The 

three astronauts earlier in the week had been pronounced physically fit 

for the 28-day mission, after completing medical examinations at Johnson Space Center. (NASA Release 73-92) 

Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator, received the National 

Civil Service League’s 1973 Career Service Award for Sustained Excellence at the League’s 19th annual awards banquet in Washington, 

D.C. Dr. Low was cited as the individual most responsible for the success 

of the Apollo program because of his significant contributions toward 

solving reentry problems. Also honored was Paul 6. Dembling, General 

Counsel for the General Accounting Office, who as NASA General Counsel 

had been a principal drafter of the National Aeronautics and Space Act 

of 1958 and a major participant in developing the legal framework governing peaceful uses of outer space. (NASA Hq WB, 4/16/73; W Post, 

5/5/73, B4) 

* Findings that the Aug. 4, 1972, solar storm-the largest ever recordedhad caused a small but measurable increase in the length of a day on 

earth were reported in Nature by Goddard Institute for Space Studies 

research associate Stephen Plagemann and John Gribben, an astronomer employed by Nature. Examination of US. Naval Observatory data 

had shown a daily increase in the day’s length 10 times greater than 

usual between Aug. 4 and Aug. 8, indicating that the earth‘s rotation 

had slowed down fractionally. After a few days, the rotation rate had 

returned to its normal level. (Nature, 5/4/73, 26) 

Patents for X2048, a new aluminum alloy that could replace the two alloys used in the construction of supersonic aircraft, had been applied 

for by Reynolds Metals Co., a Reynolds spokesman said in Richmond, 

Va. X2048 provided up to 50% more fracture toughness than one alloy 

May 3-4: 

May 4: 

136 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 4 

and was stronger and lighter than the other. (AP, W Star & News, 

* Magnetite from the Orgueil C1 meteorite was only 2.0 to 2.4 million yrs 

older than the next oldest meteorite, Karoonda C4, a Univ. of Chicago 

and Univ. of California at Berkeley team reported in Science. The 

oxide-xenon dating method had tied the primitive C1 meteorite to the 

chronology of the normal meteorites. If Karoonda and Orgueil had been 

formed from the same material, the age difference was an upper limit 

of the formation time of these meteorites and, by customary extension, 

of the solar system. (Herzog et al., Science, 5/4/73, 489) 

* Award by Lewis Research Center of a $2 833 780 contract to General 

Electric Co.’s Gas Turbine Products Div. for two gas turbine assemblies 

was reported by Lewis News. The turbines were for a new test facility 

to bench-test advanced turbines and combustors for future aircraft. 

(Lewis News, 5/4/73, 4) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 556 from Plesetsk into orbit with 

a 233-km (144.8-mi) apogee, 207-km (128.6-mi) perigee, 88.9-min 

period, and an 81.8” inclination. The satellite reentered May 14. (GSFC 

SSR, 5/31/73; SBD, 5/9/73, 49) 

Twelfth anniversary of the May 5, 1961, launch of Freedom 7 by the 

Mercury-Redstone 3 launch vehicle, on the suborbital mission which 

carried Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr., as the first US. man in space. 

(Marshall Star, 5/2/73, 1) 

Langley Research Center Director Edgar M. Cortright received 

the degree of Doctor of Science honoris causa at the 152nd Annual Commencement of George Washington Univ. in Washington, D.C., and gave 

the commencement address to the University’s School of Engineering and 

Applied Science. He said it was perhaps “a blessing in disguise” that 

the US. was running out of fossil fuels. In seeking new energy sources, 

you will develop clean energy. And you will develop it within our own 

resources, thus alleviating the balance of trade problem.” Three sources 

appeared particularly promising : nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, and 

solar energy. “In addition, you may even tap the heat of the Earth‘s 

core.” (Newport News, Va., Daily Press, 5/10/73 ; Langley Researcher, 

5/11/73, 1) 

The Federal Aviation Administration had set 1975 as a target date for 

phase-out of its seven DC-3 aircraft, United Press International reported. FAA was still using the aircraft-known as the workhorse that 

carved out much of US. aviation history-to check aerial navigation 

aids on the West Coast. Manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Corp., 

the DC-3 had carried 95% of US. airline traffic by 1938. A 1966 survey had shown that one third of the world’s transport planes were 

still DC-3s. The aircraft, nicknamed “The Gooney,” had been designated 

the C-47 in World War I1 and the Korean war. By 1945 10 000 DC-3s 

were in military service. Built to carry 29 passengers in civilian configuration, the DC-3 flown by Gen. James H. Doolittle from China after 

his 1942 Tokyo raid had carried 72 persons. The DC-3 had been redesignated the AC47 and armed with heavy machineguns for service 

in the Vietnam war. Scores of the aircraft were still flying in the US., 

in private hands and with Government agencies. (Clifford, UPI, W Post, 

5/6/73, F15) 

The Commission on Education of the National Academy of Engineering held a Washington, D.C., symposium to examine the problems 

5/7/73) 

May 5: 

May 6: 

(6 

May 6-8: 

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May 6-8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

of recruiting minority students in engineering to alleviate an impending 

engineer shortage. Only one percent of engineering students were members of an ethnic minority. (NAE Release 5/2/73, NAE PIO) 

Selection of the Chryse valley near the mouth of the Martian 

Grand Canyon and of Cydonia in the Mare Acidalium, 1600 km (1000 

mi) northeast, as landing sites for NASA’s two unmanned Viking spacecraft in July and August 1976 was announced at an Hq. press conference. The two spacecraft were scheduled for launch on their year-long, 

740-million-km (460-million-mi) journey toward Mars in the summer 

1975. The sites had been selected by prominent scientists after a oneyear evaluation of 22 potential areas for scientific interest and the 

probability of a successful landing. The possibility of finding water at 

these sites increased the chances of finding evidence of life. Backup 

sites were Tritonis Lacus and Alba. 

Arriving at Mars, the spacecraft would enter a highly elliptical orbit 

and then separate into two parts, an orbiter and a lander. Each lander 

would carry a miniature chemical laboratory to analyze Martian soil 

for signs of life. A 3-m (10-ft) retractable claw would scoop soil samples for analysis. Other instruments would analyze the atmosphere and 

measure pressure, temperature, wind velocity, and quake activity. The 

orbiter would perform visual, thermal, and water-vapor mapping. 

(Transcript; NASA Release 73-91) 

* NASA announced establishment of the General Aviation Technology Office 

within the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology to develop the 

technology base for design and development of safer, more productive, 

and superior US. general-aviation aircraft. Roger L. Winblade had 

been named Manager, General Aviation Technology Office. (NASA Release 73-93) 

A Boeing 707 transport aircraft flew six flights over Dulles International 

Airport in Chantilly, Va., in Government-sponsored tests to demonstrate 

the results of Boeing Co.’s $7-million research project to reduce the 707 

noise level to that of the newer Boeing 747 and McDonnell Douglas Co. 

DC-10. The tests proved the modified 707 was 10 to 15 db quieter than 

the original 707s. (Lindsey, NYT, 5/8/73, 78) 

* World Airways, Inc., dedicated its George P. Miller World Air Center 

Hangar, one of the world’s largest aviation buildings, at Oakland 

(Calif.) International Airport. The $14-million, 18 600-sq-m (200 000- 

sq-ft) facility had been named in honor of Rep. George P. Miller (DCalif.), former Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, who had been defeated in a 1972 primary. (NAA News, 

6/73/73, 1-2; A&A 1972) 

A 200-member US.-West German working group met at Kennedy Space Center to plan the Helios Project to launch two WestGerman-built spacecraft toward the sun with the greatest speed ever 

imparted to a man-made object. Helios’ spacecraft velocity at insertion 

into trajectory would approximate 58 000 km per hr (36 000 mph). 

Pioneer 10 and 11 (launched March 2, 1972, and April 6, 1973) had 

required a 51 000-km-per-hr (32 000-mph) velocity. Helios-A-to be 

launched by NASA from ICSC by a Titan-Centaur rocket augmented by 

a solid-fueled 3rd stage, in September 1974-was to approach to within 

45 million km (28 million mi) of the sun. Helios-B’s target point would 

be determined by Helios-A results. Objectives of the project, named for 

the Greek god of the sun, would be to study solar physics by penetrating 

May 7: 

May 7-11 .- 

138 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 7-11 

the outer solar corona, where charged particles received their final 

acceleration, and to demonstrate West German space technological capability. Equally funded by West Germany and the US., the project 

would be directed, after initial NASA liftoff control, by West Germany’s 

control center at Oberpfaffenhofen. Cochairmen of the Helios Working 

Group were Gilbert W. Ousley, Chief of Goddard Space Flight Center’s 

International Projects Office, and Ants Kutzer of the West German aerospace corporation Gesellshaft fur Weltraumforschung. ( IGC Release 

86-73 ; KSC PIO) 

An earthlike atmosphere, 70% oxygen and 30% nitrogen, would 

be used for the first time in a US. manned spacecraft on the Skylab 

mission, Marshall Space Flight Center announced. Pure oxygen had 

been an acceptable atmosphere for relatively short US. flights, but 

long-term breathing of pure oxygen might cause the red blood cells to 

become fragile. Three tons of breathing oxygen and three fourths ton 

of nitrogen would be launched aboard Skylab and combined into atmospheric distribution, circulation, and control systems at a nomi al 

pressure of 3.45 newtons per sq cm (5 psia) . (MSFC Release 73- 7) 

0 The crew of Skylab 2-Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, kd 

Paul J. Weitz-participated in a simulated launch-to-rendezvous training session at Johnson Space Center. (AP, B Sun, 5/9/73, A10) 

0 Lunokhod 2, the U.S.S.R. automatic vehicle landed on the moon Jan. 16 

by Luna 21 (launched Jan. 8), began its fifth lunar day. The panel of 

the solar battery was opened and the onboard systems checked. The 

vehicle left the large tectonic fracture explored the previous lunar day 

and started northeastward toward the shore cusp of the Taurus Massif 

to continue exploration of the Le Monnier Crater. Lunokhod’s Rifma 

radiation analyzer was sending data on the solar x-ray spectra and 

making comprehensive readings of a broad band of solar radiation. 

(Tass, FBIS-SOV, 5/11/73, L1; Av Wk, 5/21/73, 20) 

Award of a 12-mo, $234788, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to General Electric Co.’s Valley Forge Space Center to study future earth resources 

systems was announced by NASA. GE analysts would assist Johnson Space 

Center’s Earth Resources Program Office in planning projects to be 

started at the decade’s end. Guidelines would include unique space 

shuttle contributions to earth resources surveying. The study would 

focus on hardware and procedures to be developed for use from 1978 to 

1982. (NASA Release 73-94) 

0 Completion of nine test flights in the Air Force Systems Command Flight 

Dynamics Laboratory’s control-configured vehicle (ccv) program to 

produce a superstable aircraft was announced by AFSC. The flights, to 

validate the Laboratory’s active-ride-control system design, were completed under part of a $4.1-million contract with Boeing Co. A second 

series of flights was expected to end in October. Tentative plans called 

for tests on fighter aircraft later. (AFSC Release 051.73) 

US. and U.S.S.R. delegates met in Vienna to continue Strategic Arms 

Limitation Talks (SALT). (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 5/9/73, H1) 

May 9: The House Committee on Science and Astronautics favorably reported H.R. 7528, a $3.074-billion NASA FY 1974 authorization bill replacing the original $3.016-billion H.R. 4567. Increases in research and 

development funding included $25 million for the space shuttle, to total 

$500 million; $12 million for space applications, to total $159 million; 

$34 million for aeronautical research and technology, to total $180 

May 8: 

139 
May 9 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

million; $10 million for space and nuclear research and technology, to 

total $11 million; and $500 000 for technology utilization, to total $4.5 

million. Overall R&D decreases were: $7 million in space flight operations, to $548.5 million; $8 million in space science programs, to $37 

million; and $10 million in tracking and data acquisition, to $240 

million. The budgets for construction of facilities and research and program management remained at $112 million and $707 million. 

The Committee said its $10-million reduction in Skylab funding, to 

$224 million (within space flight operations), reflected a “success postured program” without major problems and expressed confidence in 

NASA Skylab management. Space shuttle funding was increased $25 

million to provide more effective program implementation and hold total 

program funding “at or below the current projection.” Total reductions 

of $8 million in funding for orbiting explorers, physics and astronomy, 

and lunar and planetary exploration supporting research and technology 

would be applied to the Earth Resources Survey Satellite program to 

permit immediate reinstatement of the ERTS-B project, on which the 

Committee placed “the highest priority.” In the aeronautics program, 

a $14-million increase-from $18 million to $32 million-was recommended “to investigate and demonstrate noise reduction modifications 

to current narrow-body jet aircraft” and $20 million was added to reinstate the quiet, experimental, short takeoff and landing ( QUESTOL) 

aircraft program terminated in January. The $10-million increase in 

space nuclear research and technology funding was “to maintain a 

viable, long-range capability in advanced nuclear power and propulsion 

research.” It was probable “that any sensible energy research program 

undertaken by this nation would involve a significant part of this continued program.” (CR, 5/1/73, D452; H Rpt 93-171; Text) 

* Dr. Karl G. Harr, Jr., Aerospace Industries Assn. of America, Inc., President testified before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ 

Subcommittee on Science, Research, and Development that the aerospace 

industry fully supported US. conversion to the metric system. He said 

the conversion was necessary if the US. was to continue to hold a prominent position in precision engineering in international trade, but urged 

that the conversion be timely, planned, orderly, and not necessarily 

exclusive of other measurement systems. ( AIA Release 73-11) 

The keel for the Navy’s first patrol hydrofoil missile ship (PHMS) was 

laid during a ceremony at Boeing’s Seattle facility. One of two missilecarrying, fast hydrofoil patrol ships to be delivered to the Navy by 

Boeing in the summer of 1975 under a $46.5-million contract, the 

PHMS was propelled by waterjet systems and would cruise faster than 74 

km per hr (40 knots). (Boeing Release A-0423) 

Eleven conservation organizations had petitioned President Nixon to halt 

plans for the Atomic Energy Commission’s May 17 underground nuclear 

explosion in Colorado, the Washington Post reported. Conservationists 

had said the blast could contaminate the water sumlv for 27 million 

persons. The explosion was intended to free trapped ‘sipplies of natural 

gas. (UPI, W Post, 5/9/73, 3) 

* President Nixon sent to the Senate the nomination of Dr. Gerald F. Tape 

to be the US. Representative to the International Atomic Energy Ageniy 

with the rank of Ambassador. Tape would succeed Dr. T. Keith Glennan, 

first NASA Administrator, who had resigned. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate June 7. (PD, 5/14/73, 658, 669; Tape Off) 

140 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 9 

It was “puzzling,” a Washington Star and Daily News editorial said, “that 

Soviet leaders remain so secretive about their space problems, when the 

general nature of a mishap cannot be hidden from modem tracking 

equipment and more openness could lead to a sharing of corrective 

knowledge. The Russian announcement that the last Salyut had merely 

completed its mission . . . fooled no one. Greater frankness, certainly, 

will be needed in the joint mission [US.-USSR. Apollo-Soyuz Test 

Project] requiring the confidence of each country’s experts in the 

other’s equipment and ability.” (W Star & News, 5/9/73, A23) 

Skylab 1, scheduled for launch May 14, would carry 950 kg 

(2100 lbs) of food, including lobster newburg, prime ribs of beef, filet 

mignon, asparagus, strawberries, and after dinner mints, the Washington 

Post quoted Dr. Malcolm C. Smith, Chief of Food and Nutrition at 

Johnson Space Center, as saying. Each Skylab mission would carry more 

than 70 different foods prepared by an automatic meal-reconstitution 

module. Semisolid food could be eaten out of the can with a fork and 

spoon and prevented from flying around in the weightless environment 

by a polyethylene membrane. Beverages could be consumed one swallow 

at a time from a multichambered bellowslike canister. Previously, astronauts had to drink the entire beverage at one time once the valve 

was opened. Fruit juices were fortified with potassium gluconate to replace the potassium lost in weightlessness. The use of alcoholic beverages 

had been rejected because of medical drawbacks and public opinion. 

The astronauts arranged their own meals with the correct combinations 

of nutrients and calories. Frozen foods would be used the first time in 

the US. space program. The cost of the Skylab food was $26.35 per 

man per day. Twenty percent more food than required would be carried. There would also be a rescue food supply of 16 days for three 

men. (Ross, W Post, 5/10/73, El) 

The Senate passed S. 70, the Energy Policy Act of 1973, establishing a 

Council on Energy Policy to coordinate energy activities and recommend policy. 

The Senate also passed S. 373, to limit presidential power to impound 

appropriated funds. (CR, 5/10/73, S8809-10, 8828-55) 

e Western Union Telegraph Co. announced it had received Federal Communications Commission authorization to construct the first of five earth 

stations for the $7O-million WESTAR domestic communications satellite 

system [see May 31. The first station would be built in Vernon Township, N.J. (Western Union Release) 

President Nixon’s intention to nominate Dr. James R. Schlesinger, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, to be Secretary of Defense succeeding Elliot L. 

Richardson, was announced by the White House Press Secretary. William E. Colby would succeed Dr. Schlesinger. The nominations were submitted to the Senate May 24 and confirmed June 28. Richardson would 

become Attorney General May 25. (PD, 5/14/73, 661-2; 5/28/73, 

709, 714; CR, 6/28/73, 512394) 

* Sen. Lawton M. Chiles (D-Fla.) introduced S.J. Res. 107 to redesignate 

Cape Kennedy Cape Canaveral. (CR, 5/10/73, S8740) 

May 11: The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 557 from Baykonur Cosmodrome 

into orbit with a 249-km (154.7-mi) apogee, 213-km (132.4-mi) perigee, 89.1-min period, and 51.6” inclination. Western observers noted 

the satellite, reported by some sources to be equipped with remoteMay 10: 

. 

141 
May 11 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

controlled photographic equipment, was put into an orbit almost identical to that of the crippled Salyut 2, launched April 3. Observers later 

speculated it had been a Salyut-class spacecraft launched as a docking 

target for a manned Soyuz [see May 191. The satellite reentered May 

22 without maneuvering to extend its lifetime or an apparent attempt to 

recover it. (GSFC SSR, 5/31/73; SBD, 5/15/73, 81; O’Toole, W Post, 

5/15/73, A14; 5/19/73, A12; SF, 1/74, 39-40; Lyons, NYT, 9/26/73, 

* Skylab 2 Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, and Paul 

J. Weitz completed their last medical checkups at Johnson Space Center 

and were declared ready for the Skylab launch, as countdown proceeded 

for May 15. Data were also gathered for inflight comparison of the 

astronauts’ physical conditions. (Wilford, NYT, 5/12/73, 58) 9 Objectives of Skylab‘s scientific and engineering experiments were outlined 

in a Kennedy Space Center press briefing. The 57 major experiment 

components aboard the space station scheduled for May 14 launch 

would provide data for 270 investigations in earth resources, solar 

astronomy, and materials science by 702 investigators and associates200 of them foreign. Dr. Edward J. McLaughlin, NASA Director for 

Space Medicine, said 20 life sciences experiments would provide “a comprehensive picture of the interactions of man with his environment and 

of various body systems that are influenced . . . by the space environment.” They would deal primarily with the metabolic and cardiovascular systems, exercise capacity, and nutrition. 

Dr. Goetz K. Oertel, NASA Chief of Solar Physics, said the objective 

of Skylab astronomy was “the study of the stars, including the sun, and 

other objects in space such as planets,\ comets, objects and libration 

points near the moon, and x-ray objects in the sky.” Emphasis would be 

placed on the study of solar activity known to influence general weather 

patterns and on solar flares, responsible for radio communication blackouts and interference. Skylab was unique in that it would be manned. 

The astronaut would be able to align the instruments and select targets 

of interest, taking advantage of phenomena as it occurred. 

Dr. Robert A. Parker, astronaut and Skylab program scientist, said 

that corollary experiments would study gas and particles surrounding 

the Skylab and their effect on sensitive instruments, collect micrometeoroids, study man-made disturbances in Skylab and their effect on instrument alignment, and study flammable materials and manufacturing 

techniques in the zero-g environment. (Transcript) 

* Dept. of Defense efforts to support Skylab 1 and 2, scheduled for launch 

May 14 and 15, were described by the Air Force Eastern Test Range 

newspaper the Missileer. More than 3250 DOD personnel members worldwide-including the crews of 3 ships and 53 aircraft-would assist 

NASA with Skylab communications, recovery, bioastronautics, weather, 

and public affairs. The DOD Manned Space Flight Support Office would 

coordinate NASA’s requirements with DOD forces; AFETR, the Air Force 

Space and Missile Test Center in California, and Air Force advanced 

range instrumentation aircraft would provide tracking and instrumentation facilities; Air Force and Navy units would provide voice and 

teletype circuits for communications and recovery forces to assist NASA 

at the launch site and primary and secondary recovery zones; and 

Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel would contribute medical support 

at launch site and recovery areas. The Air Force hospital at Patrick 

33 1 

142 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 11 

Air Force Base, Fla., had been designated the Skylab launch site medical 

facility. (Missdeer, 5/11/73, 1) 

0 Flight tests of NASA’s supercritical wing, developed by Dr. Richard T. 

Whitcomb in Langley Research Center wind tunnels, were being completed at Flight ,Research Center, NASA announced. Construction of the 

first wing for use on a commercial aircraft was planned for later in 

1973 by LearAvia Corp. William P. Lear, developer of the Learjet 

executive transport aircraft, had said the wing could increase the 

Learjet’s cruising speed by almost 10% and its range by 2076, without 

an increase in power or gross weight. Other aircraft companies were 

interested in the new airfoil shape, which had demonstrated its ability 

to increase aircraft efficiency 15% during more than 75 successful 

flights at FRC since 1971. (NASA Release 73-96) 

Employment assistance officers at Goddard Space Flight Center, Lewis 

Research Center, and Marshall Space Flight Center were providing detailed resumCs of employees affected by NASA personnel reductions, 

NASA announced. Among affected employees were 200 engineers and 

scientists and 180 technicians at LeRC; 100 space scientists, engineers, 

and technicians at MSFC; and 106 GSFC specialists, including electronic, 

civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineers; physicists; chemists ; mathematicians; and electronic and computer technicians. (NASA Release 

* Award of a $20 543 500 fixed-price-incentive contract for equipping two 

Boeing 747-200B advanced airborne command post aircraft with electronic equipment was announced by the Air Force. (DOD Release 240-73) 

A press briefing on the earth resources experiment package 

(EREP) to be launched on the Skylab Workshop May 14 was held at 

Kennedy Space Center. NASA Associate Administrator for Applications 

Charles W. Mathews said the 150 EREP investigators included 50 from 

foreign countries. EREP included six sensors, two camera systems, a 

spectrometer, a multispectral scanner, a radiometer, a scatterometer, 

an altimeter, and a thermal data channel. EREP was similar in function 

to Erts 1 (launched July 23, 1972) and could discriminate colors more 

completely, compare electronically and photographically derived imagery, and put up microwave instruments to operate in the different regions of the frequency spectrum, which would allow a look through 

clouds and under the surface of the earth. 

Thomas L. Fischetti, EREP Project Manager at NASA Hq., said that if 

EREP failed the crew would have equipment to make corrections, modifications, or replacements. The flight plan could also be modified at the 

last moment for unfavorable weather conditions or new phenomena occurring on the earth. During the three missions EREP would return 

40 000 photos and 25 magnetic tapes of data. 

Dr. Verl R. Wilmarth, EREP project scientist at Johnson Space Center, 

said EREP had 9 major investigative areas with 47 subtasks, including 

stock and crop inventory, surveys of crop damage from insects, land-use 

classification, and water-resource and geologic mapping. A major effort 

would be made in sea state analysis. (Transcript) 

NASA held a Skylab prelaunch press conference at Kennedy Space 

Center. NASA Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider said that 

Skylab hardware was “in good shape and ready to go.” The countdowns 

for Skylab 1 and 2 launches were on schedule for May 14 and 15. The 

power transfer tests and fuel cell pressurization of Skylab 2 had been 

73-99) 

May 12: 

May 13: 

143 
May 13 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

completed and the crew “is in good shape.” Schneider said that the 

network, operational, and recovery forces were “in place and ready to 

go” and the weather was satisfactory. 

Col. Alan R. Vette, US. Air Force recovery forces, said that the 

training of the recovery forces had been completed and they were 

* Skylab 2 Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, and Paul 

J. Weitz piloted their T-38 jet training aircraft from Johnson Space 

Center to Patrick Air Force Base near Kennedy Space Center to watch 

the May 14 launch of Skylab 1. ICSC technicians meanwhile tested the 

onboard batteries and emergency detection system on the Saturn V 

scheduled to boost the Skylab 1 Workshop into orbit. The Skylab 2 

launch crew applied the protective covers that would shield the manned 

Apollo spacecraft during Saturn IB launch vehicle liftoff May 15. (UPI, 

W Star & News, 5/13/73, 6; Wilford, NYT, 5/14/73, 24) 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory astronomers-using the 610-mm (24-in) telescope and coud6 spectrograph at Table Mountain Observatory, Calif.- 

had found that a 20% fluctuation in carbon dioxide absorption was a 

recurring four-day phenomenon in the thick Venus cloud bank, NASA 

announced. The top of the cloud deck might move up and down more 

than one kilometer (two thirds mile) in a constant wave motion. The 

astronomers had said the observation was “a fundamental feature of 

atmospheric dynamics that is not explained by current theories of 

atmospheric circulation on Venus.” (NASA Release 73-97) 

The U.S.S.R. had started production of the An-30 reconnaissance aircraft 

designed especially for aerial photography, the New York Times reported. The twin-turboprop aircraft, designed by Oleg Antonov, had 

possible applications in military reconnaissance and in civilian survey 

of the environment. (Shabad, NYT, 5/13/73, 8) 

0 A New York Times editorial commented on the cost-benefit ratio of the 

US. Skylab missions. “Is the advantage gained by putting men into 

space worth the high price that must be paid?” Although bold, imaginative, and potentially useful, Skylab came at a time when Americans 

were “oppressively aware of the limits of the nation’s resources and of 

the consequent restraints and constraints on national policy.” Skylab 

would be most important “in providing practical evidence in determining the relative value of manned activity in utilizing earth‘s immediate 

neighborhood to meet man’s needs on this planet.” (NYT, 5/13/73, 

4:14) 

The Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop and-11 days laterthe Skylab 2 Apollo spacecraft carrying a three-man crew were 

launched into near-earth orbit to establish the first U.S. manned orbital 

laboratory, in the four-mission Skylab program. Skylab 1’s meteoroid 

shield was torn off and the solar array system damaged during launch, 

cutting power and raising temperature to threaten the mission, although the spacecraft achieved satisfactory orbit. Skylab 2, scheduled 

for May 15 launch, was delayed while damage was assessed and the 

flight plan modified. On May 25, Skylab 2 carried three astronauts to 

rendezvous and dock with the earth-orbiting Workshop. The crew 

boarded the Workshop, repaired spacecraft damage, and conducted 

medical experiments and studies in solar astronomy and earth resources 

for a record 28 days before undocking for a safe return to earth June 22. 

prepared for any type of landing.” (Transcript) bb 

May 14-June 22: 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 14-June 22 

Skylab 1 (SL-1) was launched on time at 1 :30 pm EDT 

from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39, Pad A, by a twostage Saturn V launch vehicle after a nominal countdown. Liftoff was 

witnessed by US. and foreign TV viewers and by an estimated 500 000 

persons at KSC, including US. and foreign dignitaries and 26 former 

prisoners of war invited by NASA. The Skylab 2 crew-Astronauts 

Charles Conrad, Jr. (commander), Paul J. Weitz (pilot), and Dr. 

Joseph P. Kerwin (science pilot) -watched the launch from quarantine. 

Skylab’s Saturn Workshop ( SWS) cluster launched toward earth 

orbit included the Orbital Workshop (OWS) with its Apollo Telescope 

Mount (ATM) , airlock module (AM), multiple docking adapter (MDA), 

and instrument unit (IU) . At 63 sec into the mission, indication was received that the meteoroid 

shield had deployed prematurely. The Workshop was placed in nominal, 

circular orbit with 438.2-km (272.2-mi) altitude, 93-min period, 50” 

inclination, and 7649.4-m-per-sec (25 096.6-fps) orbital velocity. The 

payload shroud was jettisoned on time at 15 min and 25 sec after launch 

and the ATM deployed at 21 min 34 sec with normal deployment of the 

ATM solar arrays at 26 rnin 38 sec, but ground controllers received no 

indication that the Workshop solar array system (SAS), which was to 

have been released by an onboard computer, had been deployed. 

At 41 min, a ground command was sent to deploy the two SAS wings. 

They did not respond. The command was sent again 30 min later and 

a third time near the end of the first orbit, without result. During the 

first postlaunch press briefing, Director of Launch Operations Walter 

J. Kapryan said that if the arrays did not deploy “the mission will be 

seriously degraded.” The crew was not set up to perform a fix-it-yourself 

extravehicular activity (EVA) and there were no controls for deployment inside the Workshop. 

Anxious officials and flight controllers began analyzing radioed 

launch data. Analysis and later inspection revealed that the meteoroid 

shield had been torn off by vibration of the vehicle just after passing 

through mach 1 speed, near the time of highest dynamic pressure. 

Some early measurements indicated that the shield separation straps 

were still satisfactory, but later measurements indicated failure. The 

failure had released the securing mechanism on SAS Wing 2 and the wing 

ripped off. A piece of shield had wrapped around SAS Wing 1 and kept 

it from deploying. Loss of the wings, which were to provide power to 

the Workshop, reduced power to 50% of its average 8000-w output; the 

remaining 50% would be supplied by the four ATM solar panels. 

At 11:OO pm EDT Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider 

announced the Skylab 2 launch had been rescheduled to May 20 to 

allow assessment of damage and development of a new flight plan to 

maximize scientific return from Skylab’s experiments with limited 

power. Fuel cells of the Skylab 2 command and service module (CSM) 

would be used to produce electricity, after joining the Workshop, but 

the CSM oxygen and hydrogen for the cells would last only 16 to 21 

days. It was too early to assess the effect on Skylab 3 and 4 missions, 

planned for 56 days each. 

On May 15 Skylab faced a new threat as temperatures inside the 

Workshop reached above 311 K (100°F). The lost meteoroid shield had 

also been designed to reflect sunlight and help cool the Workshop. LLWe 

think we can live with the electrical power shortage,” Schneider said, 

Muy 14-24: 

145 
May 14-June 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

“but if we can’t solve this thermal problem we have a serious situation.” 

Schneider feared foods and film might be spoiled, plastic parts might 

begin to leak poisonous gases, and the laboratory might become uninhabitable. 

The entire Skylab team was mobilized-at Johnson Space Center, 

Marshall Space Flight Center, Martin Marietta Corp., McDonnell 

Douglas Corp., TRW Inc., and Garrett AiResearch Co.-in an all-out 

attempt to overcome the loss of the shield and solar arrays. Schneider 

said NASA was studying the possibility of the Skylab 2 astronauts’ 

putting “some kind of a thermal blanket around the spacecraft,” but 

that would require a delay of the Skylab 2 launch beyond May 20. 

Astronauts would also inspect the solar wings, but whether they could 

make repairs was uncertain. 

The Skylab 2 crew returned to JSC May 15 to help flight planners 

salvage the mission. 

Special attitude maneuvers were run to obtain temperature data 

on the Skylab cluster and to limit Workshop temperatures, as internal 

temperature soared as high as 325 K (125’F). Temperature was reduced by pitching the Workshop with the longitudinal axis pointed at 

the sun for one orbit and, on May 16, the Workshop was tilted 55” 

away from the sun, with sufficient sunlight on the working solar panels 

to charge the batteries but moving the space station out of the sun’s 

full glare. 

Teams continued to compute options to overcome the loss of the 

shield : astronauts could spray-paint Skylab 1’s side to alter radiation 

properties of the gold foil coating the Workshop shell, could wallpaper 

the critical area, or could deploy a solar sunshade. Choice of the third 

option was announced May 16. The astronauts were trained in three 

possible methods of deploying the sunshade and in procedures to deploy 

the jammed solar panel. If they failed with the panel, a near-normal 

16- to 21-day mission could still be realized by using the CSM power 

and curtailing some experiments. After that experiments would have 

to be severely cut back to reserve power for the CSM’S trip home. 

On May 17 NASA announced postponement of the Skylab 2 launch 

until May 25 to allow the astronauts to practice techniques for deploying 

the sunshade and mission engineers to design, fabricate, and test hardware. Astronauts Conrad, Kerwin, and Weitz flew to MSFC to practice 

installing the sun shield in the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator. 

On May 20 the Workshop was purged of any gases from the overheated insulation material and turned slightly to allow the sun to warm 

the airlock module and prevent water stored there from freezing and 

causing breakage. Components of the astronauts’ repair kit were 

shipped to MSFC for final testing before being installed in Skylab 2’s 

Apollo CSM. 

On May 22 the Skylab 2 astronaut crew flew to IGC to prepare for 

the May 25 launch. Three thermal shields were decided on at a May 23 

review: a parasol deployable from the Workshop through the solar 

scientific airlock, a backup twin-pole shield deployable by the crew 

during EVA, and a standup-EVA (SEVA) sail deployable by the crew from 

the CSM if both other methods failed. 

The Skylab 2 countdown resumed at 5:30 am EDT May 23 at KSC. It 

had been halted eight hours after Skylab 1 liftoff May 14. On May 24 

the three emergency sunshades and necessary tools were stored in the 

146 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 14-June 22 

cM. Significant experiments-SOk~, effects of zero g on single human 

cells ; S020, x-ray/solar photography; T025, coronagraph contamination measurements; M555, gallium arsenide crystal growth; equipment 

for S063, ultraviolet ( UV) airglow horizon photography; and spare 

equipment for TV coverage of the ATM EVA-were removed to accommodate the additional 180 kg (400 lbs) of equipment. The crew would 

also carry an extra medical kit to replace medicines spoiled by high 

temperatures in Skylab 1. 

Lightning struck the Skylab 2 mobile service structure at 5:24 pm 

EDT May 24, but retests of the vehicle indicated no damage. 

At a May 24 press conference Program Director Schneider said there 

would be limited activity by the crew to deploy the partially opened 

solar panel. LLWe’re not too optimistic that we’ll be able to do too 

much, although we will give Capt. Conrad the option to try it if it 

looks like a reasonable job.” NASA was ‘‘very confident that . . . we will 

be able to deploy a [thermal] shield, we will get the spacecraft temperatures back under control, and we will have a good 28-day mission.” 

Skylab 2 (SL-2) was launched from asc Launch Complex 

39, Pad B, on a two-stage Saturn IB launch vehicle into heavy dark 

clouds on time at 9:OO am EDT. As Astronauts Conrad, Kerwin, and 

Weitz headed toward the Skylab 1 Workshop they were to attempt to 

repair in orbit and man for 28 days, Commander Conrad told Mission 

Control, “We fix anything.” 

The CSM/S-IVB combination was placed in a phasing orbit with 

224-km (139.2-mi) apogee and 150-km (93.2-mi) perigee 9 min 56 sec 

after launch. Six minutes later the CSM separated. The S-IVB stage 

deorbit maneuver was performed at 2 :23 pm EDT and the stage splashed 

into the Pacific Ocean. 

The CSM rendezvoused with the Workshop at 4:30 pm EDT over the 

Guam tracking station on the fifth orbit. During 15 min of TV coverage 

the CSM flew around the Workshop, within 1.5 m (5 ft) of it. The 

astronauts confirmed that the SAS Wing 2 was missing and that the SAS 

Wing 1, deployed only 15”, was restrained by a piece of the micrometeoroid shield wrapped around the SAS beam fairing. Portions of the 

gold foil laminated to the Workshop skin for thermal protection had 

been torn and heat and uv radiation from the sun had scorched the 

skin. 

The astronauts soft-docked the CSM with the Workshop, using only 

three capture latches; ate dinner; and undocked to attempt to deploy 

the jammed solar panel. Weitz stood in the open hatch of the CSM with 

Kerwin holding his knees to keep him from drifting into space. He 

tried to free the solar panel with a shepherd’s crook and a pole with 

pruning shears attached without success. Conrad told Mission Control 

that the panel appeared to be “hooked in there like it’s nailed on.” The 

repair attempt was ended at 8 : 12 pm EDT. 

The crew made four unsuccessful attempts to redock with the Workshop. Working in bulky spacesuits and gloves, the astronauts evacuated 

the air from the Apollo cabin and hooked up an electric cable to override a suspected short in the docking probe. LLYea. We got a hard dock 

out of it [a docking using all 12 sealing latches to seal the two spacecraft together],” Conrad said at 11:50 pm EDT. The crew found one of 

the capture latches had stuck in the retracted position, but troubleshooting procedures recommended by Mission Control restored the latch. 

May 25: 

. 

147 
May 14-June 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The Skylab 2 crew entered the multiple docking 

adapter on the Skylab Workshop at 12:45 pm EDT May 26 and performed activation and Workshop preentry tasks. A chemical detection 

device inserted into the passage indicated no lethal gas was present. At 

2:30 pm EDT Astronaut Weitz entered the Workshop wearing a gas 

mask, gloves, and soft shoes to protect him from the heat. Weitz told 

ground control, “The ows appears to be in good shape. It feels a little 

bit warm as you might expect, like 90 to 100 degrees [F; 305 to 310 K] 

in the desert. I felt heat radiating from everywhere but I never felt 

uncomfortable. And nothing I touched felt hot to me. It’s a dry heat.” 

Kerwin and Conrad followed Weitz. After a quick inspection, the crew 

closed the hatch. 

At 4:30 pm EDT the crew began to deploy the solar parasol-a mylar 

shade folded against a telescopic pole-through the solar airlock. As 

they readied the parasol, the astronauts looked out of the windows and 

identified landmarks across the US. Weitz recognized Seattle, Wash., 

and Conrad spotted both launch pads used for the Skylab launches at 

Conrad and Weitz popped open the shiny aluminum and orange 

canopy at 8:30 pm EDT May 26 (Mission Day 2) while Kerwin took 

TV photos from the attached Apollo CM. Significant external temperature decreases were noted almost immediately after deployment. Internal 

temperatures decreased more slowly. The Workshop was headed back 

to solar inertial attitude. 

By May 27 the Workshop temperature had dropped to 309 K (97’F). 

The crew activated systems and experiments while their back-andforth excursions through the Workshop were televised to the earth. The 

Washington Post later said they resembled “skin divers snorkeling 

through a cave in the Caribbean” or a scene from the film “2001” with 

astronauts “in orange flight suits and white T-shirts swimming like fish 

through the big workshop, floating backwards and tumbling like 

gymnasts.” 

On May 28 the astronauts began the first medical tests, taking and 

processing blood samples and checking the conditions of their circulatory 

and metabolic systems. Checkout and preparation of the (ATM) was 

begun. During a seven-minute televised space-to-ground news conference beginning at 1:09 pm EDT, Conrad said the crew had adapted 

rapidly. “None of us has had any motion sickness. . . . It seems to be 

like the simulator except with the absence of gravity.” Kerwin concluded that the brain and eyes must override the body’s vestibule system in the inner ear. “You say to your brain, ‘Brain, I want that way 

to be up.’ And your brain says, ‘OK, then that way is up.’ . . . Your 

brain will follow YOU.'^ Conrad agreed, “We’re in good shape for 28 

days.” 

Dr. Willard R. Hawkins, JSC Deputy Director of Life Sciences for 

Medical Operations, said later in the mission that it was “rather 

amazing” that the crew had shown no signs of the expected motion 

sickness. Data received were preliminary, but prelaunch exercises in a 

whirling chair might have helped avoid nausea. 

Temperatures continued to drop slowly, reaching 304 K (88’F). 

At 8:50 pm EDT a 69-sec trim burn put the Workshop into a repeating 

ground track about 96 km (60 mi) west of normal, to acquire earth 

resources data. 

May 26-June 21 : 

I<SC. 

148 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 14-June 22 

On May 29 checkout of the ATM was completed and four passes 

were made. Kerwin trained an array of telescopes to observe x-ray 

emissions and examine the structure of the sun’s atmosphere. He 

photographed three regions of the sun considered active by solar 

physicists and made detailed observations of the full solar disk and 

the corona. Conrad and Weitz prepared the earth-oriented cameras for 

earth resources experiment package ( EREP) passes. Two biomedical 

runs were made. During a private conversation with JSC, Conrad reported that the internal temperature had stabilized near 304 I( (88°F) 

and that, while this would be tolerable for the rest of the mission, he 

did not think the crew could carry out the full protocol on the bicycle 

ergometer (exercise device). 

On May 30 the solar telescopes were aimed at the active regions of 

the sun while scientists on the earth received excellent TV photos of the 

solar corona and the solar disk in the uv spectrum. The first EREP 

photo pass was made over a 3200-km (2000-mi) strip from Oregon to 

the Gulf of Mexico. Good pictures were obtained of the Great Salt 

Lake, gypsum beds in New Mexico, and the soil salinity of the Rio 

Grande Valley, as well as microwave measurements of the Gulf of 

Mexico. 

After the EREP pass, the batteries-at a reduced level of 45% to 

50% capacity-tripped off line and ceased to produce electricity. They 

had been designed to trip off at 20% capacity. One battery also lost 

the regulator that allowed the solar panel to recharge it, decreasing 

the total Workshop power by 6%, or 250 w, leaving 4200 w. The 

Workshop required 3600 w for maintenance, leaving only 600 w for 

experiments. The second EREP pass was canceled for a power evaluation. 

Sixteen batteries were brought back on line but two remained off line 

and were useless. Heat, fans, and lights were powered down. 

Workshop power continued reduced May 31 and EREP experiments 

were canceled. The crew continued medical experiments, each taking a 

turn in a rotating chair to provide data on motion sickness and maintaining balance in zero g. Weitz repaired the mirror system on the uv 

stellar photography experiment. Temperatures had dropped to 301 K 

(82°F). 

The Skylab astronauts took their first day off June 1 (Mission Day 8) 

and their first shower in space. On a 15-min color telecast they performed housekeeping chores and-to the music from the film “2OOl”- 

did handstands, somersaults, and cartwheels in the zero-g atmosphere. 

Conrad led the crew in a run around the watertanks. Centrifugal force 

overcame weightlessness, so the men could keep their feet on the track. 

On the ground Skylab officials announced the decision to make a second 

attempt to free the jammed solar panel, while engineers and the backup 

astronauts, led by Russell L. Schweickart, tested EVA procedures. 

On June 2, Conrad and Weitz made a 10-min EREP photo pass from 

California to Central Mexico to gather data on earthquakes, volcanoes, 

pollution sources, mineral resources, and land-use patterns. On the 

ground Schweickart successfully tested three ways of freeing the jammed 

solar panel using a bolt cutter, a prying rod, and a surgeon’s bone saw. 

The astronauts completed the third EREP pass over North America and 

the fifth ATM pass on June 3. The nuclear emulsion experiment, the 

transuranic cosmic ray detector, and the neutron analysis detector 

were deployed. 

149 
May 14-June 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Astronaut Conrad set a new world record for time in space at 1:17 

am EDT, surpassing the 715-hr 5-min mark set by Astronaut James A. 

Lovell, Jr. The first ball game in space was held in the Workshop. 

Conrad said a ball thrown in weightlessness “goes straight as an arrow.” 

The fourth EREP pass was made June 4, as well as five hours of ATM 

solar viewing. Dr. John Zeiglschmid, Skylab Flight Surgeon, told a 

JSC press briefing that the physical condition of the Skylab crew was 

excellent. They were consuming the proper amount of food and getting 

adequate rest. Conrad and Kerwin had lost only 0.5 kg (1 lb) ; Weitz 

had lost 1.8 kg (4 lbs). Top Skylab officials at MSFC agreed that solar 

wing deployment techniques developed by Astronaut Schweickart were 

feasible, without unusual safety hazards. 

On June 6 preparations were made for the next day’s EVA. Conrad 

said, “I guess we have a fifty-fifty chance of pulling it off.” The 16 

Workshop batteries were producing 4200 w-only 600 w more than 

the minimum necessary for the astronauts’ survival. One battery was 

down to half charge and others were believed to have been damaged by 

the heat. The astronauts photographed hurricane Ava during an EREP 

pass, made an ATM pass, and photographed uv spectra of stars. 

Conrad and Kerwin opened the AM EVA hatch at 11:23 am EDT June 7 

and extended their umbilicals and a rigged-up 7.6-m (25-ft) pole fitted 

with cutters for releasing the jammed solar wing, as Weitz took TV 

photos from the Skylab and the CSM. Outsir] Kerwin had difficulty 

keeping a firm footing, with only makeshift nndholds and foot restraints, as he secured the end of the pole to antenna mount. His 

heart rate rose to 150 beats per minute and he 1s burning energy at 

2000 to 2500 BTUS an hour. Finally he extended the pole to the beam 

holding the wing and-with Conrad repeatedly telling him to “take it 

easy” and “cool it”-managed after several tries to fit the cutters around 

the small bolt that restrained the wing. Conrad moved hand over hand 

along the pole to the wing. Tangling of the 10.6- and 18.3-m (35- and 

60-ft) flexible umbilicals linking the astronauts to spacecraft life support systems complicated their movements. 

Kerwin pulled a lanyard to snap the cutters and sever the bolt and 

then extended the wing using a rope attached to the upper surface. 

Conrad pulled a rope to break a frozen actuator. Two of the sections 

making up the wing were 40% deployed and the other about 30%. 

The two astronauts also changed a film magazine in a telescope 

camera and latched open a balky door on an x-ray telescope before 

reentering the Workshop and closing the AM EVA hatch at 2:53 pm EDT, 

concluding 3 hrs 30 min successful EVA. 

The Workshop was pitched up to expose the panels to more direct 

sunlight and unfreeze the hydraulic system that deployed them. After 

a few hours one section was 90% deployed, another 40%, and the 

third 29%. By the next day the sections were fully deployed. Additional 

electric power of 3000 w was obtained and all eight batteries supplied 

by the solar panels were charged and in good working order-paving 

the way for a full Skylab mission. 

From Mission Control Schweickart said, “Everybody’s shaking hands 

down here and we just wish we could reach up and shake yours.” 

President Nixon sent a message: “On behalf of the American people I 

congratulate and commend you and your crew on your successful 

effort to repair the world’s first true space station. In the two weeks 

150 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 14-June 22 

since you left earth, you have more than fulfilled the prophecy of your 

parting words, ‘We can fix anything.’ All of us now have new courage 

that man can work in space to control his environment, improve his 

circumstances and exert his will even as he does on earth.” 

On June 12 the ninth EREP pass was made. Weitz said he could see 

pollution flowing into Lake Erie and he couldn’t find Washington, D.C., 

because of haze. Conrad melted an aluminum alloy to study the behavior of molten metal in weightlessness and used an electron beam for 

welding inside a small vacuum chamber. 

On June 13 Dr. Hawkins told a JSC medical review that Kerwin and 

Weitz were no longer able to perform at preflight levels on the bicycle 

ergometer, indicating their cardiovascular systems had been weakened 

by weightlessness. The condition was not at dangerous levels and was 

not interfering with their normal day-to-day performance. 

Weitz photographed a massive explosion on the sun with the ATM 

solar telescopes June 15. The flare had erupted from the center of the 

sun’s side facing the earth and covered an area 40 200 km (25 000 mi) 

wide. Conrad checked out the Apollo CSM for the return trip to earth, 

while Kerwin initiated the growth of bacteria in a culture medium and 

photographed its behavior in the space environment. 

On June 17 a trim burn corrected a cross-track error and positioned 

the vehicle for the start of the Skylab 3 mission. President Nixon 

telephoned the astronauts from Key Biscayne, Fla.: “I guess the way I 

could summarize this project is that it proves that man still matters. 

With all the technical machines . . . that you had to work with, it 

proved that when there were difficulties the ingenuity of men in space 

was what really mattered, and you have made us all very proud with 

the way you handled some difficult problems in this project.” The 

President invited the three Skylab astronauts to visit him at San 

Clemente, Calif., after splashdown. 

At 3:22 am EDT June 18 (MD-25) astronauts Conrad, Kerwin, and 

Weitz surpassed the previous space endurance record held by the 

Soyuz II cosmonauts (launched June 6, 1971). Conrad asked that a 

message be relayed to Soviet cosmonauts giving “our respects at this 

point in our flight to them and their comrades. Wish them good luck 

from us in the future.” 

EVA-2 began at 6:53 am EDT June 19. Conrad and Weitz moved 

through space to retrieve and replace the ATM film cassettes while 

Kerwin photographed the EVA for TV from inside the Workshop. Conrad 

also freed a stuck relay by striking it with a hammer. One of two dead 

batteries began charging immediately. From the ground Schweickart 

said, “It worked. Thank you very much, gentlemen. You’ve done it 

again.” The cameras for the white light coronagraph and x-ray 

spectroheliographic experiments were replaced by the astronauts to 

permit photography during the unmanned period between Skylab 2 and 

3. EVA operations ended at 8:29 am EDT, after 1 hr 36 min. 

During a June 20 press conference from space Kerwin said the 

astronauts’ physical condition was “a pleasant big surprise. I’m 

tremendously encouraged about the future of long-duration flight.” 

The astronauts undocked the CSM from the Skylab Workshop at 4:55 am EDT on Mission Day 29. As the CSM pulled away and 

circled the Workshop, TV and photographic coverage were obtained 

by the crew. CM separation from the SM at 5:40 am EDT was followed by 

June 22: 

151 
May 14-June 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

initial service propulsion system firing at 6:OS am EDT and a final 

deorbit maneuver at 9:11 am EDT. 

The CM splashed down at 9:50 am EDT 1340 km (830 mi) southwest 

of San Diego. A recovery helicopter dropped swimmers who installed 

a flotation collar and a sea anchor. The recovery ship Ticonderoga was 

maneuvered beside the CM and a crane lifted it aboard with the astronauts inside. Medical examinations on board the recovery ship found 

some dizziness and ill effects from weightlessness. The crew would 

travel by ship to San Diego and by air to Ellington Air Force Base, 

Tex., June 24. 

The Skylab 1-2 mission achieved its primary objectives of establishing the Skylab Orbital Assembly in earth orbit, obtaining medical data 

on the crew for use in extending the duration of manned space flight, 

and performing inflight experiments. It contributed significantly toward 

program objectives of determining man’s ability to live and work in 

space for extended periods, extending the science of solar astronomy 

beyond the limits of earth-based observations, and developing improved 

techniques for surveying earth resources from space. Despite mission 

anomalies, 80% of the solar data planned was obtained; 12 of the 15 

earth resources data runs were accomplished; all 16 medical experiments were conducted as required and a time history of man’s adaptations to zero-g environment was obtained for the first time; and data 

were taken on all 43 experiments scheduled for Skylab 2 except those 

precluded by the use of the solar parasol and weight and power limitations. The performance of the flight crew was good and the mission was 

judged officially on July 14 to be a success. 

Major records set to date included the longest-duration manned 

flight, 28 days 50 min; the longest total time in space for one man, 49 

days for Conrad (veteran of Gemini 5 and 11 and Apollo 12 missions) ; 

the longest inflight EVA, 3 hrs 30 min by Conrad and Kerwin June 7; 

and the longest distance in orbit for a manned flight, 18 531 559 km 

(11 514 967 mi). 

Skylab 1-2 was the first US. manned orbital workshop. Skylab 3 

was scheduled to be launched in August and Skylab 4 in November. 

The Workshop would be operated unmanned between manned missions. 

The Skylab program was directed by NASA’s Office of Manned Space 

Flight. MSFC developed and integrated the major program components 

including the OWS, AM, MDA, ATM, payload shroud, and most experiments 

and was responsible for the Saturn IB and Saturn V launch vehicles. 

IGC managed launch operations. JSC was responsible for flight operations, recovery, crew selection and training, and development of the 

modified CSM and the spacecraft launch adapter. Tracking and data 

acquisition was managed by Goddard Space Flight Center under the 

overall direction of the Office of Tracking and Data Acquisition. (NASA 

prog off; NASA PAO press briefing transcripts, 5/14/73-6/20/73; NASA 

Mission Rpt MR-3; PD, 6/25/73, 787,827; NYT, 5/17/73-6/22/73 ; 

W Post, 5/16/73-6/22/73; W Star & News, 5/23/73-6/22/73; B 

Sun, 5/15/73-6/12/73; M Her, 5/14/73, 19A; H Post, 6/7/73) 

Unsolicited cash contributions to NASA from persons in the US. 

and foreign countries since 1959 would be used to finance the 19 student scientific experiments on Skylab [see Jan. 261, NASA announced. 

The $5548 fund included individual gifts ranging from $1500 to the 

$0.35 contribution of an eight-year-old boy sent in 1970 because he 

May 14: 

152 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 14 

had heard that NASA “didn’t have enough money.” A retired Navy chief 

petty officer had sent one day’s pay after each manned flight in memory 

of his son who had been killed in the Korean war. A naturalized citizen 

from Eastern Europe had sent $100 in 1964 because he wished to be a 

part of the space program that would mean the survival of a free US. 

(NASA Release 73-98) 

Man’s ability to survive in space was discussed in New York Times and 

Washington Post articles. Of 33 astronauts who had made Apollo 

flights, 11 had suffered from motion sickness for the first few days in 

space. ApoZZo 13 (April 11-17, 1970), the aborted moon landing 

mission, had indicated. that men in danger would have a tough time 

surviving in space. Astronaut James A. Lovell, Jr., had lost 6 kg (14 

Ibs) during the six-day mission. John L. Swigert, Jr., had been so 

overcome by fatigue near the end of the flight that he made several 

errors in checking reentry procedures. Fatigue might also have contributed to the deaths of the Soviet Soyuz 11 (June 6-30, 1971) cosmonauts. 

Calcium loss in weightlessness, the most serious of potential medical 

problems, could lead to thinning of the bones and subsequent bone 

breaks after long periods in space. Other health problems included 

increased heart rates, weight loss, decreased oxygen consumption, 

reduced blood pressure, and the reduced flow of blood to the brain and 

kidneys. 

Psychological effects, as well as these problems, would be studied 

on Skylab missions. Were windows necessary? Should doors be doorshaped or would circular holes be sufficient? Would the crew tolerate 

sleeping upright in sleeping bags attached to the walls? (Schmeck, 

NYT, 5/14/73, 24; O’Toole, W Post, 5/14/73, A12) 

* President Nixon signed Executive Order 11718 designating the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization ( INTELSAT) as an 

international organization entitled to enjoy certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities. (PD, 5/21/73, 6734) 

President Nixon announced the appointment of the National Science Foundation Director, Dr. H. Guyford Stever, as Acting Chairman of the 

Federal Council for Science and Technology. (PD, 5/21/73, 681) 

* The US. Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that municipalities could not enact 

local curfews on jet flights at their airports to control noise. Justice 

William 0. Douglas said in the majority opinion: “We are not at liberty 

to diffuse the powers given by Congress to F.A.A. [the Federal Aviation 

Administration] and E.P.A. [the Environmental Protection Agency] by 

letting the states or municipalities in on the planning.” (NYT, 5/15/73, 

An account of the successful Apollo program was part of an Air Force 

“cram” course in recent US. history being given to returned U.S. 

prisoners of war at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., the Detroit News 

reported. (Fleming, D News, 5/15/73, 25) 

Sen. James S. Abourezk (D-S. Dak.) , member of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, called for a full-scale congressional investigation of the malfunction of the Skylab 1 Workshop 

[see May 14-June 221, during a Washington, D.C., press interview. 

(Lyons, NYT, 5/16/73) 

* The resignation of Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., as Secretary of the Air 

Force was accepted by President Nixon with deep regret and apprecia11) 

May 15: 

153 
May 15 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

tion for his years of outstanding public service to the Air Force and to 

NASA. He had served NASA as Associate Administrator 1960-1965 and as 

Deputy Administrator 1965-1968. Dr. Seamans became President of the 

National Academy of Engineering, succeeding Clarence H. Linder, NAE 

president since 1970. (PD, 5/21/73, 682; NAE Release 5/16/73; NASA 

Biog; A&A 1968) 

* NASA participation in the National Science Foundation’s Research Applied 

to National Needs (RANN) program was described by Dr. Alfred J. 

Eggers, Jr., NSF Assistant Director for Research Applications and former 

NASA Assistant Administrator for Policy. Dr. Eggers testified before the 

House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Energy 

during a hearing on energy research and development: “Particularly 

close ties are developing between NSF/RANN and NASA in the field of 

Energy Research and Technology.” The major focus was on terrestrial 

applications of solar energy. Lewis Research Center was especially active 

in joint work on requests for proposals on solar thermal areas, photovoltaics (use of the generation of electromotive force when radiant 

energy fell between dissimilar substances), flat plate collection, and 

heating and cooling of buildings. NASA had made a preliminary inventory 

of its test facilities applicable to NSF’S solar energy research program. 

NSF had requested NASA to review the status of solar insolation data 

from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and, working with NOAA, to examine the need for better data and methods. Jet 

Propulsion Laboratory and the Cal Tech Environmental Quality Laboratory were jointly conducting workshops and studies in water heating and 

other solar technology applications. A NASA Wind Energy Workshop at 

LeRc would pursue plans for a wind energy research program. Other 

areas of NASA participation included research into bio-conversion of 

organic materials to fuels, thermal batteries and superconducting transmission technology, earthquake engineering, regional environmental 

systems, trace contaminants, and fire. (Transcript) 

Communications Satellite Corp. held its 10th Annual Meeting of Shareholders in Washington, D.C. Board Chairman Joseph H. McConnell 

reported that its global system, through the fourth generation of Intelsat 

satellites, provided more than 260 communications pathways among 

earth station facilities in 49 countries. “Along these pathways flows a 

major portion of all international long distance communications-telephone, television, teletype, high speed data, and facsimile. Almost 100 

countries, territories, and possessions are leasing satellite services on a 

full-time basis. High-quality telephone calls can be made to more than 

20 countries that cannot be reached by cable. . . . Over 900 million 

people on six continents can see an important event on TV as it happens.,’ Dr. Joseph V. Charyk, ComSatCorp President, said, “At the end 

of 1965 . . . we were leasing 66 voice grade half circuits on a full-time 

basis. Today we are leasing 3,146.” (ComSatCorp Rpt to Shareholders) 

* The “spreading Watergate scandal’-arising from investigations of alleged 

White House implication in the burglarizing and electronic surveillance 

of Democratic National Committee Headquarters by members of the 

Committee to Reelect the President-had slowed down Administration 

research and development decision making, a Science & Government 

Report editorial said. The subsequent disintegration of presidential staff 

had created “a decision-making paralysis that is subtly but steadily 

spreading to agencies far remote from current headline events.” The 

154 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 15 

editorial quoted an Office of Science and Technology staff member as 

saying that “just about every thing that the President set out in his 

Science and Technology message 14 months ago requires some sort of 

approval at the White House level now and then, and there’s no one to 

talk to there.” The newly created White House National Energy Office 

had “already received some shock waves from the scandal through the 

resignation of presidential assistant John D. Ehrlichman,” who had been 

appointed by President Nixon to a three-man Special Committee on 

Energy to “give political weight” to NEO decisions. 

Difficulties flowing from Watergate were aggravated by the impending 

transition in management of the science-Government relationship. Many 

OST responsibilities would shift to the National Science Foundation 

Director, Dr. H. Guyford Stever, when the OST was abolished June 30. 

“Whether for good or ill, the change is a change, and necessarily involves the dissolution of longstanding relationships, some of them dating 

back to early post-Sputnik days.” (Sci & Cow Rpt, 5/15/73, 7) 

* Rep. Leslie Aspin (D-Wis.) in a House statement requested the General 

Accounting Office to investigate a “secret agreement” between the Air 

Force and the Pratt & Whitney Div. of United Aircraft Corp. under 

which, he said, the Air Force had certified the F-15 jet fighter aircraft 

engine for production without ensuring that it met contract standards. 

As a result, Rep. Aspin said, “tens of millions of dollars in developmental costs have been passed on from Pratt & Whitney to the taxpayer.’’ 

(CR, 5/15/73, H3678) 

0 Russian-born atomic scientist Dr. Eugene Rabinowitch, senior chemist on 

the Manhattan Project that led to development of the first atomic bomb 

and founder and editor of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, died 

in Washington, D.C., at age 71. An outspoken critic of the nuclear arms 

race, he had joined other workers on the Manhattan Project in 1945 

in drafting the Franck Report, which cautioned the US. against use of 

the atomic bomb. At the time of his death, Dr. Rabinowitch had been 

working as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution. 

His prGect was scientific revolution and its social implication. (Hailey, 

W Post, 5/16/73, B6) 

May 16: The Air Force launched an unidentified satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base by a Titan IIIB-Agena booster into orbit with a 

397-km (246.7-mi) apogee, 134-km (83.3-mi) perigee, 89.8-min period, 

and 110.4’ inclination. The satellite reentered June 13 (GSFC SSR, 

5/31/73; 6/30/73; SBD, 5/18/73, 108) 

* Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Senate Aeronautical and Space Sciences 

Committee Chairman, urged in a letter to Dr. James C. Fletcher that the 

NASA Administrator “promptly appoint an investigative board to make 

a detailed inquiry” into the malfunction of the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshopas ground crews at Marshall Space Flight Center studied options 

for overcoming the loss of the spacecraft’s protective shield, torn away 

during its May 14 launch, and of augmenting its electrical power. (UPI, 

NYT, 5/17/73; Marshall Star, 6/13/73, 1) 

The Department of Defense had furnished NASA photos of the crippled 

Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop after it was placed in orbit May 14, to help 

determine the status of the spacecraft, NASA told the press. Aviation 

Week & Space Technology later reported that Air Force tracking cameras in New Mexico had photographed the Workshop. The photos were 

not released publicly. (NASA PAO; Av Wk, 5/21/73, 12) 

155 
May 16 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* Recent problems with the Soviet Salyut spacecraft and with Skylab emphasized “the great difficulties and substantial expense involved in the 

creation of even a small station in space, let alone the large manned 

space laboratories many scientists are looking forward to,” a New York 

Times editorial said. “Under these conditions it becomes more evident 

than ever that the joining together of the Soviet and American programs, 

expanded into a truly international effort, would benefit everybody. If 

manned vehicles are to keep earth permanently under surveillance from 

space orbits, the interests of peace would be best served if those vehicles 

flew the flag of the United Nations, not of any one country.” (NYT, 

5/16/73, 46) 

The West German newspaper Ludwigshafen Rheinpfalz commented on the 

difficulties of NASA’s Skylab 1 Workshop, launched May 14: “The trouble 

of the Skylab experiment is apt to dampen even more enthusiasm of the 

U.S. public for costly spaceflight experiments. . . . Combatting cancer 

is the great project which the United States wants to tackle in this 

decade. The U.S. Government plans to set aside billions for this research, whereas space flights will continue only on a small scale. Since 

the Russians now likewise suffered setbacks in their space projects, this 

would be justifiable politically.” ( FBIS-W Germany, 5/18/73, U4) 

* Appointment of R. Tenney Johnson, Civil Aeronautics Board General Counsel since 1970, as NASA’s General Counsel effective May 21, was announced by NASA. He would replace Spencer M. Beresford, who had 

resigned to become counsel to the House Select Committee on Committees. ( NASA Release 73-101) 

NASA and the Univ. of Southern California sponsored a Patent Licensing 

Conference at the Western Research Application Center at usc to aid 

manufacturers in using NASA-developed technology to produce new 

commercial products. (NASA Release 73-95) 

* The Aerospace Industries Assn. of America, Inc., released Monopsony: 

A Fundamental Problem in Government Procurement. The report, prepared by the Orkand Corp., said the problems of a monopsony-a 

market dominated by a single buyer-were no longer restricted to defense and space suppliers as Government agencies took increasingly 

active roles in mass transit, education, health, and environmental protection. Results of Government monopsony power were higher final costs 

and lowered or nonexistent profits that compounded industry’s difficulty 

in attracting capital. In the end, “what is in jeopardy is not one or two 

industries but rather our capability, as a nation, to undertake programs 

in which the resources of government and industry must be committed 

to the development and implementation of solutions to society’s problems. The study recommended : establishment of a Government Procurement Practices Board ( GPPB) to limit governmental monopsony power ; 

a continuing review by GPPB of procurement policies, regulations, and 

practices; a “free market test” criterion to govern the procurement 

process ; and formulation by CPPB of procurement principIes that could 

be submitted to Congress and enacted into law. (Text) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 558 from Plesetsk into orbit with 

a 491-km (305.1-mi) apogee, 267-km (165.9-mi) perigee, 92.1-min 

period, and 70.9’ inclination. The satellite reentered Dec. 22. (CSFC 

SSR, 5/31/73; 12/31/73; SBD, 5/18/73, 108) 

A Baltimore Sun editorial commented on problems of Skylab 1, launched 

May 14: “We hope that through astute improvisations much of the 

May 17: 

156 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 17 

Skylab I mission can be salvaged. Yet if it has to be scrubbed, then 

NASA should be encouraged to go ahead with backup plans to send a 

second space laboratory into earth orbit next year.” NASA could find the 

money “if it is prepared to cut back or postpone other activities, including the controversial $14 billion space shuttle program. . . . While space 

shuttles can operate independently, they will approach their full potential only when they can rendezvous with orbital space stations or 

laboratories.” (B Sun, 5/17/73, A18) 

0 A 30-kiloton underground nuclear-gas-stimulation test, the third in the 

Plowshare program to stimulate recovery of natural gas from a thick 

geologic section of unconnected gas sand strata, was conducted by the 

Atomic Energy Commission in the Fawn Creek area, 48 km (30 mi) 

southwest of Meeker, Colo. Dr. Dixy Lee Ray, AEC Chairman, announced 

30 min later that the experiment had proceeded “perfectly.’y Opponents 

of the blast had contended that seismic shocks could pour salt water into 

the drinking water supply throughout the West and Mexico and could 

make underground mining dangerous and that gas produced by the 

blasts could contaminate the region and its waters for centuries. (AEC 

Release R-186; Sterba, NYT, 5/18/73, 1) 

0 Grumman Corp. had submitted a proposal to the Navy for Dept. of Defense 

purchase of further lots of the F-14 jet fighter aircraft, Grumman Corp. 

President John C. Bierwirth told the annual shareholders meeting in 

Bethpage, N.Y. (Andelman, NYT, 5/18/73, 49) 

* Dr. Paul W. Gast, Chief of Johnson Space Center’s Planetary and Earth 

Sciences Div., died in Houston at age 43. He had contracted a fatal illness in 1971. Dr. Gast had been on leave from Columbia Univ.’s LamontDoherty Geological Observatory and, since 1970, had directed the lunar 

science team studying lunar samples at JSC. He had received the NASA 

Medal for Exceptional Service in 1970 and the NASA Distinguished 

Service Medal in 1972. He had been awarded the first Victor GoldSchmidt Award of the Geochemical Society in 1972 and had been named 

to receive the James Furman Kemp Medal of Columbia Univ. in 1973 

for directing the lunar rock study. (NYT, 5/18/73, 34; SF, 10/73, 389) 

Newspapers commented on the Skylab 1 mission as engineers at 

Johnson Space Center and Marshall Space Flight Center prepared sunshades to cool down the overheated space station: 

New York Times: The “partial recovery from earlier disaster has 

set the stage for an unprecedented improvisation in space. Present plans 

are for the Skylab crew to blast off a week from today and install a sunshade or awning to replace the missing thermal shield. If that can be 

done, the temperature problem will be solved and the astronauts will be 

able to begin living in the space station and to carry out at least some of 

the projected experiments. All these plans transcend past space feats, and 

if successful, will mark a major advance in the nation’s space capabilities. But the task will not be easy and a happy ending is by no means 

guaranteed.” (NYT, 5/18/73,32) 

Chicago Daily News: “The space station experiments not only look 

outward toward the sun and stars, but also down at the Earth. From 

270 miles [435 kilometers] up, men can learn much about the planet, 

its resources and its weather that they can’t see on the ground. Much of 

the knowledge gained from Skylab can be expected to have practical 

application toward improving the quality of life on Earth.” (C Daily 

News, 5/18/73) 

May 18: 

157 
May 18 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 559 from Plesetsk into orbit with a 324-km 

(201.3-mi) apogee, 204-km (126.8-mi) perigee, 89.8-min period, and 

65.4O inclination. The satellite reentered May 23. (GSFC SSR, 5/31/73; 

SBD, 5/21/73, 116) 

* NASA launched a Black Brant VC sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Univ. of Colorado and Marshall Space Flight 

Center payload to a 267.0-km (165.9-mi) altitude. The primary objective was to check out the reliability and performance of subsystems of 

the CALROC rocket configuration which would be used during Skylab 

missions after a manned crew joined the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop 

launched May 14 [see April 181. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( CSFC proj off) 

* A sun-powered laser was being developed by the Air Force Avionics 

Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, as part of an 

Air Force program to determine the feasibility of satellite optical communications. The device collected and focused solar rays through lenses 

and mirrors, stimulating material in the laser to produce light beams 

to transmit data, TV, voice, and other communications. The laser’s 

power output would equal that of solid-state lasers. A demonstrable 

brassboard working model of a sun pump laser was hoped for by the 

end of the fiscal year. (AFSC Release 055.73) 

The first of six student volunteers in a Univ. of California at Davis experiment to determine if astronauts could survive social isolation was 

released after 105 days’ isolation in two small rooms. Dr. Don A. 

Rockwell, project manager, said the experiment had shown that astronauts should be able to adjust psychologically to long periods in space. 

(UPI, W Post, 5/30/73, A4) 

Aerospace Industries Assn. of America, Inc., released Aerospace Facts and 

Figures, 1973/74. Aerospace sales in 1972 had increased for the first 

time since 1968, from $22.2 billion in 1971 to $22.3 billion. Profits 

increased from 1.8% in 1971 to 2.4% in 1972. Average employment 

declined in 1972 to 922 000 workers, from 969 000 in 1971. Aerospace 

exports declined from $4.2 billion in 1971 to $3.8 billion in 1972; but, 

with a net positive aerospace trade balance of $3.3 billion, the industry 

remained a principal supporter of the US. international trade position. 

(Text) 

* French aviation pioneer Col. Dieudonnh Costes died in Paris at age 80. He 

had piloted the first westward transatlantic flight from Paris to New 

York Sept. 1-2, 1930, with Maurice Bellonte in a Breguet biplane. 

Flying time had been 37 hrs 18 min 30 see. Costes had established 

many records as chief test pilot for the Breguet Co. (UPI, NYT, 5/20/73, 

The Economist commented on Skylab mission plans as mission 

engineers worked to purge the Skylab 1 Workshop of gases that might 

have emerged from overheated insulating material and the Skylab 2 

astronauts trained for their May 25 launch: “The American genius with 

a spanner has never been more in evidence than when the astronauts 

have shown themselves capable of dealing with anything from a computer on the blink to the catastrophic break-up of Apollo 13 in midflight. But what Nasa has to weigh now is that this is not an emergency 

-the men are safely on the ground-so is it really justified in taking 

the risk of sending them up to an already damaged and overheated 

Skylab? If the Americans decide to try emergency repairs, the nature 

64) May 19: 

158 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 19 

of the Skylab mission will take on a new dimension.” It had been a 

trial of man’s ability to endure in space. “Now it could become a trial 

of his ability to work there and carry out improvised engineering. Not 

according to the book, but a good deal more interesting.” (Ecommist, 

5/19/73, 22) 

* The U.S.S.R. had canceled the launch of two cosmonauts because an unmanned Salyut spacecraft with which they would have docked had 

failed in orbit, Western observers believed. The Salyut, identified as 

Cosmos 557, was launched May 11 into an orbit similar to that of the 

crippled Salyut 2 space station, launched April 3. Observers believed 

the satellite would be a docking target for a manned Soyuz but its 

maneuvering engine apparently failed; it made an early reentry May 22. 

The tracking ships that had steamed to stations off Newfoundland and 

the Gulf of Guinea were returning to their home port in the Black Sea. 

(O’Toole, W Post, 5/19/73, A12; SF, 1/74, 39-40; Lyons, NYT, 

9/26/73, 33) 

The U.S.S.R. Tu-144 supersonic transport had reached a speed of 2100 km 

per hr (1300 mph) during a test flight, Tass reported. It had carried 

Soviet journalists to an altitude of 17 km (11 mi) on a 90-min flight 

between Moscow and Saralov. The designer, Gen. Aleksey A. Tupolev, 

had said new design changes included extendable wings on the front 

that improved aerodynamic performance. The engine and landing gear 

had also been improved. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 6/1/73, L4) 

Creation and detection of antitritium-the counterpart of heavy, radioactive, hydrogen isotope tritium-was reported in the Soviet press by a 

Soviet scientific team using the U.S.S.R.’s largest nuclear particle accelerator at Serpukhov. The New York Times later said the discovery 

further strengthened the hypothesis that the universe was made up symmetrically of ordinary matter and antimatter. In a joint project of the 

Soviet Institute of High Energy Physics and the Institute of Nuclear Research, nuclear physicists Valentin I. Petrukhin and Vladimir I. Rykalin 

and team had examined 400 billion particles over several months before identifying four antitritium nuclei. It was the second identification 

of an antinucleus at the Soviet accelerator. In February 1970, Soviet 

scientists had reported the creation of antihelium. The search for antimatter was being spurred by the theory that the mutual annihilation of 

matter and antimatter might ultimately yield a new form of useful energy. (Shabad, NYT, 5/20/73, 41) 

French satellites Castor and Pollux, jointly launched from Kourou 

Space Center, failed to enter orbit and fell into the sea when the 

Diamant-B launch vehicle failed to produce sufficient thrust for the 

separation of the 2nd and 3rd stages. It was the second straight failure 

for the French space program. On Dec. 5, 1971, the Polaire satellite had 

failed to achieve orbit when the 2nd stage of the Diamant-B booster 

malfunctioned. (AP, M Her, 5/22/73; Tass, FBIS-W Europe, 5/21/73, 

* The People’s Republic of China was preparing to launch weather satellites, 

Deputy Director Chi Sheng-ying of the Central Meteorological Institute 

in Peking told an international conference on weather satellites in Paris. 

(Agence France-Presse, NYT, 5/22/73,21) 

The International Court of Justice at The Hague, Netherlands, began a 

public hearing on demands by Australia and New Zealand that France 

stop nuclear weapon testing in the Pacific. Australian Attorney General 

May 21: 

F3 1 

159 
May 21 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Lionel Murphy asked for a temporary injunction banning the tests, 

pending the Court’s final ruling. He said fallout from the tests endangered Australians and the tests violated Australian territorial sovereignty and freedom of the seas. France was not present at the hearings. 

(W Post, 5/22/73, A20) 

* The Air Force announced the award of a $1 058 685 contract to PhilcoFord Corp. for feasibility demonstration of an aerial observation designator system for remotely piloted vehicles. (DOD Release 258-73) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, established the Sky. 

lab 1 Investigation Board to determine why the micrometeoroid shield 

was lost following May 14 launch of the Orbital Workshop and why the 

solar panels failed to deploy. Dr. Fletcher named Director Bruce T. 

Lundin of Lewis Research Center Chairman of the Board. Lundin appointed NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Science Vincent 

L. Johnson Vice-chairman. (NASA Notice 1154; NASA Release 73-112) 

The pointing direction of Pioneer 11, launched by NASA toward Jupiter 

April 5, was changed by NASA controllers to aim the spacecraft antenna 

more precisely toward earth. Ames Research Center engineers fired 26 

short pulses from Pioneer 11’s thrusters to turn the spacecraft’s spin 

axis four degrees. The change had allowed a shift to Pioneer 11’s 

narrow-beam, high-power antenna and a fourfold increase in the rate 

of data returned. Pioneer 11 was 32 million km (20 million mi) from 

the earth and traveling at 127 000 km per hr (79 000 mph) . It was 

scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in December 1974. (NASA Release 73-102) 

Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate Administrator, testified on NASA’s role 

in the US. energy research program in joint hearings of the Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications and the Subcommittee on 

Energy of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics. NASA’s 

energy work was primarily in development of aeronautics and space 

systems but “these systems and the NASA capabilities, that is, our highly 

skilled people, our facilities, and the technologies we develop, can be 

put to work on terrestrial problems of generation, conversion, and conservation of energy.” Not only NASA technologies but “the systems engineering, systems analysis, and management experience which we 

have gained in our conduct of large, complex programs and projects 

can be brought to bear on terrestrial energy research programs.” (Transcript) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, testified on the status 

of the Skylab missions before the Senate Committee on Aeronautics and 

Space Sciences hearing on the difficulties that had postponed Skylab 2, 

as the countdown resumed at Kennedy Space Center for May 25 launch: 

The micrometeoroid shield around the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop had 

been torn off about one minute after liftoff on May 14, during the time 

of maximum aerodynamic pressure. “At the same time, some of the 

solar panels used to generate electricity for the laboratory were apparently also damaged, jammed, or torn away. We don’t know which. 

The full impact of this malfunction was not known until several hours 

after launch; we still do not know the specifics of the actual damage. 

The net result was that Skylab was in a good orbit, but had only approximately one-half of its power-generating capability in operation and 

also was overheating badly.” The overheating occurred because the 

damaged micrometeoroid shield was also to have provided thermal 

balance. ft was painted “to reflect the proper amount of sunlight so 

May 22: 

May 23: 

160 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 23 

that the laboratory would stay cool.” The Skylab 2 astronauts hoped 

to repair the damage and then carry out a 28-day mission. “If the 

planned repairs are successful, we will also be able to accomplish most 

of the activities scheduled for the two subsequent missions, each lasting 

56 days.” Skylab 2 would carry several sunshades. “We don’t know 

whether the micrometeoroid shield is completely severed or whether 

parts of it are obstructing some of the areas where the sunshade might 

be fixed, but . . . by carrying several different shades, we should at 

least have one which will be suitable.” 

Dr. Fletcher described steps to be taken to deploy the solar panels. 

“If it looks like an easy thing to do, if one of the panels . . . is partially 

deployed and is hung up on something and all it needs is a little tug, 

we will put a loop of twine around the end of it, play it out so that we 

are well away from the panel in case it starts to deploy, and give a little 

tug on the twine. If it deploys, fine; but if it does not, we will go on 

without it. But we are not going to spend too much time on that fix. 

There are too many uncertainties and we do not really need the power.” - (‘lranscript) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 560 from Plesetsk into orbit with a 325-km 

(201.9-mi) apogee, 178-km (110.6-mi) perigee, 89.5-min period, and 

72.8” inclination. The satellite reentered June 5. (CSFC SSR, 5/31/73; 

6/30/73 ; SBD, 5/30/73, 162) 

The House passed H.R. 7528, the $3.074-billion NASA FY 1974 authorization bill [see May 91, by a vote of 322 to 73. Rejected were a motion to 

recommit the bill to the Committee on Science and Astronautics, an 

amendment by Rep. Bella S. Abzug (D-N.Y.) to delete $567 million for 

space shuttle programs, and an amendment by Rep. John Conyers, Jr. 

(D-Mich.), to prohibit use of tracking and data acquisition funds in 

South Africa because of South Africa’s apartheid policy. (CR, 5/23/73, 

* Success of an Ames Research Center project to provide the California Div. 

of Forestry a daily fire index measurement via Erts 1 Earth Resources 

Technology Satellite (launched July 23, 1972)-from an unmanned remote station in a Sunol, Calif., fire area-announced by NASA. The 

project had enabled foresters to pinpoint probably sources of fires and 

had eliminated the necessity of using scarce fire-fighting personnel for 

monitoring. The system was being considered for monitoring air pollution. (NASA Release 73-104) 

* Rep. Olin E. Teague (D-Tex.), Chairman of the House Committee on 

Science and Astronautics and Rep. Don Fuqua (D-Fla.) , Committee 

member, introduced H. Con. Res. 223 requesting the President to proclaim July 16-22 of each year as “US. Space Week.” The resolution 

was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (CR, 5/23/73, H3976) 

NASA launched an Aerobee 150A sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a National Center for Atmospheric Research aeronomy payload to a 111.4-km (69.2-mi) altitude. The rocket and 

strumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

* Preliminary data from the May 17 Plowshare underground nuclear blast 

in western Colorado indicated the blast had not damaged vast oil shale 

deposits in the area, Atomic Energy Commission spokesman Dr. Charles 

Williams told the press in Rio Blanco, Colo. Oil industry officials had 

claimed the blast could damage the shale, a future energy source. (UPI, 

W Post, 5/25/73, A3) 

H3921-51) 

161 
May 23-June 6 

May 23-June 6: 

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The 16th Annual Meeting of the Committee on Space 

Research (COSPAR) was held in Constance, West Germany. Data from 

the Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite launched by NASA 

July 23, 1972, was presented in a three-day symposium on applications 

of space techniques to monitoring environmental problems. Recently 

analyzed data from the Apllo 17 mission (Dec. 7-19, 1972) necessitating changes in existing lunar models were presented during working 

group meetings. Other topics included space biology, astronomical experiments conducted by space vehicles, and data from planetary explorations. 

The National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council’s Space 

Science Board submitted its report United States Space Science Program, including progress in NASA’s geodetic satellite program. The program continued to provide essential ingredients in support of the 

emerging earth and ocean physics applications program (EOPAP) , which 

would make geodetic satellite measurements for a global geometric network of reference points to a 10-m (33-ft) accuracy, refine knowledge 

of the gravity field for determination of geoid features of 1000 km 

(620 mi) accurately to about 10 m (33 ft), and evaluate the geodetic 

instruments used. 

The U.S.S.R. presented its report Space Research Performed in the 

USSR in 1972, including data from Luna 19 (launched Sept. 28, 1971, 

to orbit the moon). Meteoric particles near the moon were found not 

to exceed their density in interplanetary space. The moon’s perturbing 

effect on the earth‘s magnetic loop and on interplanetary magnetic fields 

of solar origin were confirmed. Analysis of the sample collected by the 

Feb. 1625, 1972, Luna 20 mission showed that the primary rocks of 

continental regolith were chiefly anorthosite rocks which sharply distinguished “continents” from “maria.” The sample contained finely 

dispersed metal iron of very high corrosion resistance, just as found 

in material from Luna 16 and ApoZZo 11 and 12. (NASA Release, 

3/23/73; NASA PIO; US text; JPRS 59778, trans of USSR rpt) 

President Nixon sent a message to the first Skylab crew on the 

eve of its Skylab 2 launch to join the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop, 

launched May 14: “Already the courage and ability which you and your 

colleagues have shown in coping with the initial difficulties of the mission have given us a great sense of confidence in the Skylab team. 

Through those efforts you have shown the world that man is prepared 

to meet and overcome the challenges of space.” (O’Toole, W Post, 

5/26/73, Al) 

* Soviet news agency Tass announced the Soviet crews for the July 1975 

US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz rendezvous and docking mission. The first 

crew would be Cosmonauts Aleksey A. Leonov, the first man to walk 

in space (during the March 18, 1965, Voskharl 2 mission), and Valery 

N. Kubasov, flight enginer on the Soyuz 6 mission (Oct. 11-18, 1969). 

The second crew would be Anatoly V. Filipchenko, pilot on Soyuz 7 

(Oct. 12-17, 1969), and Nikolay N. Rukavishnikov, flight engineer on 

Soyuz 10 (April 23-25, 1971). Third crew would be Cosmonauts 

Vladimir Dzhanibekov and Boris Andreyev and fourth would be Yuri 

Romanenko and Aleksander Ivanchenko-none of whom had been in 

space before. (FBIS-SOV, 5/25/73, L1) 

* Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-site of the July 16, 1969, 

launch of Apollo 11, the first manned spacecraft to land on the moonMay 24: 

162 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 24 

was entered in the National Register of Historic Places of the Dept. of 

the Interior’s National Park Service. The complex, built between November 1962 and October 1968, was first used for the Nov. 9, 1967, ~ 

launch of the unmanned Apollo 4, the first Apollo launch, and was still 

in use for Skylab launches. (KSC Hist Off) 

A Washington Evening Star and Daily News editorial commented on the 

U.S. stake in the Skylab missions, endangered by damage to the Skylab I Workshop during launch May 14: “Even if the present Skylab 

must be written off, the nation should not dismantle its unique capacity 

for manned space exploration. We have the equipment, including the 

Saturn V rocket, to mount another attempt in 15 months or so. More 

importantly, NASA currently has the brains and knowhow to operate in 

space with amazing powers of foresight and improvisation, which are 

being put to a severe test this week. The dispersal of this talent would 

be a loss to mankind in ways that can only be imagined.” (W Star & 

News, 5/24/73, A18) 

The 30th and largest Paris Air Show at LE Bourget Airport, marred by tragedy at its end, featured the first joint US.-U.S.S.R. 

pavilion-displaying models of Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft to be used 

in the July 1975 joint mission-and a record display of aircraft, subsystems, and equipment from manufacturers in 19 countries. The aircraft included the Anglo-French Concorde and Soviet production model 

Tu-144 supersonic transports, U.S. prototype Northrop F-5E international fighter and Grumman Navy F-14 variable-geometry air-superiority 

fighter, Soviet 11-62-M medium-range transport and Yak generalaviation aircraft, and the first European A-300B Airbus. 

NASA Associate Deputy Administrator Willis H. Shapley said at the 

opening of the US-U.S.S.R. exhibit that NASA was “pleased to have the 

opportunity to demonstrate . . . the rapid progress our joint working 

groups have made. . . . During the past year, American and Soviet engineers have worked closely together in an atmosphere of good will to 

solve many complicated and technical problems. We are confident that 

the target date for a joint mission in Earth orbit in 1975 can be met. 

This joint mission will be an exciting adventure as well as a highly 

visible expression of our nation’s belief in the great value of exploring 

and using space in cooperation with other nations.” 

On May 30 the ApoUo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. 

Eyans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt met with Soviet Cosmonauts 

Aleksey A. Leonov, Valery N. Kubasov, and Anatoly V. Filipchenkoof the U.S.S.R. prime and backup crew for the Apollo-Soyuz missionand Dr. Aleksey S. Yeliseyev at the US.-U.S.S.R. Pavilion. They 

inspected a model of the Soviet Lunokhod 2 lunar roving vehicle and 

Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft models and were invited aboard the 

Soviet Tu-144 supersonic transport by its principal designer Gen. 

Aleksey A. Tupolev. 

On June 3 the Tu-144 crashed into the French village of Goussainville, 

near Le Bourget Airport, while finishing a series of demonstration 

flights. All six crewmen, including pilot Mikhail Kozlov, and seven 

persons on the ground were killed and 28 injured. The aircraft was 

destroyed. A team of French and Soviet officials was appointed immediately to investigate the accident, which observers said might have 

resulted from attempted aerobatics. Witnesses said the Tu-144’s performance had been erratic just before it crashed. (Av Wk, 5/28/73, 

Muy 24-Iune 3: 

163 
May 24-June 3 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

6/4/73, 6/11/73; Shapley text; Tass, FIBS-SOV, 6/1/73, F5; 6/4/73, 

Skylab 2 was launched from Kennedy Space Center Complex 39, 

Pad A, on a two-stage Saturn IB launch vehicle to carry Astronauts 

Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, and Paul J. Weitz to join 

the Skylab I Orbital Workshop for repairs and a 28-day mission [see 

May 14-June 22 Skylab 1-2 mission]. (NASA prog off) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 561 from Plesetsk into orbit with a 290-km 

(180.2-mi) apogee, 205-km (127.4-mi) perigee, 89.4-min period, and 

65.4” inclination. The satellite reentered June 6. (GSFC SSR, 5/31/73, 

6/30/73; SBD, 5/30/73, 162) 

* A New York Times editorial commented on the manned Skylab 2 launch: 

“The possibility of repairing a damaged spaceship, now brought to the 

fore by the last two weeks’ developments, points up one of the advantages of man’s presence in space. If something goes awry with an unmanned spaceship, and there are no arrangements for bringing repair 

men to it, it is more probable than not that little can be done to save 

the mission. Now the world is faced with a major effort to overcome 

unexpected difficulties by assigning additional duties to the astronauts 

originally involved. The success or failure of these repair efforts in the 

period immediately ahead will provide important evidence for the future 

debates between the advocates of manned and unmanned efforts to explore space.” (NYT, 5/25/73, 32) 

* Approval by both countries of results of the Feb. 12-17 Moscow meeting 

of the US.-U.S.S.R. Joint Working Group on the Natural Environment 

was announced by NASA. NASA and the Soviet Academy of Sciences had 

agreed to a cooperative project for detecting features linked to changes 

in structure of the earth‘s crust, for recognizing them on space images 

to develop a classification system, and for studying the relationship between the space imagery features and previously known subsurface 

geologic structures. The Group identified as a possible project development of remote-sensing methodology to determine vegetation productivity and agreed to develop a plan for a joint project to measure soil 

moisture content using microwave techniques. The US. would study 

a Soviet proposal to coordinate satellite water-temperature measurements 

with surface measurements obtained by a Soviet ship and to compare 

temperature, plankton, and color measurements by Soviet ships with 

US. satellite observations. The U.S.S.R. would study US. proposals 

to test a hydrological simulation model using remote-sensing data and 

environmental factors to infer the presence of shallow aquifers-areas 

of water underground and close to the surface. (NASA Release 73-106) 

* Neutron-activation analysis of 27 Apollo 16 lunar samples for 17 trace 

elements was reported in Science by Enrico Fermi Institute chemists. 

Several breccias had been found to be strikingly rich in volatile elements. Similar enrichments had been found in smaller quantities in all 

lunar highland soils. “It appears that volcanic processes took place 

in the lunar highlands, involving the release of volatiles, including 

water.” Measurements suggested that the moon’s original water content 

could not have exceeded the equivalent of a layer 22 m (72 ft) deep. 

“The cataclastic anorthosites at the Apollo 16 site may represent deep 

ejecta from the Nectaris basin.” (Krahenbuhl et d., Science, 5/25/73, 

858-61) 

F3 1 

May 25: 

164 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 25 

NASA launched an Aerobee 170 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying a Princeton Univ. galactic astronomy payload to a 

178.0-km (110.6-mi) altitude. The primary objective was to observe 

stellar ultraviolet spectra using an Echelle spectrograph and a TV 

camera. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (GSFC 

proj off) 

Establishment of the Lmpact origin of Lonar Crater in Maharashtra, India, 

at less than 50 000 yrs ago was reported in Science by a team of US. and 

Indian geologists. Fission-track dating of shock-melted glass had also 

shown the preservation state to be in accord with such comparative 

youthfulness. As the only known terrestrial impact crater in basalt, Lonar 

Crater provided unique opportunities for comparison with lunar craters. 

Microbreccias and glass spherules from Lonar Crater had close analogs 

among Apollo lunar specimens. (Frederiksson et al., Science, 5/25/73, 

862-4) 

0 Installation of 150 additional Minuteman I11 multiple-warhead missiles at 

Grand Forks, N. Dak., had brought the Air Force more than halfway 

toward completion of its 550-missile program, the Air Force announced. 

(UPI, LA Times, 5/26/73) 

Secrecy surrounding the possible use of lasers to produce nuclear 

fusion for energy was criticized by Univ. of California atomic scientist 

Dr. Edward H. Teller in a New York Times article: “Right now, the 

most hopeful model for a future fusion reactor, the Tokamak, has a 

Russian origin and a Russian name. If the energy problem should be 

solved in this promising manner, we shall certainly owe a debt of gratitude to our colleagues in the Soviet Union. Why not similarly open up 

the possibilities with the laser?” The subject had engaged the attention 

of world scientists and had been discussed openly at a Montreal conference in 1972 ; “in considerable part, however, the work had been carried 

on in secrecy.” (NYT, 5/27/73) 

Mikhail D. Millionshchikov, Vice President of the Soviet Academy of 

Sciences and a principal spokesman in Soviet scientific contacts with 

the West, died in Moscow at age 60. He had contributed significantly to 

the studies of the turbulent flow of liquids and gases, nuclear energy, 

and new techniques for direct energy conversion. On April 28, 1970, 

Academician Millionshchikov-as head of a 10-man Soviet delegation 

to a conference sponsored in Washington, D.C., by the Fund for Peace 

had suggested US.-U.S.S.R. cooperation in space exploration. This 

proposal had been “the first public suggestion by a Soviet spokesman 

of this hope,” the New York Times reported later. Apollo 8 Astronaut 

Frank Borman, also a conference participant, had proposed the next 

day that the two countries agree to exchange space engineers as a first 

step toward joint space cooperation. (NYT, 5/29/73, 32) 

A New York Times editorial commented on the repair of Skylab I, damaged on launch May 14: “Many people deserve credit for this 

remarkable turn of events. First there were the Houston ground controllers who maneuvered the crippled Skylab into an optimal position. . . . A 

small but varied army of technicians hurriedly contrived not one but 

three possible ways of creating a parasol in space so as to replace the 

missing heat shield that had created the most trouble. Finally, the Skylab astronauts mastered their new tasks in an incredibily short time, 

reached orbit in the neighborhood of Skylab, surveyed the damage, and 

made the most essential ‘fix,’ the sunshade, which yesterday brought the 

May 27: 

May 28: 

165 
May 28 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

station’s temperature down to tolerable levels.” It had been a grueling 

test for all concerned. “But for the moment, at least, the Skylab project 

has been truly resurrected from near-death.” (NYT, 5/28/73, 14) 

The U.S. aerospace industry had “weathered the economic storms of recent years” to emerge “a leaner and tougher competitor,’’ an Aviation 

Week & Space Technology editorial said. For the first time in years, the 

industry was seeing “some of the government shackles that restricted 

its efforts abroad loosened and even active support forthcoming in certain key areas. The sad story of the balance-of-trade deficits and the 

decline of the dollar have finally shaken the U.S. government out of its 

economic isolation, and the aerospace industry will benefit accordingly 

in its increasing export campaign.” (Hotz, Av Wk, 5/28/73,9) 

The U.S.S.R. launched a Meteor 15 weather satellite from Plesetsk 

to obtain “meteorological information for the use of the operational 

weather service.” Orbital parameters : 896-km (556.7-mi) apogee, 

852-km (529.4-mi) perigee, 102.4-min period, and 81.2’ inclination. 

The satellite carried equipment to receive day and night pictures of 

clouds and snow cover and data on the heat energy reflected and emitted 

by the earth and the atmosphere. (CSFC SSR, 5/31/73; Tass, FBISSov, 5/30/73, L1; SBD, 5/30/73, 162) 

* Newspapers commented on the Skylab missions as Skylab 2 astronauts activated the Apollo Telescope Mount aboard the Skylab 1 Workshop, following repairs to the damaged spacecraft they had joined May 25 [see 

May l&June 231. 

Miami News editorial: “To us, the conquest of the moon, and now 

the building of a space station, demonstrated that this nation can 

accomplish just about anything it sets its mind on. The secret lies in 

the magic word, commitment. With the kind of commitment we pledged 

to the space program, we could indeed surmount the housing crisis, 

the crime crisis, the energy crisis, or any other crisis.” (M News, 

5/29/73) 

Wall Street Journd article: Skylab 1’s successful in-orbit repair had 

wide implications for the U.S. space program’s future. “When the three 

Skylab astronauts erected a heat shield over their damaged space station, they both saved their mission and paved the way for future launching of two other missions in the $2.5 billion space-station program.” 

They also had provided NASA with “a powerful argument for new 

manned-flight projects.” NASA could contend that “the value of man in 

orbit has been proven in practice as well as in theory.” While budget 

shortages would preclude any attempt to capitalize on Skylab’s success 

before the space shuttle evolved, it had armed NASA against congressional 

critics of manned space flight. (Spivak, PSI, 5/29/73) 

New York Times columnist Russell Baker: “The space program until 

now has seemed less malevolent than most new ventures in technology, 

but to people watching those incessant countdowns at Cape Kennedy it 

has also seemed pointless.” Lunar exploration had been “wonderful” but 

“it didn’t really open any horizons for most of us, and it was certainly 

hard to see how it was going to improve man’s lot.” Skylab, by contrast, 

was wonderful. “There they are way up there-270 miles [435 kilometers] in the sky. They are attached to 100 tons [90 700 kilograms] of 

machinery which stretches out through space a distance of 118 feet 

[36 meters], about the length of an exciting pass play in the National 

Football League. And what are they doing? Repair work. They are 

May 29: 

166 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 29 

fixing some of the machinery which doesn’t work right.” This was space 

with a purpose. “We ought to be asking why NASA didn’t make this 

approach from the beginning instead of going after moon dust. The 

repair industry in this country could very well be rejuvenated by this 

trip, and not be a moment too soon, either.” (NYT, 5/29/73, 31) e Florida’s Gov. Reubin Askew signed into law a March 22 proposal to 

restore the name “Cape Canaveral” to Cape Kennedy on Florida state 

maps and documents. The designation of Kennedy Space Center would 

remain unchanged. (AP, W Star & News, 5/30/73, A2; KSC PIO, Fact 

Sheet, 1/74) 

e The Soviet research ship Professor Vize sailed from Leningrad with 60 

scientists from Soviet weather service centers on an expedition to collect 

data on ionizing radiation of the sun and its influence on the upper 

stratosphere. During the two-month project the scientists would observe 

the June 30 solar eclipse, launch a series of high-altitude research rockets with onboard measuring instruments and photo equipment, and take 

deep measurements of the Atlantic Ocean. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 6/1/73, 

May 30: The Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences 

favorably reported H.R. 7528, a $3.046-billion FY 1974 NASA authorization bill, $28 million lower than the $3.074-billion House bill passed 

May 23. The Senate authorization-$30 million above NASA’s requested 

$3.016 billion-would be NASA’s lowest since FY 1962 and the lowest 

percentage of the total Federal budget-less than 1.2%-in 12 yrs. It 

would provide $2.231 billion for research and development, $34 million 

more than NASA’s request but $24 million less than the House bill; $110 

million for construction of facilities, as requested but $2 million less 

than the House bill; and $705 million for research and program management, as requested but down $2 million from the House bill. 

The Senate Committee would retain Skylab funding at NASA’s requested $233 million and space shuttle funding at $475 million. It 

concurred with the House addition of $7 million for Earth Resources 

Technology Satellite program funding and added $5 million to space 

applications funding to replace NASA’s instrumented Convair 990 aircraft, lost in an April 12 crash. (CR, 5/30/73, S9866; S Rpt 93-179) 

e Successful applications of earth resources surveying by satellite were described by representatives of agriculture and the lumber, oil, and aerospace industries at a Johnson Space Center press briefing sponsored by 

the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Lockheed Electronics Co. earth resources coordinator Gordon R. Heath said surveys 

from Earth Resources Satellites would provide lumbermen “a continuous flow of up-to-date information which has never before been available to them,” a new management tool for timber lands. “And better 

management will balance supply and demand . . . and help stabilize 

lumber prices.” Lumber company executive James B. Webster said the 

of the most image to trees from 

le to detect. “And 

what we’ve got here is . . . a system us to know what’s 

happening all over the world, with all the world resources at any given 

for an agricultural 

ia area by Erts 1 

L7) 

earth resources su 

. Richard Phelps, technical information direc 

said a photo taken over a northern Calif 

167 
May 30 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

(launched by NASA July 23, 1972) had been rba tremendous help” in 

complementing information from ground sources on farm crops. “It’s 

still very difficult for us to realize that we can obtain so much detail from 

an electronically reconstituted print transmitted from a satellite as far 

away from the earth as Wichita, Kansas, is from Houston.’’ (Transcript) 

A fire retardant suit that filled with foam at impact, designed by a NASA 

contractor, saved the life of racing driver Swede Savage when his car 

crashed into a retaining wall during the Indianapolis 500 automobile 

race. Associated Press said later that it was a bbmiracle” Savage had 

not burned to death. “The fire was so intense it seemed to illuminate 

the overcast skies.” (Washington Post, 5/31/73, D6) 

0 Newspaper editorials commented on the repair of the Skylab Workshop by 

Skylab 2 astronauts as the mission, begun May 14, continued to pursue 

its objectives of photographing and studying the solar atmosphere. 

The Philadelphia Inquirer found “vast excitement in the Skylab 

adventure beyond potential dividends and the high drama of the 

suspense itself.” The astronauts’ repair of the Workshop “tells us, all 

jokes aside, that Americans have managed an accomplishment of delicacy, complexity and force that would have been beyond the imagination of all but a few visionaries a decade ago. That tells us, all doubts 

aside, that America can do wonders when it sets its mind to it.” (P Inq, 

5/30/73) 

New York News: “We hope the lesson learned will not be lost on 

those who decry the ‘expense’ of manned space exploration. If we had relied on push-button robots instead of human ingenuity, it’s a good bet 

Skylab would have ended up a complete washout.” (NY News, 5/30/73) 

Christian Science Monitor: “Much of the technology spurred by 

space has applications nearer home. For example, modest solar-energy 

devices have already arrived on the market for home and commercial 

use after solar-energy pioneering in space. But even without such applications the Skylab venture would represent a remarkable manifestation 

of the problem-solving talent especially needed now that Americans 

are waking up to problems they hardly knew they had.” (CSM, 

5/30/73) 

Sun Francisco Chronicle: “Who could feel anything short of total 

admiration for the undeniable courage of the astronauts for venturing 

into an oven of 125 degrees Fahrenheit [325 kelvins] to carry out their 

endangered mission? The coolness and confidence of men who reckon 

the limits of what they can do and then run the risks of approaching 

those limits while their defective vehicle is speeding in space at 17,500 

[28 200 kilometers] an hour are something to celebrate.” (SF Chron, 

5/30/73) 0 President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of John W. 

Barnum to be Under Secretary of Transportation succeeding Egil Krogh, 

Jr., who had resigned. Krogh, former assistant to President Nixon’s 

Chief Domestic Adviser John D. Ehrlichman, had resigned while under 

investigation for his role in the Watergate activities. (PD, 6/4/73, 717, 

727; Time, 5/14/73, 22) 

0 Associated Press quoted military sources in Brazil as saying the Brazilian 

Air Force had decided to buy $100-million worth of US. jet fighter 

aircraft. The order-for 48 Northrop F-5Es-was about double Brazil’s 

two most recent orders for arms from France, 16 Mirage 111s at $3 million each in 1970 and $2-million worth of French missiles more recently. 

(NYT, 5/31/73, 17) 

168 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 May 30 

A Reuters report that the British government was secretly developing 

“death ray” weapons using powerful laser beams was published by the, 

Christian Science Monitor. A Ministry of Defense spokesman had confirmed that work had been in progress for the navy, Royal Air Force, 

and army for some time and “we also have a close exchange of information with the United States on this subject, which is highly classified.” 

(CSM, 5/30/73, 2) 

Results from the Skylab Apollo Telescope Mount ( ATM) launched 

on the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop May 14 were presented by principal 

investigators at a Johnson Space Center press briefing. Naval Research 

Laboratory astronomer Dr. Richard Tousey reported the detection by 

the extreme ultraviolet monitor-a TV system that showed what the 

sun looked like in extreme uv radiation of a broad band-of a “hole” in 

the solar corona. “And this coronal hole is believed to be a region where 

the corona is at a lower temperature and a lower density, and there’s 

some reason to believe that the solar wind comes out of coronal holes 

to a greater extent than from any where else on the Sun.” The first 

coronal hole had been recorded in 1966 but the significance of such 

holes had not been recognized until they were observed from NASA’s 

unmanned Orbiting Solar Observatories. A major objective of the 

Skylab astronomy experiments was to determine how the solar corona 

was heated. Skylab instruments were observing at a wide range of 

wavelengths generated by gases of different temperatures at different 

elevations in the solar atmosphere. Sharper images than so far received 

were hoped for. The images, thus far seen only through a TV system 

with about one tenth the anticipated detail, “whet your appetite for 

what the instruments will bring back,” Dr. Tousey said. (Transcript; 

Sullivan, NYT, 6/1/73, 6) 

A London Daily Telegraph editorial commented on the repair of the Skylab 1 Workshop, while the Skylab 2 astronauts proceeded with their 

tasks in space: “Hundreds of miles above the melee of the Watergate 

affair, the three American astronauts, having hazardously patched up 

the damaged Skylab and activated the equipment and workshop, have 

now settled down to a routine of planned experiments designed, above 

all, to test man’s capacity to live in the weightlessness of space. Whatever the troubles in their political world, there is no question of the 

Americans’ superb capability in scientific and industrial technology.” 

(London Daily Telegraph, 5/31/73) 

Receipt of proposals for design, development, test, and evaluation of the 

space shuttle external tank from McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co., 

Boeing Co., Martin Marietta Aerospace Corp.’s Aerospace Div., and 

Chrysler Corp.’s Space Div. was announced by Marshall Space Flight 

Center. The contract, calling for three ground-test tanks and six developmental flight tanks in the development phase, was expected to be 

awarded by Aug. 1. (MSFC Release 73-60) 

A Solar Observing Optical Network (SOON) to survey solar activity and 

warn of space events disruptive to satellite, radar, and communication 

operations was being acquired by the Electronic Systems Div. of the Air 

Force Systems Command, AFSC announced. The Air Force Weather 

Service would use the system to pinpoint the location and magnitude 

of solar disturbances. The system when completed would consist of five 

optical telescopes and a computerized data-processing and communications package. (AFSC Release 075.73) 

May 31 : 

169 
During May 

During May: 

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite-launched by 

NASA July 23, 1972-had completed more than 4200 orbits, or 16 18-day 

whole-earth coverage cycles, and acquired 190 scenes per day for a 

57 893 total. System performance had exceeded expectations; registration of multispectral scanner images in different spectral bands was 

within 55 m (180 ft), or one third, of prelaunch prediction. Erts 1 

had produced high-quality images of every major land mass; North 

America had been covered 10 times. Pictures had been made available 

to all citizens of the world. (NASA prog off; Goddard News, 6/73, 2) 

M/C Vernon R. Turner, Director of Aircraft and Missiles in the Office of 

the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Installations and Logistics), had 

been named Chief of Staff for the Air Force Systems Command, AFSC 

Newsreview reported. He would succeed M/G Lew Allen, Jr., who had 

been assigned to the Central Intelligence Agency. ( AFSC Newsreview, 

0 Soviet Academicians Valery I. Popkov and Valentin A. Shteinberg visited 

the US. as the first Soviet participants in an exchange agreement between the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science and its 

Soviet counterpart, All Union Znaniye [ IG~owledge] Society. The first 

US. scientist had visited the U.S.S.R. under the agreement during April. 

(AAAS Bulletin, 6/73, 1) 

* Abandonment of technology, a “source of man’s strength,” would be a 

senseless alternative to its further development and use, Dr. Jerome B. 

Wiesner, Massachusetts Institute of Technology President, warned in a 

Technology Review article. Man’s exploitation of and dependency on 

the environment could not be changed through greater understanding 

of science and its application. Even a relevant technology alone would 

not suffice. Man needed “to develop the ability to estimate rationally 

and to choose among alternate courses of action, particularly when new 

technology is concerned. Above all, we need the humility to admit that 

we will not find any absolute answers or permanent solutions.” But the 

fallacy of the approaching doomsday argument was “that it ignores 

the considerable evidence we already have that man can in fact modify 

his behavior fast enough to avoid the catastrophic disasters predicted by 

the doomsday-sayers.’’ The evidence included the fact that scarcely a 

decade after Rachel Carson’s warning against pesticides (in her book 

Silent Spring) “those chemicals are severely controlled-possibly too 

much so-and biodegradable equivalents are on the verge of being 

introduced.” Lake Michigan’s marine life was nearing extinction 10 yrs 

ago; “by vigorous ecological controls it has been restored.” 

Development and control of the rapidly changing synthetic environment had become as important as contending with nature. Those who 

saw only evil in technology “fail to recognize that our situation would 

be much worse if the search for new technological solutions was 

stopped.” The challenge was “to move on from where we are to technologies and ways of employing them that will avoid uncontrollable 

effects in the future. Stopping science will shut off new knowledge and 

weaken our efforts to reverse the present situation. Technology alone 

is not the answer, but without technological developments few answers 

are likely to be found.” More than 30 yrs ago Dr. Vannevar Bush had 

called science the endless frontier; “it remains that today. The range 

of exciting research now exceeds that which was imaginable when Dr. 

Bush coined the title.” (Tech Rev, 5/73, 10-13) 

5/73, 2) 

170 
June 1973 

June 1: Skylab 3’s target launch date had been changed to July 27, NASA 

announced at a Johnson Space Center press briefing. SG3, to carry the 

second crew to the Orbital Workshop launched May 14, previously had 

been scheduled for Aug. 8. The new target date was set because unexpected use of Skylab hardware during the Skylab 1-2 mission had exposed electronics, batteries, and systems to unusual environments. Deputy Skylab Program Director John H. Disher said a July 27 launch 

would give greater solar power input, because the relation of the sun to 

orbit plane at that date would give the spacecraft a greater percentage 

of time in the sun. The precise date would be set after the end of the 

Skylab 2 mission. (Transcript; NASA Release 73-111) 

* Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, released a statement on private 

communications of crews of the Skylab Orbital Workshop (launched 

May 14), after meeting with the Deputy Administrator, Dr. George M. 

Low; Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight Dale D. Myers; 

and Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs John P. Donnelly. A May 

3 memorandum had authorized private communications for morale purposes (weekly calls from Skylab astronauts to their families), for “extreme” operational emergencies, and for medical reasons (to permit private doctor-patient relations) . Following objections from some newsmen 

to the May 29 Charles Conrad, Jr., private conversation on operational 

matters, Dr. Fletcher had decided to instruct Mission Control’s Capsule 

Communicator to query the seriousness of a situation before permitting 

a private conversation from Skylab. 

Dr. Fletcher said in his new statement that he would rescind this 

instruction because “we believe it would be imprudent to discourage 

requests by the crew for private operational communications.” Paraphrases of the communications would be ieleased to the press. “We will 

continue to leave it entirely up to the flight crew as to when to call 

for such a conversation, and will send no new instructions or clarification of instructions. This decision was reached so that we would in no 

conceivable way inhibit them from calling for a private conversation 

when they believe a need exists, and so that we will not jeopardize the 

safety of the mission.” (NASA Release 73-110) 

* A Chicago Tribune editorial hailed the Skylab 2 astronauts (launched May 

25 to man the crippled Workshop orbited May 14) as “tinkerers.” The 

men who overcame the senseless stubbornness of inanimate objects had 

been “superlatively trained and admirably persistent and are the products of a highly scientific preparation. But the achievement also reflects 

the fine American heritage of tinkering. This was the quality that enabled the Pilgrim fathers to make do with strange, native materials when 

they landed on our alien shores.” It was also “the practical genius that 

has enabled four generations of young Americans to compel model Ts 

to live and snort again when it was obvious that they were clinically 

dead. Its magic has guided these astronauts and their ground advisers 

171 
June 1 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

to a thrilling kind of space achievement that is typically American.” (C 

Trib, 6/1/73) 

e The General Accounting Office released Comptroller General‘s Report to the 

Congress: Analysis of Cost Estimates for the Space Shuttle and Two 

Alternate Programs. The review, made by GAO at the request of Sen. 

Walter F. Mondale (D-Minn.), said GAO was “not convinced that the 

choice of a launch system should be based principally on cost comparisons” and “not certain that the Space Shuttle is economically justified 

(is less costly when the time value of money is considered), even though 

NASA’s calculations show that it is.” Payload cost was the major element 

in program cost estimates for both the shuttle and alternate use of 

existing expendable launch vehicles. NASA had estimated $30.2 billion 

for the shuttle and $50.1 billion for the expendable systems. The $19.9- 

billion difference was due to estimated low-cost design of shuttle payloads which could be recovered, refurbished, and reused. GAO recommended that Congress “consider the future space missions used in 

NASA’s economic analysis . . . to determine whether these missions are 

a reasonable basis for space program planning at this time” and “review 

the estimates for the Space Shuttle annually, giving due consideration 

to the appropriateness of the missions used in making those estimates.” 

(CR, 6/8/73, S10703-4) 

0 The Air Force announced a $3 547 890 firm-fixed-price contract award to 

Textron, Inc., Dalmo Victor Div. The contract was for aerospace ground 

equipment test sets applicable to the radar warning system for the 

F-105GY OV-1, and FdE aircraft. (DOD Release 277-73) 

Jeanne M. Holm, age 51, became the first two-star female general officer 

in U.S. military history with her promotion to Air Force major general. 

She had begun her military career as a truck driver in the Women’s 

Army Auxiliary Corps in 1942 and was now Director of the Air Force 

Personnel Council. M/G Holm was among seven women who had 

achieved the rank of general or admiral and the only woman to hold 

a command outside a service nurses’ corps or women’s branch. (UPI, 

W Star & News, 6/2/73, 2) 

NASA launched an Aerobee 170A sounding rocket from White 

Sands Missile Range carrying an American Science and Engineering, 

Inc., payload to a 175.4-km (109.0-mi) altitude to collect data on the 

solar spectra. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

(CSFC proj off) 

e Soviet journalist Victor Louis discussed U.S.S.R. plans for the Tu-144 supersonic transport aircraft in a New York Times article. The aircraft was 

scheduled to go into regular passenger service in 1975, when it was expected to begin carrying 120 million passengers annually. Soviet territory was so sparsely populated that “fewer people will be troubled 

by noise than in Europe or the United States.” Soviet statistics showed 

3500 internal airfields in the U.S.S.R. Soviet aircraft flew to 63 major 

cities throughout the world-operating between Moscow and Santiago, 

Chile, and eastward between Moscow and Jakarta. SST watchers had 

calculated that the U.S.S.R. would not sell more than 20 Tu-144s initially. 

“Ten are estimated to be sufficient to satisfy [Soviet national airline] 

Aeroflot’s demands for its internal and international European, African 

and Asian routes, and perhaps a further ten would be taken up by 

the Czechs . . . and other countries of Eastern Europe.” Gen. Aleksey 

A. Tupolev-who had taken over Tu-144 planning after the death of 

June 2: 

172 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 2 

his father, Tu-144 designer Andrey N. Tupolev-had predicted 50 

times more air passengers by the year 2000 and talked of aircraft that 

would cruise in the stratosphere and carry 1000 persons at speeds of 

10060 km (6250 mi) per hr. (NYT, 6/2/73, 31) 

The Soviet Tu-144 supersonic transport aircraft exploded and disintegrated in mid-air over the French village of Goussainville near Le 

Bourget Airport on the final day of the Paris Air Show, killing 13 persons [see May 24-June 31. (Randal, W Post, 6/4/73, Al) 

NASA was “fighting for its political life,” a Detroit News editorial 

said as the Skylab 2 astronauts considered ways to release a stuck solar 

wing on the Skylab 1 Workshop launched May 14: “Its funds have been 

cut drastically since the moon landings were accomplished. Skylab itself is a vehicle costing $295 million. If it has to be abandoned the 

people will demand more expenditures be cut. So NASA is trying to prove 

that man really is boss of the machines he produces, that money is not 

being thrown away. There is a limit, however, to what NASA can devise 

and the astronauts accomplish. That limit must not be overstepped.” 

(D News, 6/4/73) 

The U.S.S.R. lunar vehicle Lunokhod 2 had completed its mission, Tass 

announced. The New York Times later said there were indications that 

Lunokhod 2 had had an accident shortly after the start of its fifth lunar 

day, while heading toward the uplands east of Le Monnier Crater and 

that the vehicle’s operation had been terminated unexpectedly. Lunokhod 2 (landed on the lunar surface Jan. 16 by Luna 21, launched Jan. 

8) had covered 37 km (23 mi) of complex terrain and withstood sharp 

temperature changes. It had taken the first measurements from the 

lunar surface of the luminosity of the lunar sky and had established that 

the moon was surrounded by a layer of dust particles in which the 

visible solar light and the reflected earth light were dispersed. Lunokhod 

2 had taken 86 relief panoramas and 80000 TV photos of the lunar 

surface during 60 communications sessions. It had also measured physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of the upper layer of lunar 

rock and had studied the characteristics of the corpuscular emission of 

solar and galactic origin. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 6/6/73, L5; NYT, 6/5/73, 

* A Japan Airlines spokesman said in Tokyo that the June 3 crash of the 

Soviet Tu-144 supersonic transport aircraft would compel JAL to delay 

further its decision on buying three Anglo-French Conmrde SSTS. (W 

Post, 6/4/73, A10) 

* President Nixon accepted the resignation of Grant L. Hansen as Assistant 

Secretary of the Air Force for Research and Development. (PD, 6/11/ 

73, 751) 

NASA launched a Black Brant VC sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Harvard College Observatory payload to a 131.6- 

km (81.8-mi) altitude. The rocket was part of the CALROC series [see 

April 181 to provide a reference, using solar flux data, for the calibration of the Observatory’s experiment on the Apollo Telescope Mount 

launched on the Skylab Workshop May 14. The experiment failed and 

the rocket was destroyed at 30.2 sec. (GSFC proj off) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 562 from Plesetsk into orbit with 

a 473-km (293.9-mi) apogee, 270-km (167.8-mi) perigee, 91.9-min 

period, and 70.9” inclination. The satellite reentered Jan. 7, 1974. 

June 3: 

June 4: 

18 ) 

June 5: 

(GSFC SSR, 6/30/73; SBD, 6/6/73, 208) 

173 
June 5 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* NASA’s Pioneer 11 probe, launched April 5, was traveling at 120 000 km 

per hr (74 000 mph) and had covered 48 million km (30 million mi), 

one fifth of its 20-mo journey to the planet Jupiter. All experiments and 

spacecraft systems were functioning well. Instruments were sampling 

the sun’s field and wind, measuring solar and galactic cosmic ray particles, measuring hydrogen and helium in interstellar space, and making 

sky maps of the zodiacal light (sunlight reflected from cosmic dust 

between the earth and Jupiter). 

Meanwhile, Pioneer 10 (launched March 3, 1972) had covered 560 

million km (350 million mi) of its 1-billion-km (620-million-mi) flight 

path and was due to arrive at Jupiter in December. Good data were 

being returned from all scientific instruments. Pioneer 10 was defining 

for the first time the interplanetary medium far beyond the orbit of 

Mars and the Asteroid Belt. (NASA Release 73-107) 

0 President Nixon accepted the resignation of Dr. John S. Foster, Jr., as 

Director of Defense Research and Engineering, and announced he would 

nominate as Dr. Foster’s successor Dr. Malcolm R. Currie, Vice President for Research and Engineering of Beckman Instruments, Inc., in 

Fullerton, Calif. Dr. Currie had been with Hughes Aircraft Co. 1954, 

1969, serving as Vice President from 1964 until he went to Beckman 

in 1969. The nomination was submitted to the Senate June 6 and confirmed June 15. (PD, 6/11/73, 736, 752, 753; CR, 6/15/73, D695) 

An Atlanta Constitution editorial commented on Skylab as the Skylab 2 

astronauts planned a spacewalk to repair the power unit on Skylab 1 

(launched May 14) : “The Skylab is a significant step in the developing 

technology of space exploration. Three men are there now, brave men. 

Their sheer competence makes it all seem routine, but they are risking 

their lives daily in doing things that literally no men have ever done 

before.” (Atlanta JC, 6/5/73) 

* NASA launched an Arcas sounding rocket from Antigua, West Indies, 

carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center payload to a 56.3-km (34.97- 

mi) altitude. The primary objective was to measure the ozone distribution in the upper atmosphere, monitor anomalous ultraviolet absorption, and to extend the data base for a climatology of stratospheric 

ozone in the tropics. The launch would collect data for comparison with 

data from a flyby of an Air Force RB-57 aircraft and the overpass of 

the Nimbus 4 satellite (launched April 8, 1970). The payload was 

ejected near apogee and descended on a parachute. The rocket and the 

instrumentation performed satisfactorily and the experiment was successful. (NASA Rpt SRL) 

* The appointment of French engineer Robert L. Mory as European Space 

Research Organization ( ESRO) Sortie Lab liaison officer at Marshall 

Space Flight Center was announced by MSFC. Mory had been ESRO 

launcher coordinator for NASA launches of ESRO scientific satellites, a 

member of the commission to create ESRO in February 1963, and an 

ESRO member since April 1964. (MSFC Release 73-72) 

* Former NASA scientist-astronaut Dr. Brian T. O’Leary, Hampshire College 

astronomer, criticized manned space flight spending in a New York 

Times article : “The spectacular problems of the $2.5-billion Skylab 

mission and the failure of the first three Soviet Salyut space stations 

may have dealt a death blow to manned space flight. The enormous 

expense, the high risk, the much-ballyhooed and grossly exaggerated 

claims about the pertinence of manned earth orbital flights to the qual174 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 5 

ity of life on earth are creating an ever-widening credibility gap between 

the public interest and a vested interest inherited from the space of the 

nineteen-sixties. The result is the squandering of public funds.” He 

suggested “indefinite postponement of the space shuttle program, a reduction in excessive NASA management costs and the establishment of a 

moderate unmanned space program emphasizing space science and applications” on a less than $2-billion budget. (NYT, 6/5/73, 39) 

US. patent No. 3 737 119 was granted to Princeton Univ. professor of 

aeronautical engineering Dr. Sin-i Cheng for a device to reduce supersonic aircraft sonic boom and improve SST flight performance. The device would create an antiboom jet with the same pressure as the flow 

around the aircraft and direct the jet toward the shock wave below. 

(Jones, NYT, 6/9/73; Who’s Who; Pat Off PIO) 

0 A Washington Post editorial commented on the June 3 crash of the Soviet 

Tu-144 during the May 24-June 3 Paris Air Show: “With each new 

blow incurred by the cause of supersonic air transport . . . we wonder 

what it is beyond a kind of mindless national prestige contest that keeps 

the cause alive. Fairly or not, the flight risks of the new planes have 

now being sensationally dramatized.” Spending billions to fly across an 

ocean or continent in three hours rather than six while “lacing the globe 

below with noise and God knows what other forms of ecological damage” was “one of the looniest notions of the 20th century-a triumph 

of technological and national zeal over good sense.” (W Post, 6/5/73, 

A20) 

Cosmos 563 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 306-km (190.1-mi) apogee, 190-km (118.1-mi) perigee, 89.5-min 

period, and 65.2” inclination. The satellite reentered June 18. (GSFC 

SSR, 6/30/73; SBD, 6/7/73, 211) 

The Pacific’s first storm of the season, hurricane Ava, was probed by scientists and sensors aboard a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration C-130 flying laboratory and NASA’s Skylab Orbital Workshop 

(Skylab I, launched May 14). The storm was intercepted by the aircraft-equipped with microwave systems similar to those aboard Skylab I-about 480 km (300 mi) southwest of Acapulco, Mex., as Skylab 

I passed overhead. A series of tracks was made through the typhoon 

while the first deep-ocean-wave measurements ever made under a hurricane were taken with the laser altimeter. Maximum wave heights were 

12 m (40 ft) at about 160 km (100 mi) from the eyewall. Winds of 

110 to 240 km per hr (70 to 150 mph) were measured by an onboard 

inertial navigation system. The penetration was one of a series of NASAfunded Skylab underflights to prove the effectiveness of measuring 

large-scale processes in and over the ocean surface using microwave 

and other sensors aboard spacecraft. (NOAA Release 73-147) 

a Deputy Secretary of Defense William P. Clements, Jr., announced that 

DOD would halt production of F-111 fighter-bomber aircraft when the 

current production run ended late in 1974 with the 543rd F-111. In 

1962 DOD had planned to build 1726 F-111s for $3.4 million each, 

United Press said; the aircraft would wind up costing $14.6 million 

each, a cost overrun of 430%. (UPI, W Post, 6/7/73, CS) 

The U.K., West Germany, and Belgium agreed to buy US. Lance surfaceto-surface missiles on the final day of a meeting in Brussels of Eurogroup, defense ministers from 10 European member countries of the 

June 6: 

175 
June 6 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Italy had previously concluded a separate contract to buy the Lance. (Middleton, NYT, 6/7/73, 

7) The Air Force announced the award of a $39.6-million contract to the 

Raytheon Corp. for construction of a large, new phased-array radar 

station, code-named Cobra Dane, at Semya Air Force Station in the 

Aleutian Islands. Cobra Dane would be part of the Air Force worldwide 

tracking program to trace space objects. An Aerospace Defense Command spokesman said that the total cost of the installation would be 

about $60 million. It would be operational in 1976. (Kelly, W Star 

& News, 6/7/73, A15) 

* It would be “easy flying for the new Air Force bomber, the B-1, during 

the 93rd Congress,” the Congressional Quarterly predicted. The FY 

1974 Air Force request for $473.5 million to complete construction of 

the first prototype “probably will pass with relative ease.” The prototype 

was scheduled for rollout at the Rockwell International Corp. factory 

in January 1974, with the first test flight scheduled for April. Two additional prototypes would be built to test the aircraft’s structure and 

avionics, with test flights in January and April 1975. Final cost of the 

three aircraft would be $2.7 billion. B-1 supporters had said the real 

battle would come when Congress had to decide whether to begin mass 

production. (CQ, 6/16/73) 

0 The Coast Guard announced it would phase out its last two air cushion 

vehicles (ACVS) in July. A Coast Guard spokesman told the press in San 

Francisco that ACVS had met expectations but “we’ve just run out of 

money to operate them and they’re too old now.” (UPI, NYT, 6/7/73, 

19 ) Award of a $9 098 952 firm-fixed-price contract to Boeing Co. for ground 

support for the Minuteman weapon system was announced by the Air 

Force. (DOD Release 286-73) 

President Nixon was expected to bring Soviet Communist Party 

General Secretary Leonid I. Brezhnev to Johnson Space Center during 

his forthcoming visit for US. summit meetings, the Houston Post said. 

A JSC spokesman had said June 22, Skylab 2 splashdown day, was being 

considered and a survey team of Dept. of State and US. Secret Service 

personnel had visited JSC for preliminary planning. [See June 14.1 

(Maloney, H Post, 6/7/73) 

* Deputy Secretary of Defense William P. Clements, Jr., directed the Navy 

to produce preliminary plans for a $250-million prototype development 

plan for a jet-fighter aircraft costing less than the controversial F-14 

Tomcat missile-armed fighter. He also authorized the Navy to negotiate 

with Grumman Aerospace Corp. for an additional 50 F-14s armed with 

Phoenix missiles. The 50 aircraft would bring the F-14 total to 184 on 

order, with a possible 50 being ordered in FY 1974. The F-14 price 

was expected to average $25.8 million per aircraft. (Corddry, B Sun, 

6/8/73, A8) 

Tass commented on the cause of the June 3 explosion and disintegration 

of the Soviet Tu-144 supersonic transport aircraft over Goussainville, 

France, during the May 24-June 3 Paris Air Show, as U.S.S.R. Council 

of Ministers Vice Chairman Leonid Smirnov and a Soviet government 

commission arrived in Paris to participate in the accident investigation: It had been hoped the Tu-144’s black box, or flight recorder, 

would provide a clue to the cause. “But the box has been found open 

June 7: 

176 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 7 

in the garden of a house and the film in it exposed. The magnetic tape 

. . . is missing.’’ Investigators were studying films taken by TV and 

amateur cameramen at the Air Show. “The last spurt of the plane before it hit the ground suggests that the pilot, powerless to prevent the 

disaster, fought to the last to take the plane away from the densely 

populated center of Goussainville.” ( FBIS-SOV, 6/8/73, F1) 

The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Energy held hearings on solar energy for heating and cooling. 

Dr. George 0. Lof, Colorado State Univ. professor of civil engineering, 

testified June 7 that heating and cooling buildings by solar energy was 

technically feasible and closely approaching economic viability. “With 

adequate funding, the dual involvement of industry and university . . . can be expected to move solar heating and cooling into public use within 

a very few years.” Electric power from solar energy, however, would 

cost several times the present cost of conventional power and the best 

method was not even known. A major study funded by the National 

Science Foundation was beginning at Colorado State Univ., with Westinghouse Electric Co. collaboration, of the best system and conditions 

for generating solar power. (Transcript) 

The fifth meeting of the joint US.-U.S.S.R. editorial board 

for the preparation and publication of a review of space biology and 

medicine was held in Moscow. NASA and the Soviet Academy of Sciences 

announced June 18 that the meeting had developed further plans and 

schedules for the early publication of the three-volume work. (NASA 

Release 73-117) 

The U.S.S.R. launched eight Cosmos satellites-believed by Western specialists to be a military communications data-relay system-on 

a single booster from Plesetsk. The satellites entered earth orbit: 

Cosmos 564, with a 1482-km (920.9-mi) apogee, 1397-km (868.1-mi) 

Cosmos 565, with a 1493-km (927.7-mi) apogee, 1448-km (899.7-mi) 

Cosmos 566, with a 1484-km (922.1-mi) apogee, 1435-km (891.7-mi) 

Cosmos 567, with a 1486-km (923.4-mi) apogee, 1413-km (878.0-mi) 

Cosmos 568, with a 1483-km (921.5-mi) apogee, 1377-km (855.6-mi) 

Cosmos 569, with a 1480-km (919.6-mi) apogee, 1361-km (845.7-mi) 

Cosmos 570, with a 1482-km (920.9-mi) apogee, 1340-km (832.6-mi) 

Cosmos 571, with a 1480-km (919.6-mi) apogee, 1322-km (821.5-mi) 

(CSFC SSR, 6/30/73; SBD, 6/12/73,233; Shabad, NYT, 6/10/73,41) 

* Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on 

Aeronautical and Space Sciences, telegraphed congressional congratulations to Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, for the Skylab 2 

astronauts’ achievements in repairing the solar array on the Skylab 

Workshop (launched May 14) : “The magnificence of this accomplishment and the significance of this achievement is nearly impossible to 

put into perspective.’’ Congress sent congratulations to the astronauts, 

NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight Dale D. Myers 

June 7, 12: 

June 7-15: 

June 8: 

perigee, 114.6-min period, and 74.0’ inclination. 

perigee, 115.3-min period, and 74.0” inclination. 

perigee, 115.0-min period, and 74.0” inclination. 

perigee, 114.8-min period, and 74.0” inclination. 

perigee, 114.4-min period, and 74.0” inclination. 

perigee, 114.2-min period, and 74.0” inclination. 

perigee, 114.0-min period, and 74.0” inclination. 

perigee, 113.7-min period, and 74.0” inclination. 

177 
June 8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

and his team, and “all of your group who work in complete anonymity 

but under the intensive examination of history.” (CR, 6/8/73, S10691) 

* President Nixon praised US. space technology in a commencement address at Florida Technological Univ. in Orlando: “The genius that could 

send men to the moon, the genius that could produce the Skylab, the 

genius that built America into the strongest and most productive nation 

in the world, the science, scientists, the technicians, all the engineers, 

all of those who could do that, certainly they can find the way to clean 

the air, and clean the water, and do the other things that will build a 

better environment in America.” (PD, 6/11/73, 747) 

* Life in weightlessness in the Skylab Workshop, orbited May 14, was described by a Wall Street Journal article as the Skylab 2 crew began its 

15th day on board the space station. Commander Charles Conrad, Jr., 

had reported, after attempting to eat canned tomatoes, that he was 

“flinging tomatoes all over the place.” He had warned, “You’ve got 

to eat the whole tomato.” Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin had told Mission Control: “I don’t use the salt much. It tends to bounce off the food a lot.” 

Later he had reported a minor kitchen disaster with a bag of dehydrated corn. “The bag failed at its seam. . . . We’ve got corn powder 

all over everything.” Kerwin said taking a shower was pleasant, but 

the water didn’t “fly through the air, it sticks to whatever is there, 

mostly you and partly the walls. It takes forever to dry both one’s self and 

the walls . . . even using that inadequate little vacuum cleaner that 

we’ve got.” The crew recommended allotting an hour for taking a shower 

on future missions. The astronauts were being awakened by the noise 

of the suction fan when the toilet was used at night. They found themselves growing hoarse from shouting at each other across the roomy 

Workshop during the day. Kerwin had found himself unable to whistle 

in zero g, but Astronaut Paul J. Weitz had assured him he could learn 

after a few days’ practice. “You’ve got to hold your lips a little farther 

apart.” (Bishop, WSJ, 6/8/73, 1) 

* An Atlanta Journal editorial commented on space program spinoff as the 

Skylab 2 astronauts began routine business after having freed the stuck 

solar array wing on Skylab 1 (launched May 14) : “The ambitious and 

expensive Skylab program is in trouble and daring measures are being 

taken to stabilize the planned programs it was to introduce. Before the 

screams of those who would dissolve the space program reach the astronauts aboard Skylab, it might be well to consider some spinoffs from 

the space program that preserve and lengthen the lives of those who 

cry for its cessation.” Spinoffs included noise abatement, smog detection, medical devices, and fabric fireproofing. “The value of the space 

program is not up in the air; an awful lot of it is down to earth.” 

(Atlanta JC, 6/8/73) 

* The launch of Explorer 49 Radio Astronomy Explorer, scheduled for June 

9, was postponed until June 10 following discovery of a sensitivity loss 

in 16 frequency channels of redundant burst receivers in the dipole 

experiment. A recalibration indicated the anomaly would not affect the 

mission seriously ; the V antennas, when deployed, would provide data 

with higher sensitivity. (NASA prog off) 

Wallops Station announced it would negotiate with Computer Sciences 

Corp. for a two-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract worth approximately 

$1.9 million for engineering support and related services. The contract, 

effective July 1, would include support in range and airport instrumen178 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 8 

tation, spacecraft-system and sounding-rocket-payload-system design and 

development, development of aeronautical and earth resources programs, 

development of reliability and quality assurance plans, and environmental testing procedures, safety engineering, and data analysis and 

computation. (Wallops Release 73-4) 

* The Federal Communications Commission authorized American Telephone 

& Telegraph Co. to lease 396 additional satellite circuits from Communications Satellite Corp. for service to Europe, Africa, and the Middle 

East. The circuits brought to 1450 the number leased from ComSatCorp 

by AT&T, at an annual $48.6-million charge. (DJ, W Star & News, 

6/19/ 73; FCC PIO) 

* A Washington Star and Daily News editorial commented on the June 3 

crash of the Soviet Tu-1M supersonic transport aircraft during the May 

24-June 3 Paris Air Show: “Coming on the heels of a series of Soviet 

air disasters which have killed more than 600 people in the last 18 

months and many failures of its space program, the image of Soviet 

technology at this point is not so reassuring. . . . The crash of the Russian SST is certain to affect the commercial prospects of the Concorde 

as well.” (W Star & News, 6/8/73, A18) 

The Skylab 2 astronauts’ June 7 repair of the Skylab 1 Orbital 

Workshop’s solar wing [see May 14-June 221 had proved “that a 

manned vehicle outside the earth’s atmosphere is not completely helpless 

when unforeseen contingencies arise,” a New York Times editorial 

said. Skylab’s future “now looks brighter than at any time since the 

initial launch. Valuable information remains to be collected on the reaction of human beings to prolonged stay in space, and on the usefulness of space stations for scientific and industrial activity. A promising 

start has already been made by this first Skylab crew; now it seems 

reasonable to expect that major contributions will also be made by the 

two other crews that are scheduled to occupy and work in Skylab later 

this year.” (NYT, 6/9/73, 32) 

NASA launched Explorer 49 (RAE-B; RAE 2) Radio Astronomy Explorer by a long-tank, thrust-augmented, Thor-Delta launch vehicle from Eastern Test Range at 10:14 am EDT into a transfer trajectory 

for the moon. The second of two approved RAE missions and the last 

scheduled US. mission to the moon, Explorer 49 was to measure galactic and solar radio noise at frequencies below ionospheric cutoffs and 

outside terrestrial background interference, using the moon for occultation, focusing, or aperture-blocking for increased resolution and discrimination. 

At 17 min after launch, the spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle’s 3rd stage. One midcourse correction was made at 11:28 am EDT 

June 11; the planned second correction was not required. During the 

transfer trajectory, data acquisition from telemetry systems was excellent. The lunar orbit insertion motor was fired at 3:21 am EDT June 15, 

putting the spacecraft into lunar orbit with 1334-km (828.9-mi) apolune, 

1123-km (697.8-mi) perilune, 241-min period, and 61.3’ inclination. 

On June 18 the lunar insertion motor was jettisoned and the hydrazinefueled velocity-control propulsion system placed Explorer 49 in a lower, 

near-circular orbit with a 1063-km (660.5-mi) apolune, 1052-km (653.7- 

mi) perilune, 221.2-min period, and 38.7’ inclination. 

On June 20 a 37-m (120-ft) dipole antenna was extended by ground 

control and the dipole experiment turned on. After a two-week calibraJune 9: 

June 10-20: 

179 
June 10-20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

tion, the dipole would be retracted and the orbit adjusted as needed. 

The two main V antennas, joined in an X shape, would then be deployed to 183 m (600 ft). After another week, the V antennas would 

be deployed to their full 229-m (750-ft) length to achieve the mission’s 

gravity-gradient, three-axis-stabilization mode. 

The 200-kg (442-lb) spacecraft was the first known to use boron filament for the inertial booms that helped stabilize it during the lunar 

trajectory. 

Explorer 38 (RAE 1) -the first successful radio astronomy satellite, 

launched July 4, 1968-had measured galactic radio sources and traced 

the movement of sporadic radio outbursts from the sun beyond the 

orbit of Mercury for four years. Explorer 38’s receivers, however, had 

been saturated 25%-40% of the observing time by interference from 

the earth’s radio noise. Explorer 49, in lunar orbit, would be shielded 

from terrestrial noise as it orbited the moon’s far side. 

The RAE project was managed by Goddard Space Flight Center under 

the direction of the NASA Office of Space Science. GSFC designed, constructed, and tested the spacecraft and provided the scientific instrumentation. GSFC was also responsible for the Thor-Delta launch vehicle 

and the operation of the worldwide Spaceflight Tracking and Data 

Network (STDN). Launch services were provided by KSC. (NASA prog 

off; NASA Release 73-105 ; GSFC SSR, 6/30/73) 

Cosmos 572 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 286-km (177.7-mi) apogee, 199-km (123.7- 

mi) perigee, 89.4-min period, and 51.8’ inclination. Theaatellite reentered June 23. (GSFC SSR, 6/30/73; SBD, 6/13/73, 242) 

A St. Louis Post Dispatch editorial commented on the repair of the Skylab 1 Workshop [see May 14-June 221 as its Skylab 2 astronaut crew 

surveyed the US. heartland from space: “Now that Skylab is operating 

under something approaching full power, scientists will be able to judge 

how well man can exist for prolonged periods of weightlessness and 

whether experiments they carry out cannot be duplicated or outperformed by machines. The Skylab astronauts have managed to establish 

conditions under which the mission may receive a fair test and that is 

of paramount importance, for had they failed, the manned space program, for budgetary reasons, might have come to a halt.” (St. Louis 

P-D, 6/10/73) 

Skylab 3’s Saturn IB launch vehicle and Apollo command module 

were moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center to Launch Complex 39, Pad B, for the July 27 launch of the second 

Skylab crew-Alan L. Bean, Dr. Owen K. Garriott, and Jack R. Lousma. 

The astronauts would join the Skylab Workshop (orbited May 14) for 

56 days of experiments and observations. (IGC Release 124-73; W 

Post, 6/12/73, A13) 

0 A Chicago Tribune editorial commented on “the brave men of Skylab” as 

the Skylab 2 astronauts (launched May 25 as the first crew to man the 

Skylab 1 Workshop launched May 14) continued to conduct experiments in space: In repairing the Workshop’s protective shield they had 

“behaved with such matter-of-fact competence, tinged with homely 

humor and flashes of exasperation when things refused to go right, that 

one almost overlooked the fact that this was an act of incredible sustained bravery.” (C Trib, 6/11/73) 

June 10: 

June 11 : 

180 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 11 

8 NASA announced issuance of a request for proposals for an aircraft to replace the instrumented Convair 990 jet aircraft Galileo, lost April 12 

in a mid-air collision over Moffett Field, Calif. The request called for 

a lease-purchase arrangement, for one year with three annual option 

periods, for an aircraft to make earth and sky surveys with infrared 

radiometers, microwave radiometers, cameras, telescopes, and other instruments for research and earth resource studies. NASA also was considering modification of any other Government aircraft. The replacement aircraft would be operated by Ames Research Center as a national 

scientific research facility. (NASA Release 73-1 16) 

8 Selection of 36 scientists, representing 27 organizations and 4 countries, 

to define experiments for the Large Space Telescope to be launched by 

the space shuttle in the 1980s was announced by NASA. The instrument 

evaluation teams had been selected after evaluation of 118 proposals 

submitted to NASA’s Space Science and Applications Steering Committee. 

(NASA Release 73-109) 

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Special Subcommittee on the National Science Foundation of the Senate Committee on 

Labor and Public Welfare, introduced S. 1977, $704 million FY 1974 

NSF authorization bill. The bill would establish an Energy Research Div. 

and would authorize not less than $50 million for energy research programs. (CR, 6/11/73, S10810-12) 

0 NASA launched an Aerobee 200A sounding rocket from White Sands 

Missile Range carrying a Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. solar physics experiment to a 220.6-km (137.1-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

A Workshop on Wind Energy Conversion Systems, sponsored 

by the National Science Foundation and organized by Lewis Research 

Center, was held in Washington, D.C. The meetings, attended by scientists and industry and Government representatives from the US. and 

foreign countries, discussed past developments, wind characteristics and 

siting problems, rotor characteristics, energy conversion systems, small 

wind-power systems for remote and individual applications, wind-power 

systems for large-scale applications, and tower structures. The object of 

NSF’S wind energy conversion program was to provide a reliable energy 

supply, in usable form, at a cost competitive with alternative systems. 

(NASA Release 73-114) 

The Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation sponsored a seminar at 

Kennedy Space Center in cooperation with NASA, the US. Junior Chambers of Commerce, and the National Assn. of Student Councils. Participants-67 high school sophomores from the US. and 6 foreign countries-toured ICSC and were briefed on Skylab, the space shuttle, and astronaut training. ( ICSC Release 127-73) 

The Air Force launched an unidentified satellite from Eastern 

Test Range by a Titan IIIC booster into orbit with a 35 787.0-km 

(22 237-mi) apogee, 35 778.9-km (22 232-mi) perigee, 1436.0-min (23- 

hr 56-min) period, and 0.3” inclination. The press quoted sources as 

saying the spacecraft was an early warning satellite expected to be stationed over the Indian Ocean to give split-second notice of missile 

launchings in the U.S.S.R. (Pres Rpt 74; AP, B Sun, 6/13/73, A16; 

Av Wk, 6/18/73, 17) 

NASA held a Skylab earth resources experiment package press briefing at 

Johnson Space Center. Dr. Verl R. Wilmarth, EREP project scientist at 

June 11-13: 

June 11-15: 

June 12: 

18 1 
June 12 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

JSC, said that the Skylab 2 astronauts-Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph 

P. Kerwin, and Paul J. Weitz, launched May 25 to crew the Orbital 

Workshop-had completed their ninth EREP pass. The sensors had been 

turned on over 190 areas designated by the principal investigators. A 

unique collection of laser propholometer data had been obtained over 

hurricane Ava. Data collected over Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay 

area would update topographic and geologic maps. (Transcript) 

* A specially equipped United Air Lines, Inc., 727-200 jet transport aircraft was testing two-segment landing approach procedures to reduce 

noise levels near airport landing patterns in an Ames Research Center 

and Federal Aviation Administration cooperative program. The aircraft 

first descended at a steeper than usual glide-path angle. As the aircraft 

neared the runway and intersected the normal, shallow-approach flight 

path, the glide-path angle was decreased and the final landing made 

normally. A 67% reduction in the area disturbed by objectionable landing noise was expected to be achieved. (NASA Release 73-113) 

* Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, told the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin in 

an interview that he had been in the U.S.S.R. when the Soviet Sulyut 2 

space station (launched April 3) disintegrated. “We knew that their 

Skylab had come apart, but it was classified at the time and didn’t become public knowledge until after we had returned to the United 

States.” Moss, in Philadelphia to address a meeting of the American 

Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said that even if it experienced 

more space failures, the U.S.S.R. would do its utmost to make the joint 

US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz mission scheduled for July 1975. (P Bull, 

6/13/73, 11) 

The International Telephone & Telegraph Corp. and the U.S.S.R. signed 

a five-year agreement in Moscow to cooperate on scientific and technical 

information in telecommunications, electronics and electromechanical 

components, and consumer products and on publication of scientific and 

technical data. ( ITT Release, 6/14/73) 

0 Radio glow, a new phenomenon observed by U.S.S.R. scientists, was described in Pravda by Soviet radioastronomer Vsevolod Troitsky. The 

phenomenon was caused by charged particle flux from radiation belts 

in the lower layers of the earth‘s ionosphere and was thought to be generated at altitudes up to 100 km (60 mi) and related to changes in the 

area of solar spots and chromospheric flares. Observations had been 

made simultaneously in the far eastern, northern, and southern parts of 

the U.S.S.R. Irregular radiation on superhigh frequencies would permit 

study of dynamic processes in the ionomagnetic sphere of the earth. 

(Tass, FBIS-SOV, 6/12/73, L1) 

Deputy Secretary of Defense William P. Clements, Jr., told a 

Washington, D.C., press conference that the U.S.S.R. was pressing ahead 

with “new families of missiles” in a quest for military superiority over 

the US. “It is hard information. We know they are testing these missiles. We know what size they are. We know what their capabilities 

are.” (Corddry, B Sun, 6/14/73, Al) 

NASA launched a Black Brant VC sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Naval Research Laboratory payload to a 240.9- 

km (149.7-mi) altitude. The rocket was one of the CALROC series [see 

April 181 to provide a reference, using solar flux data, for the calibration of NRL’S instrumentation aboard the Skylab I Apollo Telescope 

June 13: 

182 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 13 

Mount. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily and 

good data were obtained. (GSFC proj off) 

The Robert J. Collier Trophy for 1972 was presented in Washington, D.C., 

by the National Aeronautic Assn. to the 7th and 8th Air Forces and Task 

Force 77 of the Navy for their “demonstrated expert and precisely 

integrated use of advance [ d] aerospace technology” in the conduct of Operation Line Backer 11, the 11-day air campaign in December 1972 that “led to the return of the United States prisoners of war” 

in Southeast Asia. Adm. Thomas H. Moorer (USN), Chairman of the 

Joint Chiefs of Staff, received the trophy on behalf of the servicemen 

at a luncheon hosted by the National Aviation Club and the National 

Aeronautic Assn. Guests included Dr. James 6. Fletcher, NASA Administrator. (Invitation ; NAC Off) 

* Data from drifting buoys equipped with temperature and pressure sensors 

and satellite communications antennas that reported to French satellite 

Eole (launched by NASA Aug. 16, 1971) had shown that currents in the 

western Atlantic ocean were more erratic and unpredictable than earlier 

imagined, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. Although in continuous motion, some buoys had ended up 

approximately where they had started after two or three months of 

monitoring; others had “moved in unpredicted directions, changed directions frequently, circled, or doubled back.” The buoys were part of a 

NOAA project to identify large-scale mean surface flows. (NOAA Release 

* Kennedy Space Center announced the award of a $98 000 contract to the 

Environmental Research Institute of Michigan for a feasibility study of 

the use of ultrahigh-frequency and microwave radars aboard aircraft 

to provide information on mosquito breeding grounds, determine water 

drainage patterns, and provide data for water resources management 

and land use planning in Brevard County, Fla. (KSC Release 132-73) 

The Air Force announced the award of a $1 924 913 fixed-price-incentive 

contract to McDonnell Douglas Corp. for incorporation of engineering 

change proposals on the F-3 fighter aircraft production contract. A 

$1 294 776 fixed-price-incentive contract to General Dynamics Corp. 

for additional funding for inspection and correction of F-111 landing 

gear pin deficiencies also had been awarded. (DOD Release 296-73) 

Tentative selection of 22 scientists-including one each from 

France and Germany-from among 72 scientists who responded to 

NASA% August 1972 invitation to provide experiments for one of two 

Pioneer spacecraft to probe Venus in 1978 was announced by NASA. 

Mission objectives were to gather information on the Venusian atmosphere and clouds. Participating scientists would define experiments 

studying composition and structure of the atmosphere down to the surface, the nature and composition of the clouds, the circulation pattern 

of the atmosphere, and the radiation field in the lower atmosphere. 

The mission-comprising a bus, a large probe, and three small probes 

-would use a spin-stabilized, solar-powered spacecraft. The trip from 

earth to Venus would take 125 days. The probes would be separated 

from the bus 10 to 20 days before entry into the Venusian atmosphere. 

The large probe would descend through the atmosphere in 1y2 hrs; the 

small probes would fall free to the planet’s surface about 75 min after 

entry. The bus would be targeted to enter the Venus atmosphere at a 

73-118) 

June 14: 

183 
June 14 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

shallow angle and transmit data until it was destroyed by atmosphericfriction heat. 

The atmosphere probe was scheduled for launch in May 1978, about 

three months before a Venus orbiter was to be launched. Both spacecraft 

would arrive in the vicinity of Venus in December 1978. By comparing 

the atmospheres of Venus, Mars, and the earth, scientists hoped to construct an efficient model of the earth’s atmosphere to predict long-term 

climate changes and short-term effects of environmental pollution. Experiments for the orbiter mission would be selected in early 1974. (NASA 

Release 73-115) 

Soviet tests and investigations had shown that “supersonic civilian aircraft 

have a good future,” Deputy Chairman Leonid Smirnov of the U.S.S.R. 

Council of Ministers, heading the Soviet commission investigating the 

June 3 crash of the Tu-144 [see May 24-June 31, said in a Paris TV 

interview. The Soviet airline Aeroflot was “preparing to use the supersonic Tu-144.” 

Gen. Aleksey A. Tupolev, chief designer of the Tu-144, was quoted 

by Associated Press as saying in Paris that development of the aircraft 

would continue but would be delayed. It had been scheduled for service 

in late 1974. (FBIS-SOV, 6/15/73, F1; NYT, 6/15/73, 2) 

* Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Assistant to the President for National Security 

Affairs, discussed plans for the June 18-23 summit meeting to be held 

by President Nixon and Soviet Communist Party General Secretary 

Leonid I. Brezhnev in Washington, D.C., and San Clemente, Calif., at a 

Washington, D.C., press briefing. Asked why Brezhnev would not be 

visiting Johnson Space Center as had been reported [see June 71, Dr. 

Kissinger said, “There were various ideas for various possible stops, but 

given the fact that a maximum amount of time was always intended to 

be devoted to discussion . . . it simply proved impossible.” (PD, 

6/18/73, 771-8) 

Western Union Telegraph Co. announced it had received authorization 

from the Federal Communications Commission to construct four more 

earth stations for the terrestrial segment of its WESTAR domestic communications satellite system. It would build on sites near Atlanta, Ga.; 

Chicago, Ill.; Dallas, Tex.; and Los Angeles, Calif. The first WESTAR 

earth station was under construction at Vernon Township, N.J. (Western 

Union Release, 6/14/73) 

Cosmos 573 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 401-km (249.2-mi) apogee, 195-km (121.2- 

mi) perigee, 90.5-min period, and 51.6” inclination. The satellite reentered June 17. The Western press later quoted a Soviet source as 

identifying the mission as a test of an unmanned Soyuz spacecraft in 

preparation for an upcoming manned launch. Western tracking stations 

reported the orbit was identical to one used during manned Soviet flights. 

(GSFC SSR, 6/30/73; SBD, 6/18/73, 265; B Sun, 7/6/73) 

* NASA held two Skylab 2 press briefings at Johnson Space Center as the 

astronaut crew, orbiting the earth in the Orbital Workshop launched 

May 14, carried out experiments and solar photography. 

At an Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) briefing Dr. Robert Noyes of 

Harvard College Observatory said the experiment to look into the outer 

solar atmosphere “exceeds our wildest expectations. Every object that 

we’ve tried to look at, we’ve done successfully and we have seen . . . entirely new and different phenomena.” For the first time there had been 

June 15: 

184 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 15 

enough spatial resolution to see the fine structure, Data received by 

viewing the sun at different heights in the corona had established the 

existence of two fundamental structures-points of emission 12 900 km 

(8000 mi) in diameter and a cloud of relatively cool material emersed 

in the very hot corona. The structures should provide information on 

heat sources and physical properties of the corona. Dr. Robert MacQueen, High Altitude Observatory astronomer, said that a high point of 

the ATM experiments had been detailed examination of the corona for 

45 consecutive hours, identifying the material making up the solar wind 

passing into the corona. 

At a solar-flare activity briefing Dr. Guiseppe Vaiana, American 

Science and Engineering, Inc., scientist and a principal investigator on 

Skylab, described the TV coverage of the solar flare photographed by 

Astronaut Paul J. Weitz: “What you are seeing is the great event of the 

day.” The flare had a double structure in the active region. A portion of 

it outlined the magnetic field of one polarity on one side and the other 

polarity on the other side, with a center neutral line. Two bright spots 

were seen on both sides of the neutral line. The flare extended 100 000 

km (62 000 mi) up from the solar surface and covered 21/2 trillion sq 

km (1 trillion sq mi). It had peaked in intensity 3 min after it had 

been discovered by Weitz and decayed during the following 30 min. 

(Transcript) 

0 Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, toured Ames Research Center 

and was briefed on the status of the Pioneer Venus mission. The mission 

was in the conceptual design state and, if approved in FY 1975, would 

lead to Venus orbiter and multiprobe launches in 1978. Dr. Fletcher 

said NASA intended to proceed with the dual Venus mission if possible 

and intended to make it one of NASA’s most cost-effective programs. 

(ARC Astrogram, 6/21/73, 1) 

0 Boeing Co. and General Electric Co. Aircraft Engine Group had signed a 

Qg3-million subcontract under which CE would supply main propulsion 

engines for the first two ships in a new line of multinational, missilecarrying, hydrofoil patrol craft ( PHMS) , Boeing announced. The Navy 

had ordered two of the hydrofoils to be delivered in 1975. (Boeing 

Release 061573) 

Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop (launched by NASA May 14) had become Space Object 1973-027A-one of 584 man-made earth satellites 

and 41 deep space probes constituting “the increasingly heavy and varied 

traffic in space,” the New York Times reported. The latest earth-orbital 

traffic count catalogued by the North American Air Defense Command’s 

Space Detection and Tracking System showed 341 U.S. earth satellites, 

204 Soviet, 9 French, 6 Canadian, 5 British, 4 Japanese, 4 European 

Space Research Organization ( ESRO) , 3 West German, 3 Italian, 2 North 

Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 2 Chinese, and 1 Australian. The 

oldest was Vanguard 1 (launched by NASA March 17, 1958). The heaviest traffic lay 160-965 km (100-600 mi) from the earth, where US. and 

Soviet scientific and military satellites orbited. Most remote was Pioneer 

10 (launched by NASA March 2, 1972), which was 547 million km (340 

million mi) from the earth. Nearly 2300 pieces of space “junk”-used 

rockets, heat shields, and disposable spacecraft partsfloated in earth 

orbit but no serious collision or traffic jam had occurred in space to 

date. Two Navy experimental satellites had come close enough to tip 

June 17: 

185 
June 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

antenna booms in 1965, “a possible warning of problems to come.” 

(Wilford, NYT, 6/17/73, 4:4) 

The first relay of a telecast across the US. by a domestic communications satellite was made. A cable TV program featuring House 

Speaker Carl B. Albert (D-Okla.) was transmitted from Germantown, 

Md., by American Satellite Corp. antenna via Canadian Anik 2 comsat 

to Anaheim, Calif., received by new mobile ground station, and delivered to cable TV systems. (SBO, 6/2/73, 292; Am Sat Corp PIO) 

* President Nixon welcomed Soviet Communist Party General Secretary 

Leonid Brezhnev on his first visit to the US. Brezhnev had arrived 

June 17 and was greeted 04 the White House lawn by President Nixon 

June 18 at the beginning of US. summit meetings. President Nixon recalled agreements signed during the May 22-29, 1972, Moscow summit 

meetings between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.: “What has happened since 

those agreements . . . lead me to conclude that this year at the summit 

in Washington we will not only build on the foundation that we laid 

last year, but that we have the opportunity to make even greater progress than we made last year toward the goals that we share in commonthe goals of better relations between our two governments, a better life 

for our people, . . . and above all, the goal that goes beyond our two 

countries, but to the whole world-the goal of lifting the burden of armaments from the world and building a structure of peace.” Brezhnev 

responded : “The distances between our countries are shrinking, not 

only because we travel aboard modern aircraft following a well-charted 

route, but also because we share one great goal, which is to ensure a 

lasting peace for the peoples of our countries, and to strengthen security 

on our planet.” (PD, 6/25/73, 787-8) 

* U.S.S. Wasp, World War I1 aircraft carrier and NASA prime recovery vessel, made her last voyage-to the ship breakers’ yards at Kearny, N.J. 

The 30-yr-old ship had been purchased for scrap metal by Union Mineral Alloys Corp. for $505 250. She had served as the prime recovery 

vessel for NASA Gemini-Titan manned space flights : Gemini 4 (June 3-7, 

1965), Gemini 6 (Dec. 15-16, 1965), Gemini 7 (Dec. 4-18, 1965), 

Gemini 9 (June 3-6, 1966), and Gemini 12 (Nov. 11-15, 1966). 

(Phalon, NYT, 6/19/73,39; NASA Hist Off) 

* Rockwell International Corp. Space Div. announced the award of a $30- 

million-plus subcontract to LTV Aerospace Corp. Vought Systems Div. 

to design and develop the leading-edge structural subsystem of the space 

shuttle orbiter’s thermal protection system. Final details were being negotiated. ( RI Release SP-45) 

* Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt arrived in Pakistan to discuss the U.S. space program 

with Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and present a Pakistani 

flag they had taken to the moon during their Dec. 7-19, 1972, mission. 

(UPI, W Post, 6/20/73, A18) 

* Dr. Carl E. Sagan, Cornel1 Univ. astronomer and NASA consultant, arrived 

in Paris to receive an International Galabert Prize for space research. 

Other recipients would be Soviet Academician M. Y. Marov and French 

astronomer Adouin Dollfus. ( FBIS-SOV, 6/21/73, G15) 

June 19: Soviet cosmonauts had telegraphed congratulations for new 

achievements in the conquest of space to the Skylab 2 crew orbiting the 

earth in the Skylab 1 Workshop, the Moscow Domestic Service reported. 

The astronauts, launched May 25, had surpassed the world mannedJune 18: 

186 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 19 

space-flight endurance record June 18 after repairing the Workshop. Maj. 

Gen. Vladimir N. Shatalov, director of cosmonaut training, wired on the 

cosmonauts’ behalf, wishing the astronauts a successful conclusion to 

their program and a safe return to the earth. (FBISSOV, 6/20/73, G4) 

Rep. Edward P. Boland (D-Mass.), Chairman of the House Committee on 

Appropriations Subcommittee on Housing and Urban DevelopmentSpace-Science-Veterans, introduced H.R. 8825, FY 1974 HUD-SpaceScience-Veterans appropriation bill that included a $2.989-billion NASA 

appropriation-$2.194 billion for research and development, $87.8 

million for construction of facilities, and $707 million for research and 

program management. The bill would cut NASA’s requested $2.197 

billion for R&D by $3 million and the $112 million requested for construction of facilities by $24.2 million. Research and program management funding would remain at NASA’s requested $707 million. 

The Subcommittee had reduced NASA’s requested $28 million for 

supersonic flight research to $11.7 million; strongly urged NASA to continue advanced nuclear technology development “within the total funds 

provided in this appropriation”; urged NASA to reprogram funds to 

launch ERTS-B as early as possible if the malfunction in Erts 1 Earth 

Resources Technology Satellite (launched July 23, 1972) continued to 

degrade performance ; urged continued development of the quiet, experimental, short takeoff and landing ( QUESTOL) aircraft “to insure 

American competitiveness in this largely underdeveloped area of commercial aviation” ; and allocated $2.5 million to replace NASA’s instrumented Convair 990 aircraft (lost in an April 12 mid-air collision). Reductions in construction of facilities funding would defer amounts for 

space shuttle facilities construction. (CR, 6/19/73, H4994, H Rpt 93- 

296) 

The Senate, by a vote of 90 to 5, passed H.R. 7528, $3.046-billion FY 1974 

NASA authorization bill [see May 301, after rejecting an amendment 

proposed by Sen. J. William Fulbright (D-Ark.) that would have reduced the authorization by 4% ($122 million). (CR, 6/19/73, S11476- 

503) 

* Secretary of State William P. Rogers and Soviet Foreign Minister Andrey 

A. Gromyko signed new US.-U.S.S.R. agreements on cooperation in 

transportation and ocean studies and a General Agreement on Contacts, 

Exchanges, and Cooperation in the Fields of Science, Technology, Education, and Culture, during State Dept. ceremonies attended by President 

Nixon and visiting Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Leonid I. 

Brezhnev. The General Agreement reaffirmed commitments for cooperation in environmental protection, medicine and public health, space 

exploration and the use of outer space for peaceful purposes, and science 

and technology signed during the May 22-29, 1972, US.-U.S.S.R. 

summit meetings in Moscow. (PD, 6/25/73, 791-800) 

* Deputy Chairman Vladimir A. Kirillin of the U.S.S.R. Council of Ministers 

discussed US.-U.S.S.R. cooperation in science and technology in a 

Moscow TV interview while President Nixon and Soviet Communist 

Party General Secretary Leonid I. Brezhnev met for summit talks in 

the US. The broadening of cooperation in “the solution of the energy 

problem, space research, the study of the world’s oceans, the struggle 

against disease, environmental protection . . . would mean not only a 

tremendous saving in national resources but would also go far beyond 

the confines of relations between the two states in its significance. This 

187 
June 19 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

cooperation in fact is becoming a necessary condition for the solution 

of a number of complex problems facing mankind in the last quarter 

of the 20th century.” (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 6/21/73, G3-7) 

A delegation from the National Academy of Sciences-headed by Dr. 

Philip Handler, NAS President-arrived in Moscow to develop contacts 

between NAS and the Soviet Academy of Sciences. Dr. Handler told Soviet 

newsmen on arrival, “We have no doubt that these talks will promote 

development of Soviet-American scientific and technical cooperation.” 

(Tass, FBIS-SOV, 6/20/73, G4) 

Cornell Univ. astronomer Dr. Thomas Gold replied to former astronaut 

Dr. Brian T. O’Leary’s June 5 New York Times article in a letter published by the Times: “NASA believes that it is only with the public interest in manned flight that it can continue to collect the funds needed 

to feed its organization. Is it not time to evaluate the national priorities 

and to inform NASA of the result? The space successes of the next decade 

or more will be in the fields of greatly expanded communication systems, better weather prediction and earth surveys and in the deeper 

understanding of the earth and the solar system that space science can 

bring. It is true that this looks like hard work and not much glamour, 

but it is a program the country could stand behind, even in the face of 

occasional failures.,, NASA could and would carry out such a program if 

public support was evident, “and many persons inside NASA would be 

much happier if the facade and the make-believe of the present era 

could be abandoned.” (NYT, 6/19/73, 36) 

The National Science Foundation released National Patterns of R&D 

Resources: Funds & Manpower in the United States 1953-1973 (NSF 

73-303). Total US. research and development spending was expected 

to reach $30.1 billion in 1973, 3% above the $29.2-billion 1972 level. 

R&D was expected to account for 2.4% of the gross national product 

(CNP) in 1973, down from 2.5% in 1972 and 3.0% in peak year 1964. 

The Federal Government would support 53% of US. R&D in 1973, with 

about 70% concentrated in defense and space programs. Almost 40% 

of R&D spending in the US. was for research, with 1973 basic research 

expenditures estimated at $4.5 billion and applied research at $6.8 

billion. Development spending was estimated at $18.8 billion. Colleges 

and universities would perform nearly three fifths of US. basic research, 

with industry leading in applied research and development. An estimated 525 000 R&D scientists and engineers were employed in the US. 

in 1972, 1% fewer than in 1971. Of these, nearly 70% were employed 

by industry. (Text) 

Cosmos 574 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into 

orbit with a 1014-km (630.1-mi) apogee, 985-km (612.1-mi) perigee, 

105.0-min period, and 82.9’ inclination. (GSFC SSR, 6/30/73; SBD, 

6/21/73, 289) 

* Johnson Space Center had signed a $700000 contract with United Aircraft Corp. Hamilton Standard Div. to design, build, and install a 

laboratory model of a modular, integrated utility system (MIUS), NASA 

announced. The contract was part of a NASA project for the Dept. of 

Housing and Urban Development to use space technology to conserve 

natural resources, lessen air and water pollution, and reduce energy 

consumption. MIUS was a single, combined source of electric power, 

water management, solid-waste treatment, and heating and air conditioning. Communities could be served with networks of modules arranged 

June 20: 

188 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 20 

to serve larger population concentrations. NASA and HUD would test the 

integrated concepts on a low-cost, small scale before full-scale demonstrations. Other agencies participating were the Atomic Energy Commission, 

National Bureau of Standards, and the Environmental Protection 

Agency. The contract called for completion of testbed installations at 

JSC by spring 1974. (NASA Release 73-119) 

0 Rep. Larry Winn, Jr. (R-Kan.), with cosponsors from the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, introduced H.R. 8871 to authorize 

the NASA Administrator to conduct research and development programs 

to increase knowledge of tornadoes, hurricanes, large thunderstorms, and 

other short-lived weather phenomena and to develop methods for predicting, detecting, and monitoring such atmospheric behavior. (CR, 

6/20/73, H5064) 

. A Navy F-14 jet fighter aircraft shot itself down over the Pacific with a 

Sparrow air-to-air missile launched erratically from its mount beneath 

the aircraft. The two Grumman Aerospace Corp. crewmen ejected and 

were rescued unharmed by a Navy helicopter. The F-14 had been 

flight-testing the missile’s ability to drop clear of its mount before firing, 

the Navy explained in a statement issued June 21, but the missile failed 

to clear, struck the fuselage, and exploded. It was the third loss of an 

F-14 since the swing-wing aircraft’s December 1970 maiden test flight. 

(Witkin, NYT, 6/22/73, 8) 

The House Committee on Armed Services voted in closed session to appropriate $172.7 million to continue production of F-111s at a one-a-month 

rate through 1975 [see June 61. (Kelly, W Star & News, 6/21/73) 

The Aerospace Industries Assn. released AZA Survey of Aerospace Employment, its semiannual aerospace employment survey. Aerospace employment had increased from 924000 to 944000 in 1972 despite an 

anticipated decline, largely because of accelerated aircraft deliveries. 

A reduction during 1973 to approximately 913 000 was anticipated. 

From December 1972 to December 1973, production workers were 

expected to decline by 3.476, from 473 000 to 457 000. Scientists and 

engineers were expected to decline 4.2%, to 161 000. Peak scientist and 

engineer employment of 235 000 was reached in 1967. Technicians were 

expected to remain at 1972 levels, with all other aerospace employees 

declining 3.4%. Aircraft production and research and development 

employment was expected to decline from 556 000 to 552 000 between 

December 1972 and December 1973, while employment in missiles and 

space was expected to be reduced by nearly 10%’ from 217000 to 

196 000. (AIA Release 73-15; Text) 

The American Assn. for the Advancement of Science 

celebrated its 125th anniversary with an inter-American meeting, 

“Science and Man in the Americas,’’ in Mexico City. The meeting, 

cosponsored by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Technologia of 

Mexico, explored Western Hemisphere problems : aridity, populations, 

education, earthquakes, nutrition, and the sea. ( AAAS Bulletin, 4/73, 

Cosmos 575 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into 

orbit with a 267-km (165.9-mi) apogee, 204-km (126.8-mi) perigee, 

89.1-min period, and 65.3’ inclination. The satellite reentered July 3. 

(GSFC SSR, 6/30/73; SBD, 6/22/73, 304) 

0 President Nixon and visiting Soviet Communist Party General Secretary 

Leonid I. Brezhnev signed, during Whiie House ceremonies, Basic 

June 20-July 4: 

AAAS PIO) 

June 21: 

189 
June 21 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Principles of Negotiations on the Further Limitation of Strategic 

Offensive Arms and an agreement for scientific and technical cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy. The arms limitation document 

specified agreement on continued active negotiations to work out a 

permanent agreement to be signed in 1974, new agreements to be guided 

by recognition of each side’s equal security interests, application of 

weapon limitations to quantity as well as quality, subjection of arms 

limitations to verification by national technical means, modernization 

and replacement of weapons under conditions to be formulated, formulation of agreements on separate measures to supplement the existing Interim Agreement of May 26, 1972, and to continue measures to prevent 

accidental or unauthorized use of nuclear weapons. The atomic energy 

agreement would establish a US.-U.S.S.R. Joint Committee on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy. 

At an evening Soviet Embassy dinner honoring President Nixon, 

General Secretary Brezhnev said : “The cause of developing SovietAmerican relations is, indeed, moving forward. In 2 years, Soviet and 

American astronauts will fly into outer space to carry out the first major 

joint experiment in man’s history. Now they know that from up there in 

space, our planet looks even more beautiful, though small. It is big 

enough for us to live in peace, but too small to be subjected to the 

threat of nuclear war.” Brezhnev proposed a toast to President and Mrs. 

Nixon’s health and “to the further success of the great cause which we 

have succeeded in advancing during our present meeting, to the docking, on earth as well as in outer space, of man’s efforts and talents for 

the’ good of the peoples, to peace, friendship, and cooperation. . . .” (PD, 

6/25/73. 810-21) 

e Weit Germany’s A&s Aeronomy Satellite (launched by NASA Dec. 16, 

1972) was adjudged a success by NASA. Prelauch objectives-to measure the main aeronomic parameters of the upper atmosphere and the 

solar ultraviolet radiation in the wavelength band of main absorptionhad been satisfied. Four of the five scientific instruments had performed 

satisfactorily. (NASA prog off) 

NASA and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics held a 

joint press briefing at Johnson Space Center on the commercial benefits from Skylab electronics technology. Robert H. Webster of Ampex 

Corp. said that the 28-track, high-reliability earth resources experiment 

package tape recorder developed for the Skylab missions was being 

tested for use by auto and truck manufacturers. Airlines and heavy 

equipment manufacturers were using it because of its environmental 

strength. 

Thomas H. Kenton, Westinghouse Regional Vice President for the 

Southwest, said that Westinghouse had manufactured two sensitive, 

low-light-level TV cameras for Skylab. The cameras could operate at 

light intensities 500 million times less than typical studio lighting conditions and equal to the light level of a dark moonless night. The cameras 

could be used for commercial TV camera systems. (Transcript) 

e A Washington Evening Star and News editorial commented on the Skylab 

mission as the Skylab 2 astronauts (launched May 25) prepared for 

their June 22 return to earth: “It is discouraging to some advocates 

of the space program that the present mission has been observed SO 

casually by the American people, over-shadowed as it has been in the 

headlines by Watergate, the Brezhnev summit and the price freeze. This 

190 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 21 

comparative lack of attention is one of the costs of America’s long string 

of successes in space. We tend to forget about the courage and skill 

required of the men we send into orbit and beyond, the ingenuity of 

their monitors on the ground and the billions we all have invested in 

the effort. These factors are worth reflecting upon as the country reassesses its future ambitions in space.” (W Star & News, 6/21/73, A20) 

* It was “nigh impossible” for the U.S.S.R. to cancel its Tu-144 supersonic 

transport program, Dr. Sarah S. White, consultant on Soviet science, 

said in a New Scientist article. Despite “faint rumblings on the environmental side,’’ the “disquietening financial burden,” and the prestige 

set-back of the June 3 crash of the Tu-144, the program would continue. 

“Because of its crucial military significance, the government in Moscow 

has always given top priority to its aviation industry. It is not surprising, 

then, to hear that work on the Tu-144 is progressing only marginally 

behind schedule-and that designers have already started evaluating a 

second generation SST capable of flying at speeds said to be considerably 

greater than Mach 2-3.” (New Scientist, 6/21/73, 763-4; Who’s Pho 

in Science in Europe) 

* Rep. Paul G. Rogers (D-Fla.) introduced H.J. Res. 632 to redesignate 

Cape Kennedy Cape Canaveral. (CR, 6/20/73, H515S) 

June 21-23: NASA considered but decided against plans to launch a special spacecraft to intercept and study at close range Comet Kohoutek, 

discovered in March. Kohoutek, 10 times brighter than any comet on 

record, would be visible from the earth in late 1973. 

The NASA Science Advisory Committee on Comets and Asteroids recommended a program “to maximize the scientific return from the unique 

opportunity” by using new and modified instruments and modified 

schedules on the Skylab Workshop orbited May 14; other spacecraft 

already in orbit, such as Om 3 (Copernicus, launched Aug. 21, 1972) 

and Os0 7 (launched Sept. 29, 1971) ; and sounding rockets, balloons, 

aircraft, and ground-based observations. NASA would also use a Radio 

Astronomy Explorer, an Atmospheric Explorer, and lsis 1 (launched 

Jan. 30, 1969). 

The agency had considered launching a scientific payload on a 

Thor-Delta or Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle to examine a comet from 

the outer reaches of the solar system at short range for the first time, 

but decided that time was insufficient to prepare the specialized instrumentation required. (Adv Com minutes; NASA OSS; Sullivan, NYT, 

6/16/73 ; CSM, 6/18/73 ; NASA Activities, 9/15/73, 161) 

President Nixon sent a telegram to the Skylab 2 astronauts following their successful splashdown at the end of a 28-day earth orbital 

mission [see May l&June 221 : “The successful completion of the first 

mission of Skylab is a source of intense pride for the American people. 

You have demonstrated that just as man can conquer the elements of 

earth, he can cope with the exigencies of space. You have given conclusive evidence that, even with the most advanced scientific and technological support in the world, the courage and resourcefulness of good 

men are still central to the success of the human adventure. On behalf 

of the American people, I welcome you home from the Skylab spaceship 

to spaceship earth. I also look forward to seeing you at San Clemente 

on Sunday.” (PD, 6/25/73, 828) 

NASA held two Skylab 1-2 postmission briefings at Johnson Space Center. 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, told a NASA press conferJune 22: 

191 

ct 
June 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

ence that, “as near as we can tell, essentially all of the objectives that 

were anticipated for this mission have been completed. And needless 

to say none of us really dreamed that this could be done at the time 

that the meteoroid shield failed to deploy. So it exceeded our wildest 

expectations at that time.” Skylab 1-2 could be symbolized by a hammer, and the Skylab 2 astronauts could be characterized as “the master 

tinkerers of space.” The mission’s anomalies had made no major impact 

on NASA’S budget. 

Dr. Willard R. Hawkins, JSC Deputy Director of Life Sciences for 

Medical Operations, said at a crew medical status briefing that the 

astronauts had “looked rather wobbly and unsteady when they got out of 

the spacecraft.” The crew-aware of the increased pull of gravity-had 

said they felt as if they were “very heavy . . . like about a two-G load.” 

All three men had experienced dizziness, lightheadedness, and some 

nausea. Astronaut Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin felt more of these effects than 

Charles Conrad, Jr., and Paul J. Weitz. His blood pressure had dropped 

to a critical level 25 min after splashdown and he had to inflate his 

spacesuit to force the blood back up from his legs to his brain. During 

medical tests aboard the recovery ship Ticonderoga, Conrad had performed at his premission level. Weitz had experienced a sudden drop 

in blood pressure and pulse rate while on the bicycle ergometer but 

had recovered within a five-minute rest period. Kerwin had demonstrated more of the vestibular disturbance and was unable to complete any of the tests. (Transcripts) 

President Nixon and Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Leonid I. 

Brezhnev signed a US.-U.S.S.R. Agreement on the Prevention of 

Nuclear War, at the White House. Both sides would act in such a manner as to prevent development of situations that could cause “dangerous exacerbation of their relations, as to avoid military confrontations, 

and as to exclude the outbreak of nuclear war between them and between either of the Parties and other countries.” (PD, 6/25/73, 822-3) 

* The House, by a vote of 315 to 21, approved H.R. 8825, FY 1974 Dept. 

of Housing and Urban Development-Space-Science-Veterans appropriation [see June 191. A point of order was overruled, to block an amendment by Rep. Bella S. Abzug (D-N.Y.) that would have cut $475 

million in NASA research and development funds and forbid any funding for the space shuttle. (CRY 6/22/73, H5191-5238) 

Winners of an Army competition to develop the new advanced attack 

helicopter were announced by Secretary of the Army Howard H. Callaway. Bell Helicopter Co. and Hughes Helicopters & Hughes Aircraft Co. 

would compete in a flyoff with two prototypes per contractor. The flyoff 

winner would install and test the required subsystems for night vision, 

fire control, navigation, and communications. Values of the initial development contracts were $44.7 million to Bell and $70.3 to Hughes. 

(DOD Release 316-73) 

During unmanned operations of the Orbital Workshop, 

launched May 14, the Apollo Telescope Mount observed the sun’s 

chromospheric network, prominences, coronal transients, solar limbs, 

lunar libration clouds, and solar eclipses. Active ATM operations were 

discontinued July 16 because the experiment pointing and control 

system’s primary pitch-rate gyroscope failed. 

An astrophysics particle collection experiment exposed outside the 

June 22-Jdy 28: 

192 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 22-July 28 

Workshop would be retrieved by the Skylab 3 crew, scheduled for July 

28 launch. Sample panels of thermal coatings exposed on the airlock 

module also would be returned. Neutron analysis detectors, a student 

experiment, were monitored. (NASA prog off) 

NASA held a Skylab 2 crew medical status briefing at Johnson 

Space Center. Dr. William R. Hawkins, JSC Deputy Director of Life 

Sciences for Medical Operations, said that t‘he condition of Astronauts 

Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, and Paul J. Weitz had improved over their June 22 splashdown condition. Conrad was in excellent shape, Weitz had no residual effects from the vestibular disturbances 

of the previous day, and Kerwin was “a thousand percent better” from 

the cardiovascular standpoint but still had some residual vestibular 

effects. (Transcript) 

Newspaper editorials commented on the successful conclusion of Skylab 2 

the day after splashdown. 

Baltimore Sun: “The Skylab experience, it is said, shows once again 

the value of man over computer, or rather of man-plus-computer over 

computer alone, in the exploration of space; and that may be one of 

its lessons. The larger lesson is that human curiosity and human intelligence are still operating in regions of concern beyond the day-by-day, 

and will keep on so operating.” (B Sun, 6/23/73) 

New York Daily News: “The venture proved . . . that man is needed 

in space to repair and regulate equipment when something goes wrong. 

But for the skill, coolness and courage of astronauts Conrad, Kerwin 

and Weitz, the entire Skylab project would have wound up as an expensive washout.” (NY News, 6/23/73) 

* Secretary of Transportation Claude S. Brinegar and Soviet Minister of 

Civil Aviation Boris P. Bugayev signed a protocol in Washington, D.C., 

to expand air service between the US. and the U.S.S.R. Pan American 

World Airways, Inc., and the Soviet airline Aeroflot would have ac-- 

celerated operating rights from and to New York, Washington, D.C., 

Moscow, and Leningrad, with optional intermediate points in Europe. 

(PD, 7/2/73, 831-2) 

The National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council’s Committee on Atmospheric Sciences published Weather and Climate Modifiwtwn: Problems and Progress. The report called for a civilian program 

to promote understanding of the techniques and effects of man-induced 

changes in weather and climate, to bring to fruition technology to mitigate severe weather hazards to man and agriculture, and to stimulate 

earnest consideration of public-policy issues inherent in weather modification. A 1980 target date was set for development of determinative 

information on trends of climate changes inadvertently induced by man. 

(NAS-NRC-NAE News Report, 8-9/73, 65) 

Skylab 2 Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., Paul J. Weitz, and 

Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin were greeted by President Nixon and Soviet 

Communist Party General Secretary Leonid I. Brezhnev at the San 

Clemente, Calif., White House. The astronauts were en route to Ellington Air Force Base, Tex., after their successful June 22 splashdown off 

San Diego. (PD, 7/2/73, 876) 

* Newspaper editorials commented on the success of the May l4June 22 

Skylab 1-2 mission. 

New York Times: “This first group of astronauts did much more . . . than demonstrate man’s biological capability to live and work in space 

June 23: 

June 24: 

193 
June 24 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

for four weeks. They proved that men in space can do what machines 

cannot do, they can repair their vehicle.” It was conceivable that “when 

a11 the Skylab data are available, the field of solar astronomy may be 

advanced as radically as lunar astronomy has been in recent years.” At 

Skylab’s completion “a strong economic and scientific case will doubtless have been made for creating one or more permanent manned stations 

in space. Any such orbiting laboratories should surely be United Nations 

ventures in international cooperation, not new instruments for senseless 

and expensive national rivalries.” (NYT, 6/24/73) 

The Philadelphia Inquirer: It had been shown that “enterprising 

spacemen can do more than routine work for long periods of time. 

They can deal with the unexpected, correct serious malfunctions and 

adjust routine to changed circumstances. In space, as on earth, things 

do not always go well. There, as here, adversity is the true test of men. 

The Skylab pioneers have met that test with distinction.” (P Znq, 

6/24/73 ) 

* The U.S.S.R. announced the start of operations at the world’s first nuclear 

station within the Arctic Circle. The plant, in the Kola Peninsula, 

had been designed to bolster the electrical supply of a rich mining 

region. (NYT, 6/25/73) 

June 24-25: The status of the joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz Test 

Project for a July 1975 launch was described in a joint communique 

dated June 24 and released June 25 from San Clemente, Calif., at the 

close of summit meetings between President Nixon and Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Leonid I. Brezhnev: “Preparations for 

the joint space flight . . . are proceeding according to an agreed timetable. The joint flight of these spaceships for a rendezvous and docking 

mission and mutual visits of American and Soviet astronauts in each 

other’s spacecraft are scheduled for July 1975.” (PD, 7/2/73, 840-48) 

Salvage of the Skylab 1-2 mission [see May 14-June 221 had 

illustrated the need for both men and automated space activities in 

the same vehicle, NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight 

Dale D. Myers said in a speech before the National Space Club in 

Washington, D.C. “To argue that we don’t need man in space is like 

saying we don’t need a fork at the table because we have a knife.” 

He praised aerospace industry cooperation in salvaging Skylab : “It 

has not been very well publicized, but many of the components on the 

sun shield that saved Skylab were fabricated by contractors at their 

own plants. The response from everyone was tremendous.” 

Skylab 1-2 had shown that the astronauts went through a rapid learning curve in adjusting to zero g and that “often times one man is fully 

capable of accomplishing tasks that we had originally planned for two.” 

NASA also had learned “that for a man to perform efficiently in zero 

gravity he must have adequate, well-designed body restraints, and that 

this was one area that we probably underdesigned in the Skylab system.” The space shuttle would merge the capabilities of manned and 

automated space activities in one vehicle “where now they usually 

complement one another in separate vehicles.” The issue of manned 

versus unmanned space flight had been dubious from the start. “What 

is really the question is whether we want to develop the full potentials 

of space flight or only a part of them. Because if you eliminate man 

from the loop, you significantly reduce our options to explore and use 

space.” (NSC Notice, 6/6/73; NASA Activities, 7/15/73, 1146) 

June 25: 

- 

194 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 25 

The dizziness and nausea of Skylab 2 Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., 

Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, and Paul J. Weitz on their return to the earth 

June 22 were probably due to problems of the inner ear, the Wdl Street 

Journal quoted Dr. Willard R. Hawkins, Johnson Space Center Deputy 

Director of Life Sciences for Medical Operations, as saying. The symptoms had occurred particularly when the men moved their heads from 

side to side. Dr. Hawkins had theorized that the fluid in the semicircular 

canal, whose movement transmitted impulses via tiny hairs in the ear 

to the brain, was out of action because of the long period of weightlessness. When the astronauts had come under the sudden influence of 

gravity, the inner-ear mechanism became unusually sensitive to almost 

any head movement. Ordinary movements could produce the symptoms 

of motion sickness. The inner-ear balancing mechanism could adapt to 

gravity quickly. Dr. Kerwin, the most affected, had returned to normal 

after 12 hrs. (Bishop, WSJ, 6/25/73) 

0 Dr. George M. Low, NASA Deputy Administrator, accepted for NASA a 

Silver Plaque presented by the British Interplanetary Society at the 

opening of the 13th European Space Symposium in London. The 

plaque was awarded in recognition of the Apollo program’s “triumphant 

achievements” and to acknowledge “the dedicated service of many 

thousands of scientists and engineers which culminated in this great 

result.” (SF, 10/73, 396) 

Apollo 17 Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt had arrived in Indonesia to present a moon rock to 

Indonesian President T. N. J. Suharto and lecture at the Indonesian 

Institute for Outer Space, the Associated Press reported. They were 

on an 11-country tour of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Pacific. 

(Birmingham News, 6/25/73) 

0 New York Federal Court Judge Edward Wienfeld dismissed the t2-million 

libel suit brought by Dr. W. Ross Adey, Univ. of California at Los 

Angeles brain research specialist, against New York-based animal welfare organization United Action for Animals [see Jan. 221. The 

organization’s bulletin had criticized Dr. Adey’s treatment of Bonny, 

the instrumented monkey used to measure life functions under weightlessness during the NASA-Air Force Biosatellite 3 experiment (launched 

June 28, 1969). Judge Wienfeld said that, as a public official, Dr. Adey 

“must accept harsh criticism, ofttimes unfair and unjustified.” ( UPI, 

W Post, 6/27/73, A10) 

Johnson Space Center’s selection of a United Aircraft Corp. 

Pratt & Whitney Div. TF33-P-7 engine for use on the space shuttle 

orbiter in atmospheric flight was announced by NASA. The engine was 

similar to those used on the Air Force C-141 Starlifter transport aircraft. The USAF would secure 25 engines for NASA use during horizontal 

flight-testing of the orbiter and for ferry flight when the shuttle was 

operational. (NASA Release 73-121) 

0 The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on 

Manned Space Flight held a hearing on the General Accounting Office’s 

June 1 report on space shuttle program costs. NASA’s Deputy Associate 

Administrator Willis H. Shapley testified : “NASA believes that the results 

of our cost benefit analyses are important and valid elements supporting 

the decision to develop the Space Shuttle, even though the principal 

justification for the Space Shuttle is in the new capabilities it will provide. In our view, the GAO review, which we welcome as an independent 

June 26: 

195 
June 26 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

review and check of what we have attempted to do, has not found or 

demonstrated any substantial reasons for questioning the correctness of 

the decision which has been made to proceed with the development of the 

Space Shuttle.” 

The Subcommittee concluded, following their testimony by NASA and 

GAD representatives: “a. The five noneconomic issues cited by GAO‘~~ 

major considerations in the decision to develop a space shuttle are valid 

and proper elements in the original decision to proceed and in the 

future evaluation of the progress and pace of space shuttle development. 

b. Cost, performance and schedule goals and estimates are both a valid 

and essential element in the decision making process of the Congress 

and the GAO studies in these areas . . . must have suflicient depth to 

encompass all major cost considerations. c. The fragmentary arguments 

with respect to costs advanced by GAO reports are so incomplete as to fail 

to validate the CAO conclusions drawn from them. d. That GAO should 

continue review of the space shuttle program development in conjunction with the legislative and oversight activities of the responsible committees of Congress with emphasis on evaluation of cost, performance 

and schedule as the space shuttle development program progresses.” 

(Transcript) 

Maj. Gen. Vladimir A. Shatalov, U.S.S.R. director of cosmonaut training, 

denied Western press reports of recent Soviet space failures and said 

there would be manned Soviet launches before the 1975 US-U.S.S.R. 

Apollo-Soyuz mission, during a Moscow interview with US. correspondents. Of Soyuz 2 (launched April 3 and reported to have disintegrated 

in space) he said, “This craft this time was not intended for manned 

flight. The experiment was successfully completed and we are satisfied 

with the results.” Salyut 2 had had a “much more narrow purpose” 

than Salyut 1 (launched April 19, 1971, as a space station). Salyut 2 

was “intended to finalize some design peculiarities. As soon as it fulfilled its task, it finished its existence.’’ Several manned space flights 

were planned as part of the Soviet space program and to test design 

changes in the Soyuz spacecraft for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project 

(ASTP) . The U.S.S.R. was considering admitting Western journalists to 

their space facilities for the first time and the establishment of a press 

center at Baykonur Cosmodrome, but newsmen would not be permitted 

beyond 7 km (4.3 mi) of the launch site. (UPI, Id Herald Tribune, 

6/27/73 ; B Sun, 6/27/73, A2) 

Flight Research Center announced the award of a cost-reimbursable 

$1 600 000 contract to the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology to provide software for an improved 

control system for NASA’s digital fly-by-wire experimental aircraft. The 

system would advance digital fly-by-wire technology by replacing the 

single-channel digital system undergoing flight tests with a dual system 

that used hardware developed originally for the Apollo program. 

(FRC Release 15-73) 

9 The Univ. of California at Davis successfully completed a 15-wk, NASAsponsored study to determine how astronauts on extended space missions 

would cope with isolation [see May 181. Six male students, in groups 

of three, lived in 3- by 5-m (11- by 17-ft) rooms with bathrooms and 

closets. Interior lighting was controlled to interchange day-night cycles 

and provide long periods of uninterrupted light barely bright enough 

to read by. Each room was monitored by closed-circuit TV. The students, 

196 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 26 

selected from 100 volunteers, were paid $1600 each to participate. Dr. 

Don A. Rockwell, codirector of the study, said it had proved that, 

while space explorers should be able to live without sex for extended 

periods, they needed someone outside their spacecraft to whom “they 

could blow their tops” from time to time. (AP, W Post, 6/27/73) 

0 A Los Angeles Times editorial commented on the success of the May 14- 

June 22 Skylab 1-2 mission: “By overcoming the initial difficulties 

which plagued the mission, and going on to complete most of the experiments assigned to them, the men of the first Skylab mission have 

made an impressive contribution toward the goal of putting space technology to work here on earth.” (LA Times, 6/26/73) 

The Air Force announced award of a $1 700 000 definitive contract to 

United Aircraft Corp. Pratt & Whitney Div. for fabrication of an advanced gas dynamic laser for the airborne laser laboratory of the Air 

Force Special Weapons Center at Kirkland Air Force Base, N. Mex. 

( DOD Release 320-73) 

Cosmos 576 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into 

orbit with a 331-km (205.7-mi) apogee, 203-km (126.1-mi) perigee, 

89.8-min period, and 72.9” inclination, The satellite reentered July 9. 

(GSFC SSR, 6/30/73; 7/31/73; SBD, 6/29/73, 333) 

The U.K. Trades Union Congress announced that it was asking its 9.5 

million members to boycott French products for a week in protest against 

French nuclear testing in the South Pacific. (W Post, 6/28/73, B19) 

Pioneer 11, launched by NASA April 5 toward a December 

1974 rendezvous with the planet Jupiter, became the second spacecraft 

to cross the orbit of Mars. By June 28 the probe was 76 781 000 km 

(47 711 000 mi) from the earth, traveling at 108 000 km (67 110 mi) 

per hr. The earth had passed between the spacecraft and the sun, permitting scientists to look for the earth‘s magnetic tail, the extension of 

the magnetic field blown away from the earth by the solar wind. Data 

had suggested a malfunction in the spacecraft radio transmitter but 

were insufficient to identify the problem. The backup traveling-wave 

tube was being used. 

Flight controllers had fired the thrusters on Pioneer 10-twin probe 

launched March 2, 1972, toward December 1973 meeting with Jupiteron June 21 to trim its course slightly and ensure passage behind Jupiter’s ’ 

moon Io. Pioneer 10, traveling at 43 470 km (27 000 mi) per hr, was 

533 540 000 km (331 542 000 mi) from the earth. It had crossed the 

orbit of Mars in 1972 and finished crossing the Asteroid Belt in 

February. (NASA Release 72-122) 

NASA held three Skylab 1-2 postflight reviews at Johnson Space 

Center. 

At a summary review of the May l4June 22 mission, Skylab Program Office Manager Kenneth S. Kleinknecht said that Skylub 1-2 had 

accomplished the intent of its 48 experiment& earth resources, 15 

medical, 5 astronomical, 17 scientific and technological, and 5 studentproposed. Space station operation experience had been gained and 

there were no constraints on continuing the Skylab program as originally 

planned. More data had been handled in real time than ever before and 

gave “no reason to believe that all of the things that we had previously 

said we accomplished in flight are not going to give us creditable scientific data for analysis by scientists.” 

June 27: 

June 27-28: 

June 28: 

197 
June 28 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Dr. Verl R. Wilmarth, earth resources experiment package project 

scientist, said during an EREP review that the EREP experiments had 

gathered good data for 145 principal investigators on 13 km (8 mi) of 

magnetic tape. Data were collected over six foreign countries-Mexico, 

Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. There were 186 

individual task sites covered, including the Puerto Rican trench, the Gulf 

of Mexico, the Wabash River area, and the Amazon River basin. 

During a review of the Skylab 2 crew health, Dr. Willard R. Hawkins, 

Deputy Director of Life Sciences for Medical Operations, said medical 

experiments on the Workshop had yielded very interesting results. All 

three crew members had stayed within their preflight baseline levels 

on the bicycle ergometer study. In the motion-sensitivity study-with 

two crew members participating-the preflight threshold level (the 

point at which motion sickness symptoms would begin) of science 

pilot Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin was 12yz rpm in the rotating chair, at 

which speed he could perform 50 head movements. Pilot Paul J. Weitz 

'had a preflight threshold of 15 rpm and 40 to 50 head movements. Both 

men could do 150 head movements in flight at preflight speeds without 

symptoms. During tests immediately following splashdown both men 

had experienced vestibular disturbances with even the slightest head 

movement. The symptoms had disappeared within two days and both 

crewmen had performed at preflight speeds on the third day following 

recovery, completing 150 head movements without symptoms. (Transcripts) 

* The House-Senate Conference Committee reported out its compromise 

Conference Report on H.R. 7528, recommending a $3.065-billion FY 

1974 NASA authorization. The Senate agreed to the report, clearing it 

for House action. 

The bill provided $2.246 billion for research and development, up 

$14.5 million from the June 19 Senate-approved authorization but $9 

million less than the May 23 House-approved bill. It provided $112 

million for construction of facilities, the same as the House authorization but $2 million more than the Senate's, and $707 million for research and program management, unchanged from the House and 

Senate versions. 

The R&D allocation included $555.5 million for space flight operations, $475 million for the space shuttle, $1.5 million for advanced missions, $63.6 million for physics and astronomy, $311 million for lunar 

and planetary exploration, $177.4 million for launch vehicle procurement, $161 million for space applications, $180 million for aeronautical 

research and technology (including $14 million for the JT3D refan 

retrofit research program) , $72 million for space and nuclear research 

and technology, $244 million for tracking and data acquisition, and 

$4.5 million for technology utilization. 

Construction of facilities funds included $67.2 million for space 

shuttle facilities at various locations. (CR, 6/28/73, D773 ; Rpt 93-272) 

* The Senate Committee on Appropriations reported H.R. 8825, FY 1974 

Dept. of Housing and Urban Development-Space-Science-Veterans appropriation bill that included a $3.002-billion NASA appropriation, $13 

million above the $2.989-billion version passed by the House June 22. 

The bill increased the appropriation for construction of facilities from 

$89 million to $101 million, including $56.3 million for space shuttle 

facilities at various locations. (CR, 6/28/73, D771; S Rpt 93-272) 

198 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 28 

* NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency signed an agreement to 

participate in a three-year Automotive Gas Turbine Technology Program to develop and demonstrate a car powered by a gas turbine engine 

that met or bettered the 1976 Federal emission standards, was economical to run, and performed well. The agreement was signed by Roy 

P. Jackson, NASA Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and Space 

Technology, and Robert L. Sansom, EPA’S Assistant Administrator for 

Air and Water Programs. Lewis Research Center would manage the 

program for NASA. (NASA Release 73-123; NASA NMI 1052.179) 

0 The House unanimously passed H. Con. Res. 223, requesting the President 

to proclaim the week of July 16-22, 1973, as United States Space Week. 

(CR, 6/28/73, H5574) 

* A helmet designed by Ames Research Center and Aerotherm Corp. to keep 

the heads of helicopter pilots cool had been tested successfully by 

stock car racing driver Richard Petty, NASA announced. The helmet, 

lined with polyurethane through which water circulated, kept the pilot’s 

head cool, lowering heat stress on his entire body. (NASA Release 

A Japan Times editorial praised the successful completion of the May 14- 

June 22 Skylab 1-2 mission: “The accomplishments of the first Skylab 

mission were many and significant not only for the future of space 

travel but in increasing man’s knowledge of the sun and his own earth. 

We look forward to the even longer missions of Skylab and to the 

knowledge which will be obtained for the benefit of all of us on earth.” 

(Japan Times, 6/28/73) 

The importance of exercise in space was stressed by Skylab 2 

Astronaut Charles Conrad, Jr., at a Johnson Space Center Skylab crew 

press conference: “I do think that the bicycle ergometer . . . contributed 

to our well being.” Subsequent Skylab crews “probably should exercise 

longer periods of time, and . . . add to the exercise some muscular exercises rather than strictly cardiovascular.” 

Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin said that “it was a continuous and pleasant 

surprise” to find out “how easy it was to live in zero-g, and how good 

you felt. It’s easy to move, it’s easy to work.” He said that future 

missions could go on open-ended as long as the individual crew member 

could “pool a reasonable amount of blood in his legs . . . and provided 

his response to exercise, his appetite, his body weight, general feeling 

of well being, and ability to do work” continued without significant 

change. 

Paul J. Weitz said that the easy adjustment in space was due partially 

to the “extremely high fidelity equipment” on which they trained. 

“There were many times that you could look around and you really 

didn’t know . . . if you were in the trainer or you were in the vehicle.” 

There was no difference in the extravehicular activity, it could just as 

well have been in the water tank because of the good training gear. 

(Transcript) 

Explorer 48.Small Astronomy Satellite, launched for NASA by an Italian 

crew from the San Marco Facility Nov. 16, 1972, was adjudged a success. It had satisfied its primary objective of measuring the spatial and 

energy distribution of primary galactic and extragalactic gamma radiation for six months. Explorer 48 had observed a weak but finite component of high-energy gamma ray photons at galactic latitudes greater 

73-120) 

June 29: 

199 
June 29 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

than 20” and a positive flux of gamma rays from the Crab Nebula, 

established as a source of 60 to 200 mev radiation. 

Spacecraft-control-section performance had excelled except for a degraded star sensor. An anomaly in the experiment readout system in 

late May had caused some degradation in the scientific data and a June 

failure in the experiment low-voltage power-supply circuitry had halted 

experiment data transmission. The first anomaly had corrected itself; 

attempts were being made to correct the second. (NASA prog off) 

President Nixon issued Executive Order 11726 from San Clemente, Calif., 

establishing a Federal Office of Energy Policy. He announced the appointment of Colorado Gov. John A. Love as its Director and released 

a statement outlining a $10-billion, five-year program for energy research and development. The President established a goal for the next 

12 mos for energy consumption reduction of 5% nationwide, and 7% 

within the Federal Government. (PD, 6/7/73, 867-75) 

A seven-minute, four-second, total solar eclipse, one of three 

seven-minute-plus total solar eclipses in the 20th century, began at 

sunrise in Brazil and crossed Guyana, Surinam, the Atlantic Ocean, the 

Cape Verde Islands, Mauretania, Mali, Algeria, Niger, Chad, the 

Central African Republic, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and the Somali Republic. It ended at sunset in the Indian Ocean between India and 

Madagascar. A partial eclipse was visible for 3200 km (2000 mi) on 

both sides of the totality track. Previous total solar eclipses had been 

June 8, 1937, for seven minutes four seconds, and June 20, 1955, for 

seven minutes eight seconds. The next solar eclipse in the current 

saros,” or 18-yr period, would be July 11, 1991, for 6 minutes 54 

seconds, but the June 30 eclipse’s duration would not be exceeded for 

177 years, British astronomer Peter MacDonald said later in a New 

Scientist article. 

The African eclipse was witnessed by an estimated 5000 amateur 

astronomers and tourists and by 2500 international scientists on land, 

on sea, and aboard research aircraft. Concorde 001, the specially instrumented Anglo-French supersonic transport aircraft, carried seven 

US., U.K., and French scientists across North Africa in lunar shadow 

at altitudes to 17000 m (56000 ft) during a two-hour six-minute 

flight. They observed total eclipse conditions for 74 min. 

The Skylab 1 Workshop, unmanned since Skylab 2’s June 22 splashdown, saw only about 10% of the eclipse because its orbital position and 

telescope mechanisms were not suited for maximum effectiveness. Its 

cameras operated from 7 am EDT until midnight, and eclipse films taken 

would be retrieved by Skylab 3 astronauts scheduled for July 27 

launch. Other scientific observations of the eclipse by at least 28 nations included an instrumented US. Air Force aircraft and rockets 

fired from the Soviet research ship Professor Vize near the Cape Verde 

Islands [see May 291. Univ. of Texas observations by telescopes in the 

Sahara desert tested Einstein’s theory of relativity by measuring the 

bend of the sun’s gravity. (Sullivan, NYT, 5/15/73, 6; 6/30/73, 32; 

7/1/73, 1; New Scientist, 7/12/73, 90-91; SI;, 8/15/73, 321) 

* The Senate, by a vote of 73 to 1, passed H.R. 8825, the FY 1974 Dept. of 

Housing and Urban Development-Space-Science-Veterans appropriation 

bill that included a gb3.002-billion NASA appropriation [see June 281. 

(CR, 51261147) 

June 30: 

66 

200 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 June 30 

NASA launched three sounding rockets in a series from Wallops Station 

carrying Goddard Space Flight Center payloads to determine the ion 

composition and electron density of the ionospheric D-region. 

A Nike-Cajun was launched to an 86.2-km (53.6-mi) altitude. The 

rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

An Astrobee D was launched 18 min later to a 92.5-km (57.5-mi) 

altitude. The rocket performance was less than planned. The instrumentation was satisfactory except for the Gerdien trap, which ceased providing data at 22 sec. 

A Nike-Apache was launched three minutes after the Astrobee D to a 

77.4-km (48.1-mi) altitude. The rocket performed satisfactorily but no 

useful scientific data were received from the ion mass spectrometer and 

the scientific objectives of this flight were not achieved. (NASA Rpts SRL) 

Aircraft operations at the 364 Federal Aviation Administration control 

towers increased 1% in FY 1973, from 53620706 in FY 1972 to 

53 992 674. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport again recorded 

the largest number of takeoffs and landings-682 984. Santa Ana, 

Calif., followed with 608 361. The most air carrier operations were at 

O’Hare, Atlanta International, Los Angeles International, New York‘s 

Kennedy International, and San Francisco International. Busiest air 

route traffic control centers were Cleveland with 1 664 634 aircraft 

handled, Chicago with 1603 157, and New York with 1 564 570. (FAA 

Release 73-218) 

Lockheed Aircraft Corp. retained its ranking as the Nation’s largest defense 

contractor during FY 1973. A Dept. of Defense annual list of 100 top 

contractors showed Lockheed with $1.66 billion in DOD procurement 

awards, 5.3% of all prime contracts over $10 000. General Electric was 

second with $1.42 billion and Boeing Co. was third with $1.23 billion. 

McDonnell Douglas Corp. was fourth with $1.14 billion and Grumman 

Corp. fifth with $909 minion. (DOD Release, 11/2/73) 

Kenyan Director of National Parks Perez Olindo asked the East African 

Directorate of Civil Aviation to ban supersonic transport aircraft from 

flying over East Africa because of “untold hazards” to human health and 

to wildlife. (Agence France Presse, W Post, 6/30/73, A5) 

NASA retirements during the month totaled 778 agency-wide, 

under the law signed by President Nixon June 12 to permit early retirements and a 6.1% cost-of-living bonus for employees retiring by June 

30. Of 76 in NASA Hq.-including reduction-in-force and voluntary retirements-59 were in grades (3-13 and above. 

Retirees at Marshall Space Flight Center peaked at 172, an all-time 

monthly high. An additional 18 employees applied for disability retirement. Previous monthly high for MSFC retirements was 106 in June 

1972. June 1973 MSFC retirements, added to 24 retired Jan. 1-May 30, 

brought the 1973 total to 170. 

Retirements at other Centers during June numbered 142 for Lewis 

Research Center, 120 for Langley Research Center, 76 for Goddard 

Research Center, 56 for Kennedy Space Center, 53 for Johnson Space 

Center, 50 for Ames Research Center, 15 each at Flight Research Center 

and Wallops Station, and 3 at Space Nuclear Systems Office. 

Hq. retirees included Jacob E. Smart, Assistant Administrator for 

DOD and Interagency Affairs; Dr. Fred Schulman, Special Assistant to 

the Manager and Asst. Manager, Space Nuclear Systems Office; Leonard 

Carulli, Management Analyst, Office of Management and Development; 

During June: 

20 1 
During June ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Jocelyn R. Gill, Space Scientist for Physics and Astronomy Programs; 

Ernest W. Brackett, Special Assistant to the Associate Administrator for 

Industry Affairs; Ralph E. Ulmer, Program Analyst, Advanced Concepts and Mission Div.; Raymond Einhorn, Special Assistant to the 

essociate Administrator for Organization and Management ; Dr. Harvey 

Hall, Principal Scientist, Advanced Missions ; and Charles M. Hochberg, 

Director, Budget Operations, Budget Operations Div. (NASA Personnel 

Off; NASA Admin. Off; NASA Ann, 6/13/73; MSFC Release 73-89; 

Causey, W Post, 6/15/73, D17) 

* The National Academy of Sciences released International Magnetospheric 

Study: Guidelines for United States Participation. A study panel of the 

Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Resea.rch and the Space Science Board 

of the National Research Council had identified unanswered questions on 

the magnetosphere and appraised opportunities for US. participation in 

the IMS, scheduled for 1976-1978. The report, initiated at NASA and NSF 

request, recommended that the US. endorse the IMS “and participate 

with a coordinated research program of ground-based, balloon, rocket, 

and satellite observations that includes the NASA/ESRO [European Space 

Research Organization] Mother-Daughter-Heliocentric missions (International Magnetospheric Explorers) .” To facilitate the U.S. program, the 

report recommended establishing a program office within NSF with a 

representative designated in each participating governmental agency to 

coordinate IMs-related projects. (Text) 

Successful flights of Air Force Airborne Warning and Control System 

(AWACS) testbed aircraft had demonstrated AWAC’S potential to increase 

effectiveness of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization command and 

control system, the Air Force System Command’s Newsreview reported. 

The Central European and Mediterranean flights also had ensured 

AWAC’S suitability for the European environment. (AFSC Newsreview, 

6/73,1) 

202 
July 19’73 

July 1: The National Aeronautics and Space Council and the Executive 

Office of Science and Technology were abolished under terms of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1973 [see Jan. 261. The plan went into effect 

after Congress had taken no veto action before the prescribed date. 

OST functions were transferred to the National Science Foundation and 

its Director, Dr. H. Guyford Stever [see July 101. (White House PIO; 

White House Ann, 7/10/73) 

Dr. Thomas 0. Paine, NASA’s third Administrator, became a senior vice 

president and member of the corporate executive staff of General Electric 

Co. He had resigned from NASA Sept. 15, 1970, to join GE as Vice 

President and Group Executive, Power Generation Group. (Av Wk, 

7/2/73; GE PIO) 

NASA Public Information Director Richard T. Mittauer died of Hodgkin’s 

disease in Alexandria, Va., at age 46. He had joined NASA in 1959 and 

had received a NASA Exceptional Service Medal for his work on the 

1971 Mariner Mars mission. (W Star & News, 7/2/73, B5) 

The Skylab 3 mission to carry the second crew to work and live 

aboard the Skylab 1 Workshop (launched May 14) would be launched 

no earlier than 7:08 am EDT July 28, NASA announced. Skylab 3 Astronauts Alan L. Bean (commander), Dr. Owen K. Garriott (science 

pilot), and Jack R. Lousma (pilot) would conduct scientific and technical experiments for 56 days. Splashdown was scheduled for 8:38 pm 

EDT Sept. 22 in the Pacific. (NASA Release 73-125) 

* Dr. James R. Schlesinger, former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, 

was sworn in by President Nixon as Secretary of Defense. (PD, 

7/9/73, 885) 

Plans for a space-shuttle-like “astroplane” or “transport ship,” a project 

of the U.S.S.R. and several other countries, were discussed during a 

Moscow radio broadcast to Germany. The spacecraft would take off 

vertically and consist of two winged stages. The 1st stage would separate 

from the 2nd at a 120-km (75-mi) altitude and start to descend on a 

ballistic course. At 30 to 40 km (19 to 25 mi) from the earth the 

engine and steering mechanism would switch on to control an aircraftlike descent to an airfield. The 2nd stage would accelerate after 

separation and move into orbit at 200 km (124 mi) to dock with an 

orbital station, unload, and reload. After separation from the station, the 

2nd stage would leave orbit and also return to the earth. (FBIS-SOV, 

7/11/73, L1) 

NASA announced the appointment of Dr. Alois W. Schardt as Director of 

Physics and Astronomy Programs in the Office of Space Science. 

Schardt, who had been Deputy Director since 1970, succeeded Jesse L. 

Mitchell, who was retiring after 26 yrs with NASA and the predecessor 

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) . (NASA Release 

July 2: 

72-124) 

203 
July 2 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

NASA launched an Aerobee 170 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying a Columbia Univ. x-ray astronomy experiment to a 

175.9-km ( 109.3-mi) altitude. The rocket performed satisfactorily but 

the telemetry data were severely compromised by radio frequency interference. (GSFC proj off) 

The Air Force was redesigning an F-15 jet fighter engine part for the 

third time, possibly creating a cost-delay in the $7.5-billion program, 

the Washington Evening Star and News reported. The Chief F-15 

Project Engineer, L/C Frederick A. Rall, had said in an interview that 

the aircraft could perform satisfactorily at speeds and altitudes required 

for air-to-air combat and that the engine part redesign was to improve 

performance even further. Other sources had said the redesign had to 

succeed before the aircraft could perform as a fighter. (Kelly, W Star 

& News, 7/2/73) 

A Federal District Court jury in Fort Worth, Tex., found General Dynamics Corp. innocent of Government charges that it had conspired to 

“cheat” the Air Force out of $114000. The charges had led to a May 

30, 1972, indictment. The Government had said General Dynamics had 

destroyed $114 000 worth of flawed F-111 aircraft components produced by the Selb Manufacturing Co. and then filed a claim with the 

Air Force for repayment. The jury accepted General Dynamics’ claim 

that it would not have tried to cheat the Air Force out of $114000, 

since it had been working under a $4.5-billion contract to produce the 

aircraft. (AP, W Post, 7/3/73, Al) 

European scientists participated in a National Academy of Sciences Summer Study on the use of the space shuttle and Spacelab, at 

Woods Hole, Mass. (NASA Release 73-191) 

NASA announced it had negotiated cost-sharing, no-fee contracts 

for the ground-and-flight-test phase of its program to reduce jet engine 

noise of DC-9 and Boeing 727 aircraft in US. commercial service. 

United Aircraft Corp. Pratt & Whitney Div., McDonnell Douglas Corp. 

Douglas Aircraft Co., and Boeing Go. had completed design studies 

showing the engines could be quieted using existing technology without 

degrading engine or aircraft performance. In Phase 2 of the program, 

they would develop and test a modified JT8D engine with a larger 

single-stage fan to reduce exhaust velocity, incorporating acoustic 

treatment to muffle fan noise in new nacelles for the refan engines, and 

adding two booster stages to the low-pressure compressor to maintain 

proper airflow to the engine core. 

Pratt & Whitney would receive $14.6 million to modify six engines, 

make analyses and design studies of the JT8D engine and components, 

fabricate engine-modification hardware, and support tests by the airframe manufacturers. Boeing Co., under a contract to be signed later, 

would study design of the sound-absorbing nacelle, identify modifications 

to the 727 aircraft to accommodate the nacelle, ground-test refanned 727 

aircraft, and evaluate nacelle configurations with varying acoustic treatments. Douglas Aircraft would receive $6.9 million tu develop experimental installation of the refanned JT8D engine on DC-9 aircraft and 

to flight-test the refanned DC-9. The contracts were for two years. First 

flight tests of refanned engines on DC-9s were scheduled for early 1975. 

(NASA Release 73-126) 

President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of Under Secretary and Acting Secretary of the Air Force John L. McLucas to be 

July 2-14: 

July 3: 

204 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 3 

Secretary of the Air Force succeeding Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., who 

had resigned in May to become President of the National Academy of 

Engineering. McLucas had been Deputy Director of Defense Research 

and Engineering 1962-1964 and Executive Secretary General for 

Scientific Affairs of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 

Paris 1964-1966, 

The President also submitted to the Senate the nomination of Gen. 

George S. Brown to be Chief of Staff, US. Air Force, for four years 

beginning Aug. 1. Gen. Brown-to succeed Gen. John D. Ryan, who 

would retire July 31-had been Commander of the Air Force Systems 

Command since September 1970. 

Both nominations were confirmed July 14. (PD, 7/9/73,884; 7/16/73, 

903; CR, 7/14/73, D831) 

* Dr. Philip Handler, President of the National Academy of Sciences, told 

newsmen in Moscow that he had informed President Mstislav V. Keldysh 

of the Soviet Academy of Sciences that there would be a time when the 

US. would need “more definitive information” about the Soviet space 

program. Dr. Handler had referred to the 1975 joint US-U.S.S.R. 

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. Concluding a two-week tour of Soviet scientific establishments as head of an NAS delegation, Dr. Handler said US. 

science was “a cut ahead” of Soviet science but the distance between 

the countries was “not very great.” (Reuters, W Post, 7/4/73, A24) 

* Twelve sensors mounted on an Air Force NC-135 aircraft flying 11 km 

(7 mi) above the Sahara desert had found no evidence of the shadow 

bands which had swept over the landscape just before the June 30 total 

solar eclipse, the New York Times reported. A Canadian aircraft flying 

in the troposphere, the lowest region of the atmosphere, had seen the 

bands-one of the most unusual manifestations of the eclipse-clearly 

and had photographed them on the aircraft’s wing. Astronomers had 

theorized that. the bands resulted from refraction of the narrow slit of 

sunlight that shone through atmospheric layers when the sun was almost totally eclipsed. Another theory was that the sunlight had been defracted by the edge of the moon. (Sullivan, NYT, 7/3/73, 7) 

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the French government sponsored a conference, 

“The Sun in the Service of Mankind,” in Paris. More than 600 international scientists discussed solar power as an answer to man’s energy 

needs. A working group of 13 scientists from developed and developing 

countries suggested that “a massive internationally funded and directed 

research and development programme for the attainment of specific 

objectives, should receive wide discussion among scientists in [UNESCO] 

member states.” The group asked whether the development and exploitation of satellites to collect solar energy above the atmosphere should be 

left to one country “or should there be a cooperative worldwide attack 

on the problem with a provision for beaming the collected energy to 

receiving stations in many places in the world?” 

US. energy experts reiterated recommendations made by NASA and 

the National Science Foundation in their December 1972 report Solar 

Energy Research: A Multidisciplinary Approach. NASA had recommended that the US. undertake a 10- to 15-yr program to develop the 

use of solar energy to generate electricity. NASA and the NSF had called 

for Federal investment of $3 billion in solar energy research. NSF 

scientist William H. Wetmore told the conference that the US. estimated 

Jdy 3-6: 

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July 3-6 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

its deficit in oil supplies alone would reach from 10 to 16 million barrels 

a day by 1990 and would cause a trade imbalance of $15 billion annually. 

US. industry representatives reported their progress with solar climate 

control research to use solar energy for heating houses and factories. 

Washington Post columnist Claire Sterling commented later on the impact of the industry reports: “Perhaps more than any single factor at 

this conference, the willingness of these big American companies to 

actually put money into solar research and development has brought 

about a stunning change in thinking. From an essentially ‘do-good’ 

movement of scientists hoping to help the poor countries . . . with 

cheap solar cookers there has suddenly emerged a rich-state research and 

development movement on a supremely sophisticated technological level.” 

(Lewis, NYT, 7/2/73, 12; New Scientist, 7/12/73, 71-2; W Post, 

7/16/73, A22; A&A 1972) 

L/C Charles H. Manning (USAF, R.) flew his HU-16B Albatross 

aircraft from Homestead Air Force Base, Fla., to a new record altitude 

for an amphibian aircraft, 9600 m (31 500 ft) . The previous record had 

been held by Boris Sergievsky, who flew a Sikorsky S-43 amphibian 

from Stratford, Conn., to 7600 m (24950 ft) April 14, 1936. (NAA 

News, 8/73, 2) 

A Kennedy Space Center ceremony celebrated the Center’s selection by 

the Bicentennial Commission of Florida as a historic site on the Bicentennial Trail. Florida Lt. Gov. Tom Adams presented a Bicentennial flag 

to NASA. (ICSC Release 147-73; ICSC PIO) 

July 5: The Air Force Space and Missiles Organization (SAMSO) announced it was issuing a $1 334 319 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to TRW 

Systems Group, TRW Inc., to maintain a history of all operational testing 

of Minuteman missiles. (DOD Release 341-73) 

0 The U.S.S.R. had launched meteorological sounding rockets from the Soviet research ship Academician Korolev at the 180” meridian, Tass 

reported. The rockets had obtained data for a study of the interaction 

of the high-altitude atmosphere and the ocean on the frontier of the 

Eastern and Western Hemispheres. ( FBISSOV, 7/20/73, L1) 

NASA test pilot John A. Manke made ground taxi tests of the 

X-24B lifting body at Flight Research Center to check for nosegear 

shimmy and evaluate nosewheel steering and ground handling characteristics. The successor to lifting bodies flown in a joint NASA and Air 

Force program between 1966 and 1972 would undergo ground functional tests of its main and subsystems before scheduling of its first 

flight. A modification of the X-24A, the new vehicle had an extended 

nose, flattened underside, and small blended wings. The NASA-USAF program was developing technology for future aircraft that could cruise 

at hypersonic speeds at the edge of space. ( FRC X-Press, 7/6/73, 2 ; 

NASA photos 72-H-1395, 73-H-722) 

An automated water-sampling station developed at Langley Research Center for use in remote marshlands had been made available 

to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the Langley Researcher reported. The prototype sampler could be deployed and retrieved by ‘helicopter. (Langley Researcher, 7/6/73, 1) 

Loading of the Apollo command and service module’s hypergolic 

propellants was completed at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for 

the July 28 launch of Skylab 3. (ICSC Release 163-73) 

July 4: 

July 5-6: 

July. 6: 

July 8: 

206 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 8 

* Miami chemist Harry Bennett received US. Patent No. 3 738 374 for a 

tobaccoless cigarette filled with graphitized carbons developed by NASA 

for space use. The carbon, which would emit normal combustion gases 

and produce an ash without nicotine or tar, had been used by NASA to 

resist heat and strengthen lightweight structural components in spacecraft. (Pat Off PIO; B Sun, 7/17/73) 

NASA announced it had invited US. and foreign scientists to propose experiments to be carried on the Apollo spacecraft during the July 

1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission to rendezvous and dock US. and Soviet 

spacecraft in space. The US. would carry 180 kg (400 lbs) of scientific 

and applications experiments and NASA also would conduct experiments 

from the earth orbit in space science, applications, medicine, and technology. Proposals for experiments were due July 23. (NASA Release 73- 

127) 

* Boeing Co. announced it was preparing preliminary designs for a multipurpose vehicle that could skim across Arctic ice and snow at high 

speeds under a $771 000 Navy contract. The arctic surface effects vehicle (ASEV) would operate like an air cushion vehicle but would be 

larger, faster, and able to cope with extremely harsh terrains and environments. It could be used as a mobile scientific station, cargo carrier, 

and a vehicle for military missions. (Boeing Release A-0448) 

Several US. correspondents had been permitted by the U.S.S.R. to visit 

the Soviet cosmonaut training center at Zvezdny Gorodok (Star City) 

near Moscow, Time magazine reported. Time reporters included in the 

tour had quoted Maj. Gen. Vladimir A. Shatalov, chief of cosmonaut 

training, as saying that similarities rather than differences predominated 

in the US. and U.S.S.R. approach to manned space flight. The similarities included a preference for jet pilots as spacecraft commanders; 

“training is shaped by requirements, just as the shape of the aircraft 

is decided by its speed.” Shatalov had recalled *+watching Skylab astronauts practicing in a simulator. “It was the same as we simulate here, 

not more, not less. We are treading the same paths.” (Time, 7/9/73) 

* An Aviation Week & Space Technology editorial saluted Skylab as “a 

triumph of man’s ingenuity, endurance and indomitable spirit.” The 

May 14-June 22 Skylab 1-2 mission had been “a tremendous demonstration of why man is vital to the broad expansion of space missions 

that looms for the next decade, and it demonstrated on live television for 

every taxpayer who cared to watch exactly what the space shuttle is all 

about.” The first Skylab crew had salvaged 80% of a successful mission 

and a $2.5-billion investment from the prospects of total disaster, opened 

new vistas on the scientific work that could be accomplished from a 

space platform, and proved that man could live and work usefully for 

extended periods in space. (Hotz, Av Wk, 7/9/73, 7) 

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project specialists from NASA and the Soviet 

Academy of Sciences met at Johnson Space Center. They continued development of trajectories and flight plans, agreed tentatively to a scientific experiment plan, and familiarized the Soviet crew of the July 1975 

mission with the Apollo spacecraft. Participants included ASTP technical 

directors Glynn S. Lunney for the US. and Academician Konstantin D. 

Bushuyev for the U.S.S.R., Apollo and Soyuz flight crews, the Working 

Group on Mission Model and Operational Plans, and members of the 

Working Group on Control and Guidance. The Soyuz cosmonauts [see 

May 241 attended lectures on and demonstrations of the Apollo spaceJuly 9: 

July 9-20: 

207 
July 9-20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

craft, docking model briefings, and crew activity discussions. Lunney 

and Bushuyev reviewed ASTP milestones and reaffirmed that they were 

on schedule. 

On July 14 the Soviet delegation heads and cosmonauts toured assembly and checkout facilities at the Rockwell International Corp. plant in 

Downey, Calif., where ASTP work was being carried out. 

Meeting results were announced by NASA in a July 20 communique. 

Progress had been reported on crew activities, control center operations, 

trajectories, and other operational aspects. Agreements were reached on 

November familiarization of the U.S. flight crews with Soyuz equipment in the U.S.S.R., a preliminary cosmonaut training plan in the U.S. 

in April 1974 and February 1975, and astronaut training in the U.S.S.R. 

in July 1974 and March 1975. The training plan was expected to be 

completed in November and flight procedures finalized by the end of 

1974. Final selection of joint experiments would be made in October 

1973. Flight safety reports would be exchanged. The U.S.S.R. had specified the Moscow Center of Control of Manned Space Flight near Moscow 

as ASTP control center and had announced that Cosmonaut Aleksey S. 

Yeliseyev would be U.S.S.R. flight director. The US. technical director and several US. working groups would attend U.S.S.R. ASTP meetings in October. (NASA Release 73-93; NASA Communique) 

July 10: Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, announced that 

future spacecraft technical requirements would permit a phasedown beginning in mid-1974 of a Deep Space Network (DSN) facility and a Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network (STDN) faCility-NASA’S two major 

tracking and data-acquisition facilities near Johannesburg, South Africa. 

The 64-m (210-ft) antenna facilities at Goldstone, Calif., and the new 

large-dish facilities in Canberra, Australia, and Madrid, Spain, with 

smaller 26-m (85-ft) antennas at these stations, would be used for the 

new planetary spacecraft probing further into the solar system and beyond after June 1974. (NASA Release 73-128) 

* President Nixon announced the designation of Dr. H. Guyford Stever, National Science Foundation Director, as Chairman of the Federal Council 

for Science and Technology. Dr. Stever, who had been Acting Chairman 

since May 14, would also serve as Presidential Science Adviser, pursuant 

to the President’s Jan. 26 Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1973, which 

abolished the Executive Office of Science and Technology effective July 

1. A former President of Carnegie-Mellon Univ., Dr. Stever had been 

NSF Director since 1972. The Federal Council for Science and Technology had been established by Executive Order 10807 of March 13, 

1959, to recommend measures for effective implementation of Federal 

policies on the administration and conduct of Federal programs and 

science and technology. (Off of White House Press Secy Press Notice) 

* Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah) , Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, addressed a joint symposium on space 

program planning of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Society 

of Automotive Engineers in Denver, Colo. Points paramount for the 

US. space program, in his mind, were: “First, despite a year with all 

the trappings of potential disaster, NASA is coming through in pretty 

good shape. Secund, now is the time for space planners-inside and outside the NASA family-to get serious about how best to use the space 

shuttle. Third, the single most important need for a healthy future space 

208 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 10 

*A 

program is a substantially higher NASA budget request for Fiscal Year 

1975. Fourth, Congress is willing to leave overall planning for future 

space options to the Executive Branch, but cavalier disregard for specific congressional decision-such as we witnessed last Januaryis not likely to be so lightly accepted in the future.” (CR, 7/14/73, 

S13479) 

NASA investigation board had found an electrical malfunction to be the 

major factor in the May 10, 1972, accident over Bergstrom Air Force 

Base, Tex., in which Astronaut Charles Conrad, Jr., had ejected safely 

from a T-38 jet trainer aircraft, Johnson Space Center announced. The 

malfunction had caused loss of instruments in severe weather and the 

aircraft had been destroyed. ( JSC Release 73-91) 

* US. Patents Nos. 3 744rE80 and 3 744 794 were granted to Marshall 

Space Flight Center physicist Raymond L. Gause and engineers Raymond A. Spier and Bobby G. Bynum. They had invented the ergometer 

installed in Skylab I (launched May 14) to evaluate the astronauts’ 

muscular output and heart rate and also the harness that held the astronaut to the ergometer in zero-g or earth environment. (Pat Off PIO; 

Jones, NYT, 7/14/73, 31) 

The NASA Committee on Remote Manipulator Systems and 

Extravehicular Activity met at Marshall Space Flight Center to review 

technology and discuss using remote manipulator systems and extravehicular activity in the space shuttle, Large Space Telescope, and space 

tug projects. Representatives of the Army, Navy, and Air Force attended. 

(MSFC Release 73-90 ; Marshall Star, 7/11/73, 4) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Molniya 11-6 communications satellite 

from Plesetsk into orbit with a 39 284-km (24 410-mi) apogee, 441-km 

(274.0-mi) perigee, 705-min period, and 65.4” inclination. The satellite 

would help provide a system of long-range telephone and telegraph radio 

communications in the U.S.S.R. and would transmit Soviet central TV 

programs to the Orbita network. Western observers said later that 

Molniya 11-6 also might transmit communications during a manned 

mission. Reports that Soviet tracking ships used for manned space 

flights had been sighted heading for their stations in the Atlantic possibly indicated an upcoming manned launch. (GSFC SSR, 7/31/73; FBISSov, 7/12/73, L1; SBD, 7/12/73, 58; NYT, 7/12/73, 4) 

* The House agreed to the conference report on H.R. 7528 recommending a 

$3.056-billion FY 1974 NASA authorization [see June 281. The bill was 

cleared for President Nixon’s signature. (CR, 7/11/73, H5934) 

* Publication of Federal Plan for Meteorological Services and Supporting 

Research, Fiscal Year 1974 was announced by the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration. FY 1974 programs would cost 

$504 659 000, an increase of $22 032 000 over FY 1973. The increase 

would be used to employ computers, satellites, ocean buoys, automatic 

weather stations, remote sensing, and automated data-handling techniques to improve weather services with reduced manpower. NOAA 

would increase its expenditures for weather radars, satellite operations, 

new computers, and expanded weather-dissemination systems. The Dept. 

of Defense would add more weather radars, expand its satellite dataprocessing programs, and install advanced instrumentation aboard storm 

reconnaissance aircraft. The DOD surface and upper-air weather observing program would be decreased because of curtailed military activities. 

July 10-11: 

July 11: 

209 
July 11 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The Federal Aviation Administration planned 100 more unmanned 

Flight Service Stations to provide weather information for pilots. The 

FAA’S En Route Flight Advisory Service would be expanded from 4 to 

25 stations. NASA launch of two Synchronous Meteorological Satellites, 

prototypes for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites 

(GOES), would begin a new phase in the environmental satellite program. 

Subsequent GOES spacecraft would be funded by NOAA. Both NOAA and 

DOD were readying ground facilities for the GOES system. NOAA’S series 

of polar-orbiting operational satellites would be maintained with 

launches scheduled as needed. ITOS-E was to be launched by NASA in 

July to become Nom 3. (NOAA Release 73-150) 

The Senate agreed by a vote of 82 to 10 to S. Res. 71 to seek agreement 

with other governments to Drohibit the use of environmental or geophysical midification activi’ty as a weapon of war. (CR, 7/11173, 

s1.1101-02) .~__ 

July 12: Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, outlined potential 

uses Gf space age technology before the Western Assn. of State Game and 

Fish Commissioners in Salt Lake City, Utah, He said earth surveying 

could find hidden resources, such as formations likely to have petroleum 

beneath them. (Evans, Desert News, 7/12/73) 

A European Space Conference in Brussels failed to reach agreement on 

future programs, including the establishment of a European space 

agency. Spaceflight magazine later attributed the failure to divergent 

interests. The U.K. was concentrating on its maritime satellite, West 

Germany on the Spacelab, and France on the G3S launcher. Sweden 

and the Netherlands required more time, and France was disappointed 

that the U.K. would not join West Germany in supporting the L-3s 

project. The meeting would reconvene in Brussels July 31 to meet NASA’s 

Spacelab decision deadline of Aug. 10. (SF, 9/15/73, 321) 

* President Nixon transmitted The World Feather Program Plan for Fiscal 

Year 1974 to Congress. U.S. participation in the world program, coordinated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, included the Depts. of Defense, State, and Transportation; Atomic Energy 

Commission ; Environmental Protection Agency ; National Science Foundation; and NASA. In addition to programs presented in NOAA’s Federal 

Plan [see July 111, the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP) 

would conduct the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) June 15- 

September 1974 to study tropical atmosphere meteorology and its effects on circulation of the earth‘s atmosphere. And the first CARP Global 

Experiment, scheduled for 1977, would include two polar-orbiting satellites, one provided by the US. and one by the U.S.S.R., and five earthsynchronous spacecraft-two operated by NOAA for the U.S., one over 

the Indian Ocean by the U.S.S.R., one over the western Pacific by Japan, 

and one over Africa and the eastern Atlantic by the European Space 

Research Organization ( ESRO) . ( NOAA Release 73-168 ; PI), 7/16/73, 

The B-1 development program director, M/G Douglas T. Nelson (USAF), 

told the press in Washington, D.C., that construction of the swing-wing 

strategic bomber had fallen behind schedule, forcing a nine-month postponement of a decision on whether to produce B-1s at an estimated 

$54 million each. The decision date had been rescheduled for May 1976. 

First flight of a B-1 prototype had been rescheduled from April to 

June 1974. B-1 prime contractor Rockwell International Corp. had been 

900) 

210 
July 12 

“falling noticeably behind scheduley’ in installing subsystems because it 

had had to spend more time than anticipated on assembling the airframe. 

By slowing the development program the Air Force hoped to avoid a 

program cost increase during the current fiscal year, but development 

problems would result in a $78-million total increase, to bring the total 

development cost to $2.79 billion. (?VS./, 7/13/73) 

The Air Force launched an unidentified satellite from Vandenberg 

Air Force Base by a Titan IIID booster into orbit with a 273.6-km 

(170-mi) apogee, 154.5-km (96-mi) perigee, 88.7-min period, and 

96.2’ inclination. Press reports termed the spacecraft a “Big Bird” 

photo-reconnaissance satellite. The satellite reentered Oct. 12. (Pres Rpt 

74; Au Wk, 8/27/73, 30) 

* The Skylab 1 Investigation Board appointed to determine the cause of the 

anomaly that lost the Orbital Workshop’s meteoroid shield and one solar 

array wing during launch May 14 reported its findings and recommendations to Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator. The Board, 

chaired by Lewis Research Center Director Bruce T. Lundin, said the 

most probable cause was inadequate venting of the pressure in a tunnel 

beneath the shield. Differential pressure buildup in the tunnel had forced 

the shield away from the Workshop shell and into the supersonic air 

stream. The shield then broke the tiedowns holding the solar array 

wings onto the spacecraft. About 10 min into the flight one solar array 

wing was torn away completely when it was struck by the exhaust plume 

of the 2nd-stage retrorockets. The remaining solar array wing would not 

deploy until the astronauts cut the strap which had curled around 

the wing and penetrated the metal fairing housing the array. 

The Board had found that “the significance of the aerodynamic loads 

on the meteoroid shield during launch was not revealed by the extensive 

review processfy and recommended that complex, multidisciplinary systems like the shield “should have a designated project engineer who is 

responsible for all aspects of analysis, design, fabrication, test and assembly.’, There was no evidence that the shield’s design deficiencies had 

resulted from or been masked by the Skylab management system. “On 

the contrary, the rigor, detail, and thoroughness of the system are doubtless necessary for a program of this magnitude.” (NASA Release 73-135; 

Lundin testimony before Sen Com on Aero and Space Sci, 7/30/73) 

Sweden had handed the 25-nation Geneva disarmament conference a list of 925 nuclear weapon tests carried out from World War I1 

through April 25, 425 of them after the August 1963 signing of the 

treaty banning all experimental nuclear blasts above ground, Reuters reported. The majority of the 425 had been underground tests, but China 

and France, which did not sign the treaty, had continued atmospheric 

nuclear testing. (NYT, 7/15/73, 7) 

The countdown for the July 28 launch of Skylab 3 began at 

Kennedy Space Center. A Saturn IB launch vehicle would boost the 

Apollo spacecraft and its three-man crew into earth orbit to rendezvous 

and dock with the Skylab Orbital Workshop (launched May 14), where 

astronauts would live and work 56 days in space. The count,down was 

the first for a manned Saturn launch in which the flight crew would not 

participate with the KSC launch team in a dress rehearsal. The rehearsal 

had been eliminated because of the performance record of the Saturn 

IB and V. The countdown would include a simulated T-zero, ignition, 

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

July 13: 

July 14: 

Jzdy 15: 

211 
July 15 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

and liftoff with a fully fueled launch vehicle on Complex 39, Pad B. 

( I<SC Release 163-73) 

0 A 1-million-cu-m (36-million-cu-ft) balloon-launched for NASA from Fort 

Churchill, Canada, by the US. Office of Naval Research-reached its 

planned 46 000-m (150 000-ft) altitude, but failed to land in western 

Manitoba as planned when its descent system did not react to radio commands from the ground. The balloon, carrying a 408-kg (900-lb) scientific payload that included a cosmic ray detector to measure distribution 

of electrons and positrons in primary cosmic rays, continued to drift 

over the Pacific Ocean. It entered Soviet airspace July 18 and tracking 

data later indicated that it had landed in eastern Siberia. (NASA Release 

Janet Lee, 17-yr-old representative of the Republic of China (Taiwan) on 

the December 1972 NASA-conducted International Youth Science Tour of 

America, had written to tour coordinator Mrs. Lillian Levy saying she 

could sometimes see Skylab “flying over my head like a little sparkling 

star in the evening,” NASA Activities reported. Mrs. Levy also had 

heard from tour participant Karl Muller of Mbabane, Swaziland: “It 

is very pleasing to see that Swaziland is enlisting the aid of satellites in 

agriculture. The idea of using satellites for detecting forest fires is particularly interesting, since Swaziland has the world’s largest man-made 

forest.” (NASA Activities, 7/15/73, 116) 

ITOS-E Improved Tiros Operational Satellite, launched by NASA 

for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, failed to 

reach orbit after a 1O:lO am PDT liftoff from Western Test Range on a 

two-stage, long-tank, thrust-augmented Thor-Delta booster. Early flight 

data indicated that abrupt cessation of the hydraulic pump output 270 

sec after 2nd-stage ignition had caused loss of hydraulic pressure and 

thrust vector control. The spacecraft tumbled and failed to achieve orbital velocity. Investigation was begun immediately at Goddard Space 

Flight Center. 

The meteorological spacecraft had been intended for sun-synchronous 

orbit to make day and night cloud-cover observations, to make continuous 

observations of weather features from its synchronous altitude, and to 

obtain global-scale quantitative measurements of the earth‘s atmospheric 

structure. 

ITOS-E, which was to have been christened Noaa 3, was the fourth 

spacecraft in a series of second-generation meteorological satellites. Noaa 

1 (ITOS-A) was launched Dec. 11, 1970, and was operational for nine 

months. ITOS-B was launched Oct. 21, 1971, but did not achieve orbit because of a Delta 2nd-stage failure. Noaa 2 (ITOS-D) was launched successfully Oct. 15, 1972, and had been NOAA’S primary operational spacecraft. (NASA prog off) 

Marshall Space Flight Center issued a request for proposals for space shuttle solid-fueled rocket motor (SRM) development to Aerojet Solid Propulsion Co., Lockheed Propulsion Co., Thiokol Chemical Corp., and 

United Technology Center. Technical proposals were due Aug. 27 and 

cost proposals Aug. 30. The program would include increments for design, development, and test (including production of sufficient hardware 

for six development flights) ; for production of new and refurbished 

SRMS for 54 flights; and for delivery of new and refurbished units for 

385 flights. (NASA Release 73-133) 

73-195) 

July 16: 

2 12 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 Jdy 16 

NASA announced the appointment of Harold E. Pryor to succeed Dr. Dudley 

G. McConnell as Director, Scientific and Technical Information Office, 

effective July 22. Dr. McConnell had been named Assistant Administrator for NASA’s Equal Opportunity Programs. Pryor, Management Systems Office Director, had joined NASA in 1964. (NASA Hq PB) 

A lunar sample brought back from the moon by Apollo 17 (Dec. 7-19, 

1972, lunar mission) was presented to President Henryk Jablonski of 

the Polish Council of State by US. Ambassador to Poland Richard T. 

Davies in Warsaw. Ambassador Davies invited Poland to participate in 

the U.S. Bicentennial celebration in 1976. (Warsaw PAP, FBIS-Poland, 

7/17/73, G1) 

The U.S.S.R. announced that its atomic breeder reactor at Shevchenko on 

the Caspian Sea had started commercial operation. It had been undergoing tests since its startup in December 1972. The power-generating 

and water-desalinization facility-first power source of its kind-would 

yield 150 000 kw of electrical power and convert 113 400 cu m (30 

million gal) of sea water into fresh water daily on reaching its full design capacity of 350 000 kw. (Shabad, NYT, 7/17/73, 9) 

* Prospects were immense for solar energy practical for area heating and 

cooling, “but not yet for central power stations,” a New York Times 

editorial said. “The R&D work in this field is more one of spreading the 

word than inventing the devices, for solar equipment is technologically 

at hand and in use in other countries.” The greatest long-term promise 

would be in generating power through nuclear fusion. “The agreement 

with the Soviet Union to coordinate both superpowers’ fusion research, 

concluded during Mr. Brezhnev’s visit to Washington, could give longneeded impetus to development of this energy source even before the 

end of the century.” (NYT, 7/16/73, 28) 

Capt. John T. Geary (USN) became Director of the Naval Research Laboratory, succeeding Capt. Earle W.,Sapp who was reassigned. Capt. Geary 

had been Deputy Commander for Planning, Programming and Resources 

with the Naval Electronics System Command. (Naval Research Reviews, 

8/73, 27; NRL PIO) 

Skylab Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, 

and Paul J. Weitz testified on the May 14-June 22 Skylab 1-2 mission 

in a joint hearing before the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and 

Space Sciences and the House Committee on Science and Astronautics. 

Conrad said the mission had proved the feasibility of maintaining a 

large space station for manufacturing in space. “I think the data will 

show that you can do all the things up there that you can do down here 

and many of them perhaps better.” Skylab 1-2 earth resources and 

solar telescope data would show “that eventually space has a very definite 

role in helping mankind and in solving some of these problems that are 

in front of us. After all, the Sun is probably the most single efficient nuclear device that we know about. We do have an energy crisis. We need 

to better understand that. We just scratched the surface with our 30,000 

photographs we brought back. I think you will find that the Earth resources data, when coupled with . . . ERTS [Earth Resources Technology Satellites] and those types of sensors will . . . as an overall systems design, tie all of these things we talk about with different satellites 

into a big picture.” At the mission’s completion the Skytab 1-2 crew 

could hand over to the Skylab 3 crew a Workshop that could harbor “a 

100-percent successful 56-day mission.’’ 

* 

July 17: 

213 
July 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Dr. Kerwin said Skylab 1-2 medical experience enabled him to extrapolate a 56-day mission “without difficulty.” He felt the inflight portion would be “a piece of cake.” Postflight, the Skylab 3 astronauts 

might “feel a bit loggier than we did.” But Skylab 1-2 had demonstrated that this was a “minor illness . . . that you get from being 28 

days in space and that you can return very rapidly to normal.” 

Weitz said Skylab’s earth resources survey equipment permitted a 

more selective data acquisition than that of unmanned ERTS. “I think 

we have shown in the past with unmanned satellites that part of the 

problem is that you have a continuous data flow, not all of which is 

usable, but all of which must be processed and reduced and analyzed in 

some form.” With Skylab equipment “we can track point sites” and “be 

selective . . . pick out specific sites, fields, or a bend in the river, if you 

want to study silting.” (Transcript) 

* NASA launched a Javelin sounding rocket from Wallops Station carrying a 

Univ. of Pittsburgh aeronomy experiment to a 724.2-km (450-mi) altitude. The rocket and experiment performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC 

proj off) 

The US. defense outlay continued to increase despite improving relations 

with the U.S.S.R. and the People’s Republic of China, the US.-U.S.S.R. 

agreement to limit strategic arms, the Vietnam cease-fire agreements, 

and sharp cutbacks in US. military forces, the Wall Street Journal 

noted. FY 1974 spending was projected at $79 billion, up $4.2 billion 

from FY 1973, “a shade above the Vietnam-war peak and a shade below the World War I1 pinnacle. While the White House talks detente, 

the Pentagon speaks of growing Soviet military power and the likelihood, 

given further price and pay inflation, of $100 billion-plus military budgets by the end of the decade.” (Levine, WSJ, 7/17/73, 1) 

NASA launched a series of 26 meteorological experiments on 

rockets and balloons from Wallops Station to provide an in-depth com- 

‘parison between remote sensors on satellites and sensors on rockets and 

balloons from a mid-latitude site. The project-divided into a day and 

night series to provide data both with and without solar energy inputwas conducted in conjunction with Nimbus 5 (launched Dec. 10, 1972) 

and Noaa 2 (launched Oct. 15, 1972) satellites. 

Four Nike-Caj un sounding rockets were launched carrying Goddard 

Space Flight Center acoustic grenades to measure temperature and 

winds. The grenades were ejected and detonated in flight, one at a time, 

from 30- to 95-km (19- to 59-mi) altitude. The first Nike-Cajun was 

launched July 17 and reached an altitude of 117.4 km (72.9 mi). The 

rocket performed satisfactorily. Thirty of the thirty-one grenades were 

successfully detonated and the sound returns were received by the ground 

microphone array. 

The second Nike-Cajun launched 79 minutes later reached an altitude 

of 116.2 km (72.2 mi) and detonated all of its 12 grenades successfully. 

The third Nike-Cajun was launched July 18 to a 114.9-km (71.4-mi) 

altitude. Rocket performance was satisfactory and all 31 grenades were 

successfully detonated. 

The final Nike-Cajun was launched two hours later to an altitude of 

120.7 km (75 mi). The rocket performance was satisfactory and all 12 

grenades were detonated successfully. 

In addition to the Nike-Caj uns, the launches included 4 balloonsondes, 

3 Viper Darts, and 15 Super Lokis instrumented to obtain density and 

July 17-18: 

2 14 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 17-18 

temperature data. Participating in the program with Wallops Station 

were White Sands Missile Range, the Air Force, and GSFC. (WS Release 

73-7; NASA Rpts SRL) 

The House Committee on Science and Astronautics 

held hearings on Federal policy, plans, and organization for science 

and technology. Dr. H. Guyford Stever on July 17 explained his dual 

role as National Science Foundation ,Director and, as of July 1, Science 

Adviser to the President: “I am aware of the need to maintain a strong, 

independent position as Science Adviser. I do not believe there will be 

insurmountable difficulties in dealing with this challenge. The newly 

established Science and Technology Policy Office will be the strong staff 

arm to help me carry out these new duties. . . . . I have structured this 

office to maintain a maximum degree of objectivity and impartiality on 

science policy matters. . . . I intend to call upon the significant and 

broad capabilities existent within the Foundation. . . , I will also call 

upon other Government agencies for assistance whenever appropriate.” 

Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Executive Vice President for Research and 

Development and Planning with Gould, Inc., and former Presidential 

Science Adviser, on July 24 commented on NSF’S new role as “the 

Government’s highest level policy and advisory body with technical 

competence.” He saw the new arrangement at NSF as unstable, with 

“formidable and demanding” tasks. He saw two possible resolutions: NSF 

could restrict itself to science and academic research or it could transcend 

its historic past and achieve the national stature necessary to influence 

agencies and departments on technical programs that cut across operating boundaries and to serve as the technological beacon for other agencies. 

Science, Dr. David said, had not been downgraded. “Science and 

technology will continue to-be the warp and woof of our society,” but 

the national scene had changed. The former White House apparatus, 

1957-1965, had been “more weighted toward space and military matters. Importantly, the apparatus was also responsible for development of 

programs to strengthen the infrastructure of science and engineering. 

. . . In recent years we have seen the emphasis shifting toward consumer 

and public-oriented technologies in energy, transportation, health, education, natural resources, ecology and environment, and social systems. 

This shift brings with it a powerful new set of policy issues which illustrate the necessity to include not only science and technology, but also 

economic, social, legal, and political factors”-consumer markets, 

public preferences, and political beliefs, “matters with which the 

Federal establishment has little experience or expertise. It is in such 

matters that the new NSF office must exert leadership and influence.” 

(Transcript) 

RCA Corp. announced that its subsidiaries RCA Global Communications, Inc., and RCA Alaska Communications, Inc., had signed a 

$3 750 000 contract with McDonnell Douglas Corp. to develop an uprated Thor-Delta launch vehicle to launch domestic satellites. It was the 

first time private industry had set design requirements and provided 

funds to modify a launch vehicle. Under contract terms, the Thor-Delta 

payload capacity would be augmented by 30% to enable RCA to place 

high-capacity domestic communications satellites into geostationary orbit above the equator economically. (RCA Release) 

July 17, 19, 23, 24: 

July 18: 

215 
July 18 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Langley Research Center engineers and technicians were cooperating with 

investigators from West Virginia Univ. in a summer study to improve 

rural West Virginia housing with space age technology. The preliminary 

study was to lead to eventual construction and demonstration of a selfcontained house or small community, “Space Station West Virginia,” 

incorporating modern technology to supply energy, water and sewage, 

fire control, and systems analysis. (NASA Release 73-132) 

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics sponsored an aeronautical technology display at the Soviet Exhibition of 

Economic Achievement in Moscow. AIAA also cosponsored, with the 

U.S.S.R. Committee for Science and Technology, a joint Symposium on 

Aeronautical Technology at the exhibition July 23 to 27. Advanced 

equipment to modernize civil air traffic control systems was displayed or 

depicted by 27 U.S. companies and reviewed by an estimated 25000 

aviation specialists from the U.S.S.R. and its East European allies. The 

joint symposium-opened by Federal Aviation Administrator Alexander 

P. Butterfield and the Soviet Minister of Civil Aviation, Gen. Boris P. 

Bugaev-covered air traffic control, airport and air system facilities, and 

new aircraft technology. Among participants were members of the House 

Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on International 

Cooperation in Science and Space. (AIAA Release 7/20/73; Program; 

Shabad, NYT, 7/22/73, 43) 

NASA’s X-24B lifting body [see July 5-61, flown by NASA test 

pilot John A. Manke, successfully completed its first captive flight from 

Flight Research Center, attached to a B-52 aircraft. Erratic B-52 power 

resulted in unintelligible telemetry traces and forced a switch to X-24B 

internal power. The telemetry cleared and excellent traces were returned. 

X-24B performance was adjudged satisfactory but the scheduled glider 

flight was postponed until July 24 to allow for battery recharge. 

The X-24B had been built around the existing basic structure and 

subsystems of the X-24A, which, like other lifting bodies, had been designed for reentry from space flight. But the X-24B had a new doubledelta shape with small blended wings and three vertical tails-parts of 

a configuration representing a forerunner of future aircraft capable of 

hypersonic (above mach 5) flight. Like its lifting-body predecessors, 

the X-24B would be air-launched by a B-52 aircraft from 12000-m 

(40 000-ft). Subsequent flights would use the XLR-11 rocket engine to 

increase speed and altitude performance in the joint NASA-USAF program at Flight Research Center. (NASA prog off; NASA Release 73-130) 

Samples from three materials-processing experiments performed during 

the Skylab 2 mission (manning the Orbital Workshop May 25 to June 

22) had been turned over to the principal investigators at Marshall 

Space Flight Center, MSFC announced. The small metallic spheres and 

welding specimens represented the first effort to obtain basic engineering and scientific data for materials processing in space. The samples 

would be analyzed and the results compared with similar data from 

earth-processed samples to learn how to fabricate and repair structures 

in space, develop unique or improved materials for use on the earth, 

and provide new knowledge of material properties and performance. 

(MSFC Release 73-96) 

0 President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of Apollo 8 Astronaut William A. Anders, Executive Secretary of the National Aeronautics and Space Council 1969-1973, to be a Commissioner of the 

July 18-27: 

July 19: 

216 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 19 

Atomic Energy Commission for the term expiring June 30, 1978. The 

nomination was confirmed Aug. 2. Anders would succeed James T. 

Ramey, whose term had expired. (PD, 7/23/73, 914, 920; CR, 8/2/73, 

D960) 

US. heart specialist Dr. Paul Dudley White sent the first telegram via 

satellite between the US. and the People’s Republic of China, to inaugurate direct communications between Peking’s General Administration of Telecommunications and the New York headquarters of Western 

Union International Inc. Dr. White, one of the first US. physicians to 

visit the PRC in 1972, sent greetings from US. phvsicians to their colleagues in China, via Intelsat-IV F-4 (launched Jan. 22, 1972). (NYT, 

7/20/73, 27; ComSatCorp PIO) 

A Tass photo published by the New York Times showed Soviet ApolloSoyuz Test Project Cosmonauts Valery N. Kubasov and Aleksey A. 

Leonov practicing moving from a Soyuz spacecraft in the water to a 

rescue raft. The site of the training was not identified. (NYT, 7/19/73, 

A6rospatiale President Henri Ziegler told a Paris news conference that the 

Concorde Anglo-French supersonic transport aircraft would visit the 

US. for the first time in September for the opening of the Dallas-Fort 

Worth Airport in Texas. The Concorde was also scheduled to stop at 

Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Va., for a demonstration on 

its return from Caracas, Venezuela, in September. (B Sun, 7/20/73, A5) 

The award of a $7 125 497 firm-fixed-price contract to Litton Systems, Inc., 

for avionics for the F-4 jet fighter aircraft was announced by the Air 

Force. (DOD Release 360-73) 

Skylab 3, scheduled for launch July 28 as the second manned 

mission to crew the Skylab Workshop, would be extended from 56 days 

to 59 days to provide a better recovery posture, NASA announced. Splashdown would be 6:26 -pm EDT Sept. 25, in the Pacific Ocean 547 km 

(340 mi) southwest of San Diego. 

A comprehensive review of the medical findings of Shylab 2 (launched 

May 25) had indicated that a 59-day mission was medically feasible. 

The medical data obtained on Skylab 3 would be reviewed at midmission point and weekly reviews would be scheduled for the remainder 

of the flight. Following each review, approval for continuation of the 

flight would be made for the next seven days by Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider. 

Simulated T-zero ignition and liftoff with the fully fueled Saturn IB 

and Apollo spacecraft on its launch pad was successfully completed in 

the Skylab 3 countdown, begun July 15. (NASA Release 73-136; ICSC Release 163-73) 

* Fourth anniversary of Apllo 11’s first manned lunar landing July 20, 

1969. Reps. Don Fuqua (D-Fla.) and Lou Frey, Jr. (R-Fla.) , entered 

tributes in the Congressional Record. Fuqua said: “Since July of 1969 

when Neil Armstrong first set foot on the lunar surface our national 

space program has had an ever-increasing wealth of technology and new 

knowledge and practical information of direct benefit to the people of 

the Nation and of the world.” In remembering the first lunar landing, 

we need to be reminded of the need for strong support for our national 

space program today and in the years ahead.” Frey said: “The people 

of our space program are not resting on the laurels of this great achievement but are pressing on with the Skylab and the space shuttle to make 

1) 

July 20: 

66 

217 
July 20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

space an ever-increasing contributor to the well-being of our Nation and 

the world.” (CR, 7/20/73, E4957, 4961) 

0 Dr. Charles A. Lundquist, Assistant Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s Astrophysical Observatory, had been named Director of Marshall 

Space Flight Center’s Space Sciences Laboratory, MSFC announced. Before joining the Smithsonian, Dr. Lundquist had been Chief of the 

Physics and Astrophysics Branch in MSFC’S former Research Projects 

Div. He had been transferred to MSFC in 1960 from the Army Ballistic 

Missile Agency. ( MSFC Release 93-99) 

0 The Senate confirmed Skylab 2 astronaut Cdr. Paul J. Weitz, Jr. (USN), 

for permanent promotion to the grade of captain. (CR, 7/20/73, 

S14273) 

The Air Force announced the award of a $2 352 060 cost-plus-fixed-fee 

contract to General Dynamics Corp. for advanced development of conceptual hardware for an undesignated lightweight fighter aircraft. ( DOD 

Release 364-73) 

The National Science Foundation published Selected Characteristics of Five 

Engineering and Scientific Occupational Groups, 1972 ( NSF 73-306) . The bulk of the 1.735 million persons in the five major occupational 

groups were engineers (72%). Physical scientists accounted for 11% 

and social scientists, life scientists, and mathematicians, about 9% each. 

Engineering continued male-dominated with men making up nearly 

99% ; women had made their greatest penetration in mathematics, more 

than 27%. (Text) 

France exploded the first nuclear device of her latest series at 

Mururoa Atoll in the South Pacific. The announcement of the explosion-of a bomb hung from a balloon-came from the New Zealand 

frigate Otago, which had been dispatched to protest the nuclear testing. 

Reuters said later that the explosion was the 27th in France’s nuclear 

program in the Pacific. (NYT, 7/22/73, 1) 

The U.S.S.R. launched its Mars 4 probe from Baykonur Cosmodrome at 12:31 am local time (3:31 pm EDT, July 21) into a parking 

orbit from which it was inserted into a 470-million-km (290-million-mi) 

trajectory toward Mars. All systems performed satisfactorily, Tass reported. The spacecraft would reach Mars in February 1974 to continue 

scientific exploration of the planet and the space near it begun by 

Mars 2 (launched May 19, 1971) and Mars 3 (launched May 28,1971). 

United Press International reported Western sources as saying the apparent aim of Mars 4 was to softland research instruments and TV 

cameras on the Martian surface. 

Mars 4 would be the fourth Soviet spacecraft to reach Mars. Mars 1 

(launched Nov. 1, 1962, to fly by Mars) had transmitted data to the 

earth for more than four months during its journey, before communications went dead. Mars 2 had been put into orbit around the planet and 

transmitted data to the earth into August 1972. An instrumented capsule 

from the spacecraft crashlanded on the Martian surface Nov. 27, 1971, 

becoming the first man-made object to reach the surface. Murs 3 had 

also attempted to softland an instrumented capsule, during a dust storm. 

TV pictures were transmitted to the earth for 20 sec before transmission 

ceased abruptly. The spacecraft ended its mission in August 1972. 

(GSFC SSR, 7/31/73; FBIS-SOV, 7/23/73, L1; UPI, NYT, 7/23/73, 8; 

A&A 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972) 

July 21: 

July 22: 

218 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 22 

* Jet Propulsion Laboratory was fashioning three large photomosiac spheres 

of Mars from thousands of photos taken by Mariner 9 (launched by 

NASA May 30, 1971, to become the first spacecraft to orbit another planet 

Nov. 13, 1971). Two 1.2-m (4-ft) globes would be completed, one 

for NASA Hq. and one for Lewis Research Center. A 1.8-m (6-ft) globe 

would be exhibited in JPL’S museum. (JPL PIO; Miles, LA Times, 

7/22/73) 0 The US. airline industrv would have to spend an estimated $1 billion to 

$3 billion over four to’five years for modifications necessary to meet new 

Environmental Protection Agency requirements of lowered aircraft 

noise and emission levels, aviation consultant Selig Altschul said in a 

New York Times article. (NYT, 7/22/73, 6:3) 

Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Sweden protested France’s 

July 21 detonation of a nuclear device over Mururoa Atoll in the Pacific. (AP, NYT, 7/23/73, l) 

Skylab 3 Astronauts Alan L. Bean, Jack R. Lousma, and Dr. Owen 

K. Garriott received their final major medical examinations at Johnson 

Space Center before their July 28 launch to join the Skylab Orbital 

Workshop in near-earth orbit. Dr. Paul Buchanan, Chief of the JSC 

Health Maintenance Branch, said the astronauts “look good and they are 

ready to fly.” They would rendezvous and dock with the orbiting laboratory to live and work in it for 59 days before returning to earth. (Wilford, NYT, 7/24/73, 10) 

* President Nixon signed H.R. 7528 into Public Law 93-74, NASA’s $3.065- 

billion FY 1974 authorization. Approved by the House-Senate Conference Committee June 28, by the House May 23, and by the Senate June 

19, the bill provided $2.246 billion for research and development, $112 

million for construction of facilities, and $707 million for research and 

program management. (PD, 7/30/72, 936; P.L. 93-74) 

* The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing on H.R. 8348 [see June 41 and H.R. 9133, duplicate bills to authorize the National Science Foundation to designate certain institutions of higher learning national energy research centers. Dr. 

Raymond L. Bisplinghoff, NSF Deputy Director, described the NSF program of Research Applied to National Needs (RANN) devoted to energy: 

“It includes research on analytic techniques and potential conservation 

measures directed at meeting U.S. energy requirements while satisfying 

environmental quality restraints; energy conversion research directed at 

developing technologies that allow more efficient use of our energy resources; research on superconducting transmission lines and other 

aspects of energy and fuel transportation; and research on advanced 

coal technology, geothermal energy, and perhaps most importantly, on 

solar energy.” (Transcript) 

First anniversary of the launch of Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology 

Satellite from Western Test Range July 23, 1972. Dr. James C. Fletcher, 

NASA Administrator, at an anniversary celebration at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, said the use of space technology to solve the earth’s 

problems was “a second giant stride for mankind.” Erts 1 had had “a 

profound effect on the thinking of the world, particularly on our approach to the emerging problems of protecting our environment and 

maintaining the quality of life for all of Earth’s people. I think it means 

that we do have to be sensitive to how we use these precious resources; 

not just clean air and water, but clean land.” In the program to follow, 

July 23: 

219 
July 23 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

the ocean is also going to be a precious resource that we must conserve.” Dr. Fletcher said 38 countries were participating in the ERTS 

program, with 300 principal investigators-200 in the US. and 100 in 

foreign countries-examining ERTS data. 

Dr. William Nordberg, Chief of Goddard Space Flight Center’s Laboratory for Meteorology and Earth Sciences, reviewed Erb 1’s year-end 

status : its multispectral scanner was fully operational, the return-beamvidicon TV cameras had been turned off but could be reactivated, one 

of the two tape recorders was still operating, although at reduced capacity. More than 60 000 ERTS scenesequivalent to an area more than 

four times the globe-had been imaged, 333 000 unique messages had 

been relayed from some 1M platforms at remote sites, and nearly 3 

million photos had been reproduced at the NASA Data Processing Facility. (NASA Activities, 8/15/73, 134-6) 

Capt. Edward V. Rickenbacker (US. Army Air Corps, Ret.), the most 

decorated US. pilot of World War I, died in Zurich, Switzerland, after 

a heart attack at age 82. One of the top automobile racing drivers in 

the US. by the age of 21, Rickenbacker enlisted in the Air Service at 

the start of World War I. He received the Croix de Guerre with four 

palms, Legion of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross with nine Oak 

Leaf Clusters, Medal of Merit, and the Congressional Medal of Honor 

for downing 26 German aircraft and at least 4 enemy balloons. He became General Manager of Eastern Airlines, Inc., in 1934, and the same 

year piloted a Douglas airliner from Los Angeles to Newark, N.J., in 

12 hrs 3 min 50 sec for a coast-to-coast passenger aircraft record. He 

was President and General Manager of Eastern Airlines, from 1938 to 

1953, when he became Chairman of the Board. He retired in 1963 and 

was elected to the Aviation Hall of Fame in 1965. 

Throughout his life Rickenbacker had advocated greater use of military aircraft. In 1922 he supported his friend Gen. Billy Mitchell in 

urging a separate US. Government department for aeronautics. Following Rickenbacker’s death, President Nixon issued a statement: “ ‘Captain Eddie’ Rickenbacker was an American original-a celebrated 

racing car driver in the early years of the 20th Century, the leading American fighter pilot in World War I, a pioneer of commercial aviation, and 

a generous, patriotic citizen in both war and peace.” (Hailey, W Post, 

7/24/73, C4; PD, 7/30/73, 924) 

The first US. women’s helicopter team competed in the I1 

World Helicopter Championships at Middle Wallop, England. The 

championships were organized by the Helicopter Club of Great Britain 

for the Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom on behalf of the Federation A6ronautique Internationale (FAI) . (NAA News, 8/73, 1) 

NASA might delay the Skylab 4 launch from October to November so that its crew could observe Comet Kohoutek swing around the sun, 

Thomas O’Toole in the Wushington Post quoted NASA officials as indicating. No firm decision had been made, but most officials favored a delay. 

NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight Dale D. Myers 

had said. “Comets this size come this close to us once in a centurv. It 

bL 

July 23-28: 

July 24: 

really lokks like the kind of thing you can’t pass up.” (W Post, 

7/24/73, A12) 

The maiden glide flight of NASA’s X-24B lifting body was wstDoned for 

the second”time [see July 191 because of a kalfuktion in tie control 

gyros. (NASA prog off) 

220 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 24 

* The 1972-73 edition of Jane’s Fighting Ships was published in London. 

In the foreword, editor Capt. John Moore said the Soviet navy was 

pre-eminent force with its own air power and with a greater range of 

submarines than any other. Above all, it has a far greater proportion of 

ships less than 10 years old than any other major fleet.” (AP, P Inq, 

7/26/73, 11) 

A summer school on manned space flight-sponsored at 

Nottingham Univ., England, by the European Space Research Organization ( ESRO) -was attended by 63 graduate scientists and engineers 

from 13 countries and by NASA representatives. Its theme, “The Implications for European Space Programmes of the Possibilities of Manned 

Mission,” was based on use of the space shuttle Spacelab. (ESRO Newsletter, 10/73, 1) 

The U.S.S.R. launched its Mars 5 probe from Baykonur Cosmodrome at 11:56 pm local time (2:56 pm EDT) into an earth parking 

orbit. At 79 min after launch the spacecraft was inserted into a 470- 

million-km (290-million-mi) trajectory for Mars. All systems functioned 

normally, Tass reported. The spacecraft was similar in design and purpose to Mars 4 launched toward Mars July 22. Simultaneous investigations by the two spacecraft-scheduled to arrive at Mars in February 

197&-would make it possible to obtain more data about the planet and 

the dynamics of physical processes occurring in cosmic space. On July 

26, at 4:OO am Baykonur time (7:OO pm EDT, July 25), Mars 5 was 

66 000 km (41 000 mi) from the earth. Mars 4 was 1.46 million km 

(0.9 million mi) from the earth. (FBISSOV, 7/26/73, L1; Reuters, JV 

Post, 7/25/73, B19; SBD, 7/30/73, 147) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 577 from Plesetsk into orbit with 

308-km (191.4-mi) apogee, 170-km (105.6-mi) perigee, 89.2-min period, and 65.4” inclination. The satellite reentered Aug. 7. (GSFC SSR, 

7/31/73; 8/31/73; SBD, 7/30/73,147) 

Skylab 3 Astronauts Alan L. Bean, Jack R. Lousma, and Dr. Owen K. 

Garriott concluded training for the second manned mission to the 

Skylab Orbital Workshop, launched May 14. They practiced key flight 

maneuvers in a spacecraft simulator at Johnson Space Center and the 

complex countdown procedures to be used during the final two and one 

half hours before launch July 28. In an interview with the New York 

Times, Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider said, “EveryJuly 24-Aug. 8: 

July 25-26: 

July 25: 

thing seems to be Ging great.” (Wilford, NYT, 7/26/73; AP, B Sun, 

7/26/73. AlO) ,,I 

The Senate rece&ed the nomination of L/G Samuel C. Phillips, Director 

of the National Security Agency and former NASA Apollo Program 

Director, to be a general, USAF. (CR, 7/25/73, S14742) 

NASA launched two Aerobee 200 sounding rockets from White Sands 

Missile Range. The first carried a Goddard Space Flight Center payload 

to a 30.6-km (19-mi) altitude to test rocket performance. The rocket 

performed unsatisfactorily. The second carried a CSFC heat-pipe experiment to a 275.7-km (171.3-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off) 

A New York Times editorial criticized continued nuclear testing by France 

and the People’s Republic of China: “Even underground nuclear tests 

no longer have real justification. Both the United States and the Soviet 

Union have more than enough nuclear weapons to devastate the world, 

and they have been testing so long that at most they can be gaining 

221 
July 25 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

only marginal increases of knowledge. At this late date the old arguments about the need for on-site inspection seem irrelevant as barriers 

to a universal halt. If Moscow and Washington want really to demonstrate that the proclaimed Soviet-American detente is real, they have 

no simpler or more effective means than to announce that they are 

amending the 1963 Moscow Treaty to ban all nuclear tests.” (NYT, 

7/25/73, 38) 

The Skylab 3 astronauts arrived at Kennedy Space Center to 

prepare for their July 28 launch to join the Skylab Orbital Workshop 

(launched into earth orbit May 14) for a 59-day mission. During a 

press briefing at Patrick Air Force Base, Astronaut Bean said, “We’re 

very anxious to get up there and put out 100 percent of what we have 

to do.” (O’Toole, W Post, 7/27/73, Al) 

* Skylab science and medical briefings were held by NASA at Johnson Space 

Center. Results from the first Orbital Workshop mission, Skylab 1-2 

(launched May 14 and May 25), were discussed and science plans for 

the Skylab 3 mission, scheduled for launch July 28, were announced. 

At an Apollo Telescope Mount briefing Dr. Robert A. MacQueen, 

a Skylab principal investigator and High Altitude Observatory scientist, 

said that a first look at available data indicated that the objectivesto examine the solar corona on a regular basis, deduce the threedimensional structure and geometry of the corona, understand the 

evolution of the corona and its relationship to the solar disk, and 

understand the outflow of the solar wind from the corona-would be 

met. The most important conclusion drawn was that “in appearance 

the corona is now a less dynamic subject than other solar phenomena.” 

Dr. Edward M. Reeves, Harvard College Observatory scientist, said 

that an ATM scanner had observed “velocity changes in whole large 

areas of the Sun in lines of the transition region and the corona which 

have never before been seen in this part of the spectrum.” 

At the medical science briefing, Dr. Michael W. Whittle, Principal 

Coordinating Scientist, said that the weight losses of the three Shylab 2 

astronauts-1.8 kg (4 lbs) for Charles Conrad, Jr., 2.7 kg (6 lbs) for 

Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, and 3.6 kg (8 lbs) for Paul J. Weitz-were 

66 pure and simple adaptation to weightlessness. . . . Increased nitrogen, 

calcium, and phosphorus, the major constituents of muscle tissue, had 

appeared in the urine and indicated the muscle loss. Dr. Stephen L. 

Kimsey, a Skylab principal investigator, said that experiments had 

shown “no abnormal changes in red cell metabolism” in amount of 

energy stored, change in the integrity of the cell membrane, or change 

in the red cells’ ability to transfer oxygen from the lungs to the tissue. 

Dr. Verl R. Wilmarth, earth resources experiment package project 

scientist, said during an EREP briefing that the objective of mapping 

the depression of the sea surface of the Puerto Rican trench using 

altimeter data had been met. 

At a briefing on the corollary experiments Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger, 

Associate Director for Science at Marshall Space Flight Center, said 

that the materials processing and welding experiments would help verify 

methods of construction and assembly in weightless conditions. Among 

the first things built in space might be a reflector for microwave! 

energy, to transmit large amounts of energy from one point of the earth 

to another. A reflector of the size needed could not be launched in one 

piece but would have to be assembled in space. 

July 26: 

222 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 26 

Dr. Robert A. Parker, astronaut and Skylab program scientist, said 

new experiments that would be flown on Skylab 3 included a vehicle 

disturbance experiment; a survey of celestial sources of x-rays; two 

circadian rhythm experiments, one with vinegar gnats and the other 

with desert mice; movement tests of astronauts with two different 

extravehicular activity backpacks ; a gallium arsenide crystal growth 

experiment; observation of cellular mechanisms and metabolism in 

zero g; observations of the earth’s ozone and airglow in the upper 

atmosphere ; the collection of micrometeoroids; and an evaluation of the 

spectral capability of the human eye while observing earth resources 

from space. (Transcripts) 

Tenth anniversary of NASA’s July 26, 1963, launch of Syncom 2, the first 

communications satellite to relay digital data, telephone conversations, 

picture facsimile, and TV programs from synchronous earth orbit. The 

first telephone conversations were between President John F. Kennedy 

and Nigerian Prime Minister Sir Abubaker Tafawa Balewa and other 

messages between US., Nigerian, and United Nations officials, Aug. 23, 

1963. Transmission on Syncom 1 (launched Feb. 14, 1963) had failed 

on insertion into synchronous orbit. Syncom 3 was launched successfully 

Aug. 19, 1964. (NASA Release 73-140; A&A 1963) 

* A House-Senate Conference Committee favorably reported a compromise version of H.R. 8825, the FY 1974 Dept. of Housing and Urban 

Development-Space-Science-Veterans appropriation bill that included a 

$3.002-billion NASA appropriation. NASA funds were $13.9 million below 

the budget request and $62.4 million below the $3.0645-billion FY 1974 

authorization [see July 231. The compromise appropriation was similar 

to the bill approved by the Senate June 30 and $13 million above the 

$2.989 billion approved by the House June 22. (CR, 7/26/73, H6754; 

H Rpt 936.11) 

0 The American Museum-Hayden Planetarium in New York commemorated 

the fourth anniversary of the July 20, 1969, first manned lunar landing, 

by ApoZZo 11 (launched July 16, 1969). The Planetarium exhibited the 

Goddard Memorial Collection of autographed pencil portraits of outstanding contributors to the US. space effort by artist William J. 

Numeroff and showed “The Salvage of Skylab I,” films and narration 

of the Skylab 2 astronauts’ repair in space of Skylab 1 spacecraft 

anomalies [see May 14-June 231. Participants in the program included 

Skylab 2 backup commander Astronaut Russell L. Schweickart ; Mrs. 

Robert H. Goddard, widow of the U.S. rocket pioneer; and author 

Arthur C. Clarke. (American Museum Release; PIO) 

President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of William D. 

Ruckelshaus to be Deputy Attorney General and the nomination of 

Russell E. Train, Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, 

to succeed Ruckelshaus as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. (PD, 7/30/73, 931, 936) 

In a Skylab 3 prelaunch press briefing at Kennedy Space Center, 

NASA Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider said that the 

launch vehicle was “in good shape” with no open anomalies during 

the countdown. The crew “is eager, waiting” for their 7:lO am July 28 

liftoff. The condition of the unmanned Orbital Workshop (launched 

May 14) was good. The temperatures were under control and the 

electrical system had improved since the Skylab 2 mission (May 25- 

June 22). Col. Alan R. Vette of the US. Air Force recovery forces 

July 27: 

223 
July 27 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

said that the recovery teams were trained and deployed around the 

world “ready to support the mission.” (Transcript) 

NASA efforts to study Comet Kohoutek [see June 21-23] were described in 

a Science article. NASA had established a special task force to help 

prepare for infrared, optical, and ultraviolet observations from spacecraft, aircraft, and ground. Om 3 Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 

(launched Aug. 21, 1972) would observe Kohoutek in the months before 

and after its closest approach to the sun about Dec. 29, when Kohoutek 

was expected to be as bright as a full moon. During the passage near 

the sun, Os0 7 Orbiting Solar Observatory (launched Sept. 29, 1971), 

various souflding rockets, and possibly the Skylab Orbital Workshop 

(launched May 14) would be trained on the comet, which astronomers 

believed might be insulated from the rest of the solar system. (Metz, 

Science, 7/27/73, 333-4) 

0 An advertisement in Science for Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries’ 

Nikon Instrument Div. said its Model H microscope aboard the Skylab 

Orbital Workshop (launched May 14) was “the first microscope in 

space.” It would be used by scientist-astronauts in several of the 19 life 

science experimental studies planned to evaluate the physical reaction 

of the human body during extended weightlessness. (Science, 7/27/73, 

An era of global scarcity had begun, a Science editorial noted. “The 

advanced countries are vulnerable in one or more respects.” Japan had 

been enjoying a boom but needed to import raw materials, fossil fuels, 

and food. In Mexico people lived under conditions like those of 100 yrs 

ago, with a disregard for sanitation,” but with “Coca Cola signs and 

transistor radios everywhere.” Much of the world was aware of US. 

living standard and gadgets. “They yearn for both, while the population 

explosion continues. We are soon going to witness dramatic and 

miserable confrontations of aspirations, expectations, and limitations.” 

(Abelson, Science, 7/27/73, 303) 

The Skylab 3 Apollo spacecraft carrying a threeman crew was launched into near-earth orbit, rendezvoused with the 

Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop (launched May 14), and docked with the 

space laboratory for the second manned mission in the Skylab program. 

A series of problems threatened to disrupt the mission, but corrective 

actions and workarounds permitted it to proceed successfully, setting 

new manned flight records. The astronauts collected significant data in 

medical experiments, solar astronomy, and earth resources surveys for 

59 days before undocking for a safe return to earth Sept. 25. 

Skylab 3 (SI-3) lifted off on time at 7:11 am EDT 

from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39, Pad B, on a two-stage 

Saturn IB launch vehicle, watched by some 100 000 persons on Florida 

beaches and at ICSC, as well as by US. and foreign TV viewers. The 

14 168-kg (31 234-1b) Apollo command and service module (CSM-117) 

and its crew-Allan L. Bean (commander), Jack R. Lousma (pilot), 

and Dr. Owen K. Garriott (science pilot)-soared through ground fog 

into broken clouds. 

The CSM/S-IVB combination was placed in a phasing orbit with 

224-km (139.2-mi) apogee and 150-km (93.2-mi) perigee at 10 min 

2 sec after launch. Eight minutes later the CSM separated from the stage 

as planned. The galactic x-ray mapping experiment mounted in the 

instrument unit (IU) was deployed. At 5 hrs 19 min 53 see after launch 

298-9) 

CC 

July 28-September 25: 

July 28-31: 

224 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 28-September 25 

the S-IVB/IU deorbit maneuver was commanded, and the stage impacted the predicted Pacific Ocean area after planned maneuvers. 

During CSM maneuvers to rendezvous with the Workshop, a leak was 

detected in the CSM reaction control system (RCS) quad B thruster, one 

of four assemblies of rockets used to stabilize the spacecraft or to 

change its velocity and also used as a backup for bringing the CSM 

back from orbit. Analysis indicated the oxidizer valve was stuck open 

or partially open. Quad B was isolated; analysis showed that all deorbit 

mission rules could be satisfied. 

The CSM rendezvoused with the Workshop at 3:38 pm EDT on the 

fifth orbit. Rendezvous, fly-around, and docking were covered by 23 

min of TV. The crew entered the multiple docking adapter (MDA) at 

4:OO pm EDT and began Workshop activation, but activation was curtailed because the crew quickly began to feel motion sickness. Lousma 

was experiencing nausea and Bean and Garriott were uncomfortable. 

Bean said he and Garriott tended “to be fairly careful of how we move. 

And since we are moving rather slowly, then it’s taking a little bit 

longer than we’d planned.” 

Motion sickness continued the second day, July 29, and the astronauts 

were taking scopolamine-dexedrine tablets. Bean communicated, “We 

feel okay, except in the stomach. . . . And our thinking is that we’re not 

going to be able to work much faster than we are right now. . . . There’s 

a desire to maybe take a break for an hour or two and get in the bunk 

and stay still for a while.” Flight Director Neil B. Hutchinson told 

the press at JSC that extravehicular activity (EVA) to install a new 

sun shield and retrieve and install Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) film 

probably would be delayed from July 31 to Aug. 1 at the earliest. Four 

to five hours of work were carried over from July 28 and 29. 

Still suffering from motion sickness, the astronauts continued Workshop activation July 30 (Mission Day 3). The first EVA was delayed 

to Aug. 2 and later rescheduled to Aug. 4 to ensure the astronauts’ 

complete recovery. Activation was completed July 31 (MD4) and 

research began as the crew improved slightly. Bean told ground control: 

“We’re getting better; it’s just taking a little longer than we thought. 

. . . Everybody feels pretty good between meals. Then mealtime comes, 

and we’re caught . . . in the squeeze. We’re trying to decide whether 

we ought to eat all we have to . . . to keep our strength up, or eat about 

what we want to, which isn’t very much.” 

A TV broadcast from the space station July 31 showed minnows for 

a biomedical experiment swimming in their plastic aquarium in tight 

spirals and sometimes apparently trying to swim toward the surface, 

but with their heads pointed straight down. Garriott said, “Apparently 

they can’t make up their minds which way is up and down, either.” He 

also turned a spider named Arabella loose in a plastic cage to observe 

her web-spinning abilities in zero-g conditions. Later in the mission 

Garriott reported baby minnows hatched in space performed in water 

“as if they’d already adapted while they were still in the egg.” They 

Bean told ground controllers after breakfast Aug. 1 (MD-5): “This is the first morning we’ve been up here 

. . . that after a meal everybody felt good. Everybody feels real good 

right now. Best since we’ve been here.” During live TV the astronauts 

felt right accustomed to zero-g.” LC 

August 1-September 24: 

225 
July 28-September 25 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

ate a hearty lunch to music. Bean demonstrated his proficiency in 

eating while hanging upside down. 

A medical briefing below at Johnson Space Center suggested that 

moving quickly from the confined CM to the large Workshop might have 

contributed to the motion sickness. The milder nausea experienced on 

the May 25-June 22 Skylab 2 mission could have been caused by a 

more gradual transition into the Workshop. “1 think that it is merely 

a matter of room in which you can exercise your vestibular mechanisms, 

and that the workshop simply presents more of that space. . . . perhaps 

it was too much too soon.” 

On Aug. 2 a master alarm buzzer awakened the astronauts at 6:45 am 

EDT. Pressure and temperature were falling rapidly in the CSM reaction 

control system quad D because of an oxidizer leak. Because of quad B’s 

July 28 leak, only A and C of the four quads remained fully operational. 

The quad D leak lasted two hours, losing an estimated 5 kg (12 Ibs) of 

nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer. Apollo Flight Director Glynn S. Lunney 

said at a morning press briefing that the spacecraft was flyable with 

the loss of the two quads but “it would be flown in a mode which is not 

entirely standard.’’ The main concern was “that we have had two 

problems which are related, at least they seem to be related.” A flaw 

common to the whole RCS could necessitate the crew’s immediate return 

to the earth or accelerated preparation of the Skylab 4 spacecraft to 

make it available as a rescue vehicle should the CSM become unusable. 

Full activation of Skylab-rescue-vehicle preparation was authorized. 

Launch and checkout crews began working a 24-hr-day, 7-day-week 

schedule, preparing two additional couches and other equipment for 

installation. Earliest possible date for a rescue mission was established 

as Sept. 5. The EVA rescheduled for Aug. 4 was again postponed, for 

24 to 48 hours to free the crew for system checks, to free ground 

controllers to troubleshoot the problem, and to give time to work out EVA 

procedures for the new spacecraft configuration. While reentry procedures were being rewritten for the new configuration, the astronauts 

continued scientific experiments. 

By the afternoon of Aug. 2 Dr. Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., JSC 

Director, was able to tell the astronauts that troubleshooting the RCS 

had indicated no apparent generic problem, but two unique quad failures, and there was now confidence that the two remaining quads would 

ensure attitude control should immediate reentry become necessary. 

“We’re proceeding . . . as if we’re going to have a normal mission.” 

Astronaut Bean replied: “Fine. You just said the right words. . . . we’re 

pretty happy with the way things are going, at the moment . . . and we 

agree 100 percent with what you just announced. . . . everybody’s happy 

up here.” 

On Aug. 3 Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider said at a 

JSC press briefing that continuing investigation indicated the two quad 

failures were unrelated and reexamination of reentry capabilities showed 

three ways of returning to the earth: using the primary service 

propulsion system, using the RCS with the two operational quads, and 

using the hybrid RCS in the CM. “We’re feeling considerably better 

than . . . yesterday morning.’’ A slowdown was ordered in the emergency rescue preparations. The Apollo CM would be outfitted in a 

Skylab 4 configuration, with three astronaut couches rather than the 

226 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 28-September 25 

five needed for a rescue mission. The slowdown would delay rescue 

readiness until Sept. 10. 

Astronauts Bean, Garriott, and Lousma conducted their first full 

day of experiments and prepared for an earth resources experiment 

package pass. Garriott held the TV camera at the window to telecast 

a good view of the US. from North Dakota to North Carolina. Later 

the first of 26 EREP passes was made, to gather data for oil exploration, 

ocean temperatures, mapping, land use surveys, crop inventories, and 

pollution studies. 

A master alarm sounded in the CSM Aug. 4, later attributed to a 

short-circuit in Skylab’s solar telescope system. The short knocked out 

one of the two TV systems in the ATM but did not affect Skylab’s main 

power system. Ground crews investigated problems in the primary and 

secondary coolant systems Aug. 5. One had been slowly leaking since 

the Skylab 1 launch May 14 and was expected to become inoperative 

in 16 to 20 days. The secondary loop was thought to have a small leak, 

begun during the Skylab 2 mission and giving the loop a predicted 

60-day lifetime. Possibly additional coolant would have to be carried 

up by the next manned mission, Skylab 4, but Program Director 

Schneider said there was “no immediate danger to the crew.” By Aug. 

6 evaluations showed that only the primary loop was leaking; the 

second was sound and could operate for the rest of Skylab 3 as well as 

for Skylab 4. 

Flight surgeon Paul Buchanan’s nightly bulletin said Aug. 5 that the 

crew “continues to report good health and optimistic outlook” and had 

asked about an increase in their menus “to match their growing appetites.” Fluid intake and output was “optimal.” 

The first EVA was performed Aug. 6. Garriott and Lousma stepped 

outside the orbiting laboratory at 1:30 pm EDT to install the 3.6- by 

7.3-m (12- by 24-ft), paper-thin, aluminized Mylar awning over the 

Workshop to reflect the sun’s rays away from the spacecraft skin, 

damaged when the meteoroid shield was torn off during the May 

launch. Garriott, standing in the Skylab’s open hatch, pieced together 

the two 16.8-m (55-ft) poles from metal sections and handed them to 

Lousma. Lousma attached them to a bracket to form a “V” over the 

Workshop. The sunshade was slowly pulled up by a system of pulleys. 

One rope kept twisting around the poles and the sunshade folds did 

not straighten immediately, but after four hours-twice the time expected-the sunshade was successfully deployed. Workshop temperatures were lowered before the EVA ended. Astronaut Bean said Garriott 

and Lousma worked “at a slow and steady pace” and were not tired. 

Lousma retrieved and replaced film in four ATM experiments, installed 

two new cameras, removed a door latch from an ATM experiment, and 

fixed the particle-collection experiment to the rim of the ATM. 

Lousma also inspected the two leaking quads in the CSM RCS and 

looked for coolant leaks. He noted some evidence of micrometeorite 

pitting but no clues to causes of the malfunctions. The astronauts 

completed the EVA at 8:Ol pm EDT, after 6 hrs 31 min, surpassing the 

3-hr 30-min record set June 7 by Skylab 2 Astronauts Charles Conrad, 

Jr., and Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin. 

Garriott, first solar physicist in space, focused the ATM cameras on 

the sun Aug. 7 for the first time during the mission. TV audiences 

watched him work at the ATM panel. 

227 
July 28-September 25 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

By Aug. 8 Dr. Lawrence F. Dietlein, JSC Deputy Director for Life 

Sciences, reported the astronauts were “in excellent spirits and have no 

health problems.” They had completely recovered from motion sickness. 

Their weights had stabilized after a loss of 1.8 to 2.3 kg (4 to 5 lbs) 

each. Data obtained on the rotating chair indicated their sensitivity 

to motion had lifted. Since deployment of the sunshade, temperatures 

in the Workshop had dropped to 296 K (74’F). 

The crew photographed a coronal transient with the ATM camera two 

hours Aug. 10. It was the first time a transient-protons and free 

electrons expelled violently from the sun’s limb at a speed of about 

312 km (194 mi) per sec, a phenomenon that occurred two or three 

times a year-had been observed at that range and time resolution. 

Program Director Schneider announced Aug. 14 that Skylab 3 would 

continue its full 59-day mission. From analyses of the CSM and Workshop, he had “concluded that there is no imminent need for rescue, 

and . . . we have made the decision to proceed with a normal test flow 

on an accelerated basis at Cape Kennedy.” Skylab 4 was being prepared for a normal mission but would be available for a rescue mission 

if necessary. The earliest launch date could be Sept. 25. Schneider 

said, “We’re reasonably confident that [CSM] 117 is a good vehicle.” 

“Looks like they got a renewed burst of confidence down there,” Bean 

said when told of the decision. “We feel that way up here.” JSC announced Aug. 21 that the astronauts would install a new “six-pack” 

of gyroscopes during an Aug. 24 EVA, to replace faulty ones. The 

six-pack had been carri2d up on the Skylab 3 CM. 

Meanwhile the crew continued with experiments, requesting more 

work Aug. 14 because all had spare time and “you just can’t sleep 8 

hours up here.” They photographed tropical storm Brenda Aug. 19 

as it moved across theYucatan Peninsula toward the Gulf of Mexico. 

On Aug. 21 Astronaut Bean discovered and photographed through 

ATM telescopes what Skylab principal investigator Dr. Robert MacQueen 

called “certainly one of the biggest solar events” seen on the Skylab 

missions. Bean said the complex series of events on the solar limb 

looked “like a big bubble” sitting on the edge of the disc. He observed 

it with the white light coronagraph and x-ray instruments and reported 

it to be three fourths the size of the sun. NASA scientists alerted other 

facilities to make observations from ground instruments and other 

satellites. Dr. MacQueen said the event might have been caused by an 

explosion on the back side of the sun. “It was a beautiful event.” The 

crew “did a fine job.’’ 

Schneider announced Aug. 23 (MD-27) that the Skylab 3 crew had 

been given permission to continue the mission for another seven days. 

Dr. Willard R. Hawkins, JSC Deputy Director of Life Sciences for 

Medical Operations, told the press that he saw nothing in the medical 

data thus far “that would indicate that we could not press on with 

the mission, and . . . we feel we can go the full 59 days as planned.” 

EVA-2 began at 12~24 pm EDT Aug. 24 with AM depressurization 

by Lousma and Garriott. Lousma completed installation of the six 

redesigned gyros mounted inside the spacecraft by connecting cables 

to a computer system outside, and the new gyro system was put into 

operation. The astronauts installed a sail sample on a hand rail to test 

durability, replaced ATM film, retrieved and stored cassettes from one 

228 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 28-September 25 

experiment, and removed the aperture door ramp latch from two ATM 

experiments, concluding EVA-2 at 4:31 pm EDT, after 4 hrs 30 min. 

At 8:Ol am EDT Aug. 25 (MD-29) the Skylab 3 astronauts surpassed 

the single-mission endurance mark of 28 days 50 min set in June by 

Skylab 2. They had completed 404 earth orbits and had traveled 18.5 

million km (11.5 million mi). And at 6:11 am EDT Sept. 5 (MD40) 

Astronaut Bean surpassed the space flight record for one man of 49 

days 3 hrs 38 min 36 sec, set in June by Charles Conrad, Jr., on 

Skylab 2. 

EVA-3 began at 7:18 am EDT Sept. 22. Bean and Garriott moved 

through space to retrieve and replace ATM film and retrieve experiments 

and parasol samples. EVA operations ended at 9:59 am EDT, after 2 hrs 

41 min. 

During the mission, spiders Arabella and Anita first spun webs in 

corners of their cage, without the normal circular pattern. Each day, 

however, each improved web formation, adding more radials, adjusting 

to weightlessness. Garriott said of Arabella Aug. 9 that “she learned 

very rapidly in zero-g without the benefit of any previous experience.” 

She “figured out a very nice solution to the problems of zero gravity.” 

Later ground controllers told Garriott to share his filet mignon with 

the spiders to keep them alive for the entire mission. Anita, however, 

was found dead Sept. 16, possibly from inadequate diet. 

September 24-25: The Workshop was deactivated and, on Sept. 25, 

the CSM powered up. The CSM undocked f-rom the Workshop at 3:34 pm 

EDT, separating at 3 :50. The service propulsion system engine made the 

deorbit maneuver at 5:38 pm EDT and the CM splashed down upside 

down at 6:20 pm EDT 400 km (250 mi) southwest of San Diego, Calif. 

The astronauts righted the CM and remained inside until the recovery 

ship U.S.S. New Orleans maneuvered alongside and a crane lifted the 

CM aboard. Immediate medical examinations found the crew in excellent 

spirits and surprisingly good condition. Blood pressures and heart rates 

were within normal range. The astronauts would remain aboard ship 

in San Diego for physical checks and would fly to Houston Sept. 26. 

They would be quarantined for one week. 

The Shylab 3 mission achieved its primary objectives of performing 

unmanned Saturn Workshop operations, reactivating the Skylab orbital 

assembly in earth orbit, obtaining medical data for use in extending 

manned space flights, and performing inflight experiments. Despite 

mission problems, 150% of scheduled ATM observing time was accomplished and EREP sensors were operated on 39 Z-axis local vertical data 

runs and 5 solar inertial data runs, completing 218 of the 386 earth 

resources task sites. All medical experiments were successfully carried 

out. All but one of the corollary experiments achieved or exceeded 

objectives. Of 13 student experiments, 9 were completed. Added unscheduled tests and experiments had significantly increased the data 

yield above premission planning and Skylab was left in an excellent 

position to complete the final SL-4 mission. Skylab 3 was officially 

adjudged a success Oct. 11. 

Major records set by the mission included the longest-duration 

manned space flight to date, 59 days 11 hrs 9 min; the longest cumulative time in space for one man, 69 days for Bean (who had spent 10 

days on the Nov. 14-24, 1969, Apollo 12 mission) ; the longest distance 

in orbit for a manned mission, 41 000 000 km (25 500 000 mi) ; the 

229 
July 28-September 25 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

longest EVA, 6 hrs 31 min on Aug. 6; and the longest cumulative 

orbital EVA time, for one astronaut, 13 hrs 40 min for Garriott. 

In the first mission to man the Orbital Workshop May 15-June 22, 

Skylab 2 astronauts had conducted medical, solar, and earth resources 

experiments for 28 days, as well as repairing the Workshop to salvage 

the mission. The Workshop would be operated unmanned until the 

November Skylab 4 launch for a third and final mission. (NASA prog 

off; JSC PAO press briefing transcripts, 7/28/73-9/25/73 ; NYT, 

7/28/73-9/26/73 ; W Post, 7/28/73-9/26/73 ; W Star-News, 7/28/73- 

9/27/73; B Sun, 8/16/73, A5; 8/20/73, A3) 

NASA launched a Nike-Tomahawk sounding rocket from White 

Sands Missile Range carrying a Univ. of Colorado aeronomy experiment to a 120.2-km (74.7-mi) altitude. The rocket performed successfully but the experiment data were saturated and not useful. (GSFC 

proj off) 

Fifteenth anniversary of the signing of the National Aeronautics 

and Space Act of 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The act 

provided for the establishment of NASA, which officially came into being 

Oct. 1, 1958. (NASA Release 73-134) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, praised NASA’s successful efforts to save the ShyZab 1-2 mission during testimony before the 

Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Science hearing to review 

the Skylab Investigation Report [see July 131: “We were able to save 

Skylab because of the tremendous depth and breadth of the NASA team 

and the dedication and skills of thousands of people on that team. There 

certainly isn’t another country that could have reacted as we did. I doubt 

whether there is another team within this country that could have reacted in this manner. Our team could do it because of years of training, 

working hard on highly exacting projects, and working as a team to 

drive toward a technical objective. The performance of the team on the 

ground, and of course the magnificent performance, skill and courage 

of the astronauts, saved Skylab. I would hope that this is remembered as 

the real story of Skylab, not the failure which caused it to happen.” NASA 

was “taking all the steps we know how to prevent a future failure due 

to similar causes in other programs.” 

Director Bruce T. Lundin of Lewis Research Center testified that, 

throughout six years of reviews and certifications, “the principal attention devoted to the meteoroid shield was that of achieving a satisfactory 

deployment. Never did the matter of aerodynamic loads on the shield 

or aeroelastic interactions between the shield and its external pressure 

environment during launch receive the attention and understanding 

during the design and review process which in retrospect it deserved.” 

The omission had not been surprising. “From the beginning, a basic 

design concept and requirement was that the shield be tight to the 

tank.” The question of whether the shield would remain tight against 

the tank under the dynamics of flight through the atmosphere “was 

simply not considered in any coordinated manner.” Possibly contributing to the oversight “was the basic view of the meteoroid shield as a 

piece of structure.’’ No full-time subsystem engineer had been assigned 

to the shield. “While it is recognized that one cannot have a full-time 

engineer on every piece of equipment, it is. . . possible that the complex 

interactions and integration of aerodynamics, structure, rigging procedures, ordnance, deployment mechanisms, and thermal requirements 

July 28: 

July 29: 

July 30: 

230 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 July 30 

of the meteoroid shield would have been enhanced by such an arrangement.” (Testimony) 

Navy development of hydrofoils and surface effect ships (SESS) with speeds 

to 177 km (110 mi) per hr was seeking to make the Soviet navy obsolete, the Washington Star-News reported. R/A George G. Halvorson, 

Director of the USN’S Surface Ship Acquisition Div., had said the USN 

was already ahead of the U.S.S.R. in “fast navy” technology. “We are 

now on the verge of the biggest advance in ships since the change from 

sail to steam.” Four hydrofoils and two SESS of patrol size were already 

in Navy service and the first of two destroyer-size SESS, with speeds to 

177 km per hr, was to be added by 1978. The USN was buying 2 of 30 

hydrofoil patrol boats planned for Italian, German, and US. fleets in 

Europe. From the success of test ships, Adm. Halvorson could visualize 

a nuclear-powered, 177-km-per-hr aircraft carrier. Existing destroyers 

and carriers had a top speed of 64 km (a mi) per hr. 

Hydrofoils rode above the water on stilts supported by underwater 

wings. A jet aircraft engine powered a pump to force water from jets 

below the stern to drive the ship. SESS, or hovercraft, glided on a cushion 

of air. Their sides extended underwater where propellers or water jets 

drove the ships. (W Star-News, 7/30/73, 31) 

President Nixon presented the Distinguished Service Medal to Gen. John 

D. Ryan, Air Force Chief of Staff, during a White House ceremony. 

Gen. Ryan was retiring after 35 yrs of service. (PD, 8/6/73, 955) 

* Rep. Harold L. Runnels (D-N. Mex.) introduced H.R. 9606 to establish 

an Office of Solar Energy Research in the Dept. of the Interior. 

Rep. Richard G. Shoup (R-Mont.) introduced H.R. 9691 to authorize 

additional funds for the National Science Foundation for research in 

geothermal and solar energy. (CR, 7,/30/73, H6897, E5208) 9 An Aviation Week & Space Technology editorial commented on the July 23 

anniversary of the launch of NASA’s Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology 

Satellite. Its first year of operation “has proved that space technology 

has produced yet another useful tool for man to improve his life on 

earth. The ERTS experiment has shown-at a relatively modest cost of 

$160 million-that it is feasible to measure, catalogue and monitor the 

contents of the earth‘s crust.” It had also yielded “more pertinent information faster and cheaper than all previous methods of tackling this 

job in the limited areas where it was possible.” Erts 1’s most important 

contribution probably would be “the tremendous capability it can provide for man to detect, monitor and control the sources of pollution 

that are poisoning his environment.” (Hotz, Av Wk, 7/30/73, 7) 

Wallops Station used a Boeing 737 jet aircraft from 

Langley Research Center to measure aircraft noise characteristics for 

comparison with existing noise prediction techniques. The primary objective of the study-part of a Federal effort to understand and reduce 

aircraft noise pollution-was to obtain data on noise from aircraft landing and takeoff procedures close in and at long distances from airports. 

The data would be used to update existing analytical techniques. (Wallops Release 73-8) 

At a European Space Conference meeting in Brussels, aerospace 

ministers from 11 countries decided to proceed with Spacelab development, linking with NASA’s shuttle program, as part of a European space 

“package deal.” The agreement also included development of the proposed French G3S launcher, development of the MAROTS experimental 

July 30-August 3: 

July 31: 

23 1 
July 31 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

maritime communications satellite, and creation of a new single European Space Agency (ESA) by April 1, 1974. The new agency would 

merge the European Space Research Organization ( ESRO) and the European Launcher Development Organization ( ELDO). (NASA Release 73- 

191; Gatland, CSM, 8/28/73; W Post, 8/73/A3) 

Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N. Mex.) announced to the Senate the intention 

of the City of Alamogordo, N. Mex., to establish an International Space 

Hall of Fame. Dr. Charles Stark Draper, President of the National 

Academy of Aeronautics and Astronautics, had offered the Academy’s 

service in selecting nominees. (CR, 7/31/73, 515277) 

* The National Science Foundation released Graduate Student Support and 

Manpower Resources in Graduate Science Education ( NSF 73-304) . Graduate science enrollment in doctorate departments applying for 

NSF traineeships declined 3% from 1970 to 1971 in all scientific areas 

except psychology and the social sciences. The number of students 

enrolling for the first time dropped 4% in 1970 and 8% in 1971. 

Graduate enrollment of foreign students declined 2% in 1971, after 

having increased 10% from 1967 to 1968 and another 11% by 1969. 

The enrollment dropoff of nearly 2% in full-time graduate science students was attributed to an acute financial squeeze, during which several 

leading universities began restricting enrollment, and to student disenchantment with science and technology because of rising unemployment 

among scientists and engineers. (Text) 

A five-member Universities Scientific Research Assn. 

committee to advise on the production of glass in space held a meeting 

at Marshall Space Flight Center. The committee discussed an MSFC study 

dealing with the basic phenomena of glass production and toured MSFC 

facilities. (Marshall Star, 8/1/73, 2) 

Ames Research Center and Hersh Acoustical Engineering Co. 

began wind-tunnel experiments to test the effect of serrated rotor edges 

on the noise level of a simulated jet engine compressor. The concept had 

been inspired by observations of the owl. A British naval officer had 

theorized that the owl’s unique serrated wing might help explain the 

bird‘s quietness in flight. ARC engineer Paul Soderman had discovered 

through five years’ study and testing that comb-like edges did reduce 

noise at low tip speeds, but the tests had been limited because they 

were made only statically to simulate a helicopter’s hover. (NASA Release 

73-144) 

* Preliminary results of the Naval Research Laboratory’s SO09 experiment 

aboard the Skylab 1 Workshop (launched by NASA May 14) were published by Naval Research Reviews. NRL scientist Dr. Maurice M. Shapiro, 

principal investigator for S-009, had said the experiment, to study the 

heavy atomic nuclei among the cosmic ray particles that constantly 

bombarded the earth from outer space, had obtained more accurate 

measurement of the relative abundances of nuclei in the primary cosmic 

ray influx than had previously been obtained from the exposure of 

sensitive detectors flown on high-altitude balloon flights. Comparisons 

had already been made between the source composition of cosmic rays 

and the element abundances in the solar system and in nearby stars. 

These suggested that certain nuclear processes occurring on a very short 

time-scale during the explosion of a supernova could be important to the 

production of cosmic ray nuclei. (Naval Research Reviews, 7/73, 32) 

July 31-August 1: 

During July: 

232 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 During July 

Neilsen Engineering and Research, Inc., began testing the Ames Research 

Center-developed Randomdec computer-and-analysis method of application to detecting structural weakness in bridges. Under a NASA contract, 

monthly readings would be taken of bridges at the Highway 85 and 101 

interchange in the San Francisco Bay area for one year. The experiment 

was jointly funded by NASA and the Federal Highway Administration. 

(NASA Release 73-161) 

Compendium of Meteorological Satellites and Instrumentation ( NSSDC 73- 

02) was published by the National Space Science Data Center, Goddard 

Space Flight Center. Prepared by the U.S. Air Force Environmental and 

Technical Applications Center’s Air Weather Service, the book included 

an overview of programs and brief descriptions, orbital information, and 

operating status of 98 satellites launched or planned since 1959 by the 

US., U.S.S.R., France, and U.K., with some 200 experiments. (Text) 

NASA published The Quiet Sun (NASA SP-303) by Skylab 4 Astronaui 

Edward G. Gibson. In the foreword Dr. Leo Goldberg, Kitt Peak National Observatory Director, said the up-to-date textbook of solar physics 

was “written from the point of view of a physicist seeking to understand 

and interpret solar observations in the framework of theoretical physics. 

This orientation as well as the primary purpose of the book combine to 

make it a unique and valuable contribution to the literature of solar 

physics, and a superb textbook for college-level and graduate students.” 

(Text) 

* A survey of knowledge about technology and research at the Univ. of 

Michigan by Chairman David Fradin of the Federation of Americans 

Suporting Science and Technology (FASST) was reported in Air Force 

Mugmine. Of student respondents, 50% to 75% knew the Federal 

Government was the major source of research and development funds, 

that it took 6 to 10 yrs to research and develop a new product, that the 

U.S. had a positive balance of trade in high-technology and agriculture 

products, and that the trend in US. trade had been negative. More 

than 75% of respondents did not know the amount of Federal expenditure for defense or for human and physical resources, or that aerospace 

was the Nation’s largest manufacturing employer. Scientific effort was 

deemed unnecessary for national defense by 25% to 50%. From 50% 

to 75% felt the space program had helped U.S. technical growth, but 

that money spent in going to the moon had been wasted; they considered 

tangible space program benefits like new knowledge of the environment 

to be more important than aerospace leadership, national prestige, or 

keeping ahead of the U.S.S.R. (AF Mug, 7/73, 90-91) 

233 

August 1973 

August 1: Cosmos 578 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into 

orbit with a 251-km (156-mi) apogee, 202-km (125.5-mi) perigee, 

89.0-min period, and 65.4” inclination. The satellite reentered Aug. 13. 

(GSFC SSR, 8/3/73; SBD, 8/3/73, 175) 

* NASA test pilot John A. Manke successfully piloted the X-24B lifting body 

on its first glide flight, launched at 12 000-m (40 000-ft) altitude from 

a B-52 aircraft from Flight Research Center. Manke maneuvered the 

X-24B to evaluate its flight characteristics and made a practice approach at 9000 m (30 000 ft) that ended successfully in a 320-km-per-hr 

(200 mph) unpowered landing on the dry lake bed near FRC, after 

the four-minute flight. The first captive flight of the double-delta-shaped 

vehicle, in the joint NASA and Air Force research program studying possible hypersonic aircraft configurations, had been made July 19. (NASA 

prog off; NASA Release 73-147; LA Her-Exam, 8/2/73) 

* The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on 

Manned Space Flight held a hearing on the Skylab 1 Investigation 

Report [see July 131. A Senate hearing had been held July 30. Lewis 

Research Center Director Bruce T. Lundin, Skylab 1 Investigation Board 

Chairman, testified that the failure to recognize design deficiencies in 

the Orbital Workshop’s meteoroid shield that led to its loss during the 

May 14-June 22 Skyhb 1-2 mission and the failure to communicate the 

importance of proper venting of the shield must be attributed to “an 

absence of sound engineering judgment and alert engineering leadership . . . over a considerable period of time.” There had been no evidence to indicate that “the design, development and testing of the 

meteoroid shield were compromised by limitations of funds or time. 

The quality of workmanship applied to the shield was adequate for its 

intended purpose.” Testing emphasis on ordnance performance and 

shield deployment had been appropriate. “Engineering and management 

personnel on Skylab, on the part of both contractor and Government, 

were available from the prior Saturn development and were thus 

highly experienced and adequate in number.” 

The Investigation Board had suggested corrective action : omit the 

meteoroid shield on any future Workshops, coat the Workshop for 

thermal control, and rely on meteoroid protection from the Workshop 

tank walls. If further protection was required, the Board had favored a 

fixed, nondeployable shield. To reduce the probability of separation 

failures as had occurred at Saturn S-I1 interstage second separation 

plane, linear-shaped charges should be detonated simultaneously from 

both ends, and all ordnance applications should be reviewed for a 

similar failure mode. Structural systems that had to move or deploy, or 

that required other mechanisms or components for operation, should 

not be considered solely as structure ; and complex, multidisciplinary 

systems should have a designated project engineer. 
Auguqt 1 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

NASA Associate Deputy Administrator Willis H. Shapley described 

NASA’s actions to prevent recurrence of the Skylab Orbital Workshop 

anomalies: “We established an independent Investigation Board, have 

accepted the Board’s report. and have directed all our program and 

project people to examine their projects in light of the findings of the 

Board. We will follow up to see that changes in formal management 

systems are made when required.” (Transcript) 

* The House passed by a vote of 401 to 9 the conference report on H.R. 

8825, FY 1974 Dept. of Housing and Urban Development-SpaceScience-Veterans appropriations bill that included a $3.002-billion NASA 

appropriation [see July 261. (CR, 8/1/73, H7109-16) 

US. Embassy officials in Moscow presented to U.S.S.R. President Nikolay 

V. Podgorny, on behalf of President Nixon, a lunar sample brought from 

the moon by the Dec. 7-19, 1972, Apollo 7 mission. Podgorny said in 

accepting the sample that preparations were “successfully continuing” 

for the July 1975 US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission. He 

wished “all success” to the Skylab 3 astronauts (launched July 28 to 

work in the Orbital Workshop launched May 14). (W Star-News, 

8/2/73, A2) 

* The Senate confirmed the nomination of L/C Samuel C. Phillips, Director 

of the National Security Agency and former NASA Apollo Program 

Director, to be an Air Force general. Gen. Phillips became Commander 

of the Air Force Systems Command. (CR, 8/1/73, S15382; DOD 

Release 368-73) 

* The British Interplanetary Society issued a statement to the press following the July 31 decision by the European Space Conference to create a 

European Space Agency by April 1, 1974: “Acceptance of a European 

mini-NASA now promises great rewards for European industry. Longstanding neglect of central management in European space affairs has 

led to waste of limited resources and frustrated Europe’s entry into 

potentially profitable markets. With ESA, Europe now has a chance to 

work at the space frontier alongside the United States and to develop 

other space capabilities of enormous social and economic importance.” 

(Gatland, SF, 10/73, 384-5) 

* NASA launched two Nike-Apache sounding rockets from IGruna, Sweden, 

carrying Dudley Observatory and Univ. of Stockholm experiments to 

collect and identify particulate matter from noctilucent clouds in the 

upper atmosphere. The first rocket reached a 109-km (67.7-mi) altitude. 

The second rocket, launched 30 min later, reached 111 km (69.0 mi). 

Rockets and instrumentation performed satisfactorily and all experimental objectives were achieved. (NASA Rpts SRL) 

* The Senate Committee on Armed Services voted 8 to 7 to cut $885 million 

from the $1.7 billion requested by the Nixon Administration for the 

Trident missile-launching submarine program in FY 1974. The Committee was considering S. 1263, an FY 1974 military procurement 

authorization bill. (CR, 8/1/73, D950; Finney, NYT, 8/3/73, 8) 

* Rep. Bill Gunter (D-Fla.) and Rep. Charles A. Vanik (D-Ohio) introduced H.R. 9785 to provide for “a coherent rational program of energy 

research and development.” Under the proposed program a five-member 

Energy Research and Development Commission would develop a national energy R&D policy and the National Science Foundation would 

collect resources information in a research data base. (CR, 8/1/73, 

E527941 ) 

236 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 August 1 

0 Federal support to universities and colleges rose $643 million, or 18%, 

to $4.1 billion from FY 1971 to FY 1972, the National Science Foundation reported. Federal academic science funding increased by $256 

million, or ll%, to $2.6 billion. Federal support of academic research 

and development activities rose by $302 million, or 19%, to $1.9 billion. 

The life sciences received $896 million in 1972-21%, more than in 

1971 ; environmental sciences received $187 million, up 38% ; and 

engineering received $193 million, up 22%. ( NSF Highlights, 8/1/73) 

August 1-10: Two Soviet research ships and one U.S. and one Mexican 

vessel participated in the GARP International Sea Trial (GIST) project, 

part of the Global Atmospheric Research Program to improve weather 

forecasting. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

research vessel Researcher met Soviet ships Academician Korolev and 

Ernst Krenkel in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Virgin Islands to make 

a series of simultaneous instrumented observations of the atmosphere 

and the ocean. The 10-day project would be followed in June 1974 by a 

100-day effort in which research ships from 11 countries, 11 aircraft, 

and 5000 scientists would participate. (NSF Release 73-174; NSF PIO) 

A Today editorial commented on energy conservation efforts 

at Kennedy Space Center, while the Skylab 3 astronauts, in orbit since 

July 28, coped with a reaction-control-system oxidizer leak in the command module. Newspaper readers-noting that lights at Launch Complex 39 had remained on throughout July 28, Skylab 3 launch day-had 

questioned NASA’S compliance with the Nixon Administration’s energy 

conservation edict. One caller had queried all-night lights at the Manned 

Spacecraft Operations Building parking lot. “A call to Kennedy Space 

Center confirmed our suspicion: they are human and at times forgetful.” 

But KSC had reduced July energy consumption by 7%, “and it was 

done very simply: air conditioning equipment was turned off at the end 

of the working day and one half of the electric light bulbs in halls, 

corridors and lobbies were removed.” KSC had said they would check 

launch pads and parking lots “to determine if a few hundredths of a 

percentage point can be added to the seven already realized.” (Today, 

NASA launched a Nike-Cajun sounding rocket from Kiruna, Sweden, carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center payload to an 88-km (54.7-mi) 

altitude. The objective was to study ion composition and density of the 

ionospheric D- and E-regions at polar latitudes. The data would be 

compared with data from two Nike-Apaches launched Aug. 1. The 

rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily and all experimental 

objectives appeased to have been achieved. (NASA Rpt SRL) 

The anti-environmental backlash was in full swing, the Wall Street Journal 

said. Environmentalists were being blamed for the energy crisis, lingering unemployment, high prices, high taxes, food shortages, and the falling birth rate. Several state legislatures had killed ecology-oriented bills 

they would have passed a session or two before, L‘and a few others have 

voted actually to relax environmental-protection laws enacted in the 

heyday of concern.” Environmental groups were encountering serious 

fund-raising problems. “Inevitably, businessmen, union officials and 

others who have felt the lash of environmental power in recent years 

will now be tempted to hit back hard.” This could be a risky, “almost 

fatal” calculation. While the environmentalists might no longer win all 

the battles, “chances are, too, that sooner or later a fresh disaster-a 

August 2: 

8/2/73 1 

237 
August 2 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

new oil spill, a heavy smog-will rebuild environmentalists’ strength.” 

(Otten, WSJ, 8/2/73) 

A New York Times editorial commented on the Aug. 2 discovery 

of an oxidizer leak that threatened the safety of the Skylab 3 astronauts 

(launched July 28 to man the Orbital Workshop launched May 14) : 

“Even though it finally proved unnecessary to order three men back to 

earth immediately, two points did emerge with special clarity from this 

short-lived scare situation. First, not all difficulties that can arise in 

manned space missions can be repaired by men on a troubled vehicle.” 

Second, “and more fundamental, this latest incident again brings into 

sharp focus the need for standby rescue rockets for manned space ventures. The lack of rescue vehicles in the past has come in for justified 

and severe criticism. This time NASA has demonstrated that it has learned 

the lessons of history.’’ An Apollo spacecraft was being readied as a 

rescue vehicle for the Skylab 3 crew if a new emergency arose. “Men in 

space are no longer forced LO be so self-sufficient and independent of 

help from earth as was the case not long ago, especially during the 

Apollo voyages to the moon.’’ (NYT, 8/3/73, 30) 

0 Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on 

Aeronautical and Space Sciences, introduced S. 2350 to amend the 

National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 “to provide for the coordinated application of technology to civilian needs in . . . earth resources survey systems,” to establish an Office of Earth Resources 

Systems within NASA, and for other purposes. The bill was referred to 

the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. (CR, 8/3/73, 

S15593) 

Results of Apollo 14 and 16 (launched Jan. 31, 1971, and April 16, 1972) 

heavy-particle dosimetry experiments were reported in Science by scientists from Johnson Space Center and the General Electric Research 

and Development Center. Earlier measurements using Apollo helmets 

as dosimeters had indicated that a significant 1% of certain nonregenerative motor-control cells in the bodies of astronauts in space would 

be killed by radiation from densely ionizing, heavy atomic nuclei with 

the current Apollo spacecraft shielding. Doses of heavy particles penetrating the CMS of Apollo 8, 12, 14, and 16 correlated well with calculated effects of solar modulation of the primary cosmic radiation. 

Differences in doses at different positions inside the CMS had indicated 

that the redistribution of mass within the spacecraft could enhance 

safety from the biological damage that would otherwise be expected on 

manned, deep-space missions. (Fleischer et al., Science, 8/3/73, 436-8) 

Appointment of David R. Scott, former astronaut, as Deputy Director of 

Flight Research Center was announced by FRC. Scott had flown on 

Gemini 8 (March 16-17, 1966) and Apollo 9 (March 3-13, 1969) 

missions and was commander of Apollo 15 (July 26-Aug. 7, 1971). 

After leaving the astronaut corps in 1972, he had served as Technical 

Assistant to the Apollo Program Manager and as Special Assistant for 

Mission Operations and Government Furnished Equipment in the 

Apollo Spacecraft Office at Manned Spacecraft Center (which became 

Johnson Space Center Feb. 17). He held two NASA Distinguished Service 

Medals, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, the 

David C. Schilling Trophy of the Air Force, and the Robert J. Collier 

Trophy for 1971. (FRC Release 21-73) 

August 3: 

238 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 August 3 

0 Samples of the material used by NASA for Skylab’s makeshift sunshade 

during the May 14-June 22 Skylab 1-2 mission had been subjected 

during the mission to high-intensity ultraviolet radiation at the Air 

Force Systems Command’s Arnold Engineering Development Center, 

AFSC announced. The tests, to determine the degree of degradation the 

material experienced from solar uv radiation, had been requested by 

Marshall Space Flight Center. This accelerated “aging” of the samples 

enabled NASA engineers to decide that it was not necessary to replace 

the shield during the Skylab 1-2 mission. (AFSC Release 01P 104.73) 

* Marshall Space Flight Center announced receipt of proposals from five 

firms for a contract for design, procurement, fabrication, installation, 

and checkout of a data-acquisition system to support space shuttle 

structural testing. The firms were Avco Corp., Computer Science Corp., 

Grumman Aerospace Corp., Systems Engineering Laboratories, and 

Wyle Laboratories. The contract would be awarded in October. (MSFC 

Release 73-107) 

Rep. Mike McCormack (D-Wash.) , with 23 cosponsors, introduced H.R. 

9974 to establish a Department of Energy. (CR, 8/3/73, H7404) 

* NASA launched a Nike-Apache sounding rocket from Wallops Island carrying a Univ. of Illinois payload to a 184.3-km (114.5-mi) altitude. The 

objective was to measure electron temperature and electron density 

profile of intense blanketing of the sporadic E-region at 100- to 120-km 

(60- to 75-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed 

satisfactorily. All experimental objectives appeared to have been 

achieved. (NASA Rpt SRL) 

0 President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of John Eger to 

be Deputy Director of the Office of Telecommunications Policy. Eger, legal 

assistant to the Federal Communications Commission Chairman, would 

succeed George F. Mansur, Jr., who had resigned effective April 1. (PD, 

8/6/73, 951, 957) 

The U.S.S.R. launched its Mars 6 probe from Baykonur Cosmodrome at 10:46 pm local time (l:& pm EDT) into a parking orbit from 

which it was inserted into a trajectory toward the planet Mars. Tass reported Mars 6 would reach Mars in March 1974 to join Mars 4 and 5 

(launched July 22 and 25) in the exploration of the planet, its surrounding space, and the characteristics of interplanetary space. Mars 6 differed 

somewhat in design from Mars 4 and 5. In addition to Soviet equipment 

it carried instruments designed and manufactured by French specialists 

for the joint Soviet-French experiment Stereo, to study the sun’s 

radioemission in one-meter wavelength and characteristics of the solar 

plasma and cosmic rays. (CSFC SSR, 8/31/73; FBISSOV, 8/6/73, L1; 

SBD, 8/7/73; Shabad, NYT, 8/7/73,19) 

* Discovery of huge, shallow craters at the near-equatorial zone of Venus 

was announced by Jet Propulsion Laboratory radar astronomers headed 

by Dr. Richard A. Goldstein. The team had produced a map showing a 

1500-km (930-mi) section of Venus, about the size of Alaska, that 

showed 12 craters up to 160 km (100 mi) across. The discovery had 

been made with high-intensity radar beams from Goldstone Tracking 

Station in the Mohave desert. The resolution, about 10 km (6 mi), 

was five times better than previously obtained. (JPL Release 665; NASA 

Release 73-145) 

A Baltimore Sun editorial commented on the plight of Skylab 3 as the 

astronauts (launched July 28 to man the Orbital Workshop launched 

August 5: 

239 
August 5 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

May 14) prepared for Aug. 6 extravehicular activity and ground crews 

studied coolant system problems in the OWS: “The public has grown 

increasingly sanguine about NASA’s manned missions, almost considering them routine, because of the agency’s perfect safety record on 

manned missions.” The Aug. 2 oxidizer leak had shown “that the 

missions are anything but free of hazard, and the mental stress imposed upon the three astronauts must be intense. We hope, of course, 

that the mission will continue for the full 59 days and that the 

astronauts will then make it home safely. But if there is any serious 

question about the condition of the Apollo ship, then NASA certainly 

should exercise its option of sending a rescue ship up to Skylab and 

ending the mission in advance of schedule.,’ (B Sun, 8/5/73) 

A Chicago Sun-Times editorial commented on space rescue 

capability as the Skylab 3 astronauts, manning the Orbital Workshop 

since July 28, conducted their first extravehicular activity : “There 

is a certain amount of calculated risk involved at this period of space 

experimentation. In a real emergency Russia might be able to help 

out with one of its spacecraft. When the shuttle program becomes 

effective, a reusable winged spaceship could be made ready for launching in two hours.” Meantime, “all we can do is trust that the good 

luck, astronauts’ skill and inventiveness of the space program people 

that have provided magnificent results to date continue during the current series of missions.” (C Sun-Times, 8/6/73) 

Langley Research Center and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science 

( VIMS) were using aerial photography to identify Tidewater Virginia 

vegetation in a project to aid Virginia in using its marshlands. Highresolution photos from helicopters would provide accurate knowledge 

of vegetation species to enable VIMS to classify plant life in specific 

marshes. VIMS also was working with Wallops Station to use multispectral 

aerial photography to identify features of specific vegetation by lowresolution photos. ( NASA Release 73-146) 

The House attitude toward solar energy as a factor in relieving the 

energy crisis was discussed in a Washingmn Post guest column by 

Rep. James W. Symington (D-Mo.) , Chairman of the Subcommittee 

on Space Science and Applications, and Rep. Mike McCormack (DWash.), Chairman of ,the Subcommittee on Energy, both of the House 

Committee on Science and Astronautics. Members of the subcommittees 

had expressed the urgent need for an accelerated program in solar 

energy research and development and had encouraged NASA and the 

National Science Foundation to use funds provided to develop “an 

expanded, mission-oriented program.” But they warned against expecting that solar energy would provide any significant relief from the 

energy crisis during the immediate future: “We cannot emphasize 

strongly enough that this nation must depend primarily upon the 

combustion of coal, gas, and oil, and on nuclear fission, for energy 

for the balance of this century. No amount of enthusiasm for solar 

energy, and no expansion of solar research and development, should 

keep us from pursuing and expanding the more immediate and urgent 

research and development programs in coal gasification and liquification and in research and development associated with nuclear reactors 

and nuclear breeders.” (W Post, 8/6/73, A23) 

NASA launched two Nike-Apache sounding rockets from Kiruna, Sweden. 

The first carried a Goddard Space Flight Center payload to a 123-km 

August 6: 

240 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 August 6 

(76.4-mi) altitude to study ion composition and density in the ionospheric D- and E-regions at polar latitudes. A second Nike-Apache carried a Dudley Observatory and Univ. of Stockholm payload to a 103-km 

(64.0-mi) altitude to collect background data during the absence of 

noctilucent clouds for comparison with data obtained by two NikeApaches launched from Kiruna Aug. 1 and a Nike-Cajun launched from 

Kiruna Aug. 2. Both rockets and instrumentation performed satisfactorily 

and experimental objectives appeared to have been achieved. (NASA 

Rpts SRL) 

* The National Science Foundation released Immigrant Scientists and Engineers in the United States (NSF 73-302). A mid-1970 survey of 

characteristics and attitudes of foreign scientists and engineers who 

had immigrated to the US. between 1964 and 1969 showed most had 

come seeking a higher standard of living. Nearly 6 of every 10 held a 

Ph.D. or Master's degree. One of every five had continued graduate 

training. More than 90% were employed in professional positions, and 

more than one half were in research and development. Although the 

majority were under 40 yrs of age, 35% had authored scientific papers 

in the U.S. and 8% held US. patents. (Text) 

The earth had passed between NASA's Pioneer 10 (launched toward Jupiter March 2, 1972) and the sun for the second time during 

its 1-billion-km (620-million-mi) journey, Ames Research Center announced. Pioneer 10 was 850 million km (530 million mi) from the 

earth and was scheduled to make history's first visit to Jupiter in 

December. When the spacecraft, the earth, and the sun were aligned in 

inferior conjunction, Pwneer 10's sun sensor would look almost directly 

at the sun, interfering with the sensor's count of the spacecraft rotation 

rate. To avoid the problem, ARC flight directors were keeping the pointing direction of the spacecraft's radio beam and sun sensor 1.5" from 

the sun and 1" from the earth. 

Pioneer 11 (launched toward Jupiter April 5, 1973) was 150 million 

km (93 million mi) from the earth. Both spacecraft were functioning 

well. (ARC Release 73-84) 

* Johns Hopkins Univ. Applied Physics Laboratory held the first public 

demonstration of its new heart pacemaker that used electric and electronic components designed by NASA for spacecraft use. The new pacemaker, smaller and longer lasting than conventional models, could be 

implanted more quickly and easily. It had no life-limiting components 

or radioactive emissions, was immune from outside interference sources, 

and could be recharged by patients at home. It incorporated modified 

space satellite power cells. (NASA Release 73-150; Cohn, W Post, 

Spare-time diversions of the astronauts aboard the Orbital Workshop in the May 25-June 22 Skylab 2 mission and in Skylab 3 since 

July 28 launch were described in a Christian Sctence Monitor article. 

Skylab 3 Astronaut Dr. Owen K. Garriott, the first physicist in space, 

had been fascinated by the zero-g antics of his spiders Arabella and 

Anita and his mummichog minnows. Skylab 2 Astronaut Dr. Joseph P. 

Kerwin had experimented with a big blob of water which floated before 

him instead of splashing on the spacecraft deck. The blob had taken 

on the form of the sun and planets as he spun it in space. He had blown 

it into a bubble with a straw and then had blown bubbles within the 

bubble. His Skylab 2 colleague, Astronaut Charles Conrad, Jr., had 

August 7: 

8/8/73 ) August 8: 

241 
August 8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

discovered that centrifugal force could impel him around the weightless 

spacecraft upright if he got himself off to a fast enough start racing around the Workshop. Other astronaut pastimes included “marooning” (doing acrobatics in remote sections of the spacecraft), “hamming 

it up” for TV and “home movies,” reading novels and poetry, ricocheting weightless rubber balls around the laboratory, and flying paper airplanes. (Salisbury, CSM, 8/8/73) 

* Components of a navigation system similar to that of the lunar roving 

vehicles launched aboard Apollo 15, 16, and 17 (July 26, 1971, and 

April 16 and Dec. 7, 1972) to explore the lunar surface had been turned 

over by Marshall Space Flight Center to the Univ. of Kentucky for 

possible incorporation into a remotely controlled mine-surveillance vehicle, the Marshall Star announced. (Marshall Star, 8/8/73, 2) 

* A New York Times editorial noted that “works aimed at exploring the 

planets by instruments of the most diverse sort” continued activity 

after the close of manned exploration of the moon. It commented on 

the discovery by Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists that the Venus 

equatorial area was dominated by huge craters [see Aug. 51. (NYT, 

8/8/73, 32) 

The U.S.S.R. launched its Mars 7 probe from Baykonur 

Cosmodrome at 10 :00 pm local time (1 :00 pm EDT) into an earth parking orbit from which it was inserted into a trajectory toward Mars. The 

parameters of the trajectory were as planned, Tass reported. Mars 7 

was the fourth in a series of spacecraft launched by the U.S.S.R. toward Mars during the month-long window when the earth and Mars 

were in alignment for a space launch. Mars 4 and 5 were launched 

July 22 and 25. Mars 6 was launched Aug. 5. 

Mars 7, which would reach its destination in mid-March 1974, was 

similar in design and mission to Mars 6. Both spacecraft-intended for 

exploration of Mars, near-Mars space, and the interplanetary mediumcarried Soviet- and French-built scientific equipment. All four Mars 

probes would carry out research in combination. Tass said Mars 4 

would perform experiments using instruments on Mars 6 while Mars 5 

would work in conjunction with Mars 7. 

On Aug. 10, at 4:OO am Baykonur time (7:OO pm EDT, Aug. 9), 

Mars 4 was 6 432 000 km (3 997 000 mi) from the earth; Mars 5, 

5 067 000 km (3 148 000 mi) from the earth; Mars 6, 1 535 000 km 

(954 000 mi) from the earth; and Mars 7, 102 000 km (63 000 mi) 

from the earth. Tass reported that all spacecraft were proceeding according to their programs. 

A midcourse correction of the Mars 6 trajectory Aug. 13 and of the 

Mars 7 trajectory Aug. 16 put the flight paths “within the pre-set limits.” 

Tass said onboard systems of all four probes were functioning normally 

and measurements were being made of physical characteristics of interplanetary space. (CSFC SSR, 8/31/72; FBIS-SOV, 8/10/73, L1; 

8/16/73, L1; 8/17/73, L1; SBD, 8/13/73, 217) 

Marshall Space Flight Center announced the award of identical, 

parallel, $800 000, 17-ma contracts to Itek Corp. Optical Systems Div. 

and Perkin-Elmer Corp. for competing preliminary designs and program definition of the Large Space Telescope (LST) . The large, multipurpose, orbiting, optical astronomical facility would be launched by 

the space shuttle, which also would return it to the earth for major 

maintenance and refurbishment. The LST would use a 3-m (lo-ft) 

August 9-16: 

August 9: 

242 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 August 9 

primary mirror and-because of its size, quality, and location above 

the earth‘s atmosphere-would be able to resolve objects 10 times smaller 

and 100 times fainter than those observed by ground telescope. (MSFC 

Release 73-110) 

* Ames Research Center earth resources survey aircraft were monitoring 

tussock moth damage to Douglas fir trees in Washington and Oregon 

at the request of the Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources. 

Two flights over the Blue Mountain area, covering parts of each state, 

would help determine damage done by the moths, which also attacked 

Ponderosa trees. (NASA Release 73-149) 

NASA launched two sounding rockets. A Black Brant IVB, launched from 

Wallops Island, carried an Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratory 

and Goddard Space Flight Center payload to a 603.5-km (375-mi) 

altitude to flight-test a modified version of the Black Brant IVB. The 

rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

A Black Brant VC, launched from White Sands Missile Range, 

carried a Harvard College Observatory experiment to a 268.8-km 

(167-mi) altitude to collect data on solar activity to collaborate with 

data collected by the Apollo Telescope Mount instruments aboard the 

Skylab Orbital Workshop (launched May 14), now manned by the 

Skylab 3 crew (launched July 28). A capsule containing film was 

parachuted to the earth and recovered 160 km (100 mi) from the 

launch site. One detector failed but the exDeriment was 80% successful. The rocket performed satisfactorily. (N~A proj off; Reuters, B Sun, 

8/10/73, A6) 

August 10: NASA announced it had granted a five-year patent license to 

K-H Enterprises to manufacture and sell a burglar-intrusion detection 

system based on an Ames Research Center-developed capacitance pressure transducer. The transducer had been developed by ARC scientist 

Grant Koon to measure pressures on wind-tunnel models. In its application as an aircraft intrusion detection system, the transducer sensed the 

physical mass of an approaching person in the aircraft’s vicinity as a 

change in capacitance and activated an alarm. (NASA Release 73-148) 

NASA launched a Nike-Apache sounding rocket from Wallops Island carrying a Univ. of Illinois payload to a 187.8-km (116.7-mi) altitude. The 

objective was to measure electron temperature and electron density 

profile of intense blanketing of the sporadic E-region at 100 to 120 km 

(60 to 75 mi). Data would be compared with data from a Nike-Apache 

launched Aug. 3. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. All experimental objectives appeared to have been achieved. (NASA 

Rpt SRL) 

8 Remarks by French oceanologist Dr. Jacques-Yves Cousteau during a lecture series sponsored by Ames Research Center, San Francisco Univ., 

San Jose State Univ., and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific were 

quoted by the San Francisco Examiner: A “new awareness, a space-age 

consciousness especially among younger people” could L‘cause mankind 

to abandon violence, money and false material pleasures based on uncontrolled production and consumption, and to start preparing planet 

Earth for a cosmic awareness and a personal immortality.” (SF Exam, 

8/10/73) 

Academic research and development expenditures had reached 

$3.3 billion in FY 1972, the National Science Foundation reported. 

Since 1964, R&D development at universities and colleges had doubled. 

August 13: 

243 
August 13 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The increase, from $1.6 billion to $3.3 billion, represented an average 

annual growth of 9.7%. The Federal share declined from a high of 

60% in 1968 to 55% in 1972. Institution funds increased from $615 

million to $924 million, or 10.7% annually 1968-1972. The $3.3 

billion total for academic R&D in 1972 was only 11% of the national 

R&D total, but the $2.5 billion allocated to basic research amounted to 

59% of U.S. basic research. (NSF Highlights, 8/13/73; NSF Sci Resources Studies Div) 

Gen. Bruce K. Holloway (USAF, Ret.), former Commander of the Air 

Force Strategic Air Command, joined NASA as a consultant to the Administrator. (NASA Ann, 9/10/73) 

An Apollo command module atop its Saturn IB launch vehicle 

was rolled out from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 

39, Pad B, at Kennedy Space Center. Vehicle readiness had been ordered 

by Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider for a possible rescue 

mission of Skylab 3 astronauts (launched July 28) when two of the four 

quadrants of the service module’s reaction control system, used for 

maneuvering the command and service module, failed and raised doubts 

about the ability of the CM to return safely to earth. If a rescue system 

were not ordered, the vehicle would carry Skylab 4 astronauts-Gerald 

P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue-to a Nov. 9 

rendezvous with the Skylab Orbital Workshop. (Marshall Star, 8/15/73, 

1; Thomas, Toduy, 8/14/73) 

An Intergovernmental Agreement on US. and European cooperation in 

space shuttle development was signed in Paris by the US., Belgium, 

France, West Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The 

agreement included European funding and development of the Spacelab 

for the space shuttle. A NASA-European Space Research Organization 

( ESRO) Memorandum of Understanding that supplemented the agreement was initialed by NASA and ESRO representatives in Europe. The 

memorandum would be signed in Washington, D.C., by Dr. James C. 

Fletcher, NASA Administrator, and Dr. Alexander Hocker, ESRO Director 

General, Sept. 24. (NASA Release 73-191; NASA Int Aff) 

Government investigations of the Skylab 1-2 mission (May 14-June 22) 

had indicated “we have put too much reliance on computers, on management systems, on brilliant paper designs and on theory,” columnist 

Ray Crowley said in the Washington Star-News. Neglected had been 

human intuition, communications between the men working on different aspects of major programs and practical experience.’’ The system 

had submerged the individual. Missing had been “the old-fashioned 

‘chief engineer’ with few managerial duties who brought his total 

experience and spent most of his time integrating all elements of the 

system.” A major cause of Skylab 1-2 anomalies had been “lack of discussion between the groups of men working on the project.” The investigators had cautioned that management must counteract the natural 

tendency of engineers to believe a drawing is the real world. One team 

had found that extensive use of computers for complex analyses could 

serve to remove the analyst from reality. Attention to rigor, detail, and 

thoroughness, “if carried too far, can inject an undue emphasis on 

formalism and documentation.” This caused too little thought to be 

given to “how does it work.” (W Star-News, 8/14/73, All) 

NASA and the Soviet Academy of Sciences had approved the report of the 

June 7-15 Moscow meeting of the US.-U.S.S.R. Joint Editorial Board 

August 14: 

<< 

244l 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 August 14 

preparing the publication “Foundations of Space Biology and Medicine,” 

NASA announced. Publication of the first volume was planned for May 1, 

1974, and the second and third by July 1,1974. (NASA Release 73-151) 

* Ames Research Center selected California Airmotive Corp. for negotiations 

leading to a replacement for the Convair 990 instrumented aircraft 

GaliEeo lost in an April 12 mid-air collision over Moffett Field, Calif. 

Negotiations would be based on NASA’s acquisition of a Convair 990 

aircraft with spare parts and modifications to prepare the aircraft for 

airborne scientific missions. If negotiations were successful, NASA 

would continue its airborne science program with an identical aircraft. 

(NASA Release 73-156) 

* NASA launched a Nike-Apache sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying a Univ. of Pittsburgh payload to a 117.1-km (72.8-mi) 

altitude. The experiment studied mesopheric composition with an optical 

mass spectrometer measuring both the minor atomic and the molecular 

species in the presence of major atmosphere constituents. The rocket and 

instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt SRL) 

A Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial commented on the first anniversary of 

the Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite: “For Ohio alone, ERTS 

is telling truer tales about strip mining and pollution. For others it is 

doing such diverse things as charting safe routes for ocean shipping and 

forecasting water requirements of inland areas. The list of what already 

has been done and is yet to be done is almost endless.” (C1 PD, 

8/14/73) 

NASA held an earth resources experiment package briefing at 

Johnson Space Center. Dr. Verl R. Wilmarth, EREP project scientist at 

JSC, said that Skylab 3 Astronauts Alan L. Bean, Dr. Owen K. Garriott, 

and Jack R. Lousma, launched July 28 to crew the Orbital Workshop, 

had completed 10 EREP passes and had exceeded four hours of data collection. They had photographed 125 test sites over the U.S., South 

America, Thailand, East Malaysia, and Australia under the conditions 

required by the individual primary investigators. Wilmarth said the 

equipment was “working great” with “essentially no problem at all with 

any of the camera systems.’’ (Transcript) 

* Ames Research Center light aircraft and various ground stations were 

being used to document air pollution in the San Francisco Bay area 

under a two-year National Science Foundation project. ARC, the Bay 

Area Pollution Control District, and the Atomic Energy Commission’s 

Lawrence Livermore Laboratory were collaborating in the project. ARC 

would make atmospheric measurements and computer studies in photochemisty to determine how sunlight affected pollution. The Livermore 

Laboratory, operated by the Univ. of California, would use weather 

and pollution data to verify a model under development. Radiosonde 

balloons launched by students at San Jose State Univ. also would gather 

data under an ARC grant. Another grant, with the Statewide Air Pollution Research Center at the Univ. of Califopia at Riverside, would 

analyze hydrocarbons. (ARC Release 73-90) 

California Lt. Gov. Edwin Reinecke and Dr. Hans M. Mark, Ames Research Center Director, had concluded an agreement under which ARC 

would assist the California Office of Emergency Services in developing a 

system for rapid evaluation of emergency situations, NASA announced. 

The agreement was part of an ARC pilot program to develop disasterassessment systems for regional or Federal agencies. ARC would provide 

August 15: 

245 
August 15 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

high-altitude multispectral photography, thermal infrared imagery, and 

radiometric surveys using earth resources research techniques to survey 

fire, flood, earthquake, landslide, oil spill, air pollution, or other disasters. (NASA Release 73-157) 

* Findings that solar power held vast potential to supplement energy needs 

were presented at Marshall Space Flight Center by university faculty 

fellows in an MSFC Systems Engineering Design Program. The joint 

MsFc-Auburn Univ. program was to provide information and experience 

for developing multidisciplinary systems engineering design courses 

and programs. The fellows had made a systems approach study of the 

application of solar technology and research to meet the energy crisis. 

( MSFC Release 73-109; MSFC PAO) 

Grumman Aerospace Corp. was surveying Langley and Lewis Research 

Centers under a $60 000 NASA contract to identify any clearly inefficient 

energy-use practices, NASA announced. Areas of major potential energy 

savings would be identified and corrective action taken. (NASA Release 

President Nixon announced his intention to nominate John R. Quarles, Jr., 

as Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency succeeding Robert W. Fri, whose resignation he accepted. The President 

also designated Quarles, Acting EPA Deputy Administrator, as Acting 

Administrator pending the confirmation and appointment of Russell E. 

Train as Administrator. Quarles’ nomination was submitted to the 

Senate Sept. 5 and confirmed Sept. 14. (PD, 8/20/73, 982; 9/10/73, 

1070; EPA PIO) 

NASA announced tentative plans to observe the Comet Kohoutek 

during the Skylab 4 mission, planned for Nov. 9 launch to join the Skylab Orbital Workshop. The Apollo Telescope Mount instruments provided a broad capability for comet observations over a range of spectral 

,bands. Observations would begin in mid-November and continue until 

shortly before mission completion, scheduled for Jan. 4, 1974. The 

tentative plans would be reviewed after the completion of the Skylab 3 

mission (launched July 28). If technical problems necessitated an 

earlier launch to minimize the length of unmanned operations, it would 

not be possible to observe the comet. A possible 10-day delay of the 

launch beyond Nov. 10 would also be considered, to permit observation 

of the comet until Jan. 14. 

NASA also deleted the requirement to maintain the capability to 

launch the backup Workshop, which originally was to have been maintained to Sept. 30. (NASA Release 73-162) 

ASA announced selection of Martin Marietta Corp. for negotiation of a 

$107-million cost-plus-award-fee contract for the design, development, 

test, and evaluation of the space shuttle external tank. The development 

phase would include fabrication of three ground-test tanks and six 

developmental flight tanks. The contract would run through 1978. (NASA 

Release 73-163) 

:allege student participants in a 10-week Summer Institute for Biomedical 

Engineering at Goddard Space Flight Center presented results of the 

study cosponsored by GSFC and Howard Univ. Ten students had worked 

to solve problems in health care by applying NASA space age technology. 

Experiments had included obtaining data from 40 electrocardiogram 

electrodes simultaneously without using bulky and time-consuming 

equipment, disposing of anesthetic fumes exhaled by patients during 

73-159) 

August 16: 

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ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 August 16 

surgery, using space tools to weigh premature infants without removing 

them from a controlled environment, measuring stresses in human bones, 

and researching deafness. (NASA Release 72-152) 

NASA launched two Arcas sounding rockets from Antigua, West Indies, 

carrying Goddard Space Flight Center experiments to measure ozone 

distribution in the upper atmosphere, monitor anomalous ultraviolet 

absorption, and extend the data base for a climatology of stratospheric 

ozone in the tropics. Both launches were in conjunction with a Nimbus 4 

satellite (launched April 8, 1970) overpass. The first Arcas reached a 

52.7-km (32.7-mi) altitude. Ejection of the payload-parachute unit was 

accomplished, but the nosecone remained attached to the instrumentation 

section shielding the sensors from the atmosphere. No data were acquired. The second Arcas, launched 80 min later, reached a 51.2-km 

(31.8-mi) altitude but the payload-parachute unit did not eject and no 

data were received. (NASA Rpts SRL) 

The Air Force launched an unidentified satellite on a ThorBurner I1 booster from Vandenberg Air Force Base into orbit with an 

853-km (530.0-mi) apogee, 808-km (502.1-mi) perigee, 101.5-min period, and 98.8" inclination. (GSFC SSR, 8/30/73; Pres Rpt 74) 

NASA test pilot John A. Manke successfully completed the second glide 

flight of the X-24B lifting body from Flight Research Center. The 

X-24B, launched from a B-52 aircraft at an altitude of 14000 m 

(45 000 ft) , completed all objectives: flying in transonic configuration, 

verifying longitudinal trim curve, obtaining stability and control data, 

making a pressure survey of the fin and rudder end, and studying 

landing gear dynamics. Part of the flight was flown with dampers off. 

All planned maneuvers were completed. (NASA prog off) 

NASA announced selection of United Aircraft Corp. Sikorsky Aircraft Div. 

for negotiation of a $25-million cost-reimbursement contract to design, 

fabricate, flight-test, and deliver two rotor systems research aircraft 

(RSRA) . The aircraft, helicopters with wings and auxiliary engines, 

would be used as flying laboratories to develop advanced rotor system 

technology and flight-testing of new rotorblade concepts in a jointly 

funded NASA and Army research program. (NASA Release 73-165) 

The U.S.S.R. had successfully flight-tested missiles with multiple warheads 

that could be directed to separate targets, Dr. James R. Schlesinger, 

Secretary of Defense, told a Washington, D.C., press conference. One 

of the intercontinental missiles, the SS-18, had carried at least six hydrogen warheads in the one-megaton range. (Binder, NYT, 8/18/73,1) 

* Arizona State officials would use photos taken by NASA, from earth resources 

survey aircraft in the Arizona land use experiment, part of a three-way 

agreement by NASA, the Dept. of the Interior, and Arizona, NASA announced. The photos would be used to compile 1800 detailed maps of 

Arizona, update county maps, analyze high-accident areas for the 

Arizona Highway Dept., develop a land-use and vegetation-cover map 

for the Arizona Game and Fish Dept., study land areas requiring lease 

application decisions for the Arizona Land Dept., and develop a state 

airport systems plan. (NASA Release 73-158) 

Astro Met Associates would market a fluoride-metal composite material 

that self-lubricated at high temperatures under a 10-yr exclusive license 

covering two NASA patents, one for material composition, the other for 

its manufacture, NASA announced. The license was granted to create 

the incentive to develop and market the material-fluorides impregAugust 17: 

247 
August 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

nated into porous nickel, cobalt, or iron alloys-in the shortest possible 

time. The composite, designed for self-lubrication of moving parts in 

machines and equipment at high operating temperatures, might be used 

in rotary engines. (NASA Release 73-155) 

* President Nixon announced his intention to nominate Dr. Walter B. 

LaBerge Technical Director of the Naval Weapons Center at China 

Lake, Calif., to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Research and 

Development. The President also announced his intention to nominate 

Norman R. Augustine, Vice President for Advanced Development with 

LTV Aerospace Corp.’s Vought Missiles and Space Co., to be Assistant 

Secretary of the Army for Research and Development and David S. 

Potter, Director of Research for the Detroit Diesel Allison Div. of 

General Motors Corp., to be Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and Development. The nominations were sent to the Senate 

Sept. 5 and confirmed Sept. 14. (PD, 8/20/73, 998; 9/10/73, 1070; 

Pioneer 11, launched April 5 on a 1-billion-km (620-millionmi) journey to Jupiter, entered the Asteroid Belt 300 million km (190 

million mi) from the earth. The spacecraft would travel seven months 

through the 251-million-km (156-million-mi) belt of rocky celestial 

bodies orbiting the sun and was scheduled to exit March 12, 1974. Its 

sister spacecraft, Pioneer 10 (launched toward Jupiter March 2, 1972), 

had safely completed crossing the Asteroid Belt in February and was 

544 million km (338 million mi) from the earth. Pioneer 10 would 

reach Jupiter in December 1973; Pioneer 11 would reach the planet in 

December 1974. (NASA Release 73-164) 

Former Presidential Staff Assistant Guy W. Simpler assumed 

the newly established NASA position of Special Assistant to the Assistant 

Administrator for Institutional Management (for Executive Recruiting). 

The position had been established to provide for key personnel recruitment at top level. Simpler had been responsible for search assignments for subcabinet-level positions at the White House. (NASA Hq WB, 

8/31/73) 

Twentieth anniversary of the first successful Redstone missile 

launch Aug. 20, 1953, from an improvised pad at Cape Canaveral (now 

Cape Kennedy), Fla. The Redstone, developed for the Army by Dr. 

Wernher von Braun and his rocket team, was the first truly ballistic 

missile in the U.S. The Mercury-Redstone vehicle launched NASA’s 

Freedom 7 May 5, 1961, on the mission carrying Astronaut Alan B. 

Shepard, Jr., as the first American in space. (MSFC Release 73-112) 

* The National Science Foundation released Immigrant Scientists and Engineers Decline in FY 1972; Physicians Increase Sharply (NSF 73-311). 

The 11 300 immigrant scientists admitted to the US. in FY 1972 were 

14% below the 13 100 in FY 1971. A record 13 300 had entered the 

US. in 1970. Immigrant physicians and surgeons admitted in FY 1972 

totaled 7100, the largest influx over the past 20 yrs. The major factor 

in the decrease of immigrant scientists and engineers appeared to be 

revisions by the Dept. of Labor in regulations for certifying scientists 

and engineers applying for immigration. Since Feb. 4, 1971, these immigrants were certified only if they had a job offer for which US. 

scientists and engineers were not available and their employment did 

not adversely affect wages and working conditions of US. scientists and 

engineers. (NSF Highlights, 8/20/73) 

DOD PIO) 

August 18: 

August 19: 

August 20: 

248 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 August 20 

* Newspaper editorials and columnists commented on the Aug. 17 Dept. of 

Defense announcement that the U.S.S.R. had flight-tested multiple 

independently targeted reentry vehicles ( MIRVS) . New York Times: “Since the Soviet MIRV tests have been anticipated 

for so long, there is no justification for a panic reaction from Washington, or a further fattening of the strategic weapons budget. The latest 

Soviet tests increase the urgency of concluding a MIRV limitation accord, 

but they also add to the already overwhelming mutuality of interest in 

achieving it.” (NYT, 8/20/73, 20) 

Washington Post: “The potential of the MIRV technology coupled with 

the Soviets’ giant missiles-especially given their present numerical advantage in certain key categories-could be menacing indeed.” It was 

“precisely this Soviet potential which argues for a serious, effective and 

non-wasteful approach to the circumstances in which we now find ourselves. This . . . is no time to proceed with turkeys and lemons, or to 

box ourselves into investments in weapons systems whose cost is exceeded only by their irrelevance to such danger as we would be confronting a few years hence if the ‘worst case’ regarding Soviet armament 

came true.” Before the issue of phasing out the present U.S. arsenal in 

favor of less vulnerable sea- and air-based forces, “one reaches the more 

immediate question of how this Soviet development can or cannot be 

tamed within the context of the current phase of the arms negotiations.” 

(W Post, 8/20/73, 24) 

The Air Force launched an unidentified satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base by a Titan IIIB-Agena booster into orbit with a 

39 132-km (24 315.5-mi) apogee, 392-km (242.6-mi) perigee, 11-hr 41- 

min period, and 63.3” inclination. The press later reported that the 

spacecraft would test techniques to be used in the USAF satellite communications system that provided polar coverage for the Strategic Air 

Command bombers. (UN Reg; Av Wk, 9/10/73, 17) 

* The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 579 from Plesetsk into orbit with a 307-km 

(190.8-mi) apogee, 174-km (108.1-mi) perigee, 89.3-min period, and 

65.4” inclination. The satellite reentered Sept. 3. (GSFC SSR, 8/31/73 ; 

9/30/73; SBD, 9/6/73, 10) 

Discovery by use of NASA’s Om 3 (Copernicus) Orbiting Astronomical 

Observatory that the density of the universe was much lower than expected was announced on the first anniversary of the satellite’s launch. 

Princeton Univ. scientists Dr. John B. Rogerson and Dr. Donald G. 

York reported they had used Om 3’s telescope to determine the relative 

abundance of deuterium (a heavy form of hydrogen) in interstellar gas 

to be one deuterium atom for every 100 000 atoms of gas. Knowing what 

fraction of hydrogen became deuterium and accepting the theory that 

deuterium had been created moments after the “big bang” believed to 

have started the expansion of the universe, the scientists had calculated 

the amount of matter created and the average density of the current 

universe. The extremely low density indicated that there was not a 

relatively large amount of invisible mass in the universe. (NYT, 8/21/ 

73, 13; A&A 1972) 

* The Federal Communications Commission’s Common Carrier Bureau 

petitioned the FCC to force Communications Satellite Corp. into an immediate 25% rate cut. The Bureau, representing consumers in the eightyear-old FCC investigation of ComSatCorp, said that increasing satellite 

traffic and the use of more efficient plant had increased ComSatCorp’s 

August 21: 

249 
August 21 \ ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

annual earning rate from 10% in 1971 to about 25%. (Aug, W StarNews, 8/25/73, Al; FCC PIO) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 580 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 490-km (304.5-mi) apogee, 273-km (169.6-mi) perigee, 92.1-min 

period, and 70.9’ inclination. The satellite reentered April 1, 1974. 

(GSFC SSR, 8/31/73; 6/30/74; SBD, 9/6/73, 10) 

Apollo 13 Astronaut Fred W. Haise, Jr., was critically burned when a BT13 aircraft he was landing incurred engine failure near Galveston, Tex. 

Doctors reported later that Haise, who had walked away from the accident, had suffered second degree burns over 50% of his body and 

his condition was “critical but stable.” (W Star-News, 8/23/73, A3) 

0 The Institute for Advanced Computations at Ames Research Center held a 

press seminar on the ILLIAC IV computer. ILLIAC IV, developed and 

funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) under a 

contract with Burroughs Corp., had been installed at ARC under a 1970 

joint NASA-ARPA agreement and the Institute for Advanced Computations had been established to operate the system. ILLIAC IV was being 

integrated into a larger remote-access computer system being developed 

at ARC as a process and data-storage resource on the nationwide ARPA 

computing network, accessible to universities and Government agencies. 

ILLIAC IV would make applications in global climate dynamics, distant seismic-event detection, multisensor processing, fluid dynamics, and 

simulation and optimization problems in logistics and economics. (ARC 

Releases 73-88, 73-89; ARC PAO) 

NASA launched an Aerobee 200A sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center astrophysics experiment to a 213.2-km (132.5-mi) altitude. The flight was nominal until 

250 sec into the flight, when high-voltage problems developed. Final 

results would be determined after recovery of the payload. (NASA proj 

off) 

Intelsat-IV F-7 communications satellite was 

launched by NASA for Communications Satellite Corp. on behalf of the 

International Telecommunications Satellite Organization ( INTELSAT) . The 1379-kg (3041-lb) satellite was launched from Eastern Test Range 

at 6:57 pm EDT by an Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle into a highly accurate transfer orbit with a 35 819.5-km (22 257.2-mi) apogee, 548.1- 

km (340.6-mi) perigee, and 27.3’ inclination. 

NASA’s primary objectives were to conduct design, performance, and 

flight-readiness reviews for the Federal Communications Commission ; 

to ensure compatibility of INTELSAT spacecraft with NASA launch vehicles and launch environmental conditions; and to launch Intelsat-IV 

F-7 into a transfer orbit that permitted the apogee-kick motor to insert 

the spacecraft into a synchronous orbit on the equator over the Atlantic 

Ocean. During a design life of seven years the spacecraft would add 12 

TV channels to those available between the US. and other countries 

and would increase the telephone capacity by 3500 two-way circuits. 

The apogee-kick motor was fired at 8:30 am EDT Aug. 25 and Intelsat-ZV F-7 entered a near-circular orbit with a 35 778-km (22 231.4-mi) 

apogee, 35 773-km (22 228.3-mi) perigee, 1435.6-min period, and 0.4’ 

inclination. The spacecraft was at 327’ east longitude, drifting at 0.15’ 

per day, and was expected to reach its planned station of 330’ east 

longitude over the Atlantic Ocean within 10 days. NASA adjudged the 

mission a success Sept. 13. 

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ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 August 23-September 13 

Intelsat-tV 1;-7 was the fifth communications satellite in the Intelsat 

IV series. tntelsat-IV F4 (launched Jan. 22, 1972) was operating 

satisfactorily over the Pacific. tntelsat-IV F-5 (launched June 13, 1972) 

was operating over the Indian Ocean. The launch of Intelsat-IV F-6, 

postponed in May, was tentatively planned for December. (NASA prog 

off; GSFC SSR, 8/31/73; ComSatCorp, Tech Ops Off & Launch Rep) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 581 from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 282-km (175.2-mi) apogee, 171-km (106.3-mi) 

perigee, 89-min period, and 51.6’ inclination. The spacecraft reentered 

Sept. 6. (GSFC SSR, 8/31/73; 12/31/73; SBD, 9/6/73, 10) 

Direct satellite communications via Intelsat-IV F4 began between Thailand and the People’s Republic of China. (UPI, W Star-News, 8/24/73, 

A2; ComSatCorp PIO) 

Ames Research Center scientists had developed a miniaturized radio transmitter in pill form to monitor temperatures of the human body, NASA 

announced. Used in the space program to monitor persons in a simulated spacecraft environment, the transmitter could detect minute variations in temperature which often indicated to doctors the presence of 

infection. Produced in volume, the transmitter pill could be sold for 50 

cents. ARC was working to decrease the pill’s size still farther and to 

increase its transmitting power without increasing its cost. (NASA Release 73-167) 

* Demonstration electromechanical devices developed for emergency aid to 

astronauts in space had been adapted, tested, and installed in a Huntsville (Ala.) Hospital room by Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA announced. The devices permitted remote control by severely handicapped 

or paralyzed patients of communications systems and appliances for 

comfort and recreation. (NASA Release 73-169) 

A New York Times editorial praised Skylab 3 (launched July 

28 to man the Orbital Workshop launched May 14) as the mission passed 

the 28-day mark set by Skylab 1-2 (May 14-June 22), to become the 

longest manned space mission to date: The Skylab 3 astronauts “already 

have much more than mere longevity in space to their credit. Their two 

long walks in space have permitted them to do more useful work in 

orbit outside their vehicle than human beings ever have done before. 

Their scientific observations and experiments-particularly the study 

of the sun-have added much to human knowledge.” With its midpoint 

near, Skylab 3 had already “proved itself one of the most productive 

manned space missions since the first sputnik went into orbit almost a 

generation ago.” (NYT, 8/25/73, 22) 

Albion, Mich., police had reported the recovery of a spacesuit worn by Astronaut Alan L. Bean during the Apollo 12 mission 

(Nov. 14-24, 1969), the Associated Press reported. The suit, valued at 

$6000, had been on loan from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum 

when it was taken from the Kingman Museum in Battle Creek, Mich., a 

week earlier. (W Post, 8/27/73, A22) 

NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center was officially rededicated as 

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in ceremonies at JSC, attended by Dr. 

James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator; Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe; and 

Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson. A bust of the late President Johnson by 

sculptress Jimilu Mason, donated by the Houston Chamber of Commerce and the Albert Thomas Space Hall of Fame, was unveiled. A 

Johnson Room opened in the JSC Visitor Center displayed the original 

August 24: 

August 25: 

August 26: 

August 27: 

25 1 
August 27 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

US. copy of the Treaty for the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, signed in 

1967 during President Johnson’s Administration. 

At the dedication Dr. Fletcher said that President Johnson had needed 

great political courage” 1965-1967 to fight for funds for NASA programs of the 1970s such as Skylab and Viking. “The decision to continue 

with a strong space program after Apollo may . . . prove to be the 

most important of all the decisive actions Lyndon Johnson undertook on 

behalf of space progress.” 

Earlier in the day Astronaut Alan L. Bean, commander of the Skylab 

3 crew orbiting the earth after July 28 launch to join the Orbital 

Workshop for 59 days, had radioed: “We think the work in which we 

are engaged right now would not have been possible except for [Johnson’s] strong support and leadership in the Senate and the Presidency.” 

President Johnson himself had said-on a March 1, 1968, visit to 

MSC-referring to the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958: 

“The one legislative enactment that I suppose I am proudest of is the 

bill that I wrote and introduced that made possible NASA, that brought 

into existence this great facility and others in the program throughout 

the nation.” 

President Nixon had signed the law making the name change Feb. 17. 

Mr. Johnson had died Jan. 22. (Transcript; JSC Roundup, 8/17/73; 

8/31/73 ; McElheny, NYT, 8/28/73, 24) 

NASA announced publication of NASA Patent Abstracts Bibliography (NASA 

SP-7039). Second in a semiannual series to implement the liberalized 

Federal patent policy, the bibliography was accompanied by an index 

that cross-referenced patent abstracts published in the first two issues. 

(NASA Release 73-168) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 582 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 542-km (336.8-mi) apogee, 519-km (322.5-mi) perigee, 95.2-min 

period, and 74.0” inclination. (GSFC SSR, 8/31/73; SBD, 9/6/73, 10) 

* The 128-nation International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) convened 

in Rome to consider proposals for new agreements to curb aircraft hijacking. Neither The Hague Convention of 1970 for the suppression of 

unlawful seizure of aircraft nor the Montreal Convention of 1971 for 

suppression of unlawful acts against the safety of civil aviation had yet 

been ratified by the necessary two-thirds majority of ICAO membership, 

the New York Times said later. “This means that there is still no international legal machinery requiring governments to impose sanctions 

against air piracy.” (Hoffman, NYT, 8/29/73, 58) 

The Federal Communications Commission granted a waiver to 

RCA Global Communications, Inc., ITT World Communications, Inc., and 

Western Union International, Inc., permitting participation in construction and operation of a maritime communications satellite system proposed by Communications Satellite Corp. FCC had granted permission 

April 11 to ComSatCorp to contract for three maritime comsats, but 

had stipulated that ComSatCorp allow other carriers to invest and participate in the system. (AP, W Star-News, 8/30/73, D6; FCC PIO) 

A Huntsville Times editorial commented on the progress of Skylab 3 

(launched July 28 to man the Orbital Workshop launched May 14): 

“While the Skylab flights may seem almost commonplace by now, we 

have a strong hunch that time will show that all the scientific research 

being performed and all the new pieces of information and know-how 

being gained up there in earth orbit were anything but routine. With 

6C 

August 28: 

August 29: 

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ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 August 29 

each circuit completed, we can almost hear the added bits of data being 

dropped into man’s ever-expanding bank of knowledge about his earth 

and its surroundings.” (Huntsville Times, 8/29/73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched its Molniya 1-24 communications satellite into orbit from Plesetsk. Tass announced a 37 970-km (23 593.5-mi) 

apogee, 480-km (298.3-mi) perigee, 679-min period, and 65.3’ inclination. The satellite would ensure the operation of a system of long-range 

telephone and telegraph radio communications in the U.S.S.R. and 

transmit Soviet central TV programs to the Orbita network. (GSFC SSR, 

8/31/73; FBISSOV, 8/30/73, U1; SBD, 9/6/73, 10) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 583 from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit 

with a 298-km (185.2-mi) apogee, 204-km (126.8-min) perigee, 89.5- 

min period, and 64.9’ inclination. The satellite reentered Sept. 12. 

(GSFC SSR, 8/31/73; 9/30/73; SBD, 9/6/73, 10) 

NASA launched a Black Brant VC sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Univ. of Colorado solar physics experiment. Rocket 

and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

0 The 24-nation Geneva disarmament conference ended its 1973 session with 

no progress to report. Some members had charged that the conference 

had reached a state of complete paralysis, the New York Times later 

reported. (NYT, 8/31/73, 4) 

The third glide flight of the X-24B lifting body was completed 

successfully near Flight Research Center by NASA test pilot John A. 

Manke. Objectives were to evaluate stability and control, roll and 

damper-off handling qualities, effects of water and alcohol jettison, 

landing gear dynamics, and control system operations with only two 

hydraulic pumps. Manke reported an excellent flight and good response 

with damper off. Touchdown was five minutes after air-launch. (NASA 

0 Proposals for developing space shuttle solid-fueled rocket motors ( SRMS) 

had been received from Aerojet Solid Propulsion Co., Lockheed Propulsion Co., Thiokol Chemical Corp., and United Technology Center, 

Marshall Space Flight Center announced. The space shuttle motor program would be conducted in three increments: design, development, and 

test, ending in September 1979; production of new and refurbished 

SRMS for 54 flights (108 units) beginning early in 1978; and delivery 

of new and refurbished units for 385 flights (770 units) beginning in 

July 1980. (MSFC Release 73-125) 

0 The Navy’s Fleet Weather Facility (FWF) had said that satellite imagery 

from NASA-developed weather satellites was becoming “indispensable” 

to Arctic and Antarctic shipping operations, NASA reported. The location 

of ice masses from satellite photos might ultimately lead to extension of 

shipping operations through the entire six-month polar night. Weather 

satellite imagery was provided the Navy by Goddard Space Flight Center. (NASA Release 73-174) 0 NASA announced that it had issued three one-year grants averaging 

$20000 each to predominantly black Central State Univ. in Ohio for 

studies of air and water pollution and the metallurgical properties of 

pure tungsten. (NASA Release 73-171) 

NASA’s SPHINX Space Plasma High Voltage Interaction 

Experiment spacecraft, to be launched early in 1974, underwent vibration tests and began simulation tests. Tests would continue until November, when the spacecraft was scheduled to be shipped to Kennedy 

August 30: 

August 31: 

prog off) 

During August: 

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During August ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Space Center. During its mission, SPHINX would travel in a highly elliptical earth orbit and would be exposed to space plasma (charged particles) ranging from 10 to 10 000 particles per cc. (Lewis News, 8/24/ 

73, 3) 

The Naval Research Laboratory was converting a number of Minuteman I 

missile 2nd stages into large-payload-capacity, high-performance sounding rockets for x-ray astronomy research, Naval Research Reviews reported. The surplus 2nd-stage motors were being adapted with specially 

designed nosecones and scientific payloads for forthcoming experiments. 

Instruments aboard the new sounding rockets, named the Aries, would 

be used by NRL scientists to determine ultraviolet background levels of 

the stars from above the earth’s atmospheke. (Naval Research Reviews, 

8/73, 27-8) 

Ofice of Technology Assessment: Background and Status, a report to the 

House Committee on Science and Astronautics, was published by the 

Library of Congress Congressional Research Service, Science Policy 

Div. No appropriations had been approved as yet for the OTA, which 

had been established “as an aid in the identification and consideration 

of existing and probable impacts of technological application” under 

Public Law 9244 Oct. 13, 1972. The Senate Committee on Appropriations had requested $289 000 for OTA salaries and expenses under 

H.R. 7447, an FY 1973 supplemental appropriations bill. No funds had 

been requested by the House, and the requested appropriation had been 

deleted in conference. The Senate Committee on Appropriations had 

recommended a $3 980 000 FY 1974 OTA appropriation. The FY 1974 

legislative branch appropriations bill (H.R. 6691) had been passed 

July 19, but the conference committee had not yet met to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions. OTA funding would not 

be allotted until the appropriation was available. (Text) 

0 Appointment of Roald Sagdeyev as Director of the Soviet Space Research 

Institute was announced in Vestnik, monthly publication of the U.S.S.R. 

Academy of Sciences. Sagdeyev replaced Georgy I. Petrov, who went 

into voluntary retirement. Sagdeyev, a nuclear physicist, had been made 

a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences in 1964 and had become a full member in 1968. Before his appointment as Director, Sagdeyev had specialized in plasma physics at the Nuclear Physics Institute 

in Novosibirsk. (AP, W Post, 9/23/73, Al; 9/24/73, A21) 

254 
September 1973 

September 2-7: The 66th Annual General Conference of the FBdGration 

Ahronautique Internationale ( FAI) was held in Dublin, Ireland. US. 

participants included Apollo 17 commander Eugene A. Cernan and 

Apollo 16 commander John W. Young. The 1972 FAI Gold Space Medal 

was presented to Cernan in recognition of the Dec. 7-19, 1972, final 

Apollo mission which had “accomplished all of its goals and magnificently concluded the extraordinary and highly successful Apollo program.” Cernan also received t‘he 1972 De la Vaulx Medal for his absolute 

world record of 21 hrs 32 min 44 sec for “Duration of Stay Outside his 

Lunar Module ‘Challenger’ Spacecraft,” set during Apollo 17. Young 

received the Yuri Gagarin Gold Medal for “remarkable leadership, skill, 

daring and dedication” as commander of the April 16-27, 1972, 

Apollo 16 mission and the V. M. Komarov Diploma, on behalf of himself and Apollo 16 Astronauts Thomas K. Mattingly I1 and Charles M. 

Duke, Jr., for successful completion of all but one of the mission’s 33 

major experiments. 

The Groupe Diplome d’Honneur for Aeronautics was awarded to the 

US. Federal Aviation Administration “in recognition of its outstanding 

contribution to air traffic efficiency and safety by the development of 

the now fully operational Automated Radar Terminal System” (ARTS) . The Groupe Diplome d’Honneur for Astronautics went to Boeing Go. 

Aerospace Group for design and production of the lunar roving vehicle 

(LRV) used during the Apollo 15, 16, and 17 missions. The Paul Tissandier Diploma was presented to Kay A. Brick for “her outstanding 

contributions to women’s aviation over the past 23 years” as a member 

and Chairman of the Board of the All-Women’s Transcontinental Air 

Race “Powder Puff Derby.” (NAA News, 9/73, 1-2; FAA Release 73- 

155; A&A 1972) 

The US. had “discreetly blocked” Soviet attempts to purchase 10 ILC Industries’ Apollo lunar-configured spacesuits, Aviation 

Week & Space Technology said. The U.S.S.R. had been told that US. 

export of such technology could not be approved. (Av Wk, 9/3/73, 11) 

World atlases were inaccurate in delineating outer boundaries of polar icecaps according to imagery returned by Nimbus 5 

(weather satellite launched by NASA Dec. 10, 1972), NASA announced. 

A Goddard Space Flight Center study had shown that synoptic photos 

from Nimbus 5 clearly indicated polar regions underwent large-scale 

changes in a short time. Boundaries between the multiyear icepack 

around the North Pole and the large areas of first-year ice varied significantly within one freezing season. Even greater changes occurred 

around Antarctica. 

Nimbus 5 also was measuring daily rainfall distribution over the 

earth’s oceans to indicate to meteorologists how much energy was being 

released into the global atmosphere. An electrically scanning microwave 

radiometer aboard the spacecraft was measuring rainfall rate and heat 

September 3: 

September 4: 

255 
September 4 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

thus released to enable forecasters to understand a tropical storm or 

hurricane and predict its 24- to a-hr intensity. (NASA Releases 73-176, 

Assignment of L/C William E. Barry (USAF), a medical doctor, as Special 

Assistant to the NASA Administrator was announced. Dr. Barry had been 

selected from the White House Fellows Program, which provided highly 

gifted young persons experience in US. government and leadership. 

Dr. Barry had been an aeronautical engineer, a test pilot, and a flight 

surgeon in the Air Force. He had been named Air Force Systems Command Flight Surgeon of the Year and had won the Aerospace Medical 

Assn.’s Julian E. Ward Award for outstanding contributions to the art 

and science of aerospace medicine in 1972. (NASA Ann) 

NASA launched a Black Brant VC sounding rocket from White Sands 

Missile Range carrying a Naval Research Laboratory and Harvard College Observatory solar physics experiment to a 235.1-km (146.1-mi) 

altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. 

(GSFC proj off) 

A Chicago Sun-Times editorial praised the “mapmaking” of the Skylab 3 

astronauts (launched July 28 to man the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop 

launched May 14) : “We were particularly impressed to read about 

their assigned job of photographing a swamp in southern Sudan as they 

zipped over North Africa.” Such tasks “point up the way in which a 

space shuttle can be used to facilitate jobs on Earth and, no less important, encourage co-operation between nations.” (C Sun-Times, 9/4/73) 

President Nixon submitted to Congress Science Indicators, 

1972, the fifth annual report of the National Science Board of the National Science Foundation. The proportion of the gross national product 

spent for research and development 1963-1971 declined in the US., 

France, and the United Kingdom, but increased in the U.S.S.R., Japan, 

and West Germany. By 1971, US. R&D expenditures were 2.6% of GNP, 

Soviet 3.0%, U.K. and West Germany 2.0%, and Japan and France 

1.8% each. The number of scientists and engineers engaged in R&D per 

10 000 persons declined in the US. after 1969, but continued to increase 

in the U.S.S.R., Japan, West Germany, and France. All countries reduced 

the national defense proportion of their R&D expenditures significantly 

between 1961 and 1969. US. defense expenditures dropped from 65% 

to 49% of total Government R&D spending. Increases in the US. and 

most other countries occurred in space, community services, and economic development. 

The US. had a favorable but declining “patent balance” between 

1966 and 1970, with a reduced number of patents of US. origin in 

France, West Germany, and the U.K. and increased US. patents of 

Japanese origin. The US. had an increasingly favorable position in the 

sale of “technical know-how”-including patents, techniques, formulas, 

franchises, and manufacturing rights-during 1960-1971 ; Japan was 

the major purchaser, surpassing all of Western Europe after 1967. The 

favorable US. balance of trade in technology-intensive products grew 

1960-1971, but was increasingly negative in nontechnology-intensive 

areas. Within technology-intensive areas, products with the fastest rising 

trade surplus were aircraft, computers, and plastics. (PD, 9/10/73, 

1069; Text) 

The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Manned Space Flight held hearings on NASA’s 

73-175) 

September 5: 

September 5, 7, 8, 10, 26: 

256 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 5,7,8,10,26 

proposed space tug. The hearings sought to determine the tug’s role in 

the space shuttle program, the tug’s fiscal impact on the program and 

the overall manned space flight budget, the operational impact on NASA’s 

latest proposed mission model and on projected cost-per-flight of the 

shuttle, the Dept. of Defense role in development and use of the tug, 

and NASA’S and industry’s progress in tug conceptual design. Charles Q. 

Donlan, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, 

and Capt. Robert F. Freitag (USN, Ret.), Deputy Director of Advanced 

Programs, presented an overview of the tug program Sept. 5 but made no 

recommendations, pending completion of a study. NASA would later recommend program approach and supporting rationale. 

Representatives of General Dynamics Corp. Convair Div., McDonnell 

Douglas Astronautics Co., Lockheed Missiles & Space Co., Martin 

Marietta Co. Denver Div., and Grumman Aerospace Corp. presented 

results of efforts to date, with supporting data to substantiate the options 

afforded NASA in proceeding with tug development. Options under study 

included liquid-storable and cryogenic systems for a growth-stage tug, 

the Centaur as an expendable or recoverable launch vehicle, an expendable Thor-Delta vehicle, an expendable or recoverable Agena vehicle, 

and an expendable or growth-stage Transtage vehicle. (Transcript) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 584 from Plesetsk into an orbit with a 331-km (205.7-mi) apogee, 210-km (130.5-mi) perigee, 89.9- 

min period, and 72.9” inclination. The satellite reentered Sept. 20. 

(GSFC SSR, 9/30/73; Sou Aero, 9/10/73, 110) 

Selection of 18 experiments for the July 1975 US-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz 

Test Project mission was announced by NASA. The experiments had been 

selected from 145 proposals by US. and foreign scientists, with those 

which could include Soviet participation contingent upon Soviet Academy of Sciences agreement. 

Four astronomy and space physics experiments would search for 

sources of extreme ultraviolet radiation in the night sky, measure intensity and distribution of helium-fluorescent radiation in night-sky regions, 

measure concentration of atmospheric constituents, and map celestial 

x-ray emissions in the 0.1- to 1.0-kev range. 

Six space applications processing experiments would use a small multipurpose electric furnace to study properties and processes in zero 

gravity. Two other applications experiments would study electrophoresis 

and the structure of the earth’s gravity field. Five life sciences experiments would investigate effects of weightlessness on human cells important in protecting against infection and would collect data on microbial 

exchange, radiation effects, and light flashes. (NASA Release 73-178) 

President Nixon transmitted to Congress US. Participation in the UN: 

Report by the President to the Congress for the Year 1972. In his transmittal message, the President said there had been “a growing cooperation” in outer space. “A United Nations working group cooperated in 

making available to other nations data from our first experimental satellite designed to survey earth resources [Erts 1, launched by NASA July 

23, 19721 and the Convention on International Liability for Damage 

Caused by Space Objects, which had been negotiated by a United Nations committee, entered into force on September 1.” (PD, 9/10/73, 

1058-60) 

0 The Atomic Energy Commission announced the adoption of regulation 

amendments to permit US. citizens and companies to transmit unclassified, published information to Communist bloc destinations. Previously, 

September 6: 

257 
September 6 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

specific AEC authorization had been required. The amendments would 

allow US. businessmen to conduct promotional nuclear sales activities 

using published material in bloc countries. They also would permit US. 

citizens to file nuclear activity patent applications in bloc countries. 

(AEC Release R-374) 

President Nixon announced his intention to nominate Richard J. O’Melia 

to be a member of the Civil Aeronautics Board succeeding Secor D. 

Browne, who had resigned effective March 1. The nomination was submitted to the Senate Sept. 7 and confirmed Nov. 20. (PD, 9/1D/73, 

1056, 1070; CAB PIO) 

NASA held a Skylab solar activity briefing at Johnson Space 

Center, while Skylab 3 Astronauts Alan L. Bean, Dr. Owen K. Garriott, 

and Jack R. Lousma completed their 42nd day working aboard the 

Skylab I Orbital Workshop. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist Joseph Hirman said that a flare photographed by the 

Skylab 3 crew was about 17 times the cross-sectional area of the earth 

and “optically the biggest flare we’ve had during ATM and perhaps the 

biggest for this entire year.” Within 30 min after the event “high 

energy protons made it from the Sun to the earth as a consequence of 

this flare.” Confirmation had also been given by x-ray satellites and by 

short-wave fade-out and other ionospheric disturbances on the ground 

of a very intense x-ray event. Within two days, with the arrival of 

subsequent particles, an aurora would be visible at the latitude of Chicago and enough geomagnetic activity would occur to disrupt power 

lines in high latitudes. Hirman said that the flare had created enough 

energy to “run everything in the United States and the rest of the world 

combined for 500 years.” (Transcript) 

* The Dept. of Defense and Grumman Aerospace Corp. had agreed on a 

new price for 50 F-14 jet fighter aircraft, nearly $10 million below that 

estimated earlier, the Washington Star-News quoted informed sources 

as saying. Deputy Secretary of Defense William P. Clements, Jr., had 

written Sen. Howard W. Cannon (D-Nev.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Tactical Air Power of the Senate committee on Armed 

Services, that DOD would need $693 million rather than the $703 million 

it had requested in its FY 1974 budget. (Kelly, W Star-News, 9/7/73, 

A12) 

September 8: Cosmos 585 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk into 

an orbit with a 1407-km (874.3-mi) apogee, 1375-km (854.4-mi) perigee, 113.5-min period, and 74.0’ inclination. (GSFC SSR, 9/30/73 ; 

SBD, 9/13/73, 55) 

September 9: Publication of Nondestructive Testing, a Survey (NASA 

SP-5113) was announced by NASA. The survey summarized NASA-developed methods and techniques to determine the integrity, quality, durability, and effectiveness of a material or product and to maintain quality 

control over products mass-produced by automation. (NASA Release 

President Nixon sent a message to Congress on national leg 

islative goals. Of defense spending he said: “I continue to be adamantly 

opposed to attempts at balancing the overall budget by slashing the defense budget. . . . In constant dollars, our defense spending in this 

fiscal year will be $10 billion less than was spent in 1964, before the 

Vietnam war began. . . . Further cutsewodd be dangerously irresponsible and I will veto any bill that includes cuts which would imperil our 

September 7: 

73-172) 

September IO: 

258 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 10 

national security. . . . The arms limitation agreement signed with the 

Soviet Union last year has at last halted the rapid growth in the numbers 

of strategic weapons. Despite this concrete achievement, much needs to 

be done to ensure continued stability and to support our negotiation of 

a permanent strategic arms agreement. A vigorous research and development program is essential to provide vital insurance that no adversary 

will ever gain a decisive advantage through technological breakthrough 

and that massive deployment expenditures will therefore not become 

necessary. Yet the Congress is in the process of slashing research and 

development funding below minimum prudent levels, including elimination of our cruise missile and air defense programs. The Trident and 

B-1 programs, which are critical to maintaining a reliable deterrent 

into the next decade, are also facing proposals to cut them to the bone.” 

The President reiterated his request that Congress authorize creation 

of Dept. of Energy and Natural Resources and “a new, independent 

Energy Research and Development Administration so that we can make 

the very best use of our research and development funds in the future.” 

R&D efforts could produce “the most helpful solutions to the energy 

problem.” He called for a separate and independent Nuclear Energy 

Commission. (PD, 9/17/73, 1074-9) 

Gen. Bruce K. Holloway (USAF, Ret.) became a Special Assistant to the 

NASA Administrator. He would also serve as Acting Assistant Administrator for DOD and Interagency Affairs. Gen. Holloway, former Commander of the Air Force Strategic Air Command, had joined NASA as 

a consultant to the Administrator Aug. 13. (NASA Ann) 

The Senate confirmed Russell R. Train as Environmental Protection Agency 

Administrator. (CR, 9/10/73, D994) 

* A Baltimore Sun editorial commented on NASA’S problems with the Office 

of Management and Budget: OMB had promised NASA about $3.4 billion 

annually, but OMB impoundment of funds had cut NASA’s FY 1974 

budget to about $3 billion and “it appears OMB will hold the space agency 

to about $3.235 billion in fiscal 1975.” Inflation had aggravated NASA’s 

problems and $85 million had been cut from the FY 1974 shuttle development budget. “But now NASA is suggesting what some aerospace 

contractors are stating explicitly: That if the OMB squeeze stays on, then 

NASA will have to cut back on new starts in scientific programs. This is 

an odd irony, indeed, since the very purpose of the shuttle is to serve 

these new programs.” The Sun felt “that if NASA accountants are told 

to sharpen their pencils they can keep the shuttle alive as well as provide for initiation of the new scientific programs. The Nixon OMB 

consistently has given science short shrift, however, and it would be 

sad indeed if the space program were hobbled at the very time it is 

beginning to show immense scientific promise.’’ (B Sun, 9/10/73, All) 

An unidentified flying object was reported falling from the skies, burning 

a hole in the ground, and vanishing in a cloud of steam near Griffin, 

Ga. Dr. 0. E. Anderson, head of the Georgia State Experiment Station’s 

Agronomy Dept., later said the object was probably “something in the 

nature of a small meteorite or a piece of space hardware’’ impacting 

at very high temperature. (UPI, W Post, 9/15/73, A3) 

Checkout operations for Skylab 4, scheduled for Nov. 11 

launch to crew the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop launched May 14’ went 

into a hold period at Kennedy Space Center. Operations had been accelerated so that Skylab 4 could act as a rescue vehicle if needed for 

September 11: 

259 
September 11 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Skylab 3, docked with the Workshop since July 28. The acceleration 

made necessary a hold until Sept. 25 so checkout operations could resume their normal flow [see July 28-Sept. 251. ( ICSC Release 207-73) 

The third colloquium of users of NASA’s Structural 

Analysis (NASTRAN) computer system was held at Langley Research 

Center. Some 300 industry and Government representatives heard 40 

papers and talks on the uses of NASTRAN to integrate project disciplines, 

to manage design work data and make it available during any stage of 

a design cycle, and as a source of computer analyses of structural stress, 

buckling, vibration, and transient-response of large and complex structures. (NASA Release 73-179; LaRC PAO) 

The House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ 

Subcommittee on Energy held hearings on geothermal energy. Dr. Alfred J. Eggers, Jr., Assistant Director for Research Applications with 

the National Science Foundation, testified Sept. 11 that geothermal energy was recognized as a “currently viable and relatively unpolluting 

energy resource.” Its importance depended upon development of new 

technologies and “resolution of institutional constraints.” NSF was recommending a program to develop necessary technologies and “to synthesize these into pilot plants capable of generating power from a variety 

of geothermal sources.” An advantage of geothermal energy was “that 

construction of power plants can be carried out in a relatively short 

time.” With solution of the technical problems in extracting the earth’s 

heat and converting it into electricity, “the commercial impact of geothermal energy could begin to be felt within this decade. Geothermal 

energy is, therefore, counted on to contribute at least regionally to a 

resolution of the energy crisis in the short term as well as to provide 

sizable blocks of energy in the remaining years of this century.” (Transcript) 

September 12: The Federal Communications Commission approved five 

applications for permission to build domestic satellite networks-from 

American Satellite Corp., jointly owned by Fairchild Industries, Inc., 

and Western Union International, Inc. ; RCA Global Communications, 

Inc., and RCA Alaska Communications, Inc.; GTE Satellite Corp. and 

National Satellite Services, Inc., a Hughes Aircraft Co. subsidiary ; 

American Telephone & Telegraph Co. ; and Communications Satellite 

Corp. GTE also was authorized to begin interstate toll telephone service 

in competition with AT&T. ComSatCorp was given interim authorization 

to proceed with procurement of high-capacity satellites for lease to 

AT&T “at its own risk.” FCC said ComSatCorp appeared not to have complied with an PCC order to form a separate corporation to engage in 

domestic satellite activities. (FCC PIO ; ComSatCorp Release 73-48 ; 

W Post, 9/13/73, D12) 

The Navy F-14B swing-wing supersonic fighter aircraft flew its first test 

flight from the Grumman Aircraft Corp. facility at Calverton, N.Y. The 

F-l4B reached mach 0.8 during a 67-min flight. (Av Wk, 9/17/73, 23) 

Wallops Station held a conference on the use of lasers for hydrographic 

studies. US. and Canadian scientists, engineers, and technicians reviewed the use of the laser light-detection-and-ranging (lidar) system 

for over-water observations from aircraft. The conference was sponsored 

jointly by NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 

the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Navy. (Wallops Release 73-9) 

September 11-12: 

September 11, 13, 18: 

260 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 13 

September 13: Ten Soviet scientists and engineers arrived at Johnson 

Space Center to help evaluate the docking system for the July 15, 1975, 

US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission. Vladimir S. Syromyatikov of the Soviet State Research Institute of Machine Building led 

the team, which would assist in evaluating the US. and Soviet sections 

of the docking module for proper mating and in checking pressure 

integrity and structural strength of the combined system. The US.- 

U.S.S.R. team also would make dynamic tests of the docking. The system would be studied under thermal extremes. JSC was testing full-scale 

development hardware built by both countries for compatibility and 

operation. (JSC Release 73-119) 

* NASA 427, an instrumented G54 aircraft from Wallops Station, flew to 

the German Air Force Base at Leck, West Germany, to participate with 

European scientists in the Joint North Sea Wave Project Sept. 17-30. 

Daily research flights from Leck would study surface waves and prevailing wind relationships in the second of a series conducted by the 

West German Hydrographic Institute, Hamburg. The 6-54 carried 

Langley Research Center’s S-band radiometer and laser profilometer ; 

the Naval Research Laboratory’s K- and Ka-band radiometers, narrowpulse radar, and inertial navigation system ; and Wallops’ Hasselblad 

and flight research cameras. Participants included the National Center 

for Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NRL, and universities. 

The NASA 427 itinerary had been planned to fly beneath Skylab passes 

over Newfoundland and the Azores Sept. 13. (Wallops Release 73-10) 

President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of Dr. Dixy Lee 

Ray, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, to be US. Representative 

to the Sept. 18-24 International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference in Vienna. Among five alternate representatives nominated was 

Apollo 8 Astronaut and former National Space Council Chairman William A. Anders. (PD, 9/17/73, 1128, 1132) 

Military records damaged in a July fire at the Military Personnel Records 

Center in Overland, Mo., were being salvaged through space-age technology, McDonnell Douglas Corp. officials told the press in St. Louis. A 

space chamber used to simulate temperatures and pressures encountered 

in Mercury and Gemini manned space missions was being used to reclaim records. The scorched and water-soaked records had been sealed 

in the chamber and put through a freeze-drying process. “The records 

came through the process legible,” an official had said. (AP, NYT, 

9/14/73, 11) 9 NASA launched an Aerobee 170 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center solar physics experiment. 

Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

* President Nixon accepted the resignation of Dr. Eberhardt F. Rechtin as 

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Telecommunications. (PD, 9/17/73, 

1131) 

* Military and aerospace expenditures in the laser field were expected to 

average about $317 million annually in the next five years, according 

to a study by technological market research organization Frost & Sullivan, Inc., the New York Times reported. The FY 1973 laser market 

would be about $290 million, more than double earlier estimates. Operational thermal (laser) weapons were probably 10 yrs in the future, 

but prototype experiments were expected to be made by 1975. Tech261 
September 13 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

nology had progressed to high-energy, gas-dynamic lasers that produced 

light beams when their internal gases were heated, expanded, and 

forced through small nozzles at supersonic speeds. The laser’s most notable military contribution thus far had been bombs directed through 

the air toward targets illuminated by laser lights. A new system, targetrecognition attack ( TRAM) , was being developed to spot targets day and 

night with an infrared detector bore-sighted with a laser range finder 

to illuminate the target. (Middleton, NYT, 9/13/73, d22) 

Ames Research Center conducted a five-week 

experiment to determine the effects of weightlessness and reentry into 

earth gravity on female space shuttle passengers. The experiment, with 

12 Air Force nurse volunteers participating, was a follow-on to similar 

studies on men made in 1972. Following two weeks of orientation and 

medical studies, eight of the nurses would simulate weightlessness with 

absolute bedrest ile four acted as ambulatory controls. After two 

weeks of immobil the eight would be subjected to g forces expected 

when the shuttle entered the atmosphere at a mission’s end. The final 

week would be for recovery and testing. (ARC Release 73-107; ARC 

Biomed Research Div) 

Cosmos 586 was launched by the U.S.S.R. from Plesetsk 

into an orbit with a 1007-km (625.7-mi) apogee, 969-km (602.1-mi) 

perigee, 104.8-min period, and 82.9’ inclination. ( GSFC SSR, 9/30/73 ; 

SBD, 9/17/73, 65) 

Climatic changes on Mars indicated by Mariner 9 (launched by NASA 

May 30, 1971) were described in Science by Cornel1 Univ. astronomer 

Dr. Carl E. Sagan and team: “The equatorial sinuous channels on Mars 

detected by Mariner 9 point to a past epoch of higher pressures and 

abundant liquid water. Advective instability of the martian atmosphere 

permits two stable climates-one close to present conditions, the other 

at a pressure of the order of 1 bar [lo0 kilonewtons per sq mi] depending on the quantity of buried volatiles. Variations in the obliquity of 

Mars, the luminosity of the sun, and the albedo of the polar caps each 

appear capable of driving the instability between a current ice age and 

more clement conditions. Obliquity driving alone implies that epochs of 

much higher and of much lower pressure must have characterized martian history. Climatic change on Mars may have important meteorological, geological, and biological implications.” (Science, 9/14/73, 1045-8) 

* The mechanical and structural qualifications program for the ATS-F Applications Technology Satellite (scheduled for April 1974 launch) was 

completed at Johnson Space Center with a successful deployment test 

of the parabolic reflector. The reflector on the thermal-structure-model 

spacecraft had been deployed under simulated space conditions of vacuum and zero g. (Goddard News, 10/73, 5) 

* Kennedy Space Center announced the award of two study contracts. Florida 

Institute of Technology would study hypergolic propellant liquid- and 

vapor-disposal methods for use in space shuttle operations under a 

$75 000 contract. The Univ. of Florida would receive $25 420 to study 

the application of remote-sensing devices for temperature evaluation to 

assist Florida fruit and vegetable growers. (KSC Releases 209-73, 210- 

A $110-million “fail safe” satellite system to monitor the 1290-km (800- 

mi) Alaskan oil pipeline was being planned by RCA Alaska Communications, Inc., United Press International quoted RCA Corp. Board ChairSeptember 13-October 17: 

September 14: 

73 1 

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ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 14 

man Robert M. Sarnoff as saying in Anchorage, Alaska. (NYT, 9/15/ 

73, 11) 

* Univ. of Texas physicists A. A. Jackson IV and Michael P. Ryan, Jr., 

proposed in a Nature article that the event that leveled forests in a wide 

region of Siberia on June 30, 1908, was the passage of a black hole that 

had plunged completely through the earth. They suggested that ships’ 

logs for that date be examined for evidence of an unusual occurrence. 

The object that fell on Siberia had been referred to as the Tunguska 

meteorite, although it had left no crater or other clearly identifiable 

meteorite residue. “We suggest that a black hole of substellar mass . . . could explain many of the mysteries associated with the event.” (Nature, 

The first major international aerospace show in Latin 

America was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. More than 250 firms from 11 

nations displayed products from satellite equipment to metal forgings, 

aircraft, helicopters, and small components. Aircraft exhibited included 

the British Hawker Siddeley Harrier VSTOL [vertical or short takeoff 

and landing] fighter, Fokker F-28 twin-jet transport, Israel Aircraft 

Industries’ Arava cargo transport, Aeronautica Macchi MB-326 jet 

trainer-fighter, Aerospatiale A-300B Airbus, Canadair CL-215 amphibian, Northrop F-5E light jet fighter aircraft, and Lockheed C-5A 

heavy logistic transport. Of the nations invited to participate by the 

sponsoring Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics, only Japan and the 

U.S.S.R. had declined. (Av Wk, 9/17/73, 22; Interavia, 9/73, 954) 

The liquid-fueled “core” vehicle of the Titan-Centaur launch 

vehicle was moved from the Vertical Integration Building to the Solid 

Motor Assembly Building in the Titan complex at Kennedy Space Center. Twin 26-m (85-ft) solid-fueled-rocket strap-on boosters would be 

attached to the core. The Titan-Centaur, scheduled to be launched on its 

proof flight in January 1974, mated the Titan I11 core vehicle and 

its twin solid-fueled rockets with the Centaur high-energy liquid-fueled 

final stage. The 49-m (160-ft), 3610-kg (7959-1b) configuration was 

designed to carry heavy payloads on orbital and planetary missions, 

such as the Viking Mars mission and the joint US. and West German 

Helios mission to the sun, during the mid- and late 1970s. The liftoff 

thrust of the twin solid-fueled boosters was 10.8 million newtons (2.4 

million lbs) . On its proof flight the Titan-Centaur would carry a mass model of 

the Viking spacecraft and a 66-kg (145-lb) Space Plasma High Voltage 

Interaction Experiment (SPHINX) spacecraft, to measure in orbit for 

one year the interaction of space plasmas with high-voltage surfaces. 

The main purpose of the flight would be to demonstrate that the launch 

vehicle and launch facilities could support operational missions and 

that the Centaur could perform an operational two-burn mission and an 

operational three-burn mission carrying a payload to a synchronous altitude of 35 888 km (22 300 mi). 

The effort to integrate the Titan with the Centaur had begun in the 

mid-1960s when NASA recognized the need to fill a performance and 

cost gap between the Atlas-Centaur and Saturn launch vehicles. (KSC 

Release 215-73) ).* 

* NASA’s hydrogen injection program-to decrease automobile and aircraft 

engine pollution by injecting hydrogen gas into the gasoline and air 

mixture before combustion-was described by Dr. James C. Fletcher, 

9/14/73, 88-89) 

September 14-23: 

September 17: 

263 
September 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

NASA Administrator, in a speech before the Economic Club of Detroit. 

The program, being carried out by Jet Propulsion Laboratory with assistance from Lewis Research Center, was “an exciting experimental 

effort to bring old and new technology to bear on one of the major 

problems of modern society.” 

In Phase 1, begun in April for conclusion in December, small amounts 

of hydrogen gas were being injected into a lean gasoline and air mixture to be burned in a standard automobile engine, first in a laboratory 

and later in an operating automobile with bottled hydrogen carried in 

its trunk. Preliminary laboratory tests had shown “a significant reduction in pollution without an increase in fuel consumption. In fact, our 

preliminary figures indicate that hydrogen injection may even produce 

a fuel saving. This comes both from the direct effect of the hydrogen 

on the combustion process and from the better atomization of the fuel 

mixture.” Work was progressing at LeRC on a laboratory model of a 

generator in which the hydrogen would be produced from gasoline and 

water. Phase 2 would attempt to solve engineering problems in integrating the hydrogen injection system, generators, and fuel controls into a 

smooth-running automobile. (NASA Activities, 10/15/73, 1834) 

Representatives of major US. automobile manufacturers began visiting 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory for demonstrations of a NASA-developed system to enable the automotive industry to meet legal limitations on automobile engine emissions [see above]. JPL engineers had had promising 

results in reducing pollution while increasing engine efficiency in laboratory tests of the system, but the work was in its early stages. Dr. William 

H. Pickering, JPL Director, had said automotive company representatives had been invited “to assess the utility of the system with a view 

to the possibility that they might wish to work cooperatively with us.” 

(NASA Release 73-184; Witkin, NYT, 9/17/73, 1) 

* Continued Soviet harassment of intellectual U.S.S.R. dissidents was causing a reaction that could retard development of scientific exchanges and 

trade between the US. and the U.S.S.R., Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. Little effect was expected on the joint Apollo-Soyuz 

Test Project mission scheduled for July 1975 launch, however. (Av Wk, 

9/17/73, 11) 

Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Chairman of the Senate 

Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, introduced S. Con. Res. 

45 to observe NASA’s 15th anniversary by requesting President Nixon 

to proclaim the week of Oct. 1 as National Space Week. (CR, 9/18/73, 

516777) 

French President Georges Pompidou had offered the US. the possibility 

of joining France and the United Kingdom in developing a replacement 

for the Anglo-French Concorde supersonic transport aircraft, French 

Transport Minister Yves Guena said in Paris. Guena told a symposium of 

the seven-nation Western European Union that the offer had been made 

when Nixon and Pompidou met at Reykjavik, Iceland, in June 1973. 

(Agence France-Presse, P Inq, 9/19/73) 

Dr. Charles A. Berry, NASA Director of Life Sciences, 

was elected president of the International Academy of Aviation and 

Space Medicine *$during its 21st Congress at Munich, West Germany. 

(AP, B Sun, 9/22/73, A7) 

Communications Satellite Corp. announced the award of a 

$65 900 000 contract to Hughes Aircraft Co. for construction of highSeptember 18: 

September 18-21: 

September 19: 

264 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 19 

capacity satellites for lease to American Telephone & Telegraph Co. to 

provide domestic satellite communications services. Delivery of the first 

of four satellites was scheduled for late 1975. (ComSatCorp Release 

* Rep. George E. Brown (D-Calif.) introduced H.R. 10392 to authorize 

NASA to develop fuel-efficient, low-polluting engines for light automobiles 

to “capitalize on NASA’s recognized preeminence in both high technology itself and the management of advanced technology development 

programs.” (CR, 9/19/73, H8137-8; Off Rep Brown) 

* The US. Civil Service Commission ordered the Air Force to rehire A. 

Ernest Fitzgerald, a financial analyst who had been fired in 1970 after 

he had disclosed a $2-billion cost overrun on development of the Air 

Force C-5A jet transport. The Air Force also was ordered to pay Fitzgerald more than $100 000 in back pay. (Ripley, NYT, 9/19/73, 1) 

* NASA launched an Arcas sounding rocket from Antigua, West Indies, carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center experiment to a 49.4-km (30.7-mi) 

altitude. The objectives were to measure ozone distribution in the upper 

atmosphere, monitor anomalous ultraviolet absorption, and extend the 

data base for a climatology of stratospheric ozone in the tropics. The 

sounding rocket was launched in conjunction with a Nimbus 4 weather 

satellite (launched April 8, 1970) overpass. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt SRL) 

The exhibition “Technology in the Service of Man” 

was opened at Lewis Research Center by Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA 

Administrator. Some 1400 representatives of business, industry, labor, 

professions, and Government viewed exhibits that included a Skylab 

slide show, Saturn launch vehicle models, a Skylab Student Project exhibit, mockups of future space shuttle payloads, a lunar roving vehicle, 

and material on the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO). 

(MSFC Release 73-129; LeRC Release 73-42; Lewis News, 9/21/73, 1) 

Five Soviet radiation specialists toured US. industrial 

process radiation facilities under the Memorandum on Cooperation in 

the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy between the Atomic Energy Commission and the U.S.S.R. State Committee on the Utilization of Atomic 

Energy. The visit reciprocated a Soviet tour by a delegation of US. 

radiation specialists in July 1972. (AEC Release R-389) 

President Nixon presented Harmon International Aviation 

Trophies to chief test pilots Brian Trubshaw and And6 Turcat of the 

Anglo-French Concorde supersonic transport aircraft during White 

House ceremonies that coincided with the Concorde’s first US. visit. 

Trubshaw of Great Britain and Turcat of France received the 1971 

Aviator’s Trophy for their Concorde flights. The 1972 Aviatrix Trophy 

went to Geraldine Cobb for humanitarian flights in the Amazon River 

Basin area of South America in 1971. Air Force pilots L/C Thomas B. 

Estes and L/C Dewain Bick received the 1972 Aviator’s Trophy for 

their April 26, 1972, SR-71 reconnaissance jet aircraft flight that set 

a record for sustained speed after a 24 100-km (15 000-mi) flight from 

Beale Air Force Base, Calif., at mach 3-plus speeds. 

In the first visit of a supersonic transport aircraft to the US., the 

Concorde arrived at Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport at Grapevine, 

Tex., to participate in Sept. 21 dedication ceremonies for the world’s 

largest jet airport. The Concorde-carrying 32 aviation officials, press 

representatives, and a 10-man crew-was flown from Caracas, Vene73-48) 

September 19-21: 

September 19-28: 

September 20: 

265 
September 20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

zuela, to Texas by Concorde test pilot Jean Franchi in two and one half 

hours. The passengers had flown from Texas to Caracas the previous 

day in a conventional jet aircraft in four and one half hours. (PD, 

9/24/73, 1170; NYT, 9/21/73, 1, 43; A&A 1972) 

* Flight Research Center was evaluating a side-stick flight controller for 

the Air Force YF-16 lightweight fighter aircraft on the FRC digital 

fly-by-wire aircraft, a modified F-8 fighter with an electronic control 

system. The new side-stick controller was stationary and used pilotapplied force to maneuver the aircraft. The inflight studies were to 

aid fighter pilots to control highly maneuverable aircraft, provide 

information for the Air Force lightweight fighter program, and provide 

a base for future research. The side-stick control replaced conventional 

sticks between the pilot’s legs, impractical in future high-performance 

aircraft where the pilot would fly in supine position. (FRC Release 

27-73) 

Lewis Research Center received two Industrial Research Magazine IR-100 

Awards for 1973 at ceremonies in Chicago’s Museum of Science and 

Industry. The Center also was presented a special award acknowledging 

that NASA had accumulated 10 or more IR-100 awards-prizes given by 

the magazine for what it deemed the 100 most significant new products 

developed during the year. LeRC had won 9 out of the 12 awards 

presented to NASA and had earned at least one IR-100 Award every 

year except one since first entering the competition in 1966. LeRC 1973 

awards were for an x-ray photographic system with potential application for industry and basic research and for a shaft seal for very-highspeed turbines and compressors. (LeRC Release 73-39) 

0 Rep. Don Fuqua (D-Fla.) introduced for himself and cosponsors H. Con. 

Res. 305 and 306 designating the week Oct. 1-7 as National Space 

Week. (CR, 9/20/73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 587 from Plesetsk into an 

orbit with a 289-km (179.6-mi) apogee, 177-km (110-mi) perigee, 

89.1-min period, and 65.4’ inclination. The satellite reentered Oct. 4. 

(GSFC SSR, 9/30/73; 10/31/73; SBD, 10/1/73, 152) 

NASA held two Skylab press briefings at Johnson Space Center, while the 

SkyZab 3 crew (launched into orbit July 28) completed its 56th day of+ 

work in the Orbital Workshop. 

At an Apollo Telescope Mount briefing, Skylab principal investigator 

James E. Milligan said that the Skylab 3 crew had operated the ATM 

console photographing the sun for 300 hrs. It was ccremarkable how 

few mistakes they have made.” The sun also had been cooperative. 

“During this mission we’ve had everything from one of the quietest 

Suns I have ever seen to a Sun that was as active as it ever is, at least 

during a moderately active day during Sunspot maximum.” The crew 

had taken “thousands and thousands and thousands” of photographs of 

“on the order of one hundred” flares, coronal transients, and prominences. 

Jack H. Waite, Marshall Space Flight Center’s manager of corollary 

experiments, said at a corollary briefing that all the planned objectives 

of the corollary experiments had been completed. MSFC’S Material 

Processing Program Manager Robert L. Adams said the materials 

experiments had indicated that both electron-beam welding and the 

exothermic-tracing techniques could be used successfully in space for 

the assembly and repair of large structures. Experiments in the formaSeptember 21: 

266 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 21 

tion of metallic spheres had generally indicated more spherical and less 

porous products than their one-g counterparts could be produced. 

(Transcript) 

Pioneer 10-launched March 2, 1972, toward Jupiter-had traveled 

farther into space than any man-made object, NASA announced. The 

spacecraft, when it swung by Jupiter on Dec. 3 to give man his first 

closeup look at that planet, would set a speed record of 132 000 km 

(82000 mi) per hr, breaking its own earlier mark of 51683 km 

(32 116 mi) per hr set at launch. After the Jupiter encounter, Pioneer 

10 would be hurled by the planet’s gravity beyond the solar system 

toward the red star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus. It was expected to cross the orbit of Pluto in 1987 still transmitting scientific 

data to the earth. The onboard experiments had been designed to yield 

useful data as far as 30 to 40 astronomical units, 4.5 billion-6.0 billion 

km (2.8 billion-3.7 billion mi), away. The spacecraft had been tracked 

and controlled so precisely that it would arrive at Jupiter within less 

than a minute of the time predicted at launch. 

NASA had submitted three applications to the National Aeronautic 

Association and the Federation A6ronautique Internationale for Pioneer 

10’s unmanned interplanetary space flight records : maximum distance 

traveled from the sun, maximum distance of communications from the 

earth, and duration of the mission during which the spacecraft had been 

functioning. (NASA Release 73-183) 

Sen. Alan Bible (D-Nev.), with cosponsors, introduced S. 2456, the 

Geothermal Energy Act of 1973, to “authorize the Secretary of the 

Interior to guarantee loans for the financing of commercial ventures 

in geothermal energy and to coordinate Federal activities in geothermal 

energy exploration, research, and development.” Under Title I1 of the 

bill, NASA would be directed to prepare a proposal for the use of space 

technologies and NASA services to explore and map geothermal resources. (CRY 9/31/73, S1726-9) 

* NASA launched an Aerobee 200 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center solar physics experiment to a 290.8-km (180.7-mi) altitude. The rocket performed satisfactorily. Preliminary estimates indicated the experiment was 90% 

successful. (GSFC proj off) 

One of four U.S.S.R. spacecraft-Mars 4, 5, 6, or 7, 

launched toward Mars July 22 and 25 and Aug. 5 and 9-would softland near the Mars south polar cap to test the physical properties of 

Martian soil and surface rocks and check the possibilities of transmitting 

TV pictures of the surrounding terrain to earth, Roald Sagdeyev, 

Director of the Space Research Institute of the Soviet Academy of 

Sciences, said in a Tass interview. Mars 4 and 5 were 19 515 000 km 

(12 126 000 mi) and 18 584 000 km (11 548 000 mi) from the earth 

and would reach Mars in February 1974. Mars 6 and 7 were 16 664 000 

km (10 354 000 mi) and 15 623 000 km (9 708 000 mi) from the earth 

and would reach Mars in March 1974. Radiation and magnetic measurements were being made and cosmic rays were being studied, Sagdeyev 

said. The stations also would investigate solar noise in the meter wave 

band as well as register the flux of solar plasma. 

United Press International reported later that Western space experts 

had speculated that a landing craft might carry a Marsokhod roving 

vehicle to explore the Martian surface. UPI also reported that it was 

September 22: 

267 
September 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

believed that the U.S.S.R. departure from the usual practice of not 

announcing mission goals was to demonstrate Soviet willingness to 

cooperate with the US. in view of the plans for a 1975 joint USU.S.S.R. mission. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 9/24/73, U1; AP, W Post, 9/24/73, 

A21) 

0 The U.S.S.R. was beginning a new major program to strengthen its underground missile silos against nuclear attack, according to senior US. 

officials quoted by the Washington Post. The unidentified officials thought 

the U.S.S.R. might be planning to use a new “popup” missile-launching 

technique as part of this effort. (Getler, W Post, 9/22/73) 

Japanese amateur astronomer Tsuomi Seki reacquired and 

photographed Comet Kohoutek at his specially designed comet observatory in Tokyo. The comet-last observed by its discoverer, Dr. 

Lubos Kohoutek, May 5-was falling toward the sun almost exactly as 

predicted and was approaching the earth and the sun in a long, sweeping orbit. (Am Mus-Hayden Planetarium Release, 10/1/73) 

A New Fork Times editorial praised Skylab 3’s solar observations: “The 

special value of the observations on the sun arises from that body’s 

extraordinary behavior this month.” An unexpected burst of tremendous 

solar activity had occurred. “An unprecedented wealth of data on this 

startling phenomenon [had] been gathered . . . , which should contribute significantly to helping scientists understand the physics and 

chemistry of the vast celestial body that is the source of almost all the 

energy available on earth.” (NYT, 9/23/73) 

A Memorandum of Understanding on international cooperation in NASA’s space shuttle program was signed in Washington, 

D.C., by Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, and Dr. Alexander 

Hocker, Director General of the European Space Research Organization 

(ESRO) . Nine EsRO-member countries would design, develop, manufacture, and deliver a Spacelab flight unit to be carried in the space 

shuttle orbiter. The Spacelab would comprise a pressurized manned 

laboratory module and an instrument platform, or pallet, to support 

telescopes, antennas, and other equipment requiring direct space exposure. The Spacelab would be transported to and from orbit in the 

orbiter payload bay and would be attached to and supported by the 

shuttle orbiter throughout 7- to 30-day missions. At the mission’s end, 

the Spacelab would be removed and prepared for its next mission. 

The estimated $300-million to $4OO-million Spacelab cost would be 

borne by Belgium, Denmark, France, West Germany, Italy, The 

Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland-the European nations that signed, 

with the US., the Intergovernmental Agreement for space shuttle cooperation [see Aug. 141. The agreement was open for signatures by 

other nations as well. Under Memorandum of Understanding terms NASA 

would manage all operational activities, including crew training and 

flight operations, following delivery of the Spacelab unit in late 1978, 

about one year before the space shuttle’s scheduled first operational 

flight. NASA planned to carry a European flight crew member on the 

first shuttle flight and subsequent European flight crew opportunities 

would be provided in conjunction with ESRO or EsRo-member-government projects. NASA would make the shuttle available for Spacelab 

missions on either cooperative or cost-reimbursable basis. NASA would 

procure from ESRO any additional Spacelab units needed for US. 

September 23: 

September 24: 

268 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 24 

programs and would not develop any further units duplicating the 

Spacelab’s design and capabilities. 

Final signature of the Memorandum of Understanding having established the cooperative Spacelab program, NASA had decided to use 

Spacelab terminology. Steps were instituted to change designations of 

the Sortie Lab Task Force and Task Team at Marshall Space Flight 

Center to Spacelab Task Force and Task Team. (NASA Release 73-191 ; 

NASA Shuttle Off, OMSF; Spacelab Newsletter, 9/26/73) 

Soviet authorities had returned data tape and altitude recorder film 

salvaged from the scientific payload aboard a NASA balloon that fell in 

the Siberian wilderness after its July 15 launch from Fort Churchill, 

Canada, NASA announced. Recovery had followed a request for Soviet 

assistance from Dr. John E. Naugle, NASA Associate Administrator for 

Space Science, to Chairman Boris N. Petrov of the Soviet Council for 

International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space. 

Dr. Naugle and Academician Petrov were cochairmen of a NASA and 

Soviet Academy of Sciences Joint Working Group on Near-Earth Space, 

the Moon, and the Planets. The cosmic ray detector and other instruments aboard the balloon had been damaged in the crash, but the data 

tape and film flown from Moscow had been pronounced usable by US. 

investigators. The experiment had been designed to measure distribution 

of electrons and positrons in primary cosmic rays. (NASA Release 73- 

195) 

0 NASA announced the award of a $31-million contract to General Dynamics 

Corp. Convair Aerospace Div. for nine high-energy Centaur rockets. 

Four Centaurs would be used by NASA to launch satellites built under 

the direction of Communications Satellite Corp. for an American 

Telephone & Telegraph Co. domestic communications network. ComSatCorp would reimburse NASA for all costs of the rockets and launch 

services. Three Centaurs would be used to launch improved Intelsat IV 

satellites. NASA would use the remaining two Centaurs to launch twin 

Mariner spacecraft in 1977 for Jupiter and Saturn flybys. (NASA Release 

73-189) 

0 NASA announced negotiation of a $67-million cost-plus-incentive contract 

with McDonnell Douglas Corp. for procurement of 20 Thor-Delta launch 

vehicles. (NASA Release 73-188) 

Johnson Space Center had issued a request for proposals for a cost-plusfixed-fee contract to build two modified aircraft for flight crew training 

simulating space shuttle operations, NASA announced. Proposals were 

due Oct. 9, with work to be completed in two and one half years. The 

shuttle training aircraft (STA) were to simulate space shuttle orbiter 

flying characteristics, performance, and trajectory during atmospheric 

flight. (NASA Release 73-194) 

The election of Dr. John V. Harrington, Director of the Center for Space 

Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as Vice President, 

Research and Engineering, with Communications Satellite Corp. was 

announced. He would join the corporation in October. (ComSatCorp 

Release 7349) 

A new technique to measure the burn rate of solid rocket propellant on 

launched vehicles had been developed by the Air Force Systems Command Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, AFSC announced. An 

acoustic emission system picked up the sounds of burning propellant 

on a very sensitive microphone, and acoustic emissions were fed to a 

269 
September 24 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

device that automatically measured the burn rate. Previously an 

oscillograph trace had been measured with a ruler, a time-consuming 

job that sometimes produced errors. (AFSC Release OIP 129.73) 

* A Huntsville News editorial commented on the planned Oct. 1 celebration 

of NASA’s 15th anniversary and the start of Space Week: “The spinoff 

from space exploration continues to help Americans and mankind from 

all kinds of new equipment to watching happenings in Europe or Asia 

right in your own living room because of the launch of satellites. Years 

will see new developments come from data already collected.” (Huntsville News, 9/24/73 ) 

President Nixon sent a message to Skylab 3 Astronauts 

Alan L. Bean, Dr. Owen K. Garriott, and Jack R. Lousma following 

their splashdown ending the record July 28-Sept. 25 mission: “The 

record of your Skylab mission combines the traditions of those great 

explorers of history who have faced the uncharted reaches of the 

physical unknown with the traditions of those men of science who have 

unlocked the secrets of the universe and have thus opened the doors to 

man’s future progress. By your scientific endeavor and your physical 

endurance, you have converted a space vehicle into a repository of more 

scientific knowledge than mankind can immediately consume. In doing 

so, you have provided the basis for a quantum jump in human knowledge.” (PD, 10/1/73, 1197) 

The Skylab 3 astronauts rested aboard recovery ship U.S.S. New Orleans 

following their splashdown [see July 28-Sept. 251. Dr. James C. 

Fletcher, NASA Administrator, told the press at Johnson Space Center 

that their 59-day mission had proved man’s usefulness in earth orbit as 

the Apollo missions had proved his use of the moon. “In the 15 years 

since its founding, NASA has successfully placed more than 250 payloads in earth orbit. Of all these, the mission that we completed today 

will perhaps prove to be the most fruitful of all.” Skylab 3 had proved 

how great an advantage it is to have the human mind on the scene to 

make judgments, to observe, to respond to unexpected developments, 

and to effect corrective measures. All these were demonstrated on 

Skylab .” 

Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider said the Skylab 3 

astronauts had surpassed their scientific objectives by 150%. “The 

mission can only be described in superlatives.” (O’Toole, W Post, 

9/26/73, 1A; AP, B Sun, 9/26/73) 

NASA announced the signing at Johnson Space Center of a $6 618 500 

cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with IBM Federal Systems Div. to design, 

develop, and maintain avionics software for the space shuttle orbiter 

data system. The contract would be effective through April 10, 1975. 

IBM also was selected by Rockwell International Corp. to develop and 

produce two other key electronic units for the orbiter-an orbiter 

general-purpose avionics computer and an input-output unit to work 

with the computer. The two contracts had raised IBM’S new business in 

August to nearly $22 million. (NASA Release 73-192) 

Johnson Space Center was evaluating a Lockheed Aircraft Corp. proposal 

to test the feasibility of using a G5A aircraft to ferry the space 

shuttle orbiter. Lockheed had proposed to mount a scale model of the 

orbiter in latest configuration on a C-5A scale model for tests in its 

low-speed tunnel. (NASA Release 73-193) 

September 25: 

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ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 25 

0 A technique of predicting probabilities that had been “absolutely mandatory” to the success of NASA’s Apollo program was being used by the 

Atomic Energy Commission to help determine the risk to the public 

of nuclear power plants, AEC member and Apollo 8 Astronaut William 

A. Anders said in testimony before the Congressional Joint Committee 

on Atomic Energy. The complicated technique of forecasting the reliability of mechanical systems and human beings using available data 

from similar activity components and subsystems was described by 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology nuclear engineer Dr. Norman C. 

Rasmussen during the nuclear reactor safety hearing. (Willard, W Post, 

9/26/73) 

September 26: Newspapers commented on the successful Sept. 25 splashdown of Skylub 3 [see July 28-Sept. 251. 

New York Times: “The word ‘triumphant’ is entirely appropriate 

because even at this early point it is evident that ‘their 59-day stay 

in orbit was not only the longest manned space flight in history but 

also the most productive.” Skylab results to date had made two conclusions incontrovertible: “First, man can live and work effectively for 

long periods in space, a point particularly emphasized by the astronauts’ pleas in the last days of their journey to be allowed to remain 

longer in orbit. Second, stations in space are potentially as productive 

of scientific and technological benefits as the most optimistic predictions had suggested. There is every reason now to suppose that these 

benefits will range from the discovery of new mineral deposits on earth 

and early warnings about the formation and movement of storms to 

new and more effective methods of predicting the turbulence on the sun 

that interferes seriously with electronic communications on earth.” It 

could be taken for granted that “orbiting laboratories will become 

permanent fixtures in the heavens before too many years have passed. 

(NYT, 9/26/73, 38) 

Chzkago Daily News: The Skylab 3 astronauts had “earned their 

keep-and a place in the history of man’s conquest of the universe.” 

(C Daily News, 9/26/73) 

* Alloys and crystals formed in weightlessness during Skylub 3 (launched 

July 28 to crew the SkyZub 1 Orbital Workshop launched May 14) might 

temporarily be the world‘s most precious metals, the Wall Street 

Journal reported. They were mixtures of elemental metals that could 

not be combined on the earth because gravity would make them separate 

as they cooled or melted. The metals included three alloys and several 

semiconductor crystals used to make transistors and other electronic 

devices. Twelve industrial and university scientists were waiting to 

determine from them whether manufacturing in space could produce 

stronger, purer, and more reliable, or even new materials. (WSJ, 

9/26/73) 

* Award of a $7.3-million contract to Rockwell International Corp. Space 

Div. to provide a site for the final assembly and checkout of the space 

shuttle orbiter was announced by NASA. The contract included modifications and additions to facilities at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, Calif. 

(NASA Release 73-196) 

0 Concorde 02, reproduction model of the Anglo-French supersonic transport, flew from Washington, D.C., Dulles Airport to Paris’ Orly Field 

in 3 hrs 33 min. The aircraft had participated in dedication of the 

Dallas-Fort Worth airport Sept. 21. (Concorde Bull 12, 1/1/74) 

271 
September 26-27 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

September 26-27: Sen. Warren G. Magnuson (D-Wash.) explained S. 

2495, a bill to apply NASA’S expertise to solving domestic problems, 

during the first day of two-day hearings on the state of the aerospace 

industry by the Senate Committee on Aeronautical ar,d Space Sciences. 

Sen. Magnuson, with Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah) and Sen. John V. 

Tunney (D-Calif.), introduced the bill Sept. 27. 

The bill, the Technology Resources Survey and Applications Act, 

would amend the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 to 

provide “an organization within NASA to carry out programs . . . to 

resolve critical national problems. This would expand an activity already underway within NASA and enable us to better utilize a capability 

which has already exhibited an impressive record of success.77 The 

programs would be determined by a National Technology Resource 

Council of Cabinet members and heads of technological agencies, which 

would make its recommendations to the President. 

Sen. Magnuson suggested changing NASA7S name to the National 

Applications of Science Administration. “I do believe the name . . . would accurately reflect the new role which my bill attempts to create 

Dr. Karl G. Harr, Jr., President of the Aerospace Industries Assn. 

of America, Inc., testified that foreign competition for U.S. and international aerospace markets was currently “of a scope, determination, 

and quality that we have not had to face since World War 11. The 

underpinning of strong research and development programs-vital to 

our technological advance-is being downgraded to a serious degree. 

There is an alarming scarcity of private sources of financing for the 

development and production of new commercial aircraft. As a lowprofit industry, traditionally averaging a profit about half that of other 

manufacturing industries, we lack the resources for reinvestment, 

cushioning against risk, and attracting investors. Above all, there is 

uncertainty in this transitional period about future national goals which 

might utilize our capabilities. Will we continue to contribute primarily 

to space exploration, defense, and long-range air travel, or will we 

next find ourselves emphasizing such efforts as environmental control, 

law enforcement, health delivery services, housing, and urban mass 

transit?” 

Dr. Wernher von Braun-Vice President, Engineering and Development, Fairchild Industries, Inc., and former NASA Deputy Associate 

Administrator for Planning-testified on the future of satellite communications: “There is no field in which the goals of space applications 

are expanding at a faster rate.” Ever since NASA demonstrated “that 

radio signals bounced off passive reflection satellites such as the Echo 

balloon or rebroadcast by active repeater spacecraft such as Early Bird, 

worldwide communications by satellite have been growing. . . . Satellites, 

by providing international telephone and television service, are an 

important force in overcoming regional and national barriers. It is 

difficult to maintain hostility and isolation in the presence of free communications.,, Satellite communications would “soon be commonplace 

in our country.” With the advent of the reusable space shuttle to 

service and repair satellites in the 1980~~ “even nations with limited 

fiscal resources can put in a network of smaller, far less expensive 

ground stations.” Thanks to NASA programs initiated a few years ago, 

for NASA.” 

272 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 26-27 

“the United States is still quite active in the area of pioneering new 

technology for communications satellites.” (Transcript) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Soyuz 12, carrying cosmonauts 

L/C Vasily G. Lazarev and flight engineer Oleg G. Makarov, from 

Baykonur Cosmodrome at 5:18 pm local time (3:18 pm Moscow time; 

8:18 am EDT) into earth orbit with 229-km (142.3-mi) apogee, 180-km 

(111.8-mi) perigee, 88.6-min period, and 51.7” inclination. Soviet 

news agency Tass announced the objectives of the two-day mission were 

to test improved flight systems, test manual and automatic control in 

various flight conditions, and obtain spectrographic data of separate 

sections of the earth (‘for the solution of economic problems.” The 

flight would further improve development of manned spacecraft. 

After six hours in flight the cosmonauts reported they had adjusted 

to weightlessness and were carrying out all scheduled activities. All 

spacecraft systems were functioning normally. During the first day, 

Lazarov-45-yr-old air force test pilot and physician-and Makarov40-yr-old engineer who had taken part in developing the control board 

and flight program for Yuri A. Gagarin’s Vostok I mission of April 12, 

1961-maneuvered their spacecraft in orbit to test manual and automatic control and piloting techniques. The spacecraft was moved into a 

higher and nearly circular orbit, with parameters reported by Tass as 

345-km (214.4-mi) apogee, 326-km (202.6-mi) perigee, 91-min period, 

and 51.6” inclination. 

The cosmonauts also made spectrographs of natural formations of the 

earth‘s surface. They were reported Sept. 28 to be in high spirits and 

good physical condition. Tass reported a new spacecraft design and a 

new spacesuit, “very simple and comfortable,” were being tested. 

Spacesuits were worn for launch and descent but not during the flight 

itself. 

On Sept. 29 the crew oriented their spacecraft and fired the braking 

engine. The landing module separated from the spacecraft and entered 

descent trajectory. The parachute system was deployed at 7.6 km 

(4.7 mi) above the earth and engines softlanded the craft 400 km 

(250 mi) southwest of Karaganda in the Kazakhstan Steppe at 2:34 

pm Moscow time (7:34 am EDT) . A medical check at the landing site 

showed “the state of [the cosmonauts~] health is good.” 

Soyuz 12 was the first Soviet manned space flight since the 1971 

Salyut 1-Soyuz 11 mission. Soyuz 10 (launched April 23, 1971, carrying three cosmonauts) had docked with the orbiting Salyut 1 space 

laboratory (launched April 19) but the cosmonauts had not boarded. 

American observers believed the Soyuz spacecraft had spun out of 

control, causing the cosmonauts to become ill and necessitating an early 

return to earth. Three cosmonauts launched June 6, 1971, on Soyuz 11 

had docked with and boarded Salyut 1. They worked successfully in 

orbit for 24 days but were found dead on landing, from pressure loss 

in the landing craft. (GSFC SSR, 9/30/73; FBIS-SOV, 9/28/73, U1-4; 

10/1/73, U1-3; SBD, 9/28/73, 138; Kaiser, W Post, 9/28/73, Al; 

Shabad, NYT, 9/30/73, 1; Seeger, W Post, 9/30/73, 145) 

The Air Force launched an unidentified satellite on a 

Titan IIIB-Agena launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base into 

an orbit with a 384.6-km (239-mi) apogee, 128.8-km (80-mi) perigee, 

89.8-min period, and 110.5” inclination. The satellite reentered Oct. 29. 

(Pres Rpt 74; Wilson, W Post, 10/16/73, A7) 

September 27-29: 

September 27: 

273 
September 27 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Skylab 3 Astronauts Alan L. Bean, Jack R. Lousma, and Dr. Owen K. 

Garriott arrived in San Diego, Calif., aboard the recovery ship U.S.S. 

New Orleans and were flown to Houston, Tex., on an Air Force C-141 

troop carrier aircraft. Blood samples from all three astronauts were 

flown to Johnson Space Center for analysis. The astronauts were under 

limited quarantine for one week to protect them from infection. 

(W Post, 9/28/73; AP, B Sun, 9/28/73) 

In a Skylab 3 postflight medical briefing at Johnson Space Center, Dr. 

Willard R. Hawkins, JSC Deputy Director of Life Sciences for Medical 

Operations, said that the condition of the Skylab 3 astronauts, who 

splashed down Sept. 25 after a 59-day mission aboard the Skylab 1 

Orbital Workshop, “did slightly exceed our expectations.” They were 

in better shape than the Skytab 2 crew (launched May 25 on a 28-day 

mission). Alan L. Bean had lost just over 3.6 kg (8 Ibs) ; Dr. Owen K. 

Garriott and Jack R. Lousma had both lost between 2.7 and 3.6 kg 

(6 and 8 lbs) . All three crew members had lost between 2.5 and 3.8 cm 

(1 and 1.5 in) in calf circumference. They had been able to complete 

the full routine through the maximum stress level of -50 mm of 

mercury in the lower-body pressure experiment. Heart rates and blood 

rates were well above their preflight measurements. The crew was 

experiencing slight vestibular disturbances, particularly associated with 

any head movement, but these were gradually disappearing. (Transcript) 

Newspaper editorials commented on the safe Sept. 25 return of Skylab 3. 

Baltimore Sun: The mission had been “an immense scientific success 

which produced unprecedented and extremely valuable data especially 

on solar activity.” It would be “mere superstition to believe nature is 

co-operating with man by producing solar flares and comets just when 

we would most like to have them. But the Skylab missions so far have 

had a lot of good luck.” (B Sun, 9/27/73, A14) 

Miami Herald: “All told, the Skylab missions appear to promise 

rewards even greater than the enlargement of knowledge created by the 

Apollo moon voyages. The outreach of the human mind is inexorable.” 

(M Her, 9/27/73) 

Chicago Sun-Times: “With casual aplomb, the astronauts performed 

their sophisticated experiments, floated weightlessly through, outside 

and around the Skylab, and fixed their spacecraft like mundane 

mechanics when something went haywire. It all seemed so routine. In 

the austere domain of space, as on Earth, how quickly does the miraculous become absorbed into the commonplace.” (C Sun-Times, 9/27/73) 

Christian Science Monitor: “Even those most intimately involved 

with the space program, slated now for more international participation 

as well as applause, would admit we may now but dimly grasp the full 

significance of our space sorties.” The names of the Skylab 3 astronauts 

would, nonetheless, be added “to the list of welcomed home heroes of 

mankind’s young space chapter.” (CSM, 9/27/73) 

Philadelphia Inquirer: “Space exploration has matured to space 

work. During 59 days in earth orbit-more than doubling the space 

flight record set earlier this year by three astronauts in the same 

Skylab-assignments were carried out with diligence and precision. 

Scientific experiments and observations could “produce long-range 

dividends, not immediately apparent.” Despite NASA’s extraordinary 

safety record space was “a hostile environment posing hazardous 

274 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 27 

challenges to courageous men. But the richest rewards in space will 

come not from derring do but from workmanlike execution of assignments with down-to-earth relevance to needs of mankind.” (P Znq, 

9/27/73) 

General Dynamics Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David S. 

Lewis told the press in St. Louis, Mo., that he had signed an agreement 

with Dzherman M. Givishiany, Vice-chairman of the Soviet Committee 

for Science and Technology, for scientific and technical cooperation. 

The agreement covered commercial shipping, telecommunications 

equipment, asbestos mining, aircraft, computer-operated microfilm 

equipment, and navigation and weather buoys. (AP, Tduy, 9/28/73) 

* L/C Harold E. Turner (USAF, Ret.), the first commanding officer of White 

Sands Proving Ground (which became White Sands Missile Range in 

1958) died in El Paso, Tex., at age 75. He had been transferred from 

White Sands to Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., where a proving ground 

was to be built on Cape Canaveral. There Col. Turner supervised the 

firing of Cape Canaveral’s first rocket, the two-stage Bumper 8 (a V-2 

first stage with a Wac Corporal 2nd stage) July 24, 1950. He was later 

medically retired after suffering cerebral damage during an accident 

at the Cape. (AP, W Post, 9/29/73, D1; A&A 1915-60) 

Processed samples from Skylab 3 experiments carried on 

the 59-day mission (launched July 28 to man the Orbital Workshop, 

launched May 14) were returned to Marshall Space Flight Center. They 

were opened, x-rayed, and photographed before being delivered to 

principal investigators who would report within six months. Among the 

samples were 11 of solidification (crystal growth performed in the M518 multipurpose electrical furnace system) and the remains of spiders 

Anita and Arabella, who died after spinning webs in zero g for the 

first time. The spiders’ bodies would be given to the Smithsonian 

Institution for display later in the week, following examination by a 

student experimenter. Preliminary examination had shown that Arabella 

died of malnutrition. Anita had died in space of probably the same 

cause Sept. 15. (MSFC Release 73-146) 

* Newspaper editorials commented on the Sept. 25 successful splashdown of 

SkyZab 3 [see July 28-Sept. 251. 

The Wmhington Star-News: The astronauts couldn’t have selected a 

worse evening to return to the earth “in the whole 20th Century.” Their 

reentry had been “upstaged, unfortunately,” by Vice President Spiro T. 

Agnew’s vain attempts to clear himself of allegations of bribery and 

income tax evasion, “and, of course, the Watergate hearings persisted 

as a distraction. But these latest Skylab voyagers still must receive the 

recognition they deserve for the longest and most voluminously rewarding space flight in history.” Skylab was “the proper program in 

space for the years just ahead, because it promises many more revelations about the earth and seas-the condition and potentials of our 

planet.” ( W Star-News, 9/28/73, A18) 

The WdZ Street Journal noted that the Skylab 3 crew could anticipate 

a small pleasure that eluded most returning travelers. “Unlike the rest 

of us, they have numbers of people who are absolutely hungering to see 

the photographs they brought back, despite the fact that they’ve returned with no fewer than 77,600 shots of the sun and 16,800 of the 

earth.” (WSJ, 9/28/73) 

September 28: 

275 
September 28 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* Johnson Space Center announced a third-year extension had been awarded 

to its contract with Lockheed Electronics Go., Inc., Houston Aerospace 

Systems Div. to provide general electronic, scientific, and computing 

center support services. The cost-plus-award-fee contract extension 

would total $32 733 000. (NASA Release 73-198; JSC Release 73-129) 

A Washington Post editorial praised the Skylab program: 

“The prospect of permanently orbiting manned space laboratories used 

to be the stuff of dreams. The Skylab program underscores how rapidly 

such science fiction is becoming scientific fact. It shows how quickly 

man is becoming more at home in space and more accustomed to the 

reality of extended space flight-to the extent that the most impressive 

human and technological feats have come to be regarded by laymen as 

almost routine. Since the first ‘giant leap for mankind,’ NASA’s achievements have produced a quantum jump in man’s comprehension of the 

universe. The task now is to build on that new foundation, and to secure 

an equal measure of political progress to insure that this new capability 

will be used for universal benefit.” (W Post, 9/29/73, A14) 

* Tass special correspondent Aleksander Romanov quoted a spokesman for 

the U.S.S.R. flight control team of the Sept. 27-29 Soyuz 12 manned 

mission as saying that in the future space flights “will become longer 

and will be made farther and farther from the Earth. Therefore, it is 

important to improve constantly methods of autonomous navigation. In 

the opinion of the crew members the instruments designed for these 

purposes have given a good account of themselves. The night vision 

apparatus has their preliminary approval.” ( FBIS-SOV, 10/1/73, U2-3) 

Sqyuz 12 cosmonauts L/C Vasily G. Lazarev and Oleg G. 

Makarov arrived in Moscow from Karaganda, following their successful 

Sept. 27-29 orbital mission. The crew was met at the airport by members of a state commission, specialists from flight control, scientists, 

engineers, relatives, and friends. Before leaving Karaganda, the cosmonauts had held a press conference, in which they said they had implemented their flight program “in full.” 

Gen. Georgy T. Beregovoy-cosmonaut and chief of the Soviet cosmonaut training center-speaking in Zvezdny Gorodok, said Lazarev and 

Makarov had displayed “high professional skills,” carrying out a comprehensive checkup of improved onboard systems, further development 

work on manual and automatic control of the ship in different flight 

modes, and spectrography of areas of the earth‘s surface. (Moscow 

Domestic Service, FBIS-SOV, 10/1/73, U3, Tass, U4) 

Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford-speaking in Beverly Hills, Calif .-congratulated Soviet Cosmonauts Vasily 6. Lazarev and Oleg G. Makarov 

on the successful completion of their Sept. 27-29 Soyuz 12 mission. 

Stafford, US. crew commander for the US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz Test 

Project’s planned 1975 space flight, spoke highly of the Soyuz flight and 

said he was happy that it had ended with success. He noted that many of 

the new systems that would be used on the 1975 joint flight were tested 

by Soyuz 12. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 10/1/73, B8) 

A New York Times editorial commented on the successful Sept. 27-29 

Soyuz 12 manned mission: “The purpose . . . was not primarily to set 

new records. Its main goal was to test the latest improved version of the 

Soyuz spacecraft. . . Americans as well as Soviet citizens have reason 

to rejoice. . . . In 1975 present plans call for the historic docking of a 

Soviet Soyuz craft with a United States Apollo vehicle. Thus Soviet and 

September 29: 

September 30: 

276 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 September 30 

American astronauts must want each other’s space ships to be as safe 

as possible. And beyond the docking experiment in 1975 lies the prospect 

of a future fully integrated Soviet-American joint space program.” 

(NYT, 9/30/73, 12) 

Soviet plans for a reusable space shuttle had been revealed by Cosmonaut Gherman s. Titov and Soviet Academician Andrey 

Shikarin, according to a Vienna correspondent quoted by Znteravia. 

The Soviet shuttle would consist of two vehicles coupled pick-a-back, 

each in delta configuration and designed for hypersonic operating 

speeds. One would be the booster, the other the orbiter. The spacecraft 

was designed for horizontal takeoff from a runway. The manned booster 

would carry the orbiter until it attained a 22-km-per-sec (4900 mph) 

speed corresponding to a 2- to 3-g acceleration. The stages would separate at about a 30-km (19-mi) altitude and the booster would descend 

in a controlled glide to land on the runway. The orbiter would accelerate 

to a more than 100-km (60-mi) altitude, complete its mission, and glide 

back to the earth. Construction was expected to begin during the 1970s. 

(Znteravzh, 9/1973, 945) 

* The Subcommittee on International Cooperation in Science and Space of 

the House Committee on Science and Astronautics published Research 

and Development Collaboration with the U.S.S.R. and Japan. The report 

summarized discussions with Soviet and Japanese officials during the 

Subcommittee’s July visit to the U.S.S.R.-U.S. Aeronautical Technology 

Symposium and Display in Moscow and a subsequent visit to Tokyo. 

The Subcommittee had found that “although military and space parity 

had been achieved with the United States, the U.S.S.R. is far behind in 

virtually all consumer products. There are also glaring weaknesses in 

certain areas of high technology.” Soviet leaders had accepted the fact 

that, “if their plans for the massive expansion and improvement of their 

commercial air transportation system are to succeed within the proposed 

time frame, assistance will be required from abroad where superior 

technology exists. We believe the US. aerospace industry is the best, 

though not the only, source for such high technology products, and 

evidently the responsible Soviet officials think so, too.” As one of the 

world’s most highly developed technological countries, Japan had “much 

to offer to any cooperative venture in science or space.” The Subcommittee urged the National Science Foundation to explore possible collaboration with the Japanese government in its Sunshine Project, a 

proposed large-scale effort to develop new energy sources. (Com Print) 

US. scheduled airline passenger traffic had increased 7.376, to 76400 

million revenue-passenger-miles, during the first half of 1973, Znteravia 

reported. Traffic for local service carriers alone rose 13.2%, to 4600 

million revenue-passenger-miles, and for scheduled domestic service, 

7.7%, to 60 400 million. Available seat-miles increased 7.5%, to 120 200 

million. Noting the financial and economic improvement of the local 

service carriers, the Civil Aeronautics Board had instituted an investigation of their class subsidy rate and planned a minor reduction in the 

subsidy. (Znteravia, 9/73, 919) 

Tracking of earth-orbiting satellites by the long-range perimeter acquisition radar (PAR) of the Safeguard Ballistic Missile Defense facility at 

Grand Forks, N.D., had been achieved ahead of schedule, Armed Forces 

Journal reported. PAR construction had begun in 1970; power testing, 

in June. The site was scheduled to be handed over to the Armed Air 

During September: 

277 
During September ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Defense Command in October 1974 and to become operational in early 

1975. (AFJ, 9/73, 24) 

The “much vaunted European challenge” to US. aerospace industry would 

remain a myth,” an Znteravia editorial said. Recent agreements for 

US. companies to provide European manufacturers access to their high 

technology might seem against US. interests, but “such agreements are 

in fact usually followed by orders for US.-designed aircraft.” It was 

not simply that the currency crisis has made the US product much 

cheaper than the competitive European design, but also that the Americans are in a position to contract out production work on a proven sales 

success.” European commercial aircraft industry products would “never 

achieve the success expected of them.” Europe’s total share of the Western market for commercial aircraft-just over 9%-was “steadily dropping as the early model BAC 111s and Caravelles are withdrawn from 

service and there are no advanced versions to replace them.” However 

tempting technologically the advanced commercial aircraft offered by 

European industry might be, “they are not what many airlines want 

in the present economic climate.” There “seems little or no inclination in 

Europe to accept inter-dependence in high technology areas. There is apparently more of a readiness to cooperate across the Atlantic than across 

the European frontiers. If the European aerospace industry wishes to 

remain a viable, independent force on the world scene, then the time 

has surely come when something more than lip service must be paid to 

the European ideal.” (Interuwia, 9/73, 939) 

The Hawker Siddeley 146, the first major new British aircraft launched in 

a decade, was to be developed under a program funded jointly by 

Hawker Siddeley and the United Kingdom government, Armed Forces 

Journal reported. The four-engine aircraft would carry 70 to 100 passengers for 1900 km (1200 mi). (AFJ, 9/73, 24) 

* U.S.S.R.’s Aeroflot had transported 82.5 million passengers and 21 000 

million kg (46300 million lbs) of freight and mail, and its cropspraying aircraft had treated 833 389 sq km (321 773 sq mi) of land 

in 1972, Znteravia reported. Forecasts for 1973 included the transportation of 87 million passengers and 2100 million kg (46 300 million lbs) 

of mail and freight and the treatment of 869 800 sq km (335 830 sq mi) 

of land. The Aeroflot network continued to be extended and the number of scheduled services had risen from 2974 in 1972 to 3068 in 1973. 

Moscow alone was linked with 200 cities in the U.S.S.R. (Znteraviu, 

9/73, 919) 

The National Science Foundation released Federal Scientific, Technical, 

and Health Personnel, 1971 (NSF 73-309). In 1971, as in most years 

since 1966, Federal scientific, technical, and health professional personnel increased little compared with the early 1960s. The Dept. of Defense 

remained, as in prior years, the largest employer of scientific and technical personnel. About 29% of Federal scientists and engineers performed research and development. The greatest concentration of R&D 

personnel was at NASA. More than one half of NASA’s scientists and engineers performed R&D activities. Salaries of Federal scientists and engineers increased between 1966 and 1971, largely to meet statutory 

requirements that they be comparable with non-Federal salaries. Women, 

accounting for 4% of all Federal scientists and engineers, appeared to be 

advancing in grade faster than men. (Text) 

bL 

LC 

1 

278 
October 1973 

October 1: NASA’s 15th Anniversary. A National Space Club dinner honored leaders who had implemented the National Aeronautics and Space 

Act of 1958, which established NASA Oct. 1, 1958. Honored guests included Dr. T. Keith Glennan, NASA’s first Administrator, ApoZZo 11 

Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, the first man on the moon (July 20, 

1969), and Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr., the first American in space 

(aboard Freedom 7, May 5, 1961). 

NASA’s future role was described by Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA 

Administrator: “Unless and until Congress sees fit to change our role, 

I think NASA should continue to have this one primary mission: to do 

the necessary research and development in space and aeronautics to 

identify promising opportunities and meet national needs. In performing this primary mission, we will continue to work closely with user 

agencies in government and with the aerospace industry.” NASA also was 

transferring its technology and experience to nonaerospace sectors of 

the economy and helping other Government agencies solve societal problems. “It so happens that we have the reservoir of technology, and also 

some available manpower, at a time when the Environmental Protection 

Agency and other government departments need our help.” NASA had 

“unique capabilities to help bring into being a pollution-free, resourcesaving hydrogen economy, and to facilitate extensive use of the ultimate 

energy source, solar power.” NASA’s traditional function as the Nation’s 

civilian space and aeronautics R&D manager “assures us a challenging 

and rewarding future during NASA’s next 15 years.” (Program; Prepared text) 

Anniversary ceremonies also included open house at NASA Centers and 

annual awards presentations. (NASA Activities, 11/73) 

During its first 15 yrs NASA had completed 277 major US. and international launches, with 210 successful and one still under evaluation. 

With the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs successfully completed 

and Skylab progressing, NASA had established 15 768 man-hours in 

space. Astronauts had spent about 40 hrs in inflight extravehicular activity and more than 90 hrs on the moon. NASA manned spacecraft had 

spent nearly 400 hrs on the moon and had returned more than 385 kg 

(850 Ibs) of lunar material. Of 38 Americans who had flown in space, 3 

had made four space flights, 4 had made three, 10 had made two, and 

22 had made one flight each. A dozen astronauts had walked on the 

moon, and 24 had flown around it. Man had learned he could live and 

work in space. 

In unmanned space exploration NASA had launched thousands of 

sounding rockets carrying U.S. and foreign experiments. Mariner 9 

probe (launched May 30, 1971, and still orbiting Mars) had produced 

7300 pictures of the planet, showing it to be dynamic and geologically 

active. Satellites had studied stars beyond the solar system through 

x-rays, gamma rays, and cosmic rays. Oar, 1 (launched Dec. 7, 1968) 

279 
October 1 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

and Oao 3 (launched Aug. 21, 1972) had returned a wealth of information on the Milky Way and more distant galaxies. Pioneer 10 (launched 

March 2, 1972, toward Jupiter) had revolutionized man’s study of the 

sun. The entire electromagnetic spectrum had been opened to man’s 

examination by study of stars in ultraviolet and x-ray. Observations 

from NASA-launched weather satellites had enabled forecasters to observe 

weather systems from space as they developed and to forecast their 

effects as they moved into inhabited parts of the world. Man had learned 

what instruments in space could provide in information about the 

earth’s resources and their efficient use to facilitate decision making, 

improve the lot of developing countries, and preserve and improve 

conditions in countries like the US. 

NASA had provided technological advancements to preserve the US. 

position as world leader in civil and military aeronautics. The joint NASA, 

Air Force, and Navy X-15 rocket-powered aircraft program had, during 

10 yrs of flight, studied effects of hypersonic flight on aircraft skin 

friction and thermal expansion, pioneered the use of ablative coatings, 

aided efficient structural design, and served as a workhorse test-bed for 

nearly 40 experiments. NASA contributions also included the single-pivot 

variable-sweep wing, which allowed efficient flight at both high and 

low speeds; supercritical wing and fuselage shapes that permitted an 

aircraft to cruise at 15% higher speed without increased fuel consumption; and the world‘s first digital fly-by-wire control aircraft with 

a computer-controlled electronic system. The clean combustion program 

was providing new concepts to reduce pollution from engine exhaust. The 

aircraft noise-abatement program focused on development of an avionics 

system, refinement of operational procedures, and the demonstration of 

two-segment flight paths for quieter landing approaches. The refan 

program was demonstrating JT8D engine and nacelle modifications to 

reduce noise of existing jet aircraft. 

In applications the knowledge gained in 15 yrs was being applied in 

science, medicine, navigation, communications, agriculture, crime prevention, and commerce. NASA-developed technologies were producing 

safer buildings, bridges, and aircraft and improved tires, roads, and 

railbeds. In international cooperation, NASA had conducted 18 cooperative satellite and space probe projects and flown 25 international experiments on its spacecraft. The global system of Intelsat communication 

satellites comprised 12 satellites launched by NASA. 

Ahead were completion of Skylab 4, the third and final manned 

Skylab mission ; the July 1975 joint US-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz mission 

to dock a US. and a Soviet spacecraft in space; and the introduction 

of the revolutionary space shuttle with its European-built Spacelab in the 

1980s. In unmanned exploration Mariner 10, scheduled for launch toward Mercury and Venus in early November, was expected to provide 

the first photos of Mercury. Pioneer 10 was headed for a year-end 

rendezvous with Jupiter, and Pioneer 11 (launched April 5, 1973) was 

scheduled for a second reconnaissance of Jupiter in December 1974. 

Work was proceeding on two Mariner spacecraft for 1977 launch toward 

Jupiter and Saturn. 

Major thrusts expected for the 1980s were outlined in a statement 

released to the press by Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate Administrator. NASA would be vigorously developing and demonstrating 

systems and technologies that would make space activities useful to 

280 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 1 

national and world communities, monitoring the environment and resources, developing electric power from the sun, and using space as a 

laboratory for new technology and processes. Continued scientific exploration of the earth, space, and the solar system seemed inevitable. 

And the 1980s might well be a period of preparation for continued 

manned exploration and exploitation of the solar system, the two-way 

direct transfer of information between satellites, a long-duration manned 

space laboratory, automated outer planet orbiters and atmosphere 

probes, and probably, before the end of the century, a program to establish a manned lunar base for exploration and research. (NASA Release 73-190) 

Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on 

Aeronautical and Space Sciences, said on the Senate floor that NASA 

had been “second to none in its record of accomplishments during its 

first decade and a half.” The past 15 yrs had seen the US. go “from 

the depths of postsputnik depression to undreamed of heights in both 

the exploration and exploitation of the benefits of space.” The Skylab 3 

crew (launched July 28 to man the Orbital Workshop launched May 14) 

had “just completed 59 highly successful days in space, in a mission 

already being hailed as perhaps the most productive in our history. 

Eighty-three nations have joined in a global communications satellite 

system [ Intelsat] now carrying three-quarters of the world’s intercontinental telecommunications traffic.” (CR, 10/1/73, S18200) 

* Dr. Alexander Hocker, European Space Research Organization ( ESRO) 

Director General, sent a message to Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, on NASA’s 15th anniversary : “The resourcefulness, courage 

and remarkable achievements of NASA personnel have been an inspiration to us in Europe and ESRO is proud to be associated with some of 

NASA’s most stimulating endeavours.” (ESRO Newsletter, 10/73, 3) 

NASA, on its 15th birthday, found itself “in the throes of an identity crisis,” 

John N. Wilford said in a New York Times article. After a “fast and 

glorious youth, full of promise and widely heralded achievement,” 

could NASA, “knowing that it could be flying to the moon and beyond, 

adjust to a more mundane existence?” Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA 

Administrator, had said in a recent interview: “Our charter is clear: 

We have to make the country strong in space. But NASA has to move 

back from the spectacular. We will become more like one of the service 

agencies of government.” (NYT, 10/1/73, 62) 

0 The opening of a direct telephone link via satellite between Canada and 

the People’s Republic of China was announced by the Canadian Overseas Telecommunications Corp. Calls would be transmitted via ZntelsatIV F-4, launched Jan. 22, 1972, by NASA for the Communications 

Satellite Corp. on behalf of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization. Previously, calls originating in Canada had been 

routed through submarine cables to Tokyo and relayed to China from 

there. (AP, W Post, 10/2/73, C2) 

* Military sources quoted by Reuters news agency said Navy plans to purchase 50 Grumman F-14 jet fighter aircraft each fiscal year through 

1977 had been approved by Dr. James R. Schlesinger, Secretary of 

Defense. The number of F-14s to be purchased was increased from 313 

to 334, but Dr. Schlesinger had said after 1977 the Navy must begin 

buying the VFX fighter, which would be less expensive than the $15- 

million-each F-14. (NYT, 10/2/73, 12) 

28 1 
October 1 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* M/G John B. Hudson (USAF), Deputy Chief of Staff for Systems of Air 

Force Systems Command, became a lieutenant general and AFSC Vice 

Commander. He succeeded L/G Edmund F. O’Connor, who became Vice 

Commander, AF Logistics Command. (AFSC Newsreview 10/73, 1) 

National Space Week was observed by 32 states to honor 

NASA’s 15th anniversary [see Oct. 11. The governors of the states had 

responded to a request by members of the Federation of Americans 

Supporting Science and Technology ( FASST) . Illinois Gov. Daniel 

Walker said: “The declared policy of the United States, that ‘activities 

of space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all 

mankind,’ has established our country as the scientific and technological 

leader in space. NASA has coordinated the efforts of scientists and engineers in every field, the aerospace industry and educational institutions.” 

( FASST Release, 10/30/73) 

A 47-member NASA delegation led by Apollo-Soyuz Test 

Project Director Glynn S. Lunney met with Soviet counterparts in 

Moscow for two weeks of discussions of technical problems of the joint 

US.-U.S.S.R. mission scheduled for July 1975. Discussions culminated 

in an Oct. 18 midterm review of the project by Dr. George M. Low, NASA 

Deputy Administrator, and Academician Boris N. Petrov, Chairman of 

the Intercosmos Council of the Soviet Academy of Sciences. Dr. Low had 

arrived in Moscow Oct. 14; his stay included visits to the Institute of 

Geochemistry, the Institute of Space Research, the Cosmonaut Training 

Center, and the Space Flight Control Center. 

In an Oct. 18 communique Dr. Low and Academician Petrov confirmed their satisfaction with the ASTP project status. All major milestones were being met on schedule and, Dr. Low said, progress made 

indicated that the scheduled launch date could be met. Soyuz orbital 

and Apollo docking module drawings had been exchanged and agreement had been reached that US. specialists would participate in preflight final checkout of flight equipment at the Soviet launch site. 

Specialists would be exchanged to fit-check compatible equipment at 

US. and U.S.S.R. launch sites. Academician Petrov told the press that 

US. specialists would be permitted at the Soviet launch site “up to the 

very minute of launching.” 

During the visit US. officials learned the deaths of three cosmonauts 

on Soyuz 11 June 30, 1971, were caused by accidental triggering open 

of an exhaust valve rather than by a hatch leak. The valve tripped open 

just after the reentry capsule separated from the larger orbiting module 

in a maneuver including firing of 12 explosive bolts. At least two crew 

members tried to close the valve but were unable to move fast enough. 

Unconsciousness from rapid decompression came in less than 10 sec; 

ground tests showed it would take 27 sec to close the valve by hand. 

US. officials said they were satisfied that subsequent modifications to 

the valve and crank mechanisms-tested on two unmanned flights, 

Cosmos 496 and 573, and on the manned Sept. 27-29 Soyuz 12 mission 

-were sufficient to prevent reoccurrence of the accident. (NASA Releases 

73-199, 73-224; Smith, NYT, 10/19/73 ; JSC, ASTP Briefing transcript, 

11/19/73; O’Toole, W Post, 10/29/73, Al; Av Wk, 11/5/73, 20-21) 

NASA held three Skylab press briefings at Johnson Space Center. 

At a postflight crew press briefing, Skylab 3 Astronaut Alan L. Bean 

-who had splashed down Sept. 25, after a 59-day mission working in 

the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop (launched May 14) with crew members 

October 1-6: 

October 1-18: 

October 2: 

282 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 2 

Dr. Owen K. Garriott and Jack R. Lousma-said that the crew’s health 

had been “good the whole time.” Sufficient exercise, meals on time, and 

plenty of sleep had accounted for their happiness and well-being. Having 

a scientist-astronaut aboard had created a “greater variety of interchange 

around the dinner table,” making “a better mission for everybody.” 

The mission would have been “50% less productive if Owen had not 

been there. He added a great amount to it . . . because his point of view 

is, just different.” Garriott said that a longer mission would necessitate 

a somewhat less strenuous program,” but he could have spent eight 

hours a day at the wardroom window with a camera in each hand and 

a good supply of film “and never have any tendency to become bored.” 

Lousma said he still felt “a little less energetic” than before the mission, 

but within two weeks “I’ll be back to the same condition.” 

Dr. Willard R. Hawkins, JSC Deputy Director of Life Sciences for 

Medical Operations, said that the crew was “in very good shape” but 

still had dizziness with specific head movements. Strength of the flexor 

and extensor muscles had decreased 20%. The astronauts’ weights were 

steadily climbing toward their preflight weights. Early blood tests had 

shown the red cell mass was down an average of 12% for all three 

crew members. The blood plasma was also down 15% to 20%. 

In an overview of Skylab 4, the third and final manned Skylab mission, Skylab Program Office Manager Kenneth S. Kleinknecht said that 

the spacecraft (Command and Service Module 118) and crew members 

Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue were 

being readied for Nov. 11 launch. Final decision on the launch date 

would be made after further evaluation of the mission. In preparation, 

140 kg (300 lbs) of operational equipment had been deleted from 

stowage. It had been replaced with another 150 kg (300 lbs) of operational equipment, 60 kg (130 Ibs) for Skylab experiments, and 70 kg 

(150 Ibs) of special equipment for Comet Kohoutek observations. After 

Oct. 8-10 flight readiness tests, only servicing, stowage, pyrotechnic 

installations, countdown demonstrations, and launch would remain. 

CSM-119, the rescue vehicle, was being prepared and would be available for a Jan. 6 launch if needed. 

Alfred A. Bishop, Manager of the JSC Missions Office, said that, after 

the first two weeks of acclimation, the Skylab 4 crew would perfom 28 

man-hours of experiments each day, an increase from the 19 to 221/2 

man-hours on Skylab 3. The increase would provide an additional 200 

experiment man-hours. The crew would observe Comet Kohoutek, perform 12 experiments using the Apollo Telescope Mount, observe Mercury 

crossing the sun Nov. 10, observe a solar eclipse, and perform 10 to 14 

new earth resources experiment package passes. (Transcripts) 

0 The U.S.S.R.’s Luna 19 automatic station (launched Sept. 28, 1971, toward 

lunar orbit) had discovered cosmic plasma on the near side of the moon, 

Tass reported. Milchail Kolesov of the Institute of Radio Engineering 

and Electronics of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences had said the 

maximum concentration of matter was at 10 km (6 mi) from the lunar 

surface. Origin of the plasma was unknown but the plasma was believed 

to be greatly affected by solar wind. (FBIS-SOV, 10/3/73, U1) 

The U.S.S.R. launched eight Cosmos satellites on a single 

booster from Plesetsk. Orbital parameters were: 

Cosmos 588-1495-km (929-mi) apogee, 1450-km (901-mi) perigee, 

115.3-min period, and 74.0” inclination. 

6C 

October 3: 

283 
October 3 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Cosmos 589-1489-km (925.2-mi) apogee, 1417-km (88Q.5-mi) periCosmos 590-1489-km (925.2-mi) apogee, 1435-km (891.7-mi) periCosmos 591-1487-km (924-mi) apogee, 1349-km (838.2-mi) periCosmos 592-1486-km (923.4-mi) apogee, 1333-km (828.3-mi) periCosmos 593-1487-km (924-mi) apogee, 1366-km (848.8-mi) periCosmos 594-1487-km (924-mi) apogee, 1383-km (859.4-mi) periCosmos 595-1487-km (924-mi) apogee, 1400-km (869.9-mi) periKenneth W. Gatland of the British Interplanetary Society later said 

in a Christian Science Monitor article that the satellites possibly were 

being used as a maritime communications system "to keep shore bases 

and command centers in contact with far-ranging elements of the Soviet 

fleet." Since 1971 two eight-satellite systems had been orbited each year 

four to five months apart. Gaps of seven to nine months occurred between launches during the winter, when the Soviet northern fleet was 

hampered by sea conditions. The last Soviet eight-satellite launch was 

June 8, into similar orbits. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/73; CSM, 11/13/73; SBD, 

10/4/73, 170 ; Tass, FBIS-SOV, 10/3/73, Ul) 

The U.S.S.R. also launched Cosmos 596 from Plesetsk, into orbit with 

a 268-km (166.5-mi) apogee, 205-km (127.4-mi) perigee, 89.2-min 

period, and 65.4" inclination. The satellite reentered Oct. 9. Cosmos 596 

was the first of seven Soviet satellites launched and returned in quick 

succession, leading to Western speculation they were reconnaissance craft 

monitoring the Arab-Israeli war [see Oct. 151. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/73; 

SBD, 10/9/73, 192) 

0 Maj. Michael Love (USAF) successfully completed a captive flight of the 

X-24B lifting body attached to a B-52 aircraft from Flight Research 

Center. The flight was the first pilot checkout flight on the X-24B for 

Maj. Love, principal Air Force pilot in the NASA-USAF lifting body 

program. (NASA prog off; AFSC Newsreview, 11/73, 3) 

* President Nixon announced 1973 recipients of the National Medal of 

Science, including Dr. Richard T. Whitcomb, Jr., Head of the 8-Foot 

Tunnels Branch at NASA's Langley Research Center. Dr. Whitcomb 

was cited for "his discoveries and inventions in aerodynamics which 

have provided and will continue to provide substantial improvements 

in the speed, range, and payload of a major portion of high performance 

aircraft produced throughout the country." The other recipients were: 

Dr. Daniel I. Arnon, Univ. of California at Berkeley physiologist; Dr. 

Carl Djerassi, Stanford Univ. chemist; Dr. Harold E. Edgerton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Emeritus of electrical engineering; Dr. William Maurice Ewing, Univ. of Texas at Galveston 

scientist; Dr. Arie Jan Haagen-Smit, Cal Tech biochemist; Dr. Vladimir 

Haensel, Vice President for Science and Technology, Universal Oil 

Products Corp. ; Dr. Frederick Seitz, President of Rockefeller Univ.; Dr. 

Earl W. Sutherland, Jr., Univ. of Miami biochemist; Dr. John W. 

Tukey, Executive Director of Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc., Research Communication Principles Div. and Princeton Univ. statistician ; 

gee, 114.9-min period, and 73.9" inclination. 

gee, 115.1-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

gee, 114.1-min period, and 73.9" inclination. 

gee, 113.9-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

gee, 114.3-min period, and 73.9" inclination. 

gee, 114.5-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

gee, 114.7-min period, and 73.9" inclination. 

284 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 3 

and Dr. Robert Rathbun Wilson, Director of the National Accelerator 

Laboratory at Batavia, Ill. (PD, 10/8/73, 1224) 

0 Langley Research Center scientists had redesigned a Cessna Cardinal aircraft with a smaller, experimental wing in a research program to apply 

advanced aerodynamic technology to small general-aviation aircraft, 

NASA announced. Renamed the Redhawk, the experimental aircraft had 

been flown across the US. and operated by aviation writers and pilots 

from general-aviation companies. LaRc research pilots had praised the 

aircraft’s low response to air turbulence and the control made possible 

by spoilers and flap systems on the wings. In the program’s second 

phase, a Piper twin-engine Seneca aircraft was being converted to study 

a new airfoil section developed by Dr. Richard T. Whitcomb, Jr., Head 

of the 8-Foot Tunnels Branch at LaRc, (NASA Release 73-197) 

NASA launched an Aerobee 1708-E sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center galactic astronomy 

experiment to a 152.4-km (94.7-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off) 

* Marshall Space Flight Center announced the selection of the Avco Electronics Operation of Avco Precision Products Div., Avco Corp., for 

negotiation of a $3 252845, 23-mo contract for modifications to the 

MSFC Structures and Mechanics Laboratory. The work would provide a 

data-acquisition system for space-shuttle-hardware structural and fatigue 

tests. (MSFC Release 73-141) 

President Nixon issued a statement about NASA’s 15th anniversary [see Oct. 1 J : “At mid-twentieth century, the United States found 

itself drawn by international necessity, and driven by national pride 

and pioneering instinct to view the heavens no longer as the stuff of 

romance, but as a practical environment for the extension of man’s 

dominion over the earth. Since then, four administrations have committed our industrial resources, our technological and scientific capacjties and the national will to the proposition that America can and must 

play a role in outer space equal to its responsibilities as a great nation.” 

People of all nations stood in awe of NASA’s accomplishments. “The men 

of NASA have undertaken one of the greatest human adventures with 

such consummate skill, cool exactness in the face of untold dangers, and 

professional disdain for the sensational that we have come already to 

take for granted the legitimacy of man’s place in an environment entirely alien to him. But neither the courage, skill and devotion of the 

men of NASA, nor the benefits of their efforts, should be taken for 

granted. In every phase of our national life, new products, new techniques and new understanding have resulted from our efforts in space. 

And in relations between nations, the prospects for a lasting peace have 

been enhanced by the now absolute awareness that the primary interests 

of mankind are identical and shared in common. On the fifteenth anniversary of NASA, we look ahead to the same ordered progress into 

our space future which has characterized our first tentative steps into 

space.” (Text) 

Maj. Michael Love (USAF) successfully completed the fifth captive flight 

of the X-24B lifting body attached to a B-52 aircraft from Flight Research Center. The flight checked out the pilot ad evaluated handling 

qualities, forward and aft fuselage pressure, and acoustic noise and 

vibration. (NASA prog off) 

October 4: 

285 
October 4 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* Aerospace Industries Assn. of America, Inc., issued its semiannual analysis 

of aerospace employment. Continued restraints in Government spending 

and an increase in foreign competition for existing markets were cited 

as causes of an expected continued decline in aerospace industry employment through June 1974. Employment had dropped by 33% since 

1968. Nearly 950000 persons had been employed in June 1973, but 

by June 1974 payrolls were expected to have been cut by about 32 000. 

The most significant decline would be among scientists and engineersa reduction of 6000, 3.6% below December 1972. Employment of production workers was expected to decline by 13 000 jobs, leaving 460 000 

employed by the end of FY 1974. Missiles and space employment was 

expected to decline by 28 000 workers between December 1972 and June 

1974. Aircraft group employment faced a similar period of decline, from 

556 000 to 533 000. Employment in the helicopter and general-aviation 

field was expected to increase 500 from June 1973, resulting in a work 

force of 22 500 by June 1974. Employment in the general-aviation aircraft field alone was expected to rise more than 20% during FY 1974. 

(Text) 

October 5: The Skylab 2 crew of Navy men-Capt. Charles Conrad, Jr., 

Capt. Joseph P. Kerwin, and Capt. Paul J. Weitz-was honored with 

Distinguished Service Medals by Secretary of the Navy John W. Warner 

in a Dept. of Defense ceremony. Citations were for “exceptionally meritorious service to the Government of the United States in a duty of great 

responsibility (as crewmen) for the Skylab mission from May 25 

to June 22, 1973.” Through their professional competence and dedications, they had “contributed immeasurably to the success of this historic 

mission, the results of which will furnish information of great significance to man’s continuing quest for further knowledge and understanding of himself and the universe.” (DOD Release 480-73) 0 Federal Aviation Administrator Alexander P. Butterfield presented honorary FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic’s Certificates with an 

especially established “spacecraft rating” to Skylab 2 Astronauts Charles 

Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, and Paul J. Weitz during Washington, D.C., ceremonies. Butterfield said: “The in-flight repair job you 

performed on the Skylab orbital workshop was one of the most spectacular achievements of the entire space program. It transformed a 

potentially disastrous mission into an outstanding success and demonstrated once again man’s ingenuity in the face of adversity. I’m sure 

every aviation mechanic in the country is proud to have you as honorary 

members of their select and highly skilled fraternity.” The awards were 

sponsored by the Aviation Maintenance Foundation in cooperation with 

FAA and the aviation industry. (FAA Release 73-173) 

Johnson Space Center had invited Boeing Co. to submit a proposal for 

wind-tunnel tests using a 747 transport aircraft to ferry the space shuttle 

orbiter, NASA announced. The orbiter would be mounted pickaback on 

the 747 in tests to determine feasibility of the plan. Lockheed Aircraft 

Corp. had been invited earlier to submit a proposal for use of a C-5A 

cargo aircraft as a ferry during wind-tunnel tests [see Sept. 251. {NASA 

Release 73-204) 

A Science editorial commented on the altered structure of Federal science 

advisory apparatus arising from the demise of the Office of Science and 

Technology and the July 10 appointment of the National Science Foundation Director, Dr. H. Guyford Stever, as Presidential Science Adviser 

286 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS. 1973 October 5 

and Chairman of the Federal Council for Science and Technology. Dr. 

Stever had met with presidents or principal officers of most of the major 

scientific and engineering organizations and had indicated “that he 

would welcome policy advice and recommendations concerning personnel. As specific problems arise, the appropriate organizations will 

be tapped. Thus it seems that a major difference between the new and 

the old apparatus will be the replacement of a small, formal, elite group 

by more broadly based ad hoc groups. The concept is worth a try. 

Whether it will be viable will depend on how effectively it is implemented 

by both sides.” (Abelson, Science, 10/5/73, 13) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmas 597 from Plesetsk into an orbit 

with a 214-km (133-mi) apogee, 163-km (101.3-mi) perigee, 88.3-min 

period, and 65.4” inclination. The satellite reentered Oct. 12. Cosmos 597 

was the second of seven Soviet satellites launched and returned in quick 

succession, leading to Western speculation that they were reconnaissance 

craft monitoring the Arab-Israeli war [see Oct. 151. (GSFC SSR, 

10/31/73; SBD, 10/10/73, 193) 

* The Nippon Electric Co. of Tokyo had won a contract to design and install 

the antenna and communications equipment for the first Swiss communications satellite station, the New York Times reported. The station 

was being built above the Rhone Valley in the Valais canton. (Lusinchi, 

NYT, 10/6/73) 

October 7-13: The International Astronautical Federation ( IAF) held its 

24th Congress in Baku, U.S.S.R. In a message of greeting, the Soviet 

Council of Ministers said : “Nowadays, when important positive changes 

take place in international situations, ever more favourable opportunities for development of scientific communication, exchange of experience and uses of scientific achievements for practical needs of mankind 

open to scientists.” Academician Sergey Vernov of the Soviet Academy 

of Sciences said Soviet artificial satellites, placed simultaneously in 

different orbits, had facilitated studies of many regions of earth‘s radiation belts, including those where no space station had been before. He 

hypothesized the existence of an “unstable radiation zone” beyond the 

outer radiation belt where Soviet Electron satellites had recorded a flux 

of electrons with energies over 150 000 ev. He believed the zone to be a 

necessary link in the formation of the earth’s radiation belts. 

Honorary guests Astronaut Thomas P. Staff ord, US. Apollo-Soyuz 

Test Project commander, and Soviet Cosmonauts Georgy T. Beregovoy, 

Vitaly I. Sevastyanov, and Vladimir A. Shatalov participated in an open 

discussion. Shatalov, head of cosmonaut training, said the US. and the 

U.S.S.R. could be good and equal partners in conquering space. Stafford 

said cooperation in ASTP had already solved colossal technical problems. 

“And if we can solve problems in space we can, consequently, solve 

considerable problems on earth.” 

Soviet scientists reported on a man-plant interaction experiment in 

which four researchers spent six months in a closed biological environment simulating the earth’s biosphere. The Siberian test project, sponsored by the Krasnoyarsk Institute of Physics, had demonstrated that 

man could live in an artificial atmosphere created by green algae, fastgrowing wheat, and a variety of vegetables. The plants had been irrigated with sewage waste and with condensed moisture from the 

atmosphere. The researchers had breathed oxygen released by the plants, 

October 6: 

287 
October 7-13 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

eaten the vegetables, and baked bread from the wheat during a simulated 

space trip in an underground chamber. 

A paper by Soviet specialists reported that an electric field might 

divert a flux of charged particles from a spacecraft. The spacecraft’s 

exterior surface might act as one of the field’s electrodes while the 

vacuum of outer space acted as an insulating medium, providing an 

effective radiation shield. Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger, Marshall Space Flight 

Center Associate Director for Science, cochaired two sessions on scientific spacecraft systems. 

The 7th International History of Astronautics Symposium included 

the papers “From Back Fire to Explorer I” by Dr. Kurt H. Debus, 

Director, Kennedy Space Center ; “R. H. Goddard : Accomplishments 

of the Roswell Years (1930-1941)” by Frederick C. Durant 111, Assistant Director for Astronautics, National Air and Space Museum, 

Smithsonian Institution ; “High Energy Propulsion at NACA Lewis Engine Research Laboratory” by John L. Sloop, former NASA Assistant 

Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and Space Technology ; and 

“Early Photography from Rockets” by Frank H. Winter of the Air 

and Space Museum. 

Dr. Maxime A. Faget, Johnson Space Center Director of Engineering 

and Development, received the 1973 Daniel and Florence Guggenheim 

International Astronautics Award of the International Academy of 

Astronautics for “playing a major role in developing the basic ideas 

and original design concepts that have been incorporated into all the 

manned spacecraft flown by the United States. . . . An expert on vehicles suitable for reentering the Earth’s atmosphere, he is particularly 

noted for his contributions to the basic configuration of the command 

module and to the development of the pressure-fed hypergolic engines 

used on the Apollo modules.” 

The meeting, attended by 1500 scientists from 29 countries, elected 

Dr. Charles Stark Draper, Director of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, IAF President. (Tass, 

FBIS-SOV, 10J8/73 ; MSFC Release 73-137 ; NASA Release 73-200; NASA 

Hist Off; Agence France-Presse, W Post, 10/12/73, A30) 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists began to measure stratospheric constituents up to 24 km (80 000 ft) using a Fourier interferometer aboard the British prototype of the Anglo-French Concorde 

supersonic transport aircraft. Eight scheduled flights from Fairford, 

England, sponsored by the US. Dept. of Transportation, were to obtain 

information on the potential pollution effect of supersonic transports 

on the atmosphere. In earlier flights the interferometer had detected 

nitric oxide between 12 and 24 km (39 000 and 80 000 ft) at less than 

one part per billion. Nitric oxide was believed to be vital in maintaining 

ozone balance in the stratosphere. ( JPL Release 670; JPL PIO) 

* Navy plans for collecting temperature and cloud-cover data directly from 

Air Force weather satellites were reported by Aviation Week & Space 

Technology. A receiver and computer processing center at Monterey, 

Calif., would prepare data for worldwide dissemination to the fleet and 

would process weather photos and atmospheric vertical-temperature 

profiles. (Av Wk, 10/8/73, 9) 

The original name Cape Canaveral was restored to Cape Kennedy by the Dept. of the Interior, acting on a unanimous recommendation by an interagency committee of the Board on Geographic Names. 

October 8: 

October 9: 

288 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 9 

Historians believed the Cape had been named Canaveral by Spanish 

explorer Ponce de Leon more than 400 yrs before, the Orlando Sentinel 

Star later reported. The action made no change in the name of NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center, named for the late President John F. Kennedy. 

(Dept Int Release, 10/9/73; CR, 10/10/73, H8880; 0 Sen Star, 

10/10/73, 1) 

Johnson Space Center announced it would issue a $1.2-million cost-plusfixed-fee supplemental agreement to an existing Skylab Payload Integration contract with Martin Marietta Corp. Denver Div. The agreement 

was for earth resources experiment package hardware evaluation, including evaluation of EREP hardware performance during Skylab missions. ( JSC Release 73-133) 

0 US. technological progress had proceeded “almost without interruption” 

during 70 yrs of flight, Marquis Childs said in his Washington Post 

column. The doubters had “always been proven wrong.” In astronautics, 

Skylab was continuing successfully and work was progressing on the 

space shuttle. “As for the scientific benefits, perhaps only a few specialists can give a proper evaluation. But the cynics who spoke derisively 

of spending billions to put some clown in the sky are wrong on several 

scores.’’ The aircraft prcduction record was equally impressive. In 1972 

the US. had made 79% of the aircraft being operated by the world’s 

airlines, exclusive of the U.S.S.R. and the People’s Republic of China. 

The achievements in US. production, discovery, and invention were “in 

painful contrast to the failures in self-government illustrated by the 

grim mess in Washington, It may not be too much to say that if we 

find a way out of the morass, the swamp of intrigue, deceit and doubt, 

it will be thanks to American productivity.” The Smithsonian Institution’s new Air and Space Museum was to be dedicated July 4, 1976. 

That no one can predict what manner of man will preside over thi 

occasion is a melancholy commentary on the gap between technology 

and politics.” (W Post, 10/9/73) 

A radical new growth hormone theory evolved from Ames 

Research Center studies was introduced by ARC scientist Dr. Richard E. 

Grindeland during a Baltimore, Md., symposium on growth hormones. 

Dr. Grindeland’s theory that the growth hormone in blood was chemically different from that in the pituitary gland had originated from ARC 

research to determine effects of physiological stresses like acceleration, 

simulated weightlessness, chemical agents, thermal extremes, and nutritional status on the human body. The theory, which the symposium suggested would have profound effect on the understanding of growth 

hormone physiology, showed that radio immunological methods detected only a minute fraction of the concentration of growth hormone in 

the blood. (ARC Astrogram, 10/25/73, 1) 

A 37-member delegation from the European Space Research organization (ESRO) visited the US. to discuss plans for the 

space shuttle Spacelab, which ESRO would build under the Memorandum of Understanding between the US. and nine European nations 

signed Sept. 24. The delegation attended an Oct. 9-10 Spacelab Preliminary Design and Definition Study at Marshall Space Flight Center; 

visited the Downey, Calif., facility of Rockwell International Corp., prime 

shuttle contractor; toured Johnson and Kennedy Space Centers; and 

attended an Oct. 18-19 summary discussion meeting at MSFC. (MSFC 

(6 

October 9-12: 

October 9-19: 

289 
October 9-19 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Release 73-143 ; ICSC Release 238-73 ; Marshall Star, 10/3/73, 1 ; 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 598 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 331-km (205.7-mi) apogee, 204-km (126.8-mi) perigee, 89.9-min 

period, and 72.8” inclination. The satellite reentered Oct. 16. Cosmos 

598 was the third of seven Soviet satellites launched and returned in 

quick succession, leading to Western speculation that they were monitoring the Arab-Israeli war [see Oct. 151. 

Skylab 4 Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, and William 

R. Pogue, scheduled for Nov. 11 launch to crew the Skylab 1 Orbital 

Workshop (launched May 14), completed training in the Neutral 

Buoyancy Simulator at Marshall Space Flight Center. The astronauts 

had spent 80 hrs since April 1972 performing 24 different exercises 

in the simulated weightless environment to prepare them for the three 

extravehicular activities scheduled for their mission. The backup crew 

-Vance D. Brand, Dr. William B. Lenoir, and Dr. Don L. Lind-would 

complete their training at MSFC Oct. 12. (MSFC Release 73-145) 

President Nixon presented National Medals of Science to recipients announced Oct. 6, during a White House ceremony. He said: “We all 

know that because the United States needed a concentration on defense 

at a critical time, and then later a concentration on space, that this 

opened broad, new vistas in the area of science, and this also resulted 

in a much greater Federal contribution and the justification for it from 

a budgetary standpoint, but now as we turn from war to the works of 

peace, we must not cut back on that research. What we must do is to 

channel the efforts in the field of research to peaceful uses.” (PD, 

10/15/73, 1236-7) 

An estimated $2.8 million in laboratory equipment used to 

process lunar samples had been shipped from Johnson Space Center’s 

Lunar Receiving Laboratory to the Atomic Energy Commission’s Los 

Alamos Scientific Laboratory in New Mexico, JSC announced. AEC 

would use the equipment-vacuum chambers and pumps, stainless steel 

pipes, air-tight processing cabinets, and electronic monitoring devicesto investigate the use of lasers to produce energy through controlled 

thermonuclear reactions. The Lunar Receiving Laboratory had closed 

in June after processing the last lunar samples from the Apollo program. All sample material had been transferred to the Lunar Sample 

Curatorial Facility at JSC. The laboratory equipment had been declared 

excess property. ( JSC Release 73-135) 

President Nixon announced he would add $115 million to the FY 1974 

budget for energy research and development. The increase would raise 

total energy R&D funding for FY 1974 to about $1 billion, a 37% increase over FY 1973. He said, “Our hopes for advancing research and 

development also rest upon my proposed legislation to create a Department of Energy and Natural Resources and an independent Energy 

Research and Development Administration.” (PD, 10/15/73, 123940) 

0 The 1973 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded in Stockholm to three pioneers in ethology, the comparative study of behavior. 

Austrian-born Dr. Karl von Frisch, retired, and Dr. Konrad Lorenz of 

the Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Physiology, shared the $121 000 

cash prize with Netherlands-born Dr. Nikolaas Tinbergen, professor of 

animal behavior at Oxford Univ. (NYT, 10/12/73, 1) 

MSFC PAO) 

October 10: 

October 11: 

290 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

October 12: 

October 12 

NASA research pilot Einar K. Enevoldson conducted the first 

flight of a new remotely piloted research vehicle ( RPRV) . A three-eighths 

scale model of an Air Force high-performance F-15 fighter-airlaunched from a B-52 aircraft from Flight Research Center at 14 000 m 

(45 000 ft) -was controlled by Enevoldson from a ground cockpit with 

flight instruments and a TV screen. His commands were fed through a 

computer programmed with F-15 flight characteristics to the RPRV; 

flight information from the RPRV and video signals from its TV camera 

were transmitted to the ground control station. After a nine-minute 

flight, the RPRV descended 5000 m (15 000 ft) and a series of parachutes were deployed to slow the descent rate. An Air Force helicopter 

recovered the RPRV in mid-air and lowered it to the ground for reuse. 

Eventually the 7-m (23-ft) model would be flown through stall and 

spin maneuvers using the new mc-developed flight research technique 

to reduce the cost of flight-testing experimental aircraft and spacecraft. 

( FRC Release 28-73 ; AP, Bakersfield Californian, 10/13/73) 0 The Pratt & Whitney engine designed for the Air Force F-15 Eagle fighter 

aircraft passed a 150-hr endurance test on the third try at West Palm 

Beach, Fla. The success cleared the way for approval of a production 

contract. (UPI, NYT, 10/14/73, 7) 

a Pascagoula, Miss., Sheriff Fred Diamond told the press that two local 

shipyard workers had reported being taken aboard a glowing blue spacecraft by buzzing creatures with silvery, wrinkled skin. Workers Charles 

Hickson and Calvin Parker had said thev had seen the macecraft approaching as they fished off a pier Oct. 11. (UPI, l@ Star-Nebs, 

10/13/73. A3) I, 

Octobe; 19: The work of Abe Karen, NASA physicist and consultant to New 

York City’s Budget Dept., was described in a New York Times article. 

Karen worked under a “one-man program called the NASA/New York 

City Applications Project,” administered by NASA’s Office of Technology 

Utilization. Karen, paid by NASA, had introduced Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Silent Communication Alarm Network (SCAN) security system 

to protect life and property in two crime-ridden New York high schools 

and an Ames Research Center device to detect heroin in urine samples. 

He was eying other NASA-funded innovations for road-patching, bridge 

structural testing, fire warning, and removing graffiti from public buildings. (Darnton, NYT, 10J13/73, 37; NASA Off TU) 

After a 35-yr local dispute, the “Great White Sands Missile Range Lost 

Gold Treasure Affair” had “blossomed into a national mystery,” the 

New York Times reported. Attorney F. Lee Bailey recently had been engaged by 50 unidentified claimants who sought prospecting rights to 

gold bars and treasure said to be buried on the missile range and to be 

worth up to $1.5 billion. In 1963 the Army, insisting there was no 

treasure, had banned prospectors from the range because of danger from 

exploding target-practice shells. Rep. Harold L. Runnels (D-N. Mex.) 

had proposed a joint Federal-state search for the treasure, said to have 

originated in various ways. (Sterba, NYT, 10/13/73, 37) 

Doctors in Galveston, Tex., had pronounced the condition of 

Apollo 13 Astronaut Fred W. Haise, Jr., “good and stable’’ following 

skin grafts for burns he received in an Aug. 22 aircraft accident, 

United Press International reported. Haise had been burned over 55% 

of his body and had suffered a lung ailment following the crash of a 

October 14: 

291 
October 14 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

World War I1 training aircraft he had been piloting for an air show 

group. (UPI, M Her, 10/14/73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 599 from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 276-km (171.5-mi) apogee, 208-km (129.3-mi) 

perigee, 89.3-min period, and 65.0’ inclination. The satellite reentered 

Oct. 28. Western observers speculated that Cosmos 599, with three 

other Soviet satellites-Cosmos 596, 597, and 598, launched Oct. 3, 6, 

and 10-had monitored the Arab-Israeli war that had broken out Oct. 6. 

The quick succession of launches and recoveries were seen as evidence 

of almost continuous Soviet observation of the fighting by orbiting cameras. A Washington, D.C., source had said that the Cosmos orbits had 

permitted them to pass over the Middle East several times at altitudes 

of 196 to 322 km (122 to 200 mi) before reentry. The New York Times 

said the US. also could have been receiving information on the war 

from an Air Force satellite launched Sept. 27. 

Cosmos 600, 602, and 603 closely followed the first four Oct. 16, 21, 

and 27 and were also shortly returned. They were believed to be continuing the observation of tank battles, troop movements, aircraft strike 

damage, and even of supply centers in the US. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/73; 

SBD, 10/16/73, 228; 10/18/73, 241; 10/24/73, 266; 11/12/73, 60; 

Wilford, NYT, 10/18/73,21; Gatland, CSM, 11/13/73) 

* Three aerospace firms had received eight-month National Science Foundation study contracts to explore use of solar energy to heat, cool, and 

provide hot water for buildings, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. General Electric Co. would receive $547 000, TRW Inc. $486 000, 

and Westinghouse Electric Corp. $503 000. Also cooperating would be 

the Univ. of Pennsylvania, Arizona State Univ., Colorado State Univ., 

and Carnegie-Mellon Univ. (Av Wk, 10/15/73, 24) 

The U.S.S.R. had launched its second nuclear-powered icebreaker, Arktika, 

in a Leningrad shipyard, Tass reported. The 14.5-million-kg (32-millionlb) ship was part of a growing fleet of modern icebreakers to keep the 

Arctic seaway open all year for Soviet trade. (FBIS-SOV, 10/30/73, U3; 

Shabad, NYT, 10/25/73, 4) 

A New York Times editorial criticized “boom-and-bust science” : Scholarship and research were “caught between the penny-pinching of economyminded conservatives and the hostility of those, at the other end of the 

spectrum, who equate science expenditures with support of the military. 

A more realistic view of national needs should make it evident that none 

of the nation’s and the world‘s critical problems-from environmental 

issues to the urgent need for food, energy and transportation-will be 

solved without the innovative contributions of trained minds. The continued boom-and-bust cycles in support of education and research constitute 

a costly waste of the nation’s human resources. Perhaps the President’s 

recent presentation of the National Medal of Science to eleven top 

scientists-the first such awards since 1970-represents a signal of 

Administration desire for a sounder approach.” (NYT, 10/15/73, 36) 

The U.S.S.R. launched two Cosmos satellites from Plesetsk. 

Cosmos 600 entered orbit with a 355-km (220.6-mi) apogee, 192-km 

( 119.3-mi) perigee, 90.0-min period, and 72.8’ inclination. The satellite 

reentered Oct. 23, believed by Western observers to be fifth in a series 

of reconnaissance spacecraft monitoring the Arab-Israeli war [see 

Oct. 151. 

Cosmos 601 entered orbit with a 1494-km (928.3-mi) apogee, 199-km 

October 15: 

October 16: 

292 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 16 

(123.7-mi) perigee, 101.8-min period, and 81.9” inclination. It reentered Aug. 15, 1974. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/73; 8/31/74; SBD, 10/18/ 

Rep. Mike McCormack (D-Wash.) introduced H.R. 10952 for himself and 

Rep. Olin E. Teague (D-Tex.) , Rep. Charles A. Mosher (R-Ohio) , and 

Rep. Barry M. Goldwater, Jr. (R-Calif.). The bill would provide for 

“the early commercial demonstration of the technology of solar heating 

by NASA in cooperation with the National Bureau of Standards, National 

Science Foundation, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and 

other Federal agencies and for early development and demonstration 

of technology for combined solar heating and cooling.” The bill was 

referred to the Committee on Science and Astronautics. (CR, 10/16/73, 

H9192) 

Soviet news agency Tass reported that Soviet scientists, first in Gorky 

and later in other parts of the U.S.S.R., recently had picked up signals 

from outer space that might have been “sent by a technically developed 

extraterrestrial civilization.” Observation of such signals was supervised 

in the U.S.S.R. by Soviet astrophysicist Vsevolod Troitsky and more 

than 30 scientists. Signals were monitored at four stations throughout 

the U.S.S.R., Tass said. (Reuters, B Sun, 10/17/73) 

The National Science Foundation published Continued Growth Planned for 

Federal Civilian R&D Programs (NSF 73-314). Federal support for civilian research and development had risen 9.1% per year for the past 

five years. The chief areas of growth were health, transportation and 

communication, environment, and crime prevention and control. In 

1969 civilian-oriented programs had constituted nearly 25%, or $3.6 

billion, of a $15.6 billion total; they were expected to form 33.3% of 

the 1974 $17.4 billion total. National security took up more than 50% 

of the R&D total each year. In 1974, its growth in R&D obligations was 

expected to be $478 million, making the national security share of the 

Federal R&D total 54.2%, higher than any other year since 1969. Space 

remained the second function in funding size 1969-1974, but reflected 

the greatest loss in priority. Space R&D obligations showed a steady annual decrease, and the share in the R&D total had declined correspondingly, from 23.9% in 1969 to 14.1% in 1974. From 1973 to 1974, total 

R&D obligations for space were expected to drop by $234 million, the 

largest decrease for any function. (Text) 

73, 241-242) 

OctobeF17: NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

researchers had devised a system to anticipate and counter the effects of 

lightning at Kennedy Space Center, NOAA announced. A network of instruments measured the area’s electric field and a weather radar monitored rain-cloud precipitation, and a computer displayed electric-field 

contour maps of the launch area. ICSC personnel would be able to forecast 

lightning while a launch vehicle was on the pad and during the lowaltitude portion of its ascent, so that persons and equipment could be 

protected. (NOAA Release 73-210) 

Maryland State Police officials ordered troopers to search the sky for any 

abnormal light phenomena after receiving hundreds of reports of lights 

in the sky. One report came from a State Police helicopter pilot, who 

said he had seen a “very large” airborne vehicle with bright lights. 

Flight controllers at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., later said the object 

might have been a “special experimental aircraft testing an innovative 

lighting system €or NASA.” (B Sun, 10/18/73, A3) 

293 
October 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Telecare, an 18-kg (40-lb) medical unit equipped to diagnose and treat 

victims at a scene of emergency, had been developed by SCI Systems, 

Inc., from space technology, NASA announced. The ambulance-stored unit 

with two-way voice and telemetry communications permitted medical 

technicians to administer prompt professional care with special equipment under radio supervision of a doctor miles away. (NASA Release 

73-209) 

October 18: NASA announced plans to study Comet Kohoutek with an extensive array of electronic eyes. The comet, now some 400 million km (250 

million mi) from the sun, was expected to be visible in the Northern 

Hemisphere around Christmas time. It was expected to be as bright as 

a full moon and to be larger than Halley's Comet, which had appeared 

last in 1910. NASA scientists would use optical telescopes, radiotelescopes, 

and radar to study Kohoutek in visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light 

from the ground and a high-altitude C-141 aircraft, as well as satellites, 

sounding rockets, and Skylab 4 telescopes and cameras-to learn more 

about whether planets were remnants of the formation of the solar system or interstellar matter captured by the sun. Scientists would try to 

determine possible existence of a solid comet nucleus. Kohoutek was believed to have a 20- to 30-km (12- to 19-mi) nucleus with a probable 

head diameter of 96 000 km (60 000 mi). (NASA Release 73-207) 

* Dr. Fred L. Whipple, Harvard Univ. astronomer and former Director of 

the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, received the Smithsonian 

Institution's Henry Medal during Cambridge, Mass., ceremonies honoring his July retirement from the Observatory. Dr. Whipple was cited for 

his leadership of the Observatory from the early days of the national 

space program to the present and for his contributions to man's understanding of the solar system. (Smithsonian Torch, 11/73, 4) 

* Col. Bernt Balchen (USAF, Ret.), aviator and explorer who was chief pilot 

on Adm. Richard E. Byrd's first South Pole flight in 1929, died in Mt. 

Kisco, N.Y., at age 74. From 1933 to 1935 Balchen had been chief pilot 

of the Ellsworth Antarctic Expedition and in 1935 to 1940 chief of 

inspection for Norwegian Airlines. He was President of Norwegian Airlines in 1946 when it became the parent company of Scandinavian Airlines System. In 1948 Col. Balchen was recalled to active duty in the 

Air Force and named commanding officer of the 10th Rescue Squadron 

at Fort Richardson, Alaska. (NYT, 10/19/73, 42) 

Dr. Frank T. McClure, Deputy Director of the Johns Hopkins Univ. Applied Physics Laboratory, died in Baltimore, Md., following a heart 

attack. He was internationally known as an authority on combustion, 

rockets, and guided missile technology and was inventor of the Navy 

satellite doppler navigation system. For this invention he had received 

NASA'S first inventions award in 1961. (w Post, 10/19/73, c11) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Molniya 11-7 communications satellite 

from Baykonur into orbit with 39 860-km (24 767.9-mi) apogee, 503- 

km (312.6-mi) perigee, 717.9-min period, and 62.8" inclination. The 

satellite would help provide a system of long-range telephone and telegraph radio communications in the U.S.S.R. and would transmit Soviet 

central TV programs to the Orbita network. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/73; 

Tass, FBIS-SOV, 10/24/73, U1; Sov Aero, 1/7/74, 4) 

Concorde 001, the French prototype of the Anglo-French supersonic transport aircraft, was flown by ABrospatiale test pilot Andrk Turcat on its 

last flight, from Toulouse to Le Bourget Airport near Paris. Turcat had 

October 19: 

294 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 19 

piloted 001’s maiden flight March 2, 1969. The aircraft, which had 

flown 396 flights and 810 hrs (254 hrs at supersonic speeds), would be 

given to the French Air Museum in Paris. (NYT, 10/21/73, 21) 

* Election of Howard K. Nason, President of Monsanto Research Corp., as 

Chairman of NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel was announced 

by NASA. He would succeed L/G Carroll H. Dunn (USA) , who was retiring after a year of service. (NASA Release 73-213) 

* Lewis Research Center scientist Stanley G. Young had applied cavitationerosion of metal by tiny cavities formed by uneven pressure gradients 

in liquids-to restoring serial numbers obliterated by filing or grinding, NASA reported. In the process, of use to police in identifying stolen 

property, an ultrasonic vibrator generated very-high-frequency vibrations in water, creating millions of microscopic bubbles. The bubbles 

struck the metal surface on which serial numbers had been erased, 

weakening particles that filled the serial number grooves. Conventional 

methods of restoring serial numbers used chemicals or mechanical 

processes that might obliterate remaining traces of the numbers. {NASA 

Release 73-216) 

9 Johnson Space Center announced it had authorized Rockwell International 

Corp. to modify a building at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., 

for final assembly, system installations, and checkout stations for two 

space shuttle orbiters. The modifications would be made under an existing cost-reimbursement-no-fee contract and would bring total contract 

value to $6 000 000. ( JSC Release 73-137) 

* NASA launched an Arcas sounding rocket from Antigua, West Indies, 

carrying a Goddard Space Flight Center meteorology experiment to a 

42.7-km (26.5-mi) altitude to measure ozone distribution in the upper 

atmosphere, monitor anomalous ultraviolet absorption, and extend the 

data base for a climatology of stratospheric ozone in the tropics. The 

launch was in conjunction with a Nimbus 4 satellite (launched April 8, 

1970) overpass. Because only one of four optical channels transmitted 

data and the thermistor was reading open, no significant data were 

received. (NASA Rpt SRL) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 602 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 332-km (206.3-mi) apogee, 207-km (128.6-mi) perigee, 90.0- 

min period, and 72.9’ inclination. The satellite reentered Oct. 29, believed by Western observers to be sixth in a series of reconnaissance 

spacecraft monitoring the Arab-Israeli war [see Oct. 151. (GSFC SSR, 

10/31/73; SBD, 10/24/73,266) 

9 Skylab 4 crewmen Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, and William R. 

Pogue began a 21-day prelaunch isolation period geared to a possible 

Nov. 10 launch. The astronauts would crew the Skylab I Orbital Workshop (launched May 14) in the third and final manned Skylab mission. 

The isolation would minimize the exposure of the crew to infectious 

disease. (NASA Release 73-220) 

Not since the 1947 first report of what came to be known as 

flying saucers” had there been “such widespread reports of unidentified flying objects, or UFO%, as in recent days,” the New York Tims 

said. They had ranged from a report of a flying V formation of lights 

in Rochester. N.Y., to press acco&ts of “strange creatures with weirdly 

shaped heads” stopping cars on Route 90 in Gulfport, Miss. Two men 

in Pascagoula, Miss., had said they had been taken aboard a UFO by 

creatures with crab-claw hands [see Oct. 121, The Federal Aviation AdOctober 20: 

October 21 : (6 

295 
October 21 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

ministration had said that no reports of special significance had been 

submitted by airline pilots, and an Air Defense Command spokesman had denied that any UFO had been detected in the last three weeks. 

(Sullivan, NYT, 10/21/73, 65) 

Two fuel tanks on the Saturn IB launch vehicle scheduled to 

launch the Skylab 4 astronauts toward a Nov. 10 rendezvous with the 

Orbital Workshop (launched May 14) buckled slightly after fueling at 

Kennedy Space Center. The dome-shaped top sections of the tanks sank 

after ground crews pumped 163 cu m (43 000 gal) of kerosene fuel 

into the Saturn IB’s four giant tanks and then drained some off to prevent expansion or overpressurization. A plastic cover protecting the 

tanks from a rainstorm prevented air from rushing into the aluminum 

tanks as the fuel was drained. The resulting vacuum buckled the tanks 

inward. Metallurgy experts were flown to ICSC from Marshall Space 

Flight Center to assess the problem. (W Ster-News, 10/24/73, A23; 

AP, B Sun, 10/24/73) 

0 A five-week Ames Research Center experiment to determine women’s 

qualifications for space flight had shown women to be as physically fit 

for travel in weightlessness as men, NASA announced. The experimentin which 8 of 12 Air Force flight nurses had two weeks of total bed rest 

in weightlessness simulation, while 4 acted as ambulatory controls-was 

one of a series to investigate responses to space flight conditions, looking 

forward to use of the space shuttle by other than pilot-trained astronauts. NASA emphasized that the test was to determine women’s qualifications for space flight and did not represent a commitment to add 

women to the astronaut corps. Dr. Harold Sandler, head of the experiment team, said the bedridden nurses were weaker after the experiment 

and showed a 50% reduction in their tolerance to various stresses. “But 

the same is true of men astronauts.” (NASA Release 73-218; AP, P Znq, 

10/25/73) 

Resignation of NASA Associate Administrator for Astronautics and Space 

Technology Roy P. Jackson, effective Oct. 26, was announced. Jackson 

would rejoin Northrop COT. as Corporate Vice President, Program 

Management. He had joined Northrop in 1953 and left to become NASA 

Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and Space Technology Nov. 2, 

1970. (NASA Release 73-221) 

The 1973 Nobel Prizes in physics and in chemistry were awarded in Stockholm. The $122000 physics award went to two Americans and one 

Briton for step-by-step proof of how electrons tunneled through conductors to form superconductors of electricity. The winners were Japanese-born Leo Esaki, International Business Machines Co. scientist ; 

Norwegian-born Ivar Giaever, General Electric Co. scientist ; and Brian 

Josephson of Cambridge Univ. in England. 

The $120000 chemistry award went to Ernst 0. Fischer, Munich 

Technical Univ. scientist, and Geoffrey Wilkinson of London’s Imperial 

College of Science and Technology for “pioneering work, performed independently, on the chemistry of the so-called sandwich compounds’’ 

which attached rings of carbon compounds to transitional metals like 

titanium and vanadium. (O’Tde, W Post, 10/24/73, A19; FonF, 

* Rockwell International Corp. and Admiral Corp. announced plans to merge. 

RIC would absorb Admiral for approximately $100 million in a stock 

October 23: 

10/21-27/73, 882) 

296 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 23 

exchange. The proposal required approval by directors of both companies and by Admiral shareholders. (W Post, 10/24/73) 

* Dr. Margaret Burbidge, Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in 

England, would resign in November to return to the US. as a Univ. of 

California astronomy professor, the Chicago Tribune Press Service reported. Dr. Burbidge would be succeeded by Dr. A. Hunter, Royal 

Greenwich Observatory Deputy Director. Announcing Dr. Burbidge’s 

resignation, the British Science Research Council had said she preferred to return to her own research rather than devote a major share 

of her time to administrative matters. Dr. Burbidge had criticized the 

Royal Observatory telescope at Herstmonceux, England, because cloudiness made it almost useless. (C Trib, 10/23/73) 

A Los Angeles Herald-Examiner editoral commented on NASA’s 15th anniversary [see Oct. 11: “A decade and a half ago, the Congress charged 

NASA to explore outer space and to adapt space-related advances for 

immediate general use. Both mandates have been fulfilled, and NASA 

officers predict hundredfold advances over the next 10 years. We salute NASA on its 15th anniversary. When the question is asked ‘If we 

can go to the moon, why can’t we . . . ?’-chances are, the answer is 

‘We can!’ ” (LA Her-Exam, 10/23/73) 

A Chicago Tribune editorial commented on the increase in reports of unidentified flying objects [see Oct. 211: “We read about an Indiana 

farmer who heard of the UFO upsurge and who joked with his family 

about little green men from some distant nebula hanging around. The 

next thing he knew, one of the UFOS was hovering . . . above the 

family conveyance and following it. Chased the family all the way home. 

No, you won’t catch us joking about these little guys with the crablike 

hands and the pointed ears. We’re going on record: We like crablike 

hands and pointed ears.” (C Trib, 10/23/73) 

* B/C William J. Kennard (USAF, Ret.), former air surgeon of the Military 

Air Transport Service, died at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., at age 

67. He had served from 1959 to 1967 as Executive Vice President of 

the Aerospace Medical Assn. and managing editor of Aerospace Medicine. (W Post, 10/26/73, C8) 

Establishment of the Spacelab Program Office in the Office 

of Manned Space Flight was announced by NASA. The new office, to 

be headed by Douglas R. Lord, would replace the Sortie Lab Task 

Force. The reorganization followed the Sept. 24 signing of a cooperative agreement by NASA and the European Space Research Organization 

which called for European design, development, and manufacture of a 

Spacelab to be flown in the space shuttle orbiter. (NASA Release 73-228) 

Gerald M. Truszynski, NASA Associate Administrator for Tracking and 

Data Acquisition, said in hearings on NASA’s tracking program before 

the House Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on 

Aeronautics and Space Technology that the percentage of spacecraft 

requiring real-time control would increase from 70% to 90% in 1975. 

With increased number of satellites and volume of data, as well, new 

tracking capability would be required. NASA proposed a new Tracking 

and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) for the late 1970s-possibly 

leased from the private sector-to support low-earth-orbit spacecraft. 

Two synchronous satellites would relay telemetry, voice, and video data 

from other spacecraft to a single U.S. earth station, or from the station 

to the spacecraft. TDRSS would support all spacecraft below 5000 km 

October 24: 

297 
October 24 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

(3100 mi) , including shuttle, Spacelab, and automated spacecraft. The 

new system would give 88% continuous contact with spacecraft, realtime interactive experiments, and reduced dependence on foreign-based 

tracking stations. Half the Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network stations could be closed, saving “tens of millions of dollars.” (Transcript) 

0 NASA announced it had granted a five-year exclusive patent license for the 

automated visual sensitivity tester (AVST), a device to detect eye abnormalities, to Consultants Unlimited. The device-an 8-mm motion 

picture projector with an electronic control unit and an automatic response plotter-had been developed by Ames Research Center scientists for astronaut eye examinations during long-duration space missions. 

(NASA Release 73-226) 

* NASA launched an Aerobee 200 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile 

Range carrying a Johns Hopkins Univ. planetary atmosphere experiment. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC 

proj off) 

NASA launched Explorer 50 (IMP-J) Interplanetary Monitoring Platform by a long-tank, thrust-augmented Thor-Delta launch 

vehicle from Eastern Test Range at 10:26 pm EDT to study the cislunar 

environment during a period of decreasing solar activity. The spacecraft 

entered orbit halfway to the moon, with a 228 808-km (142 174.7-mi) 

apogee, 197.5-km (122.7-mi) perigee, 117.1-hr period, and 28.7’ inclination 

The apogee kick motor was fired at 1:00 am EST Oct. 29, placing 

Explorer 50 in its mission orbit with 288857-km (179487.4-mi) 

apogee, 141 184-km (87 727.7-mi) perigee, 12-day period, and 28.7” 

inclination. The spacecraft was oriented to the ecliptic and spun up to 

23 rpm. 

Explorer 50 would make detailed and near-continuous studies of the 

interplanetary environment for orbital periods comparable to several 

rotations of active solar regions and study particle and field interactions 

in the distant magnetotail, including cross-sectional mapping of the tail 

and neutral sheet. 

Over a two-day period beginning Oct. 30, 11 of the 12 experiments 

were turned on. On Nov. 12 they would be turned off while four 60-m 

(200-ft) antennas would be deployed. The experiments would be turned 

back on Nov. 13 and 14 along with the 12th experiment. The experiments were supplied by Goddard Space Flight Center, National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration, Atomic Energy Commission, and universities. 

Explorer 50 was the 10th and final spacecraft in the IMP series, which 

had monitored solar radiation during an entire solar cycle. The series 

had provided the first accurate measurements of the interplanetary 

magnetic field, the magnetosphere boundary, and the collisionless magnetohydrodynamic shock wave associated with the interaction of solar 

wind with the geomagnetic field. The first spacecraft in the IMP series, 

Explorer 18, was launched Nov. 26, 1963; the most recent, Explorer 47, 

was launched Sept. 22, 1972. 

The IMP program was directed by NASA’s Office of Space Science and 

managed by GSFC. Tracking and data acquisition was managed by GSFC 

under the direction of the Office of Tracking and Data Acquisition. 

GSFC was also responsible for the Thor-Delta launch vehicle. (NASA prog 

off; NASA Release 73-211 ; ICSC Release 231-73) 

October 25-31: 

298 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 25 

October 25: Two buckled fuel tanks on the Skylab 4 Saturn IB launch 

vehicle [see Oct. 231, scheduled for a Nov. 10 launch, were snapped back 

into shape by using the pressure of kerosene fuel and helium. Skylab 

engineers were testing the aluminum tanks to ensure the buckling had 

caused no structural damage. (UPI, LA Times, 10/26/73) 

e NASA’s 15th Annual Awards Ceremony was held in Washington, D.C. Dr. 

James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, presented NASA’s highest award, 

the Distinguished Service Medal, to Arnold W. Frutkin, Assistant Administrator for International Affairs; Robert H. Gray, Kennedy Space 

Center Director of Launch Operations; S. Neil Hosenball, Deputy General Counsel; Roy P. Jackson, Associate Administrator for Aeronautics 

and Space Technology; and William E. Lilly, Comptroller. 

The NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the agency’s highest 

award to nonGovernment personnel, was presented to Dr. Leo Goldberg, 

Director of Kitt Peak National Observatory, and Dr. Frank Press, 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology lunar geophysicist. 

The Group Achievement Award went to the Apollo Lunar Sounder 

Investigator Team, Jet Propulsion Laboratory ; the Communications Cost 

Reduction Team, NASA Hq. ; the Mariner Venus/Mercury 1973 Program 

Team, JPL; the Scout Project Team, Langley Research Center; and the 

YF-12 Thermal Loads Calibration Team, Flight Research Center. Other 

awards included the Exceptional Service Medal to 35 persons and the 

Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal to 32. (Program ; NASA Release 73-219) 

October 26: Skylab 4, the third manned Skylab mission-crewed by 

Gerald P. Carr, commander; Dr. Edward G. Gibson,, science pilot; and 

William R. Pogue, pilot-was scheduled for launch Nov. 10 at 11:40 am 

EST, Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider announced. Plans 

called for a 60-day or more, open-ended mission carrying enough consumables for 85 days. Mission extensions would be considered on the 

56th’ 63rd, 70th, and 77th days of the flight. 

Up to five extravehicular activities would be scheduled, to install and 

retrieve Apollo Telescope Mount film and experiment samples, repair 

an antenna on an earth resources experiment, and photograph the Comet 

Kohoutek on Dec. 25, just before it swung around the sun. An extended 

85-day mission would splash down Feb. 3, 1974, at 12:15 prn EST 

off the Pacific Coast near San Diego. (NASA Release 73-233) 

e President Nixon signed H.R. 8825, FY 1974 Dept. of Housing and Urban 

Development-Space-Science-Veterans appropriations bill that included 

a $3.002-billion NASA appropriation and $569.6 million for the National 

Science Foundation. The funds appropriated were those agreed upon by 

the House-Senate Conference Committee July 26, but submission of the 

bill for presidential signature had been delayed by subsequent conference reports of Aug. 1, Sept. 7, and Oct. 11, all dealing with extraneous 

matters. With the President’s signature, the bill became Public Law 

e Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, dismissed Mrs. Ruth Bates 

Harris, NASA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Equal Opportunity. In 

a Nov. 2 memorandum to NASA employees he said: “Mrs. Harris has 

made public a paper she wrote me criticizing NASA’s Employment Opportunity Program and recommending the reassignment of the Assistant 

Administrator.” Dr. Fletcher was “deeply and personally committed to 

the goal of equal employment opportunity for members of minority 

93-137. (P.L. 93-137; PD, 11/5/73, 1307; CR, 10/13/73, S19181-2) 

299 
October 26 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

groups and women” and “was not satisfied with NASA’s performance in 

this field.” He said NASA would consider Mrs. Harris’ recommendations 

and suggestions and “will adopt those we feel will be helpful.” He appreciated her effort and respected her “for having expressed her opinions.,’ But, “because Mrs. Harris has not demonstrated the degree of 

administrative and management skill required of her position, because 

she has been unwilling to share the broader problems of management 

with her peers, and because she became a seriously disruptive force 

within her own office, I concluded that she should not continue to serve. 

. . . In so concluding, I also concluded that Dr. [Dudley G.] McConnell 

[Assistant Administrator for Equal Opportunity] can successfully do 

the job he has been assigned provided he has the good will and working 

support of all NASA employees.” 

Dr. McConnell, a former civil rights activist, had said most of Mrs. 

Harris’ report had been on public record already “but the time they 

spent preparing it should have been devoted to more positive kinds of 

things,” the Baltimore Sun reported. (O’Brien, W Post, 10/29/73, A5 ; 

Text, B Sun, 10/29/73, A3) 

* Robert E. Smylie-Chief, Crew Systems Div., Johnson Space Center-was 

appointed Deputy Associate Administrator (Technology) for NASA’s 

Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) . He would be responsible for research and technology offices dealing with space propulsion and power; guidance, control, and information systems; materials 

and structures; aerodynamics and vehicle systems; aeronautical manvehicle technology, aeronautical propulsion ; and research. ( NASA Release 73-234) 

* NASA announced selection of General Electric Co. Aircraft Engine Group 

for negotiations leading to a 56-mo, cost-plus-award-fee, $31-million 

contract to design, fabricate, test, and deliver two quiet, clean short-haul 

experimental engines (QCSEE) . The contract was part of a program to 

demonstrate technology to reduce aircraft engine noise and exhaust 

emissions and relieve airway and airport congestion. (NASA Release 

73-232) 

Signing of a $17.9-million, three-year, fixed-price-incentive contract with 

award fees with LTV Aerospace Corp. for complete system management 

of the Scout launch vehicle was announced by NASA. Work would be performed by LTV Vought Systems Div. with Langley Research Center 

monitoring. Processing of 6-12 Scout launches of US. and foreign payloads was to be included in the system management. LTV, Scout contractor since 1958, had built some 80 Scout vehicles for NASA. (NASA 

Release 73-231) 

* Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, presented 104 Skylab awards 

to employees from NASA Hq., Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space 

Center, and Marshall Space Flight Center during an MSFC ceremony 

attended by Skylab 2 crew Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, 

and Paul J. Weitz. Also participating were Dr. George M. Low, Deputy 

Administrator, Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight Dale 

D. Myers, and Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider. (NASA 

Release 73-156; Marshall Star, 10/31/73, 1) 

* Wallops Station announced it had awarded the largest contract to date 

under NASA’s Minority Business Enterprise Program. Optimal Data 

Corp. would receive a first-year increment of $535 300 on a potential 

$1.7-million contract to operate data-programming and data-reduction 

300 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 26 

services at Wallops’ information and data-processing laboratory. (WS 

Release 73-12) 

0 A Science article commented on President Nixon’s Oct. 3 speech announcing National Medal of Science winners [see Oct. 31 : “How serious Nixon 

is about achieving the objectives cited in his remarks will be indicated 

by future budgetary activities. In recent months, however, there has 

been plenty of evidence that the Administration wants to make changes 

not only in the substance of science policy, but also in the way that 

policy is made. The most obvious indicator was the shift of the science 

advisory apparatus from the White House to NSF. Underlying the change 

seems to have been not just a dissatisfaction with the science advisory 

machinery, but also with the basic relationship between the scientific 

community and its federal patrons which has prevailed since World War 

11.” It would be wise for the scientific community to examine carefully 

the new terms which President Nixon seems to be offering. “However, 

the recent invitation from the White House did, figuratively, seem to be 

directed to scientists and engineers in general.” (Walsh, Science, 10/ 

26/73, 365-8) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 603 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 356-km (221.2-mi) apogee, 204-km (126.8-mi) perigee, 90.0- 

min period, and 72.8” inclination. The satellite, which reentered Nov. 9, 

was believed by Western observers to be the seventh reconnaissance 

Cosmos launched during October to monitor the Arab-Israeli war [see 

Oct. 151. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/73; 11/30/73; SBD, 10/31/73, 307) 

0 The Skylab 4 spacecraft escaped damage from a five-second earth tremor 

that rattled windows in a central Florida area including Kennedy Space 

Center. (W Star-News, 10/28/73, AS) 

Countdown toward Nov. 10 launch of Skylab 4, the third and 

final manned Skylab mission, was begun on schedule at 1O:OO pm EDT 

at Kennedy Space Center. (AP, W Star-News, 10/29/73, A10) 

NASA in cooperation with the Air Force launched Nnss 0-20 

Transit satellite for the Navy from Vandenberg Air Force Base on a 

four-stage Scout booster. The satellite, launched as part of the Navy 

Navigation Satellite System, entered orbit with a 1139.4-km (708-mi) 

apogee, 902.8-km (561-mi) perigee, 105.6-min period, and 90.2’ inclination. NASA would be reimbursed by the Air Force for the cost of the 

launch vehicle and services. (Pres Rpt 74; NASA OSS; SBD, 11/1/73, 6; 

AP, NYT, 10/31/73, 13) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 604 from Plesetsk into orbit with a 636-km 

(395.2-mi) apogee, 614-km (381.5-mi) perigee, 97.2-min period, and 

81.2” inclination. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/73; SBD, 10/31/73, 307) 

0 A Soviet delegation of aviation and aerospace industry officials, headed by 

First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Aviation Industry Stephan I. 

Kadishev, had completed a three-week tour of major US. air transport 

and engine manufacturers, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. 

The visit had been “smooth” despite strained relations between the 

US. and the U.S.S.R. occasioned by the Middle East war. (Av Wk, 

10/29/73, 24) 

* The European Space Research Organization had settled on “Ariane” as 

the name for the European G3S launcher, Aviation Week & Space 

Techndogy reported. ESRO previously had selected “Vega,” but some 

member countries had objected that Vega was a French beer. (Av Wk, 

10/29/73, 9) 

Octubkr 27: 

October 28: 

October 29: 

301 
October 29-November 2 

October 29-November 2: 

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration 

flight-tested a United Air Lines 727 transport aircraft at West Coast 

airports to evaluate the effects of wing tip vortex trailing during twosegment instrument landing approaches. The tests were part of a continuing NASA and FAA study of wing wake vortices, invisible flows of 

turbulent air streaming from aircraft wing tips in circular or funnel 

motion. The UAL 727 was flown under contract to Ames Research Center. (NASA Release 73-237) 

The USSR., with the cooperation of the German Democratic 

Republic and Czechoslovakia, launched Zntercosmos 10 from Plesetsk 

into orbit with a 1454-km (903.5-mi) apogee, 259-km (160.9-mi) perigee, 102.1-min period, and 74.0” inclination. The satellite would make 

geophysical investigations in high latitudes and study the electromagnetic connection between the magnetosphere and ionosphere and effects 

on the neutral atmosphere. Solar panels were of Soviet design and much 

of the antenna complex was built by Czechoslovak researchers. Meteorological rockets would be launched and simultaneous ground measurements made in support of the mission. (GSFC SSR, 10/31/73; Tass, 

FBISSOV, 10/31/73, U1; SBD, 11/1/73, 3; Av Wk, 11/26/73, 65) 

9 NASA test pilot John A. Manke flew the X-24B lifting body on a captive 

flight from Flight Research Center, attached under a B-52 aircraft wing. 

Flight objectives, to determine the pylon adapter’s dynamic response 

and pylon loads and to check out the propulsion system, were only partially obtained because failure of the cabin-pressure regulator valve 

limited the flight altitude to 8000 m (25 000 ft) . Pylon damping tests 

and a modified engine test were completed. (NASA prog off) 

* Experiments by 50 European scientists at the European Nuclear Research 

Center ( CERN) , near Geneva, had indicated that electromagnetism and 

the “weak” force of radioactive decay-two of nature’s four basic 

forces-might be expressions of the same phenomenon, the New York 

Times reported. The findings had been supported by experiments at the 

National Accelerator Laboratory near Batavia, Ill. If accurate, the 

findings would support the long-sought goal of a “unified field theory” 

relating the four seemingly diverse forces, which also included gravity 

and the LL~tr~ng~’ force that bound together particles of the atomic nucleus. (Sullivan, NYT, 10/30/73, 29) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, testified Oct. 

30 on the space shuttle status in hearings before the Senate Committee 

on Aeronautical and Space Sciences: “We have selected the prime contractor for the external hydrogen/oxygen tank and are now in the 

process of selecting the Solid Rocket Motor contractor. When this choice 

is made later this fall, all of the prime contractors will have been selected, with the exception of the Solid Rocket Booster integration contractor.” On the Spacelab, the European Space Research Organization 

planned to “select the design concept and cost proposal of one of the 

two competing prime contractors in time to begin detailed design and 

fabrication by June of 1974.” 

NASA and the Dept. of Defense were in the final phase of a joint 

study to determine the most efficient development method for the shuttle 

space tug, or upper stage, for high-energy orbit missions. “One consideration is the adaptation of existing stages such as the Agena, Centaur, or Tran-stage, which could be modified for use with the shuttle. 

Since the modification . . . would not satisfy all of the science, appliOctober 30: 

October 30-31: 

302 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 October 30-31 

cation and DOD requirements that are now projected for the 1980s, we 

are also examining costs and technical characteristics of new configurations which would have the performance capability required to accommodate the entire range of prospective payloads. It may be possible 

to phase these two Tug approaches in a way that will provide adequate 

transportation capability when needed while reducing near-term funding 

requirements. We . . . expect to reach a final decision by the end of 

this calendar year.” 

Dr. Fletcher presented 1973 Payload Model: Space Opportunities 

1973-1991, a study of the number and kinds of payloads that could be 

launched through 1991 with the space shuttle and Spacelab using 

budgets at the FY 1973 level. The study was not a program plan but an 

estimate of kinds of payloads that could be flown. Dr. Fletcher felt “the 

full range of the space capability offered” by the auttle was even 

greater than the model indicated. 

Anticipated possible annual space payloads for all NASA programs and 

the user community, excluding DOD, began with 12 in 1973 and moved 

through 18 in 1974, 38 in 1980 (when the shuttle was to begin its 

operational phase), 61 in 1985, to 70 in 1990 and 59 in 1991. The 70 

payload opportunities in 1990 included 21 automated and 27 sortie 

(Spacelab) payloads for NASA and 17 automated and 5 sortie for nonNASA, non-DOD users. Anticipated requirements through 1991 totaled 

810 payloads, 572 for NASA and 238 for nOn-NASA, non-DOD users. NASA 

and other nOn-DOD agencies were expected to use 69% of the shuttle 

traffic and DOD 31%. 

The model anticipated NASA automated payloads through 1991 might 

include 77 for astronomy, 43 for physics, 49 for planetary exploration, 

8 lunar, 26 life science, 53 earth observations, 22 earth and ocean 

physics, 2 communications and navigation, and 6 space technology. 

Anticipated user totals were 120 automated communications and navigation payloads, 59 earth observations, and 9 earth and ocean physics. 

Possible NASA sortie payloads were forecast at 58 in astronomy, 52 in 

physics, 24 in earth observations, 43 in space processing, 24 in earth 

and ocean physics, 11 for communications and navigation, 28 in life 

science, and 46 in space technology. User sortie payloads might be 10 

for space mahufacturing and 40 foreign payloads, (Transcript) 

The first powered flight of the X-24B lifting body was aborted 

when the igniters failed to function properly during the prelaunch sequence check. The B-52 aircraft and the captive x-24B returned to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., without mishap. (NASA prog off) 

The U.S.S.R. launched biological satellite Cosmos 605 from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 400-km (248.6- 

mi) apogee, 214-km (133-mi) perigee, 90.7-min period, and 62.8” 

inclination. Tass reported that Cosmos 605 carried white rats, steppe turtles, insects, fungi, and instruments to monitor their condition. Objectives of the mission were to study the effects of space on living organisms 

and to test life-sustaining systems for biological subjects. The spacecraft 

was recovered Nov. 22. 

Dr. Avetik I. Burnazyan, U.S.S.R. Deputy Minister of Public Health, 

said in a Pravda article on Nov. 9 that the satellite was a continuation 

of earlier Soviet experiments designed to gain statistically reliable data on the effects of weightlessness on individual cells of organisms and the 

effects of radiation on the genetic properties of organisms. Previous SoOctober 31 : 

October 31-November 22: 

303 
October 31-November 22 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

viet biological satellites included Cosmos 110 (launched Feb. 22, 1966, 

carrying two dogs for a 22-day mission) and Cosmos 368 (launched 

Oct. 8, 1970, carrying yeast cells, seeds, and onion bulbs all of which 

were exposed to radiation during a 6-day mission). (GSFC SSR, 10/31/ 

73, 11/30/73; FBIS-SOV, 11/1/73, U1; 11/9/73, U1; 11/13/73, U1- 

U3; NYT, 11/25/73, 23; SBD, 11/2/73, 10) 

Selection of Sen. Barry M. Goldwater (R-Ariz.) to receive 

the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy for 1973 was announced by the 

National Aeronautics Assn. The trophy would be presented Dec. 17 in 

Washington, D.C., for “leadership and inspiration to all elements of 

aviation in the United States, both military and civilian, and for serving 

as an articulate spokesman for American aviation and space in the Congress and throughout the world.” (NAA News, 10/73, 1) 0 The Air Force System Command’s Space and Missiles Systems Organization (SAMSO) announced the establishment of a system program office to 

develop the Defense Navigation Satellite System ( DNSS) . The spacebased radio navigational system would permit suitably equipped users 

to determine precisely three-dimensional position, velocity, and time information globally. On successful completion of testing, the Dept. of 

Defense might approve deployment of DNSS to provide a universal 

positioning and navigational capability for military and civilian users 

on land, sea, and air. (AFSC Newsreview, 10/73, 11) 

The European Space Research Organization had awarded the British Aircraft Corp. Electronic and Space Systems-on behalf of the STAR consortium of European electronic and aerospace companies-a Qk24-million 

contract for design, development, and manufacture of Europe’s first geostationary scientific satellite, GEOS, Spaceflight reported. The three-year 

development program would include 15 companies in 10 European 

countries. GEOS, scheduled for a summer 1976 launch on a Thor-Delta 

booster, would carry nine scientific experiments to measure electric and 

magnetic fields and particle densities and distributions for two years. 

(SF, 10/73) 

A need “to shift gears and return to the main line of development in space 

flight” was underlined by Michael A. G. Michaud in a Spaceflight 

article: The purposes of space flight “go far beyond our lifetime. U1- 

timately, our journey away from Earth will determine the future of 

the human race ; this millennial, evolutionary effort must not founder 

now for lack of a satisfying rationale.” The basic purpose of space 

flight was “to expand the realm of Man.” Reasons were to challenge 

human abilities, learn more about the universe we live in, search for 

extraterrestrial intelligence and prepare for contact with it, develop and 

test technologies for earth use, stimulate and employ advanced sectors 

of the economy, improve orbital applications of space technology with 

immediate benefits, develop and test military technology, and encourage 

international cooperation. Michaud proposed a medium-term program 

to the year 2000 to assemble a manned space station in earth orbit, 

build a base on the moon, land human beings on Mars by 2000, prepare 

for interstellar flight, search for planets in other systems, a;”d begin the 

search for extraterrestrial intelligence. A long-term program beyond 

2000 would plan to send unmanned probes to the most promising nearby 

stars, create a permanent colony on Mars, experiment in planetary engineering-possibly on Venus, “where orbiting space vehicles could introduce materials into the atmosphere that might change its composition” 

During October: 

304 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 During October 

-launch the first manned interstellar flights, and communicate with 

extraterrestrial intelligence. (SF, 10/73, 362-5) 

The Navy was investigating shipboard launch and recovery of remotely 

piloted vehicles (RPVS) , the Office of Naval Research Reviews reported. 

The RPVS could save in staffing and pilot training and could perform 

reconnaissance, search, radio relay, and antisubmarine duties if fail-safe 

recovery on vessels with limited deck space could be developed. A command-and-control data link between the vehicle and a ship command 

room would track the RPV, monitor its performance, and guide it to 

touchdown. Candidate systems included vertical takeoff and landing 

(VTOL), including a stoppable rotor which worked as a helicopter rotor 

during takeoff and landing, a retractable rotor used with auxiliary wings, 

and a fixed-wing vehicle with rotating jet exhausts to provide takeoff 

thrust. (ONR Rev, 10/73, 32-3) 

The National Science Foundation released Graduate Science Education: 

Student Support and Postdoctorals, Fall 1972 (NSF 73-315). Graduate 

enrollment in science doctorate-granting institutions declined 2% from 

1971 to 1972; first year enrollment declined 3%. Engineering enrollment dropped at the greatest rate, 5%, followed by physical sciences4%. There were 10% fewer students receiving Federal support in 1972 

than in 1971. Full-time students receiving fellowships for trainee support declined by 18% from 1971 to 1972. The loss was reflected in 

every area of science. (Text) 

305 

November 1973 

November 1: A variable-sweep-wing testbed F-111 aircraft with NASA’s 

supercritical wing made its first flight, in a joint Air Force and NASA 

program at Flight Research Center. Prime pilots were USAF Maj. Stu 

R. Boyd and NASA research pilot Einer K. Enevoldson. The transonic 

aircraft technology (TACT) program would investigate application of 

supercritical wing technology to high maneuverable aircraft at transonic 

speeds. Wind-tunnel studies of the new airfoil shape-based on research 

by Dr. Richard T. Whitcomb, Head of Langley Research Center’s 8- 

Foot Tunnels Branch, and almost directly opposite to conventional 

shapes-had shown it could delay rise in aerodynamic drag and allow 

an aircraft to perform more efficiently at higher speeds. The new wing, 

with flat top and upward-curving rear portion of the bottom side, was 

expected to improve the tactical advantage of military aircraft in air-toair combat. (NASA Release 73-215; NASA Photo 73-H-1073) 

* Former Congressman Emilio Q. Daddario was named Executive Director 

of the new congressional Office of Technology Assessment for a six-year 

term by the 12-member joint Congressional Technology Assessment 

Board chaired by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) (A&A, 12/73, 

12; Off Tech Ass) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 606 from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 39 708-km (24673.4-mi) apogee, 635-km 

(394.6-mi) perigee, 717.5-min period, and 62.7” inclination. (GSFC SSR, 

11/30/73; Sou Aero, 1/7/74, 4) 

* NASA launched two Aerobee 170 sounding rockets from Woomera, Australia. The first carried a Univ. of Wisconsin galactic astronomy experiment. 

The second, launched two hours later, carried a California Institute of 

Technology astronomy experiment. Both rockets and instrumentation 

performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off) 

NASA’s Mariner 10 (Mariner-J) Venus-Mercury probe was 

launched into a parking orbit from Eastern Test Range at 12~45 am EST 

by an Atlas-Centaur D1-A launch vehicle. After a 25-min coast, a 130- 

sec burn of the Centaur engines injected the spacecraft into a heliocentric orbit that would allow Mariner 10 to pass within 5300 km (3300 

mi) of Venus Feb. 5, 1974. Using the gravitational field of Venus to 

change the speed and flight path of the spacecraft, Mariner 10 would 

travel toward a March 29 encounter with Mercury, approaching the sun 

more closely than any other planetary mission. Mariner 10 would be 

the first spacecraft to use gravity assist in a dual-planet mission and the 

first to explore Mercury. 

The primary objective was to measure Mercury’s environment, atmosphere, surface, and body characteristics and to make similar investigations of Venus. Secondary objectives were to perform experiments in 

the interplanetary medium and to obtain experience with a dual-planet 

gravity-assist mission. 

November 2: 

November 3-13: 

307 

PRECEDTNG PAGE BWE 
November 3-13 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The seven experiments aboard the octagonal 503-kg (1108-lb) spacecraft included a TV camera and an infrared radiometer to investigate 

the planet’s surface ; plasma science experiment, charged particle telescope, and magnetometer to investigate the environment around the 

planet and the interplanetary medium ; dual-frequency-radio science 

experiment and ultraviolet spectrometer to measure characteristics of the 

Mercury neutral atmosphere and ionosphere if they existed; and celestial mechanics experiments to measure planetary mass characteristics 

and test the theory of relativity. All experiments had been designed and 

selected for their Mercury scientific objectives but also would obtain 

important data at Venus and during the cruise phases. 

The Tidbinbilla, Australia, tracking station was unable to maintain 

command lock with the spacecraft following spacecraft injection. Acquisition of the star Vega by the spacecraft Canopus tracker also was 

delayed, but two-way communications were established within an hour 

and, after repeated commands, Vega was acquired. Solar panels, highgain and low-gain antennas, and plasma science and magnetometer 

booms were deployed. On Nov. 4-5 four moon and three earth TV picture mosaics were completed. 

By Nov. 6 the spacecraft was 1394 000 km (866 000 mi) from the 

earth, traveling at a speed of 4.32 km (2.68 mi) per sec. All science 

experiments except the infrared radiometer and electrostatic analyzer 

had been turned on. The scanning electron spectrometer portion of the 

plasma science experiment was not operating properly and the problem 

was being analyzed. 

Four trajectory correction maneuvers were scheduled during the 

mission. The first, Nov. 13, successfully adjusted the flight path for 

closest approach to Venus on Feb. 5, 1974, as planned. A second would 

be made Jan. 18, 1974. On Feb. 9 and March 1, 1974, after the Venus 

encounter, maneuvers would target the Mariner 10 to pass Mercury at 

1000-km (620-mi) altitude. 

The Mariner program, including mission operations and tracking and 

data systems, was managed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory under the direction of NASA’s Office of Space Science. Lewis Research Center, with 

contractor General Dynamics Corp. Convair Div., was responsible for 

the launch vehicle. Previous missions had been made to Mars, including 

Mariner 4, 6, 7, and 9 (launched Nov. 28, 1964; Feb. 24, 1969; March 

27, 1969; and May 30, 1971). Mariner 9 had been the first spacecraft to 

orbit a planet other than the earth. All others had been flyby missions. 

(NASA prog off; JPL Release 673) 

NASA’s Pwneer 10 interplanetary probe 

(launched March 2, 1972) became the first spacecraft to reach Jupiter 

during a two-month encounter, returning new findings about the giant 

planet and continuing toward Uranus and eventual exit from the solar 

system. 

Encounter operations were begun Nov. 3 

by Ames Research Center controllers and scientists and on Nov. 4 

Pwneer 10 began sending photopolarimeter images of Jupiter to the 

earth three to eight hours a day. By Nov. 6 the spacecraft, 25 000 000 

km (15 500 000 mi) from Jupiter, had begun measuring the plapet’s 

atmosphere above Jupiter’s orange-and-blue-striped cloud tops and the 

characteristics of particles making up the dense clouds. 

On Nov. 8 the spacecraft crossed the orbits of Hades and Poseidon, 

November 3-January 9, 1974: 

November 3-December 3: 

308 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November %January 9 

the first two of Jupiter’s outer moons, and on Nov. 9 and 11 it crossed 

the orbits of Pan and Andrastea. 

At a Nov. 19 press briefing at ARC Dr. John E. Naugle, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science, said that low temperature in that 

area of the solar system slowed evolution and scientists hoped to find 

objects not very different from what they were at their formation. “The 

passage of Pioneer 10 past Jupiter also marks the gateway to the exploration of the outer solar system. This is an exploration which is critical if we truly want to understand the formation and evolution of our 

solar system.” Dr. William H. Kinard, Langley Research Center scientist, said that Pioneer 10 had encountered 100 times more space dust 

than expected during the journey between the Asteroid Belt and Jupiter. He expected that 30 times more particles would be detected as the 

spacecraft neared Jupiter. 

Pioneer 10 crossed the orbits of Jupiter’s moons Demeter, Hera, and 

Hestia Nov. 22 and was 11 400 600 km (7 084 000 mi) from Jupiter. 

By Nov. 25 a charged particle detector aboard the spacecraft had 

begun to show traces of particle radiation. Preliminary indications were 

that the probe was beginning to cross into Jupiter’s magnetosphere, estimated to be 20 times stronger than the earth’s. The planet’s radiation 

belts contained particle concentrations up to 1 million times higher 

than the earth’s Van Allen Belt and were considered by some scientists 

to be extremely dangerous to the spacecraft’s electronics. At a distance 

of 8 336 400 km (5 180 000 mi) from Jupiter, spacecraft instruments 

began returning pictures of Jupiter’s great red spot. 

The final spacecraft-attitude change before encounter was made Nov. 

26 and a 24-hour day of imaging and polarimetry began. At 3:30 pm 

EST Nov. 26 Pioneer 10 successfully crossed Jupiter’s bow shock wave 

at a distance of 7 709000 km (4790000 mi)-with great turbulence 

when the solar wind hit Jupiter’s magnetic field. The spacecraft was unaffected by the turbulence hut data from 6 of its 11 instruments changed 

dramatically. Solar wind speed abruptly decreased to half the normal 

velocity and solar wind temperatures rose sharply. On Nov. 27, at a 

distance of 6 760 000 km (4 200 000 mi) from Jupiter, the spacecraft 

crossed into the planet’s true magnetic envelope, the region of interplanetary space into which the solar wind could not penetrate. Pioneer 

10 crossed the magnetopause, entering the magnetic field for the first 

time at 3:30 pm EST. 

At a Nov. 29 press briefing ARC scientists said new data had shown 

the reach of Jupiter’s magnetic field to be greater than predicted. It 

stretched more than 13 000 000 km (8 000 000 mi) in diameter and its 

strength was 40 times that of the earth‘s magnetic field. Its direction 

was south, rather than north as predicted. The strength of the magnetism at 6 400 000 km (4 000 000 mi) from the planet seemed to rise 

and fall in a regular 10-hour phase, possibly because of the planet’s 

rotation. Jupiter’s mass was also found to be greater than estimated 

and the spacecraft was being drawn toward Jupiter faster than planned; 

it would arrive at its closest approach two minutes earlier than predicted. 

On Nov. 30 Pioneer 10 recorded a sharp drop in magnetic and radiation measurements, indicating disappearance of the magnetic field. 

Eleven hours later the spacecraft again crossed the magnetopause, which 

had apparently been driven toward the planet by a disturbance in the 

309 
November 3-January 9 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

solar wind. At 1427500 km (887000 mi) from the planet, the spacecraft entered Jupiter’s dipole magnetic field. Preliminary data indicated 

that the outer portions of Jupiter’s magnetic field did not rotate with 

the planet and were more flattened than the earth‘s field. Also, the magnetic dipole center was appreciably offset, both radially and toward the 

north from the center of the planet. The magnetic axis was tilted from 

the spin axis. 

Pwneer 10 crossed the orbits of Jupiter’s innermost moons-Callisto, 

Ganymede, Europa, and Io-Dec. 2-3. As it came within 446000 km 

(277 000 mi) of Ganymede, the infrared radiometer indicated the 

moon’s surface temperature was 125 K (-235’F). Six hours before 

its closest approach to Jupiter the probe entered the dangerous region 

of intense radiation and, soon after, the imaging system ceased returning picture data. Radio commands switched the system back to normal 

operation within 30 minutes, however. The press later reported that 

NASA attributed the mishap to an unidentified flight control room guest 

who had inadvertently pressed against a cathode ray display, pushing a 

button that cut out eight instruments. 

December 3-11: As the gold and silver spacecraft approached 

Jupiter and radiation intensity increased 10-fold every two hours, reaching 65 million ev 90 min before periapsis, tense scientists paced the 

floor of ARC’S Mission Control with fingers crossed. At 9:25 pm EST 

Dec. 3, after a flight of 641 days and 826 000 000 km (513 000 000 mi), 

Pioneer 10 sped past Jupiter at an altitude of 130 000 km (81 000 mi), 

traveling 155 140 km per hour (96400 mph), the fastest speed ever 

achieved by a man-made object. The spacecraft’s 11 instruments sent 

back readings and pictures that came in loud and clear, taking 46 minutes to reach a jubilant team on earth. 

“Needless to say, we’re elated,” Dr. John Wolfe, Pioneer Project 

Scientist, told cheering newsmen. 

The Fashington Post later described the scene at ARC: “SO deluged 

were Pioneer scientists with transmissions of the spacecraft’s instruments, they were literally changing their minds about Jupiter’s physics 

and chemistry every hour.” Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, 

said, “Some of us have been looking through telescopes at Jupiter since 

our early teens. This is more than we ever dreamed of.” 

The spacecraft suffered no apparent failures and continued to function 

as planned. However, preliminary estimates of radiation belt parameters 

and observed effects on the spacecraft and instrumentation indicated 

that the margin of survival had been small. 

As Pioneer 10 flew by Jupiter, the spacecraft was accelerated and 

slung by the planet’s gravity into a new trajectory that would take it 

past the orbits of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto and, traveling at a 

constant 40 000 km per hr (25 000 mph) , out of the solar system toward 

the constellation Taurus. Pwneer 10 would be the first spacecraft to 

leave the solar system. By 7:OO pm EST Dec. 4, it had traveled nearly 

1600 000 km (1 000 000 mi) beyond Jupiter. 

ARC Mission Control ended Jupiter picturetaking Dec. 11 and returned to routine interplanetary operations. The 

spacecraft recrossed the bow shock wave Dec. 12 and continued into 

interplanetary space. By Dec. 14 the spacecraft was 10 881 000 km 

(6 761 000 mi) from Jupiter, traveling at 83 525 km per hr (51 900 

mph) toward the edge of the solar system. 

December 11-Janwtry 9: 

310 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 3-January 9 

Preliminary findings from the encounter included the discovery of 

an ionosphere (implying a tenuous atmosphere) surrounding Jupiter’s 

moon Io, detection of helium in Jupiter’s atmosphere, new density 

measurements of the entire Jovian system that would affect current 

theories on the formation of the universe, and new temperature measurements of Jupiter that indicated little difference between average daytime and nighttime temperatures. 

Pioneer 10 was expected to continue collecting and returning data until 

it reached the orbit of Uranus in 1980, almost 3200000000 km 

(2000000000 mi) from the earth. Data returned would determine 

whether the second Jupiter probe, Pioneer 11 (launched April 5 and 

crossing the Asteroid Belt since August) , could safely be retargeted 

closer to the planet. The Pioneer 10 mission was officially adjudged a 

success Jan. 9, 1974. 

The Pioneer program, begun in 1958, was directed by ARC. Pioneer 6 

and 7 (launched Dec. 16, 1965, and Aug. 17, 1966, to study the heliocentric space environment) and Pioneer 8 and 9 (launched Dec. 13, 

1967, and Nov. 8, 1969, to study interplanetary phenomena) continued 

to supply data from heliocentric orbit on solar plasma, magnetic and 

electric fields, and cosmic rays. (NASA prog off; ARC Release, 11/6/73; 

NASA Releases 73-243K, 73-256, 73-279; Wilford, NYT, 11/25/73 ; 

11/30/73, 1 ; 12/4/73,1; 12/5/73, 13 ; O’Toole, W Post, 12/4/73, A1 ; 

AP, W Star-News, 11/28-29/73; AP, B Sun, 12/34/73; Miles, LA 

Times, 12/4/73 ; 12/6/73) 

The Skylab 4 launch crew successfully completed a simulated 

launch of the Saturn IB booster at Kennedy Space Center. The booster 

was scheduled to lift the Apollo command and service module and crew 

members Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue 

into orbit Nov. 10 to dock with the Orbital Workshop (launched May 

14) and begin NASA’s third manned Skylab mission. Following the pefrfectly timed simulation, the fuel was drained from the launch vehicle 

and preparations for the final countdown were begun. (AP, B Sun, 

11/3/73, A7) 

* France had begun work to hold future nuclear tests underground at two 

uninhabited atolls in the Pacific, French Adm. Christian Claverie said in 

Papeete, Tahiti. French nuclear tests previously had been conducted 

above the French-governed Tahitian atoll Mururoa, against international 

protests. (UPI, NYT, 11/4/73, 77) 

Skylab 4 Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, 

and William R. Pogue completed ground practice of docking maneuvers 

at Johnson Space Center. The astronauts were scheduled for Nov. 10 

launch on the third and final mission to man the Skylab Orbital Workshop (launched May 14). (UPI, NYT, 11/6/73, 25) 

* The return payload limit on the space shuttle orbiter had been increased 

28%, up from 11 300 kg to 14 500 kg (from 25 000 Ibs to 32 000 lbs), 

following system analysis by Rockwell International Corp., Aviation 

Week & Space Technology reported. The increase could be made without modifying the orbiter structure, by permitting the orbiter to land 

at a faster speed, and without exceeding the 68 000-kg (150 000-lb) 

liftoff weight limit. The orbital payload limit remained 29 500 kg 

(65 000 lbs) in easterly orbits and 13 600 (30 000 lbs) in polar orbits. 

(Av Wk, 11/5/73, 9; NASA OMSF) 

November 3: 

November 5: 

311 
November 5 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

* Sen. Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. (R-Conn.), and Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah) 

introduced S. 2658, Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act of 

1973, as a companion bill to H.R. 10952 introduced in the House Oct. 

16. (Sen Rpt 93-734; Text) 

Unusual pulsed-noise signals detected by Soviet scientists at Gorky Univ. 

[see Oct. 161 might be from experimental US. Air Force communications satellites in highly elliptical Molniya-like orbits, Aviation Week & 

Space Technology said. Possible sources were satellites orbited March 

21, 1971, and Aug. 21, 1973-thought to be test vehicles for the Air 

Force’s planned Satellite Data System. (Av Wk, 11/5/73, 47) 

NASA launched Noaa 3 (ITOS-F) National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration meteorological satellite from Western Test 

Range at 6:02 am PST on a two-stage, long-tank, thrust-augmented ThorDelta 0300 launch vehicle. The satellite entered near-nominal orbit with a 1509.2-km (937.8-mi) apogee, 1500-km (932.1-mi) perigee, 116.09- 

min period, and 102.08O inclination. 

The primary objectives were to place the spacecraft in sun-synchronous orbit with a local equator crossing time of 8:30 am to permit the 

spacecraft to accomplish its operational mission requirements, make an 

in-orbit evaluation, and check out the spacecraft before turning operational control over to NOAA’S National Environmental Satellite Service 

(NESS) . Operational responsibility for the spacecraft was transferred to NOAA 

Nov. 29. Excellent data were being returned. The orbit would permit 

regular, dependable daytime and nighttime meteorological observations 

in both direct-readout and stored modes of operation in support of the 

National Operational Meteorological Satellite System ( NOMSS) . Noaa 3 

was the second operational spacecraft to provide temperature soundings 

of the earth’s atmosphere as well as direct-readout and globally recorded 

cloud-cover data. The three-axis-stabilized satellite carried redundant 

very-high-resolution radiometers, vertical-temperature-profile radiometers, and scanning radiometers. 

Noaa 3 was the fourth in the Improved TIROS Operational Satellite 

series of second-generation meteorological satellites. The prototype had 

been Itos 1 (launched Jan. 23, 1970), and the first NoAA-funded spacecraft, Noaa 1, had been launched Dec. 11, 1970. Noaa 2 (launched Oct. 

15, 1972) continued to provide meteorological data. The first series of 

spacecraft had included nine satellites-Essu 1 through Essa 9 (launched 

The TOS program was a joint NASA and Dept. of Commerce effort 

under a Jan. 30, 1964, agreement. Goddard Space Flight Center was 

responsible for the design and development of the spacecraft and 

ground systems, launch checkout and evaluation, tracking and data 

acquisition, and the Thor-Delta launch vehicle. NESS was responsible for 

operating the spacecraft and processing the data. (NASA prog off; GSFC 

proj off) 

November 6: Fourteen hairline cracks were found in the eight stabilizing 

fins of Skylab 4’s Saturn IB launch vehicle during a routine inspection 

at Kennedy Space Center. The cracks were discovered just after the 

Saturn rocket had been loaded with 157 cu m (41500 gal) of fuel. 

Six of the fins had two cracks each, the two others one crack each, all 

at the juncture of the 5-m (16-ft) aluminum fins and the body of the 

launch vehicle. During rocket inspection, Skylab 4 Astronauts Gerald 

November 6-29: 

1966-1969). 

312 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 6 

P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue practiced launch 

abort procedures in a simulator at Johnson Space Center. (O’Toole, 

W Post, 11/8/73, A3; AP, W Star-News, 11/7/73, B8) 

* Skylab’s contribution to better understanding of solar processes, leading 

to possible generation and control of solar energy for earth use, was 

described by NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight 

Dale D. Myers in a speech before the Poor Richard Club in Philadelphia: 

The sun was the “original model of nuclear energy,” understanding of 

which could lead to fusion control and its efficient use for power generation. “The Skylab investigators are concerned with this and also with 

explaining how solar events affect the Earth, particularly solar flares 

that trigger auroras and disrupt radio transmission. Because sunspot 

activity correlates with temperature and density variations in the 

Earth‘s upper atmosphere, it is conceivable that the injection of energy 

into the atmosphere by solar particles may trigger world-wide weather 

phenomena. Our astronauts saw flares shooting up 100000 miles 

[160 000 kilometers] above the surface and they watched giant snakelike clouds erupting in the corona that disturbed radio transmissions 

here on Earth. Two massive flares exploded on the Sun, producing 

auroral lights on Earth; . . . each one could supply the world’s energy 

needs for the next 500 years.” (Text) 

The James H. Wyld Propulsion Award for 1973 was presented by the 

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics to Gerard W. 

Elverum, Jr., Manager of TRW Inc. Energy Systems Operations Div., 

and Norman C. Reuel, Vice President for Liquid Rocket Programs and 

Production Operations of Rockwell International Corp. Rocketdyne Div., 

during Las Vegas, Nev., ceremonies. Elverum was cited for “outstanding 

leadership and technical contribution to the deep throttling rocket 

engine for the Apollo lunar mission.” Reuel was cited for “outstanding 

leadership and technical contribution to the liquid hydrogen rocket 

engine for the Apollo lunar mission.” (Av Wk, 11/12/73, 9; AIAA PIO) 

US.-U.S.S.R. Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) 

were held in Geneva. (FBIS-SOV, 11/19/73, AA1) 

A five-day delay in the launch of Skylab 4, third and final 

manned Skylab mission, was announced by Skylab Program Director 

William C. Schneider at a Kennedy Space Center press briefing. The 

delay was caused by the discovery of cracks in the Saturn IB launch 

vehicle fins [see Nov. 61. The earliest rescheduled launch time would 

be 9:27 am EST Nov. 15. Director of Launch Operations at IGC Walter 

J. Kapryan said the 3.8-cm-long (1.5-in-long) cracks probably were 

caused by stress erosion-exposure of the material to the elements combined with stress from the weight of the fueled vehicle-and would have 

caused the breakup of the vehicle at 12 000 m (40 000 ft), where the 

rocket underwent maximum aerodynamic stress. All eight fins would 

be replaced. New fins were being shipped from Michoud Assembly 

Facility for replacement on the launch pad. (Transcript; O’Toole, W 

Post, 11/8/73, A3) 

NASA Associate Administrator for Applications Charles W. Mathews 

testified on the scheduled spring 1974 launch of the Synchronous 

Meteorological Satellite ( SMS) during House Committee on Science and 

Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Space Science and Applications hearings on research into short-term weather phenomena. Based on utility 

demonstrated by Applications Technology Satellites for storm monitorNovember 6, 9, 13: 

November 7: 

313 
November 7 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

ing, the first operational prototype geostationary meteorological satellite 

was a forerunner of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) system. Once the satellites were placed in orbit and checked out by NASA, 

they would be turned over to NOAA as a part of the operational system, 

which could observe the earth‘s surface day and night, using visiblelight and infrared sensors, and acquire in situ data from ocean buoys, 

aircraft, ships, river stage stations, and other ground-based remote stations. The GOES system-of two satellites in geostationary orbit viewing 

the western US. and Pacific Ocean area and the eastern US. and 

Atlantic area-would provide near-continuous surveillance of all tropical 

Atlantic storms, all tropical storms of the central and eastern Pacific 

Ocean, and all storms of observable size within the limits of the US., 

its territories, and its surrounding coastal waters, except Alaska. Improved sensors were expected to provide new and improved data on 

severe storm causes and development. (Transcript) 

Sen. Frank E. Moss (D-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on 

Aeronautical and Space Sciences, told Senate colleagues and the press 

that he had learned of consideration in the Executive branch of a 

proposal to transfer authority over all US. weather satellites from 

civilian to military control. He believed plans also were under consideration for placing all earth observation satellites under military 

control. He called for “serious reflection” over any such plans, noting 

that civilian control of peaceful space activities had been a standing 

US. policy for 15 yrs. (Sen Moss Release 73-304) 

0 President Nixon addressed himself to the energy crisis in a speech over 

nationwide radio and TV: “We are heading toward the most acute 

shmtages of energy since World War 11. Our supply of petroleum this 

winter will be at least 10 percent short of our anticipated demands, and 

it could fall short by as much as 17 percent. Now, even before war 

broke out in the Middle East, these prospective shortages were the 

subject of intensive discussions among members of my Administration, 

leaders of the Congress, Governors, mayors, and other groups. From 

these discussions has emerged a broad agreement that we, as a Nation, 

must now set upon a new course. In the short run, this course means 

that we must use less energy-that means less heat, less electricity, less 

gasoline. In the long run, it means that we must develop new sources of 

energy which will give us the capacity to meet our needs without relying 

on any foreign nation.” The President announced steps to lower energy 

consumption. He asked the Atomic Energy Commission to speed licensing and construction of nuclear plants and would ask development of an 

emergency energy act. (PD, 11/12/73, 1312-8) 

* The first direct TV transmission from the U.S.S.R. to Cuba was made. The 

Soviet Red Square Parade, telecast from Moscow, was transmitted vja a 

Molniya satellite and a ground station in eastern Cuba. Regular TV and 

communications traffic was expected to begin in 1974. (Av Wk, 

11/12/73,9) 

Rockwell International Corp. Rocketdyne Div. had received an $8.7-million 

Air Force contract for production and support services for Atlas propulsion systems, the Wall Street Journal reported. The systems would launch 

communications satellites for Communications Satellite Corp. ( WSJ, 

11/7/73, 10) 

3 14 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 7 

* McDonnell Douglas Corp. had confirmed that it was offering three additional versions of its DC-10 wide-bodied jet airliner, increasing 

available versions to eight, the Wall Street Journal reported. Four versions already were in production; orders had not been placed for the 

others. (E‘S], 11/7/73, 14) 

NASA launched an Aerobee 170 sounding rocket from Woomera, Australia, 

carrying a Massachusetts Institute of Technology astronomy experiment 

to a 167.4-km (104-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off) 

Scientists from the European Space Research Organization 

(ESRO) , NASA Hq., Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and four US. universities met at Marshall Space Flight Center on project SOREL, a sunorbiting relativity experiment. SOREL, a satellite to orbit the sun and 

measure relativistic gravity phenomena, had been proposed by ESRO in 

1970. Final results of the mission definition study and SOREL’S scientific 

merits and technical feasibility were discussed. ( MSFC Release 73-161; 

0 A symposium at Goddard Space Flight Center sought to define critical 

measurements needed to determine interrelationships of solar and 

meteorological activity, the mechanisms needed to explain them, and 

the measurements that could best be made from space. The symposium 

was sponsored by GSFC with the University Corp. for Atmospheric 

Research and the American Meteorological Society. (NASA Release 73- 

240; GSFC PAO) 

Ground crews at Kennedy Space Center began replacing the 

damaged stabilizing fins of the Skylab Saturn IB launch vehicle [see 

Nov. 61. After the fuel was drained from the 1st stage, the rocket was 

jacked up. One fin was removed and additional corrosion was discovered where the fin had been attached. Corrosion also was found on 

the replacement fins shipped from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility. 

Workmen cleaned the affected areas with nitric acid, buffed them, and 

applied a zinc chromate primer. Shims, or strips of very thin aluminum, 

were added to the rocket surface to ensure proper fit. Crews worked 

around the clock to repIace the eight 215-kg (473-lb) fins to meet a 

Nov. 15 launch date. (JSC press briefing transcript, 11/9/73; Wilford, 

NYT, 11/9/73,2) 

9 A contract for basic design of a geostationary meteorological satellite to 

be launched by NASA for Japan by the end of 1976 had been awarded 

by Japan’s National Space Development Agency to Nippon Electric Co., 

Electronics reported. Nippon was expected to receive follow-on contracts to complete a detailed design and fabricate and test two satellites 

---one for mission and one for backup. The mission would include gathering cloud pictures, collecting and distributing meteorological data, and 

making space measurements. Nippon would use Hughes Aircraft Co. 

technology, through its technical tie-in with Hughes Aerospace Div., to 

design the Japanese satellite. (Electronics, 11/8/73) 

Ground crews at Kennedy Space Center replaced one of the 

eight damaged fins discovered Nov. 6 on the Skylab 4 Saturn IB launch 

vehicle. At a KSC press briefing Director of Launch Operations Walter 

J. Kapryan said that work on fin replacement was “running almost a 

day behind” but he thought a Nov. 15 launch was still possible. Drew 

F. Evans, aerospace technologist in ICSC’S Materials Laboratories Div., 

November 7-8: 

MSFC PAO) 

November 8: 

November 9: 

315 
November 9 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

said tests confirmed that the cracks were caused by stress corrosion. 

(Transcript; Wilford, NYT, 11/10/73, 48) 

0 Now 2 (ITOS-D) meteorological satellite, launched Oct. 15, 1972, for the 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by NASA, was adjudged a success. NASA had achieved prelaunch objectives of launching 

the spacecraft into sun-synchronous orbit with a local equator crossing 

time between 9:OO and 920 am and of conducting in-orbit engineering 

evaluation before turning the operational control of the spacecraft over 

to NOAA'S National Environmental Satellite Service Nom 2 had completed one year of flawless operation, making regular daytime and nighttime meteorological observations in both readout and stored modes of 

operation in support of the National Operational Meteorological Satellite 

System and for incorporation into worldwide daily weather charts and 

reports. Day and night global scanning radiometer automatic picture 

transmissions were being supplied on direct readout to more than 700 

worldwide users. (NASA prog off) 

A NASA Hq. memorandum to employees requested compliance with energy 

conservation measures set forth for Government buildings by the 

General Services Administration in accordance with Presidential guidelines. Office temperatures would fall to 292 to 293 K (65" to 68°F). 

Kilowatt consumption was to be cut by extinguishing office lights during 

vacancy. (NASA Hq Memo, 11/9/73) 

The Air Force launched three unidentified satellites on a 

single Titan IIID booster from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The first 

entered orbit with a 265.5-km (165-mi) apogee, 162.5-km (101-mi) 

perigee, 88.7-min period, and 96.9" inclination and reentered March 

13, 1974. The second entered orbit with a 505.3-km (314-mi) apogee, 

487.6-km (303-mi) perigee, 94.5-min period, and 96.3" inclination. 

Orbital parameters for the third satellite were 1458.1-km (906-mi) 

apogee, 1417.8-km (881-mi) perigee, 114.6-min period, and 96.9" 

inclination. (Pres Rpt 74; SBD, 11/20/73, 112; GSFC SSR, 3/31/74) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 607 from Plesetsk into orbit with a 292-km 

(181.4-mi) apogee, 217-km (134.8-mi) perigee, 89.6-min period, and 

72.2" inclination. The satellite reentered Nov. 22. (GSFC SSR, 11/30/73 ; 

SBD, 11/13/73, 66) 

NASA launched two Aerobee 170 sounding rockets from Woomera, Australia. The first carried a California Institute of Technology astronomy 

experiment to a 169.0-km (105-mi) altitude. The second, launched 45 

min later, carried a Massachusetts Institute of Technology astronomy 

experiment to a 174.6-km (108.5-mi) altitude. Both rockets and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

Four of eight damaged stabilizing fins discovered on the 

Skylab 4 Saturn IB launch vehicle Nov. 6 had been replaced by 

Kennedy Space Center ground crews, Skylab Program Director William 

C. Schneider said at a KSC press briefing. Despite rain and high wind 

the work was accelerating to meet the Nov. 15 launch date. (Transcript) 

Kennedy Space Center ground crews working to replace 

eight damaged fins discovered on the Skylab 4 Saturn IB launch vehicle 

Nov. 6 discovered additional cracks in seven of eight structural beams 

in the aft intersection of the rocket. Because of the new discovery and 

the subsequent necessary examinations and evaluations of other susceptible sections of the rocket, Skylab Program Director William C. 

Schneider announced at a ICSC press briefing a further postponement of 

November 10: 

November 11: 

November 12: 

3 16 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 12 

the Nov. 15 launch. A new launch date would be set after the situation 

was assessed. Director of Launch Operations Walter J. Kapryan said 

that the newly discovered cracks might have been the “result of residual 

stresses left in the forgings from the fabrication process.” (Transcript) 

* Richard C. McCurdy, Associate Administrator for Organization and 

Management since Oct. 1, 1970, had resigned effective Dec. 12, NASA 

announced. In accepting the resignation, Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA 

Administrator, said: “He brought much to NASA in managerial knowhow from his former capacity as President and Chief Executive Officer 

of the Shell Oil Company. . . . He made NASA a better organization-in 

our dealing with industry and in our handling of internal affairs.” 

(NASA Ann] I 

* Ames Research Center biologists Paul H. Deal and Kenneth A. Souza had 

discovered an earth orgaiism that could survive and grow in an environment resembling that of the outer planets of the solar system, NASA 

announced. The rod-shaped bacteria were swimming, growing, and 

reproducing in a highly alkaline solution of sodium hydroxide. The 

atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus were believed by some 

scientists to be highly alkaline, The discovery renewed questions of 

possible life on Jupiter, since the planet’s extreme alkalinity had been 

cited as a major deterrent to life. (NASA Release 73-238) 

Johnson Space Center announced a $4 374 813, one-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee 

extension to its contract with Boeing Co. for reliability, quality assurance, and safety engineering support services at JSC. The extension 

increased funding of the multiyear contract to $12 452 722. ( JSC 

Release 73-146) 

* The National Science Foundation released Research and Development in 

Industry 1971 : Funds, 1971 ; Scientists & Engineers, January 1972 

(NSF 73-305). Industry spent $18.3 billion on R&D activities in 1971- 

a gain of 1% over the 1970 level. Company R&D funds increased by 

4% 1970-1971, with the companies financing 58% of total U.S. R&D 

effort; R&D decreased only in the aircraft and missiles industry. Aircraft 

firms spent 6% less on R&D in 1971 than in 1970. The ratio of R&D 

spending to net sales had declined steadily from its 1964 peak. In 1971 

the ratio was 3.5%--the lowest since 1957. The number of R&D scientists 

and engineers in industry also continued to decline. Between January 

1969 and January 1972 the number decreased by 976, to 325200. 

During this period R&D professionals in the aircraft industry dropped 

by 27%. (Text) 

* NASA launched two Aerobee 170 sounding rockets from Woomera, Australia. The first carried a Univ. of Wisconsin astronomy experiment 

to a 171.9-km (106.8-mi) altitude. The second, launched 50 min later, 

carried a Naval Research Laboratory astronomy experiment to a 154.5- 

km (96.mi) altitude. Both rockets and instrumentation performed 

satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off) 

The decision to launch Skylab 4, the third and final mission 

to man the Orbital Workshop (launched May 14), at 9:Ol am EST 

Nov. 16 was announced at a Kennedy Space Center press briefing by 

Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider. The replacement of 

eight damaged fins discovered on the Saturn IB launch vehicle Nov. 6 

was complete and additional precaution had been taken by retrofitting 

an aluminum block over two lower brackets on each of the tail fins. 

Cracks found on the aft interstage structural beams Nov. 12 were left 

November 13: 

317 
November 13 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

untouched after stress tests showed that the cracks would not worsen 

even under the most extreme aerodynamic stress. “We know of nothing 

today that would keep us from going,” Schneider said. 

Skylab 4 Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, and 

William R. Pogue arrived at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., from Houston 

to participate in the countdown, which was ordered resumed. (Transcript; O’Toole, W Post, 11/14/73, A24) 

* NASA activities in solar heating and cooling were summarized by Dr. James 

C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, in testimony before the House Committee on Science and Aeronautics’ Subcommittee on Energy in hearings 

on H.R. 10952, the Solar Heating and Demonstration Act. Thermal 

control of spacecraft had been a NASA challenge since the space program’s inception. NASA and its contractors had developed competency 

in materials, thermal control coatings, heating and cooling technology, 

and thermal analysis technology which bore directly on the collection 

and use of solar energy. In the Skylab program Marshall Space Flight 

Center had developed a thermal coating with unique properties that 

increased solar collection efficiencies, resulting in higher operating 

temperatures. The higher temperatures allowed more efficient operation 

of absorption refrigeration cycles. NASA’s work in solar heating and 

cooling included advanced research and technology, a residential systems engineering demonstration program, and the planned use of a 

large new office building as a test bed to obtain realistic engineering and 

operating experience. (Transcript) 

0 The first rocket-powered flight of the X-24.B lifting body, to be piloted 

by NASA test pilot John A. Manke, was aborted because of overcast 

conditions at the launch and recovery site. At B-52 takeoff the weather 

was clear, but it worsened steadily during the flight-to-launch period. 

An igniter test was performed with satisfactory results. The flight was 

rescheduled tentatively for Nov. 14. (NASA prog off) 

0 Sen. Marlow W. Cook (R-Icy.) introduced for himself and others S. 2694, 

a bill to establish an Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration 

Administration. The agency would conduct a national program to resolve 

critical energy shortages. (CR, 11/13/73, 520248) 

November 14: The U.S.S.R. launched Molniya I-25 communications 

satellite from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 39798-km 

(24 729.3-mi) apogee, 566-km (351.7-mi) perigee, 717.9-min period, 

and 64.8” inclination. The satellite would help provide a system of 

long-range telephone and telegraph radio communications in the 

U.S.S.R. and would transmit Soviet central TV programs to the Orbita 

network. (GSFC SSR, 11/30/73; Tass, FBIS-SOV, 11/15/73; SBD, 

11/15/73,96) 

The countdown for the twice-delayed launch of the Skylab 4 mission [see 

Nov. 6, 12, and 131 proceeded smoothly toward Nov. 16 launch. The 

Apollo spacecraft’s electrical system was activated and the 1st stage of 

the Saturn IB launch vehicle was loaded with 157 cu m (41 500 gal) 

of fuel. Skylab 4 Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, 

and William R. Pogue inspected the spacecraft and received final briefings on the Apollo systems and the solar telescopes in the Orbital Workshop (launched May 14). ( ICSC press briefing transcript, 11/14/73 ; 

Wilford, NYT, 11/15/73, 6) 

* Dr. Dixy Lee Ray, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, read a 

message from President Nixon during a speech before the annual meet3 18 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 14 

ing of the Atomic Industrial Forum and American Nuclear Society in 

San Francisco: It was “important that the AEC aggressively pursue 

research and development of the harnessing of thermonuclear fusion to 

produce electric power. While the fusion program is a longer-range 

effort, we have a responsibility to future generations to do our very best 

to perfect this process, since it promises to provide mankind with a 

virtually limitless supply of clean energy. Nuclear power in all its forms 

-both present fission and breeder reactors and fusion-must accept a 

greater share of the world’s energy load in the years ahead.” (Text) 

0 The Federal Aviation Administration released Census of US. Civil Aircrajt for 1970 and 1971. Civil aircraft at the end of 1971 totaled 

166 785, of which 131 870 were listed as “active.” End-of-1969 figures 

had shown 190 749 aircraft, of which 133 814 were listed as “eligible 

to fly.” (FAA Release 73-197) 

0 A planned layoff of 2500 workers-including scientists, engineers, and blue 

collar personnel-had been announced by Lockheed-California Co., the 

Associated Press reported. The work force reduction of 9% of the 

29000 employees would follow earlier signing of an agreement with 

Eastern Airlines, Inc., in which the airline asked for delayed delivery 

of wide-bodied Lockheed aircraft. Eastern had lost $10 million during 

the first eight months of 1973. (W Post, 11/15/73, C13) 

Final reviews of all launch preparations had been completed 

and Skylab 4 was “now GO for launch at 9:Ol tomorrow morning,” 

Skylab Program Director William C. Schneider announced at a Kennedy Space Center news briefing. Leland F. Belew, Skylab Program 

Manager at Marshall Space Flight Center, said the Skylab 1 Orbital 

Workshop (launched May 14) had experienced no major problems 

during the unmanned period and was in “excellent shape to support a 

60-day open-ended up to 84-day mission.” Col. Alan R. Vette, U.S. Air 

Force recovery forces, said that all Dept. of Defense recovery forces. 

were in position and ready for launch. The prime recovery ship U.S.S. 

New Orleans was in port in San Diego and would sail in early January 

to Hawaii to support target points in the Pacific beginning Jan. 13. Any 

splashdown before that date would be covered by Air Force helicopters 

and fixed-wing aircraft out of Hickham Air Force Base in Hawaii. 

(Transcript) 

0 NASA test pilot John A. Manke successfully completed the first powered 

flight of the X-24B lifting body. The experimental craft, being flown 

in a USAF-NASA hypersonic-aerospace-craft research program, was airlaunched from a B-52 aircraft from Flight Research Center at 14 000 m 

(45 000 ft). Three chambers of the XLR-11 engine propelled the lifting 

body to mach 0.85 and 16000-m (52 000-ft) altitude. A series of 

maneuvers obtained stability control data. A preliminary data check 

indicated excellent maneuvers had been performed. (NASA prog off) 

0 Skylab 3 scientist-astronaut Dr. Owen K. Garriott, Jr., received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Phillips Univ. during Homecoming 

Day ceremonies in his home town of Enid, Okla. (Oklahoma Journal, 

11/15/73) 

The Skylab 4 Apollo spacecraft carrying 

a three-man crew was launched into near-earth orbit and rendezvoused 

and docked with the Skylab 1 Orbital Workshop (launched May 14) 

for the third and final manned mission in the Skylab program. Despite 

persistent problems with the spacecraft’s onboard control moment 

November 15: 

November 16-February 8, 1974: 

319 
November 16-February 8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

gyroscopes, the crew proceeded successfully, making four space walks 

and setting new manned flight records. The astronauts collected significant data in medical experiments, astronomy (including 121 observations of Comet Kohoutek), and earth resources surveys for 84 days 

before undocking for a safe return to earth Feb. 8, 1974. 

Skylab 4 (SL-4) lifted off on time at 9:Ol am EST 

from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39, Pad B, on the twostage Saturn IB-208 launch vehicle. The Apollo command and service 

module (CSM-118) and its crew-Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. 

Gibson, and William R. Pogue-roared into a clear blue sky. Traveling 

at 1600 km per hr (1000 mph) the spacecraft successfully endured 

maximum dynamic pressure at 72 sec after liftoff, proving the reliability of the Saturn IB launch vehicle and relieving the tense atmosphere in Mission Control at IGC. During the prelaunch period cracks 

discovered in the fins and body of the launch vehicle had twice postponed the launch date for replacement of the Saturn IB’s eight 

stabilizing fins [see Nov. 6, 12, and 131. Director of Launch Operations 

Walter J. Kapryan said he “personally sweated out those first 72 seconds 

through max q.” 

The CSMJS-IVB combination was placed in a phasing orbit with a 

222.3-km (138.1-mi) apogee and 148.2-km (92.1-mi) perigee 9 min 

45 sec after launch. Eight minutes later the CSM separated from the 

stage. The S-IVB/IU deorbit maneuver was commanded on the third 

orbit and the stage impacted in the Pacific Ocean at 3:OO pm EST. 

After five rocket maneuvers the CSM rendezvoused with the Orbital 

Workshop during the fifth orbit. Docking was achieved at 5:02 pm EST 

after two unsuccessful attempts. Carr radioed down to Mission Control, 

‘‘Great to be home.” 

During rendezvous and docking Pogue suffered from motion sickness 

and vomited. Later, in a conversation unintentionally taped by the astronauts and transmitted to the ground the astronauts decided not to 

report the incident to ground controllers. Capsule communicator Alan 

B. Shepard later told the crew, “We think you made a fairly serious 

error in judgment’’ in the attempt to cover up Pogue’s condition. Carr 

agreed, “It was a dumb decision.” Pogue recovered by late evening, 

Carr suffered only minor motion sickness problems, and Gibson remained in good health. 

Carr, Gibson, and Pogue entered the multiple docking adapter at 

9:32 am EST Nov. 17 (Mission Day 2) and began Workshop activation. 

They found a welcoming note on the teleprinter: “Jerry, Ed and Bill, 

welcome aboard the space station Skylab. Hope you enjoy your stay. 

We’re looking forward to several months of interesting and productive 

work. Signed, Flight Control.” In addition they found three dummies 

dressed in tan flight suits left by Skylab 3 Astronauts Alan L. Bean, Dr. 

Owen K. Garriott, and Jack R. Lousma. 

Pogue replenished the fluid in the Workshop’s primary cooling system, which had developed a leak during the Skylab 3 mission [see July 

28-Sept 251. The 51/2-hr task required Pogue to punch a hole into the 

plumbing lines to inject the fluid. Spacecraft activation was completed 

Nov. 21. 

The first extravehicular activity (EVA1) begao at 12:44 pm EST Nov. 22. Pogue and Gibson moved through 

space to install film cassettes in the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) 

November 16-21: 

November 22-February 4: 

320 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 16-February 8 

cameras, deploy experimental hardware, and repair the control system 

for an earth-scanning antenna that had jammed during the Skylab 3 

mission. Gibson, anchored in a portable foot restraint on the bottom of 

the spacecraft, held onto Pogue while Pogue rewired the instrument, 

bypassing a short circuit and restoring the antenna to 80% of its 

original capacity. Gibson and Pogue reentered the Workshop and began 

pressurization at 6:19 pm EST. The 6-hr 35-min EVA surpassed the 6-hr 

31-min record set Aug. 6 by Skyjab 3 Astronauts Garriott and Lousma. 

At 3:45 am EST Nov. 23 one of three moment gyros which controlled 

the spacecraft overheated and was ordered shut down by Flight Controller Philip C. ShaBer. Shaffer told the press at Johnson Space Center 

that a near-normal mission could still be flown but it would take more 

time and fuel to make maneuvers. Pogue began extensive photographic 

study of Comet Kohoutek. By the end of the mission Comet Kohoutek 

had been observed and recorded 121 times as it approached, looped 

around, and retreated from the sun. 

The first full day of scientific research was scheduled for Nov. 27. 

While photographing a barium cloud-created by the launch of a 

Black Brant IVA sounding rocket from Poker Flats, Alaska-the spacecraft’s thruster attitude-control system used three times the amount of 

nitrogen gas fuel anticipated. The extra fuel use, in addition to poor 

weather conditions, forced postponement of the first earth resources 

experiment package ( EREP) pass while ground teams designed improved 

techniques for managing attitude control and fuel consumption. For the 

first time Carr pointed the space station’s six large solar telescopes at an 

unusually active region of the sun. 

The first EREP pass was made Nov. 29 during a 23-min 8850-km 

(5500-mi) sweep from the southwestern US. to South America. In a 

Johnson Space Center press conference Skylab Program Director 

William C. Schneider said that the ground team had concluded that 

the Nov. 28 problem had been caused by an incorrect input of initial 

conditions into the fuel management program. Restrictions on maneuvers 

were eliminated and, with proper fuel management, the mission could 

On Dec. 1 the astronauts photographed a laser beam pointed at them 

by Goddard Space Flight Center scientists who were testing the lasers 

as a reference point for possible use in spacecraft navigation and communications. Earlier attempts to spot the flashing green laser had failed. 

In a Dec. 13 Mission Day 28 Review of the first third of the mission 

Program Director Schneider said the Skyhb 4 crew had accomplished 

84 hrs of ATM solar viewing, 45 separate observations of Comet Kohoutek, 80 earth observatiob experiments, and 12 EREP passes, although 

a significant portion of the data from 9 passes had been lost because of 

wrong camera filters. Schneider said that the crew was in good physical 

and mental health and that their performance had been outstanding, 

but flight planners had needed to adjust work schedules to the pace of 

the crew. 

A spectacular limb prominence on the sun, estimated to be the 

largest observed in 25 yrs, was recorded by the crew Dec. 18-19. 

Astronauts Carr and Pope opened the hatch for EVA-2 at 11:55 

am EST Dec. 25, Christmas Day. Pogue mounted three special cameras 

to photograph the sun and Comet Kohoutek before it passed behind 

the sun. Photographs were taken of the comet’s tail and coma. Carr 

continue essentially as planned.” 66 

321 
November 16-February 8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

replaced film cassettes in the ATM and repaired a jammed filter on an 

ATM camera. The constant movement of Carr and Pogue outside the 

spacecraft disrupted Gibson’s efforts to aim the laboratory cameras 

at Kohoutek and the thruster attitude control system used more fuel 

than planned. Carr and Pogue reentered the Workshop and closed the 

hatch at 6:56 pm EST after a 7-hr 1-min spacewalk that surpassed Gibson and Pogue’s Nov. 22 record. 

The Dec. 28 perihelion passage of Comet Kohoutek was marked with 

a live ground-to-air televised conference between Dr. Lubos Kohoutek, 

discoverer of the comet (1973F), and the Skylab 4 crew. Gibson said 

that the comet, as seen on the white-light coronagraph, was growing 

dramatically. The tail fanned out 20” from the central axis and could be 

seen back to a distance three times the diameter of the coma. Dr. 

Kohoutek congratulated the “first human beings studying a comet from 

outer space” and wished them a flawless splashdown in February. 

The crew began EVA-3 at 12:29 pm EST Dec. 29. Carr and Gibson 

moved outside to photograph the sun and Comet Kohoutek as it began 

its trajectory away from the sun. Gibson said the comet had a spike and 

a tail. “That spike is very evident. It is not 180 degrees out from the tail, 

but more like 160 degrees. It is yellow and orange . . . just like a flame. 

It seems to be the same distance out as the tail, and there is a diffuse 

amount of material which goes out and joins up with the tail.” The 

astronauts recorded other astronomical phenomena, retrieved samples 

from the magnetospheric particle collector, and retrieved the comet 

observation camera. At 3:58 pm EST Carr and Gibson moved back inside the Workshop and closed the hatch after 3 hrs 29 min. 

On Jan. 10 the mission was given a go-ahead for a seven-day extension, with weekly reviews through the end of a tentative 84.day total 

mission. In the 56-day mission review at JSC, Skylab Program Director 

Schneider said the crew was “in good spirits and excellent physical 

condition and the spacecraft is in good shape to continue.” 

On Jan. 13 and 14 the Skylab 4 crew photographed a solar flare from 

beginning to end-the first opportunity for scientists to study the complete life cycle of a solar flare. 

At 10 : 10 pm EDT Jan. 14 Carr, Gibson, and Pogue had been in orbit 59 

days 11 hrs 9 min, surpassing the record manned flight time in space on 

a single flight set by Skylab 3 Astronauts Bean, Garriott, and Lousma 

during their July 28-Sept. 25 mission. 

Mission controllers struggled with gyroscope problems with increasing frequency throughout the mission. On Jan. 22 the second control 

moment gyro was in the distress position for six hours, causing Skylab 

officials to order the recovery force into port at San Diego three days 

earlier than planned. EREP passes were limited and other maneuvers 

reduced to conserve fuel and reduce stress. Despite nearly three dozen 

gyro 2 stress periods, gyros 2 and 3 held up for the rest of the mission. 

At 1:46 pm EDT Jan. 25 (MD-71) the crew passed the record cumulative time in space of 69 days 15 hrs 45 min set by Bean during the 

Skylab 3 mission. 

The hatch was opened for EVA4 at 11:19 am EDT Feb. 3. Gibson 

and Carr measured the atmosphere surrounding the Skylab solar instruments to evaluate the light-scattering produced when photos of the 

sun were taken. The astronauts also photographed the sun with an 

x-ray sensitive camera, retrieved film from ATM cameras, and removed 

322 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 36-February 8 

a plate and piece of rubberized material from the side of the spacecraft 

for a study of effects of nine-month exposure to the space environment. 

EVA operations ended at 4:38 pm EDT after 5 hrs 19 min. 

Deactivation of the Workshop was begun Feb. 5 

(MD-82). A three-minute firing of the steering rockets at 4:48 pm EDT 

Feb. 6 raised the Workshop's altitude to about 450 km (280 mi) to 

reduce atmospheric drag and extend the orbital lifetime to an estimated 

nine years, increasing chances for a future revisit to the laboratory, 

although it could not be inhabited again. The crew left hehind samples 

of food, film, teleprinter paper, and electrical cables for possible inspection during the 1975 US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission or during US. space shuttle flights planned to begin in 1979. 

The CSM undocked from the Workshop at 6:34 am EDT Feb. 8 

(MD-85) and made a fly-around inspection of the Workshop. One of 

two redundant CSM rocket thruster systems developed a leak during reentry preparation, forcing the astronauts' to reenter without a backup 

thruster system. Just before SM jettison at 10:45 am EDT, a procedural 

error caused circuit breakers to open, blocking the stabilization and 

control thrusters from firing. Carr quickly took manual control for reentry. The CM splashed down upside down at 11:17 am EDT Feb. 8, 

282 km (175 mi) southwest of San Diego and 5 km (3 mi) from the 

recovery ship U.S.S. New Orleans-ending 1214 revolutions of the 

earth. The capsule was righted by flotation bags while the carrier 

maneuvered alongside, and the CM was raised by a crane to the hangar 

deck about 40 min after landing. Immediate medical examinations 

found the crew had no apparent severe effects from their long exposure 

to weightlessness. They had grown one to two inches taller from stretched 

spinal columns in space and had lost some muscle mass, with body 

fluids readjusted for zero gravity; but they lost most of the slim-trim 

look on return to the earth. They were back to normal in a few days. 

The astronauts would remain aboard ship in San Diego for medical 

examinations and, after a brief dockside ceremony Feb. 10, would fly to 

Houston. The men would be allowed to rejoin their families but contact 

with the general public would be restricted for one week. 

The Skylab 4 mission achieved its primary objectives of performing 

Saturn Workshop operations, reactivating the Skylab orbital assembly 

in earth orbit, obtaining medical data for use in extending the duration 

of manned space flights, and performing inflight experiments. All 58 

planned scientific and technical experiments in biomedicine, solar 

astronomy, solar physics, and engineering were accomplished. EREP 

instruments were operated during 39 passes over the earth and the crew 

spent 338 hrs photographing the sun and Comet Kohoutek with ATM 

instruments. Skylab 4 was officially adjudged a success Mar. 29, 1974. 

Major records set by the mission included the longest-duration 

manned space flight to date, 84 days 1 hr 16 min; the longest cumulative 

time in space for a man, 84 days each for Carr, Gibson, and Pogue; 

the longest orbital EVA, 7 hrs 1 min Dec. 25; the longest cumulative 

inflight EVA time for one mission, 22 hrs 24 min; and the longest distance in orbit for a manned mission, 55.5 million km (34.5 million mi). 

Skylab 4 was the third and final mission to man the Skylab Orbital 

Workshop. Skylab 2 astronauts had worked aboard the laboratory 28 

days, May 15-June 22, conducting experiments as well as making repairs to the orbital assembly to salvage the Skylab program. The 

February 5-8: 

323 
November 16-February 8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Skylab 3 crew collected data in medical experiments, solar astronomy, 

and earth resources surveys for 59 days, July 28-Sept. 25. There were 

no plans to send another crew to inhabit the Workshop, which would be 

g-dormant-lacking in power, air conditioning, and atmosphere-by 

Feb. 9. Skylab 1 was expected to remain in orbit for nine years before 

reentering the earth’s atmosphere and burning up. (NASA prog off; JSC 

press briefing & communications transcripts, 11/16/73-2/2/74; JSC 

Skvlab Off: JSC. NASA Facts: NASA Release 744: Wilford. NYT. 

11)17/73, 1; UP;, W Star-News,’ 12/16/73, F1; AP, B Sun, 12/27/73; 

A6; McElheny, NYT, 2/7-9/73) 

November 16: President Nixon issued a statement following the launch of 

Skylab 4: “The Skylab flight that begins today marks-the conclusion 

of the single most productive program in the history of man’s quest 

for knowledge about himself and his world. The crew of Skylab will 

mark in space the 16th anniversary of America’s first step toward the 

heavens. From the launch of a 30-pound [13.6-kg] space satellite, we 

progressed to the exploration of the Moon, which is helping to determine 

Earth’s place in the universe. Now we are moving to determine 

through space technology man’s own place in the universe, and to 

greater understanding of our own planet. As we are grateful for the 

success of our previous ventures into space, and as we look to the 

success of that which is imminent, let us never take for granted the skill 

and courage and devotion of those who labor on behalf of the United 

States space program. Let us rather pause to reflect with pride upon 

what we have done, asking God’s blessings upon our efforts, and God’s 

grace upon those who bravely place their lives at the service of peace 

for all mankind.” (PD, 11/19/73, 1338) 

* A Today editorial commented on Skylab 4 on the day of launch: “We now 

talk about the strong probability of an 85-day mission. It will be the 

extreme test of man’s ability to function in a world of weightlessness, 

and it should settle once and for all the question of whether man can 

begin to seriously think of visiting other planets in his solar system.” 

(Today, 11/16/73) 

0 Science articles presented geological data from the Dec. 7-19, 1972, Apollo 

17 mission. The Apollo 17 Preliminary Examination Team described 

characteristics of lunar samples in one article. Petrographically, the 

samples were “the most variable returned by any mission. Some have 

the cataclastic, highly crushed textures common in Apollo 16 [April 

16-27, 19721 return. Many are crystalline breccias whose petrographic 

characteristics indicate varying degrees of recrystallization or partial 

melting. Others are friable and dark gray like the many regolith breccias 

of previous missions. Others display features typical of the lavas returned 

from the Apollo 11 [July 16-24, 1969],12 [Nov. 14-24, 19691 and 15 

[July 26-Aug. 7, 19711 mare sites and a few have the coarse-grained 

igneous textures typically developed during the slow crystallization from 

basaltic melts.” Chemically, nearly all the characteristics of the Apollo 17 

rocks could also be found in samples from previous Apollo missions. 

“However, unusually high zinc concentrations in the orange soil and the 

exceptionally low Ni content of the basalts suggest different source 

materials than for previously returned igneous rocks. The trace element 

contents of the anorthositic rocks are significantly different from nearly 

all those previously returned, again suggesting variations in the source 

regions.” 

324 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 16 

The Apollo Field Geology Investigation Team reported on the ApoUo 

17 Taurus-Littrow landing site. Impact-generated breccias underlay 

the massifs adjacent to the valley “and basalt has flooded and leveled 

the valley floor. The dark mantle inferred from orbital photographs 

was not recognized as a discrete unit; the unusually thick regolith of 

the valley floor contains a unique high concentration of dark glass beads 

that may cause the low albedo of much of the surface.” 

ApoZZo 17 scientist-astronaut Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt described the 

geological investigation of the Taurus-Littrow valley as reported in 

“the last major report of observations by the crews during the Apollo 

explorations of the earth‘s moon.” He was confident “that the future 

holds many other such reports as man continues his exploration of the 

earth’s frontier and his use of the space environment.” He believed 

that “man’s abilities and spirit will continue to be the foundation of 

his evolution into the universe. Full satisfaction from this evolution only 

comes with being there.” (Science, 10/16/73, 659-90) 

* Soviet Academician Boris N. Petrov said in Moscow that India’s first 

scientific satellite-to be launched in late 1974-would study solar 

neutrons, gamma rays, and x-ray emissions from outer space and the 

earth’s ionosphere. It would be launched by a Soviet booster of the 

kind used for Intercosmos satellites. Subsequent Indian satellites would 

include those for meteorology and the study of natural resources. (SF, 

2/74,41) 

0 An experiment by Greek scientists in Athens had shown that Greek inventor Archimedes could have used solar energy to burn the Roman 

fleet in about 212 B.C., the New York Times reported. In a recent test, 

the scientists had lined up 50 to 60 sailors on a pier at the Skaramanga 

naval base, near Athens. Each sailor held a 1.5-m (5-ft) oblong mirror. 

On command the sailors reflected the sun’s rays onto a wooden boat 

49 m (160 ft) away. Within seconds the boat had caught fire. (Modiano, 

NYT, 10/16/73, 16) 

* A Science editorial commented on the energy crisis: “A combination of 

environmental concerns and energy shortages is fostering wide-spread 

beggar-your-neighbor attitudes. Everyone wants cheap, unlimited energy, but all are prepared to fight tooth and nail to protect the environment and to prevent the location of energy facilities in their vicinity. It 

so happens that we are going to have neither cheap energy nor a perfect 

environment. Moreover, if we do not learn how to think nationally 

rather than parochially and to balance energy needs against environmental concerns, we are headed for trouble.” (Abelson, Science, 

10/16/73, 657) 

Soviet Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Cosmonaut Aleksey A. 

Leonov discussed progress and problems of the ASTP to date in an interview published in Sotsialisticheskaya Industriya. Generally, everything 

was progressing according to plan, but “as yet there is no unified search 

and docking system either on our or the American spacecraft. Only now 

are designers creating such a system on Apollo and Soyuz.” Spacecraft 

design and technical difficulties were being overcome, but there had been 

many problems. Personal relations between US. and Soviet crews and 

experts were very good : “The American astronauts are knowledgeable 

and highly skilled specialists. Suffice it to say that my opposite number, 

Colonel [Thomas P.] Stafford, has flown in space three times. Among 

ourselves we call the program . . . ‘the meeting on the Elbe’ in space. 

t 

November 17: 

325 
November 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

It was in 1945 that Soviet and American soldiers marked their joint 

victory over fascism by meeting on the Elbe. Thirty years later we 

dream of marking a victory over the accursed ‘cold war’ with a unique 

space ‘meeting on the Elbe.’” The language barrier had not yet been 

surmounted. “We are learning English, the Americans are learning 

Russian. It is said that Russian is the more difficult. But Stafford is 

courageously surmounting the barrier. Recently we were visited by 

Dr. [George M.] Low, deputy director of NASA, Eugene EN.] Cernan 

and Tom Stafford. Stafford made an entire speech on the space meeting 

[see Oct. 1-18] in relatively fluent Russian. And I assumed the role of 

translator.” ( FBIS-SOV, 12/6/73, B3) 

* Thomas G. Pownall, President of Marietta Aerospace Div. of Martin 

Marietta Corp., was elected Chairman of the Board of Governors of 

the Aerospace Industries Assn. of America, Inc. He succeeded W. Paul 

Thayer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LTV Corp. Dr. Karl 

G. Harr, Jr., was reelected President. (AIAA Release) 

A Miami Herald editorial commented on the effect of the 

end of Skylab launches on Brevard County, “Florida’s broad window 

on the space age.” Of Skylab 4 (launched Nov. 16), there was little 

more to say than that “as usual . , . the celebrated Cape [Canaveral] 

has another predictable success; that the space program will slow up to 

catch its breath, and finally that the United States is inescapably committed to space and thus to the place that all of it began. Florida has 

reason to be proud of its oldest point in geographical time and its 

youngest venture into the future.” (M Her, 11/18/73) 

* NASA launched a Javelin sounding rocket from Natal, Brazil, carrying a 

Univ. of California barium cloud experiment. The rocket and instruments performed satisfactorily. (GSFC proj off) 

US. flight crews for the July 1975 US.-U.S.S.R. 

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission visited the U.S.S.k. for familiarization with the Soyuz spacecraft and discussions with Soviet counterparts 

on the flight plan. The discussions, held mostly at the Yuri A. Gagarin 

Center for Cosmonaut Training near Moscow, included joint crew activities and onboard documentation. Astronauts participating were 

Thomas P. Stafford, US. ASTP commander; Vance D. Brand, command 

modale pilot; and Donald K. Slayton, docking module pilot; backup 

crew Alan L. Bean, Ronald E. Evans, and Jack R. Lousma; support 

crew Robert F. Overmyer and Karol J. Bobko; and Eugene A. Cernan, 

Special Assistant to the US. ASTP Technical Director. At a press conference following the Nov. 29 concluding meeting, Maj. Gen. Vladimir 

A. Shatalov, chief of cosmonaut training, said the U.S.S.R. planned 

further manned space flights-individual Soyuz missions and linkups 

of Soyuz with .the Salyut orbital platform-before the joint US.- 

U.S.S.R. mission. Stafford told newsmen he was completely satisfied 

that the Soyuz would be ‘‘a great ship to fly.” He said there would be 

two joint training sessions in 1974, in Moscow in July and at Johnson 

Space Center in September. (NASA Release 73-250; Smith, NYT, 

11/30/73, 9) 

The Soviet Mission Control Center at Star City, near 

Moscow, was described by US. Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Director 

Glynn S. Lunney during a Johnson Space Center briefing on the Oct. 

1-18 visit of a US. delegation to work with Soviet counterparts on the 

July 1975 joint docking mission. Soviet Mission Control was “not unNovember 18: 

November 18-Dec. 1: 

November 19: 

326 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 19 

like the control centers . . . in this country.” It was “characterized by 

consoles with some . . . large display screens down front and television 

display systems on the individual console.” The building housing Mission 

Control was in two sections. “One is sort of a wing where the main 

operations Control Room is and some auxiliary rooms and equipment.” 

Another wing held equipment for teletype, intercom, and TV. 

Lunney said a US.-built docking system and a U.S.S.R. docking system, “actually almost two docking systems, that were brought over by 

members of the Soviet test team,” had been undergoing tests at JSC 

since September. “The tests are almost complete with the mandatory test 

points that have to be taken. There’s a period . . . where some additional 

test points may be taken . . . and that will probably go on for the 

rest . . . of November.” To date, the tests had gone smoo2hly. “I think 

what they are telling us is that the assumptions that went into the design appear to be verified and that indeed we can expect that same 

kind of results when we use the production hardware in the qualification 

test next year.” 

Lunney said US. delegates had learned that the Sept. 27-29 Soyuz 12 

flight had tested fixes to the spacecraft to prevent reoccurrence of the 

fatal June 30, 1971, Soyuz 11 accident in which three cosmonauts died 

from decompression. He said that ‘‘all the fixes worked properly.” 

Modifications included use of spacesuits for launch and reentry, a gas 

supply and hose system, and a strong cap on the valve that had been 

triggered open accidentally; the cap now had to be fired pyrotechnically 

to release. Firings to separate the reentry module were modified and a 

manual override on the valve was made more accessible to the crew. 

Discussions had given cba fairly full treatment of the problem, to the 

point where we are satisfied that we know what happened and we know 

what the fixes are and they appear indeed to be very substantial.” (Transcript) 

George J. Vecchietti, NASA Director of Procurement since May 1964, became Assistant Administrator for Procurement. He would report directly to the Associate Administrator for Organization and Management. 

Vecchietti had received the NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership in 

1966 and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1969. He had joined 

NASA in 1960 as .Assistant Director of Procurement. (NASA Ann) 

* A device to identify paper money by its sound bcsignature” had been developed for the blind from early NASA technology for semiautomatic 

inspection of microfilm records, NASA announced. A bill was passed under a light source on the small, inexpensive device. A phototransistor 

measured changes in the bill’s light patterns and the changes were 

converted into “beeping” signals that differed with each denomination. 

(NASA Release 73-247) 

November 20: The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 608 from Plesetsk into 

orbit with a 498-km (309.4-mi) apogee, 269-km (167.2-mi) perigee, 

92.2-min period, and 70.9’ inclination. The satellite reentered July 10, 

1974. (GSFC SSR, 11/30/73,8/31/74; SBD, 11/21/73,117) 

NASA announced the selection of Thiokol Corp. for negotiation of a $106- 

million, cost-plus-award-fee contract for design, development, test, and 

evaluation of the solid-fueled rocket motors for the space shuttle. The 

six-year contract would run through 1979. (NASA Release 73-258) 

* Marshall Space Flight Center was drop-testing the space shuttle solidfueled rocket booster (SRB) scale model and a three-parachute re327 
November 20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

covery system to determine the feasibility of keeping parachutes 

attached to the SRB rather than releasing them on impact with the 

water. ( MSFC Release 73-172) 

* Establishment of the Laser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS) Task Team in 

the Marshall Space Flight Center Program Development Directorate was 

announced by Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, MSFC Director. LAGEOS, first in a 

series of satellites for application to earth and ocean dynamics investigations, would investigate physical motions and distortions of the solid 

earth that caused earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, mineral 

differentiation, and mountain building. D. R. Bowden-former chief 

of the Engineering Branch, Saturn Workshop Project, in the Skylab 

Program Office-would be LAGEOS Task Team Manager. (MSFC Release 

* The Senate confirmed Shylab 3 Astronaut Jack R. Lousma to be a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps. He had held the rank of major. (CR, 

10/20/73, 320947) 

* Thiokol Chemical Corp. changed its corporate name to Thiokol Corp. 

following approval by a shareholders’ meeting. (Aerospace Facts, 

10-12/73, 13) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 609 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 330-km (205.1-mi) apogee, 173-km (107.5-mi) perigee, 89.5- 

min period, and 69.9” inclination. The satellite reentered Dec. 4. 

(GSFC SSR, 11/30/73; 12/31/73; SBD, 11/26/73, 123) 

* The Navy launched six Phoenix air-to-air missiles nearly simultaneously 

from a Grumman F-14A air-superiority fighter off Pt. Mugu, Calif. 

Four of six target drones were intercepted successfully at a range exceeding 80 km (50 mi). Two targets were destroyed and two damaged; 

one missile experienced hardware failure during flight and one drone 

veered off course and was not intercepted. (Av Wk, 12/3/73, 30) 

* Appointment of Joseph M. Jones, Marshall Space Flight Center Chief of 

Public Information, as MSFC Public Affairs Director was announced by 

Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, MSFC Director. (NASA Release 73-259) 

British Aircraft Corp. announced that Britain’s Ariel 4 

(launched by NASA Dec. 11, 1971) had been reactivated to support five 

Skylark sounding rocket launches from Andoeya, Norway, to study 

magnetic substorms associated with the Aurora Borealis. (SF, 2/74, 

NASA launched a Javelin sounding rocket from Natal, Brazil, carrying a 

Univ. of California and Max Planck Institute ionospheric physics experiment. The rocket and instruments performed satisfactorily. ( CSFC 

proj off) 

Recent discoveries had brought the number of kinds of 

molecules detected in the Milky Way galaxy to 23, the New York Times 

reported. Many were precursors to the chemistry of life and almost all 

were termed LLorganicy7 compounds because it had long been thought 

that they could be produced only by living organisms. While it had 

later been shown that they could be synthesized, scientists had been surprised that the simpler molecules, at least, had been formed in deepspace vacuum. Univ. of Minnesota scientist Dr. Philip M. Solomon 

had said, “The question of how far chemical evolution in the interstellar 

medium has proceeded toward biochemistry is not yet answered, but 

it has clearly gone much further than anyone would have estimated five 

years ago.” (Sullivan, NYT, 11/23/73, 1) 

73-171) 

November 21: 

November 22: 

41) 

November 23: 

328 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 23 

NASA launched two sounding rockets. An Arcas from Antigua, West Indies, 

carried a Goddard Space Flight Center meteorological experiment to 

measure ozone distribution in the upper atmosphere, monitor anomalous 

ultraviolet absorption, and extend the data base for a climatology of 

stratospheric ozone in the tropics. The launch was in conjunction with 

an overpass of the Nimbus 4 satellite (launched April 8, 1970) , but the 

mission was unsuccessful because of the rapid fall rate, caused by abnormal parachute performance, and because of the lack of radar track. 

(NASA Rpt SRL) 

An Aerobee 20OA from White Sands Missile Range carried a Univ. 

of Hawaii solar physics experiment to a 228.4-km (141.9-mi) altitude. 

The rocket performed satisfactorily but, because of failure of the solarpointing-attitude reaction control system, the experiment was unsuccessful. (GSFC proj off) 

A Washington Post editorial criticized NASA’s dismissal of 

Mrs. Ruth Bates Harris [see Oct. 261: “NASA has compiled a dismal 

record with respect to female and minority employment. Dr. Fletcher 

himself admits as much. The question is, what to do about it? Dr. 

Fletcher says that every effort is being made to correct the problem. 

By now NASA should have learned that institutionalized sexism and 

racism give way to neither simple pieties nor eloquent declarations of 

principle. Achieving equitable employment opportunities for women 

and minorities in large American institutions requires skill, determination and sustained effort, just as a successful space program does. That 

is a lesson for the 1970s that all major American institutions must learn 

if the tragedies of the 1960s are to be avoided in this country’s future.” 

(W Post, 11/24/73, A14) 

Soviet helicopter designer Nikolay I. Kamov died at age 71. He had received the title of Hero of Socialist Labor for his services in the develop 

ment of Soviet helicopter design and construction. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 

10/28/73, U1) 

Compelling evidence of the existence of a previously predicted black hole in space had been discovered by a Univ. College team 

in London, using NASA’s oao 3 Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 

(launched Aug. 21, 1972) , NASA announced. The scientists, headed by 

Dr. R. L. F. Boyd with Dr. Peter Sanford, had tied the binary supergiant star system HDE 226868 to the x-ray source Cygnus X-1 and had 

detected evidence of the structure of the star system’s gas clouds swirling around and into the x-ray source, or black hole. Using Om 3, they 

had also observed extended x-ray sources identified with clusters of 

galaxies like those in the Perseus, Coma, Virgo, and Centaurus constellations. They believed enormous upheavals in the nucleus of the Seyfert 

galaxy were affecting the entire Perseus cluster of several thousand 

galaxies. They also believed the x-ray emission detected in the Seyfert 

galaxy might be associated with the inverse Compton effect, in which 

high-velocity electrons traveling near the speed of light collided with 

radio and optical photons. Their conclusions suggested that x-rays 

originated in the most active galaxies of the cluster. (NASA Release 73- 

251) 

0 President Nixon, in a nationwide address, announced new measures to conserve energy, including a 1570 reduction in jet aircraft fuel consumption 

for passenger flights, and restated the Government’s overall objective 

in the energy crisis: “What I have called Project Independence-1980 is 

November 24: 

November 25: 

329 
November 25 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

a series of plans and goals set to insure that by the end of this decade 

Americans will not have to rely on any source of energy beyond our 

own.” (PD, 12/3/73, 1363-6) 

A Los Angeles Times article by James Oberg urged that a fifth Skylab 

mission be undertaken : “There are some unique opportunities this proposed mission could take advantage of.” A Skylab in February or March 

“would fill the gap in the cycle of seasonal Skylab coverage. A complete 

year could be surveyed at the selected Skylab observation sites. This 

would be particularly valuable for agricultural and ecological studies.” 

(CR, 12/11/73, E7920) 

Rep. Don H. Clausen (R-Calif.) introduced H.R. 11554, a 

bill to provide for early commercial demonstration of solar heating technology by NASA with the National Bureau of Standards, National Science 

Foundation, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and other 

Federal agencies and for the early development and commercial demonstration of combined solar heating and cooling technology. The bill was 

referred to the House Committtee on Science and Astronautics. (CR, 

11/26/73, H10153) 9 An Aviation Week & Space Technology editorial commented on the energy 

crisis: “There is an urgent and permanent need to develop energy 

sources that are not dependent on fossil fuels. The aerospace industry 

is going to be hit hard by the current oil shortage, but it also has a 

great deal of new technology to offer in developing permanent new 

energy sources.” The technology of harnessing solar energy had advanced enormously in the space program. “It offers immediate promise 

for light-cloud-cover areas of the earth and eventual promise for enduring production of solar energy in space for continuous transmission to 

earth under any conditions. NASA has long had plans to move in this 

direction that have been annually chopped by the President’s Office of 

Management and Budget.” (Av Wk, 11/26/73,11) 

President Nixon submitted the nomination of G. Joseph Minetti to be reappointed as a member of the Civil Aeronautics Board for six years 

ending Dec. 31, 1979. (PD, 12/3/73, 1370, 1381) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 610 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 546-km (339.3-mi) apogee, 515-km (320-mi) perigee, 95.2-min 

period, and 74.0” inclination. (CSFC SSR, 11/30/73 ; SBD, 11/29/73, 

146) 

9 Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, met in Cleveland with Ohio 

newspaper editors and businessmen to discuss the space program’s 

future and applications of NASA technology. He denied rumors that Lewis 

Research Center would be delegated responsibility as the national center for energy research, but said LeRC would continue its important role 

in Government energy research. Dr. Fletcher predicted the next steps 

in space would be establishment of a permanently inhabited space station, 

probably by the U.S.S.R.; establishment of a permanent base on the 

moon; and a manned mission to Mars, “But I don’t see a manned Mars 

mission in this century, unless it is a copperative venture with the 

Russians.” He said the U.S.S.R. had “let up on their secrecy enormously 

in recent months” in preparation for the July 1975 joint US.-U.S.S.R. 

Apollo-Soyuz docking mission. (C1 PD, 11/28/73) 

9 NASA launched a Black Brant IVA sounding rocket from Poker Flats, 

Alaska, carrying a Univ. of Alaska aeronomy and barium-cloud-release 

experiment to a 552.0-km (343-mi) altitude. The cloud release was ob- 

,November 26: 

November 27: 

330 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 27 

served and tracked by ground camera sites and the Skylab 4 crew, 

launched Nov. 16 to man the Orbital Workshop. The rocket and instruments performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

The U.S.S.R. launched two Cosmos satellites from Plesetsk. 

Cosmos 611 entered orbit with a 481-km (298.9-mi) apogee, 269-km 

( 167.2-mi) perigee, 92.0-min period, and 71.0” inclination and reentered 

June 19, 1974. 

Cosmos 612 entered orbit with a 346-km (215.0-mi) apogee, 205-km 

(127.4-mi) perigee, 90.0-min period, and 72.8” inclination and reentered Dec. 11. (GSFC SSR, 11/30/73; 12/31/73; 6/30/74; SBD, 

11/30/73, 160) 

* President Nixon submitted to the Senate the nomination of James W. 

Plummer, Vice President of Lockheed Aircraft Corp. and Lockheed 

Missiles & Space Co. and General Manager of Lockheed Missiles & 

Space Co.’s Space Systems Div., to be Under Secretary of the Air Force. 

He would succeed John L. McLucas, who became Secretary of the Air 

Force July 19. (PD, 3/12/73, 1378, 1381) 

The next 10 yrs in transportation could be the decade of the hovercraft, 

June’s Surface Skimmers said in its 1973-74 edition. Editor Roy McLeavy noted that the Soviet Ekranoplan already carried 900 fully armed 

troops at more than 350 km per hr (220 mph) over almost any surface. 

Hovercraft production would almost certainly develop into “one of the 

world’s major industries.” US. Navy surface ships might cost as much 

as $50 million; France was studying “hoverfrigates” ; .and the U.S.S.R. 

was joining in “this more sophisticated approach to naval strategy.” 

(AP, E’ Post, 11/29/73, A32) 

The U.S.S.R. Joint Commission on Scientific and Technical Cooperation held its second session in MOSCOW. The first session 

had been held in Washington, D.C., March 19-21. At the opening meeting, Chairman Vladimir A. Kirillin of the Soviet State Committee for 

Science and Technology said useful work had been done by the Joint 

Commission, particularly in power engineering and chemical catalysis. 

Dr. H. Guyford Stever, National Science Foundation Director and 

Presidential Science Adviser, said he was certain that U.S.-Soviet cooperation in science and technology represented a major contribution to the 

progress of all mankind. An accord signed Nov. 30 called for more specific scientific cooperation. Dr. Stever said hundreds of scientists would 

be exchanged before the Commission’s next meeting, scheduled for 

Washington, D.C., in October 1974. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 11/29/73, B7; 

Wren, NYT, 12/1/73, 6) 

An International Colloquium on Mars was held 

at Cal Tech and Jet Propulsion Laboratory by NASA, the American Astronautical Society, and the American Geophysical Union to evaluate new 

ideas stimulated by the successful Mariner 9 mission to Mars (launched 

by NASA May 30, 1971). Four hundred scientists from 10 countries participated in the program, which discussed Martian surface history and 

evolution, atmospheric history as related to interactions with the surface, 

and future exploration of Mars. (NASA Release 73-255; JPL PIO) 

Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, gave personal 

views on the existence of extraterrestrial life in a speech at the Univ. 

of Maryland: “There is no hope of finding intelligent life elsewhere in 

the solar system. As far as this particular corner of the universe is concerned, we are it.” Chances were that primitive life forms would be 

November 28: 

November 28-30: 

November 28-December 1 : 

November 29: 

331 
November 29 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

found on other planets or in their atmospheres, “and this will still be 

one of the great discoveries of all time. This discovery will shed light 

on how life arose on Earth. It will strengthen our conviction that intelligent life must exist on the planets of millions, or even billions, of other 

star systems in the universe.” Dr. Fletcher doubted that any other civilizations would exchange visits with the earth because of the great distances. “We could not begin to build the kind of spaceship that would 

be needed. But who can say what new technologies, what new understandings of the physical laws of the universe, future generations will develop 

-or hear about on the inter-galactic radio network?” He was “very 

optimistic” about long-range chances of communicating with very advanced civilizations in the Milky Way or other galaxies: “When you 

think how many stars there are which could have planets like Earth, 

and how long they have been in existence, it is quite easy to believe 

that there must be many advanced civilizations broadcasting in our direction. And I am sure we have the technology needed to intercept such 

signals and eventually answer them.” (Text) 

A team of Ames Research Center scientists, headed by Dr. James B. Pollack, 

had discovered that the upper levels of Vends brilliant clouds consisted of droplets of sulfuric acid more concentrated than the acid in an 

automobile battery, ARC announced. The team had measured the infrared “color” of Venus from a Learjet aircraft and compared results 

with a computer simulation of the color properties of various substances. ( ARC Release 73-128) 

* Naval Air Test Center development of a rescue system to pinpoint the 

position of any downed aircraft anywhere on earth was reported by 

R/A Roy M. Isaman, Test Center Commander, in a telephone interview 

with the Associated Press. A distressed aircraft would use a transmitter 

of less than five watts to bounce a signal off a communications satellite 

in stationary orbit back to one of eight Navy navigation stations under 

construction. (B Sun, 11/30/73, A3) 

Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N. Mex.) introduced S. 2755, a bill to require 

the NASA Administrator to study the feasibility of entering into international cooperative programs using space technology and applications. 

The NASA Administrator would work with the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and the National Science Foundation Director to study 

the desirability of international cooperation and cost sharing to develop 

a solar energy collection and conversion system. (CR, 11/29/73, 

S21370) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 613 from Baykonur Cosmodrome into orbit with a 274-km (170.3-mi) apogee, 188-km (116.8-mi) 

perigee, 89.7-min period, and 51.6” inclination. Western observers 

identified the spacecraft as an unmanned Soyuz. It was brought down 

by parachute near Karaganda Jan. 30, 1974, after orbiting the earth 

60 days, a record length of flight for any Soviet spacecraft recovered intact. Cosmos 613 flew the same orbital track as other manned Soviet 

spacecraft but at a higher altitude, leading to speculation that the purpose of the mission was to test the ability of Soyuz spacecraft to fly 

higher and the durability of its systems as a prerequisite to a possible 

two-month manned mission. (GSFC SSR, 11/30/73 ; 1/31/74; SBD, 

12/3/73, la; O’Toole, W Post, 12/16/73, A25; 2/10/74, A27; Av 

Wk, 2/11/74, 32) 

November 30: 

332 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 November 30 

* The U.S.S.R. launched Molniya 1-26 communications satellite into orbit 

with a 40 830-km (25 370.6-mi) apogee, 618-km (384-mi) perigee, 

740.0-min period, and 62.9” inclination. The satellite would help provide 

a system of long-range telephone and telegraph radio communications 

in the U.S.S.R. and would transmit Soviet central TV programs to the 

Orbita network. (GSFC SSR, 11/30/73; Taw, FBIS-SOV, 12/5/73, U1) 

Skylab 2 Astronaut Charles Conrad, Jr., was retiring from NASA and the 

Navy effective Feb. 1, Johnson Space Center announced. He would 

become Vice President, Operations, and Chief Operating Officer, of the 

American Television and Communications Corp., a Denver-based cable 

TV firm. ( JSC Release 73-158) 

* NASA announced award of a $41.8-million, cost-plus-award-fee contract to 

General Dynamics Corp. Convair Div. to continue management and 

engineering services in the Atlas-Centaur and Titan-Centaur launch 

vehicle program. The procurement extended an earlier contract two 

years. (NASA Release 73-271) 

* The U.S.S.R. was using onboard computers on multiple independently 

targetable reentry vehicles for the first time, providing “the approaching 

technological option over both MIRVing and having greater accuracy 

in . . . MIRVed warheads,” Dr. James R. Schlesinger, Secretary of Defense, said at a Dept. of Defense briefing. The technological advantages 

held by the US. would “tend to wane” as the Soviets acquired improved 

warheads, improved guidance, and improved MIRVS. There was no immediate change in strategic balance but “with these technologies available . . . , one can look out to the period beyond 1976, say, and with 

marrying of these technologies to the throw-weight available to the 

Soviet Union, it could create an unbalance in the strategic area.” (Transcript) 

* The Rev. Walter J. Miller, Fordham Univ. astronomer and former assistant papal astronomer at the Vatican Astronomical Observatory, died in 

New York following a heart attack, at age 69. He had specialized in the 

study of faint variables, pulsating stars that varied their apparent magnitude periodically. He was known particularly for his observations of 

Cygnus in the Milky Way galaxy. (NYT, 12/2/73, 85) 

The Federal Aviation Administration sponsored an International Microwave Landing System Symposium in 

Washington, D.C., to exchange information between the International 

Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO) member nations sponsoring MLS programs and other ICAO states interested in MLS efforts. Presentations by 

the US., United Kingdom, France, Australia, and West Germany showed 

progress in the use of MLS. Canada reported on its short takeoff and 

landing ( STOL) aircraft program. MLS provided pilots precise course and 

glide-slope guidance to runways during landing approach. Broad areas 

covered permitted operational procedures to increase airport acceptance 

rate and reduce noise over surrounding communities. (FAA Release 73- 

199; FAA PAO) 

November 30, December 3, 4: 

333 

December 1973 

December 1: Dr. Dixy Lee Ray, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, 

submitted the report The Nation’s Energy Future to President Nixon 

in response to the President’s June 29 request for recommended energy 

research and development programs for inclusion in the FY 1975 

budget. Recommendations were to establish an operational Energy 

Research and Development Administration by July 1, 1974, to plan 

and coordinate the total program and direct the major share of the 

Federal program; conduct an annual program review to reallocate funds 

among programs as required; ensure full consideration of energy consequences of all Federal actions to achieve nonenergy goals; promote 

private-sector participation in the conduct, review, and evaluation of the 

Federal ER~D program; initiate in FY 1975 a Synthetic Fuels Pioneer 

program of privately funded construction of commercial plants for producing synthetic fuels from coal, using existing technologies; and accelerate ongoing work in environmental effects research, basic research, 

and manpower development. The congressional Joint Committee on 

Atomic Energy held hearings on the report Dec. 11. (Transcript) 

* A Science & Government Report editorial commented on Federal science 

policy response to the energy crisis: “Following on the pattern of the 

Sputnik trauma, the energy debacle is inevitably evoking prescriptions 

for still another reorganization of federal scientific and technical advisory services.” The essential fact about science in Washington was 

“that knowledge is power only when the political element accepts the 

knowledge as being politically palatable.” Rearranging the Government 

was one of Washington’s favorite indoor pastimes, “but the utility of it 

is open to serious doubt.” (Sci 6% Gov Rpt, 12/1/73) 

The drive-through tour of Kennedy Space Center and Cape 

Kennedy Air Force Station was suspended because of the energy conservation program. NASA’s Visitor Information Center would continue its 

escorted bus tours. ( KSC Release 266-73) 

* A real estate boom apparently would replace the space boom with the end 

of the Skylab program at Cape Canaveral, the Atlantic Journal Constitution said. Layoffs following Skylab’s end would reduce aerospace employment on the Cape to its lowest point in a decade; a total work force 

of less than 10 000 had been projected for December 1974. But unlike 

the cutbacks in 1969 and 1970, there was no panic. An influx of retirees 

from the North and from southern Florida had caused a shortage of 

homes. Unemployment in Brevard County was down to 4.2% ; the area 

had once led the nation with more than 8% unemployed. (Hesser, 

Atlanta JC, 12/2/73) 

The U.S.-U.S.S.R. Joint Working Group on Space Biology and Medicine met at Johnson Space Center to continue exchanging 

medical data and results from US. and Soviet manned flight experience. The Group-cochaired by Dr. Charles A. Berry, NASA Director of 

Life Sciences, and Dr. N. N. Gurovsky of the Soviet Academy of SciDecember 2: 

December 2-10: 

335 

PREZEDING PAGE BLANK NOT FILMED 
December 2-10 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

ences-discussed vestibular disturbances and the characteristics of 

human blood circulation under space flight conditions and developed 

recommendations for using common biomedical procedures. The Soviet 

delegation reported on pre- and postflight cardiovascular evaluations 

with lpwer-body negative pressure during the Soyuz 12 mission 

(launched Sept. 27). The report would permit the first direct comparison of Apollo, Skylab, and Soyuz data. The Soviet delegation visited JSC 

Mission Operations Control to observe facilities for monitoring the 

health of Skylab crews, Skylab one-g trainers, and the Skylab mobile 

laboratories. The Group’s recommendations would be forwarded to the 

NASA Administrator and the President of the Soviet Academy of Sciences 

for confirmation. (NASA Release 73-273) 

NASA’s Pioneer 10 (launched March 2, 1972) became man’s 

first spacecraft to reach Jupiter as it passed 130 000 km (81 000 mi) 

from the planet at 9:25 pm EST, after traveling 641 days and 

826000000 km (513000000 mi) [see Nov. 3-Jan. 91. (NASA prog 

* President Nixon wired congratulations to scientists at Ames Research 

Center on Pioneer 10’s encounter with the planet Jupiter: “Our nation 

takes profound pride in so impressive a scientific achievement. On behalf 

of the American people, I want to express my admiration and gratitude 

to you.” The President said Pioneer 10 had “demonstrated that man’s 

ability to explore the heavens is on the threshold of the infinite.” 

(O’Toole, W Post, 12/4/73, Al; W Star-News, 12/4/73, A3) 

The Skylab Saturn IB/Apollo rescue vehicle, readied for rescue of Skylab 

4 astronauts (launched Nov. 16), was rolled out from Kennedy Space 

Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39, Pad B. By 

Dec. 19 the vehicle would complete flight readiness tests, the two-day 

final overall test of spacecraft systems and ground support equipment, 

and a simulated launch. On Dec. 21 the rescue vehicle would be within 

nine days of launch readiness and would hold at that point until needed 

in an emergency or returned to the VAB at the end of the mission. The 

rescue command module was equipped with two additional crew couches 

and additional life support and communications connections to permit 

it to return the three Skylab 4 crewmen and the two rescue crew members, Vance D. Brand and Dr. Don L. Lind. (KSC Release 283-73) 

* President Nixon conferred the four-star rank on Adm. Hyman G. Rickover 

(USN, Ret.) in a White House ceremony. The President said: “He, of 

course, will be remembered . . . because he leaves as a monument not 

only the fact that there are now more ships and a stronger Navy, but that 

superb breakthrough in technology-Polaris, Poseidon, Trident. No one 

can ever speak of these breakthroughs without thinking of Admiral 

Rickover.” (PD, 12/10/73, 1385) 

* The House passed H.R. 9430, a bill naming a Federal building and carrying an amendment that repealed the 1972 naming of Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory after former Rep. H. Allen Smith (R-Calif.) . (CR, 12/3/73, 

H 10468 ) 

President Nixon accepted the resignation of John A. Love as Assistant to 

the President and Director of the Energy Policy Office. (PD, 12/10/73, 

1M) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 614 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with an 807-km (501.5-mi) apogee, 769-km (477.8-mi) perigee, 100.6- 

December 3; 

off ) 

December 4: 

336 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 December 4 

min period, and 74.0” inclination. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/73; SBD, 

12/6/73, 186) 

* A New York Times editorial commented on the flight of Pioneer 10 to 

within 130 000 km (81 000 mi) of Jupiter: Never before had “the mind 

of man projected its sensors so far out in space toward such a distant 

heavenly body.” Already, preliminary results had “surprised scientists 

and challenged existing views.” Climaxing 350 years of scientific study 

of Jupiter, the clear and detailed data from Pioneer 10 inaugurated “a 

qualitatively new stage in man’s knowledge of this giant planet and his 

understanding of how its physical and other properties relate to the 

larger problem of the origin of the solar system and of the universe.” 

(NYT, 12/4/73, 42) 

* Latin America opposed direct and uncontrolled satellite transmission of TV 

programs during the Second World Broadcasting Conference in Buenos 

Aires, Argentina. The US. delegation had maintained that censorship 

of direct transmission would be restriction of the freedom of information. Argentine jurist August0 Ferrer replied that “without governmental control . . , individual countries would find themselves subject 

to various forms of intervention in their cultural sovereignty, in their 

national security, and in their psychological development.” Conference 

President Jose A. Castro said the rest of the Latin American countries 

had come out against direct broadcasting. (FBIS-Inter-American Affairs, 

12/21/73, Al) 

* President Nixon signed Executive Order 11748 establishing the Federal 

Energy Office in the Executive Office of the President. He announced the 

appointment of Deputy Secretary of the Treasury William E. Simon as 

Executive Director. The President said: “I have decided to bring together in one agency the major energy resource management functions 

of the Federal Government to provide the centralized authority we must 

have for dealing with the energy crisis.” He was assuming chairmanship of the Energy Emergency Action Group, “which will continue to 

oversee all major policy issues relating to energy.” He would ask Congress to create a Federal Energy Administration “and, in the Executive 

Office of the President, a Federal Energy Office to carry out all energyrelated functions.” (PD, 12/10/73, 1388-92) 

Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D-Wash.), at the Nixon Administration’s request, introduced S. 2776 to establish a Federal Energy Administration, 

an independent executive agency to deal with the energy emergency 

for two years. (CR, 12/4/73, S2177M1) 

Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman (R-N.Y.) introduced H.R. 11762 to direct the 

National Science Foundation to start and support basic geothermal 

energy research and to amend the National Aeronautics and Space Act 

of 1958 to direct NASA to carry out a demonstration program for the 

development of the commercial use of geothermal resources. (CR, 

12/4/73, E7752-3) 

* The Air Force Systems Command announced it had signed a $3450000 

agreement to initiate a study for the Dept. of the Interior Office of Coal 

Research on a more efficient method of generating electrical power from 

coal with less pollution. Electrical energy would be extracted from a 

high-temperature ionized gas-similar to the flaming exhaust of a rocket 

or jet engine-by directing it through a magnetic field. Work on the 

process would be conducted at AFSC’s Arnold Engineering Development 

Center, using a magnetohydrodynamic generator built in the 1960s 

337 
December 4 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

as an electrical power source for a wind tunnel. (AFSC Release 01P 

157.73) 

NASA launched a Black Brant IVA sounding rocket from Poker Flats, 

Alaska, carrying a Univ. of Alaska aeronomy and barium cloud-release 

experiment to a 569.7-km (354-mi) altitude. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. The barium cloud was viewed by Alaskan 

ground sites but the planned support by Skylab 4 mission (launched 

Nov. 16) was not available because of scheduling problems. (GSFC 

proj off) 

December 5: Newspaper editorials commented on the Dec. 3 rendezvous of 

Pioneer 10 (launched March 2, 1972) with Jupiter. 

Chkago Tribune: “American technology has done it again. The 

spacecraft Pioneer 10 has soared past the planet Jupiter, weathering its 

barrage of radiation and extracting from it secrets of its nature that 

have tantalized earth people since their earliest days. The flood of data 

obtained by television photography and transmitted back to earth is 

so voluminous that no one can yet assay its meaning.” IC Trib, 

12/5/73) 

Philadelphia Inquirer: “We have taken space spectaculars so much 

for granted in recent years that it may be hard to grasp the amazing 

feat of Pioneer 10.” The spacecraft had been launched “more than 

three months before Watergate-and has been whizzing through the 

void ever since.” It had provided “a wealth of new knowledge about 

the solar system’s largest planet.” (P Znq, 12/5/73) 

0 NASA announced plans for a 1976 launch of a Laser Geodynamic Satellite 

( LAGEOS) . The satellite would provide information for mathematical 

models on the earth’s movements and strains which caused natural disasters such as earthquakes. The measurements made by the spacecraft 

would be accurate within 2 cm (0.75 in) of actual earth movement. 

LAGEOS would be a solid sphere weighing about 380 kg (835 Ibs) and 

measuring 0.6 m (2 ft) in diameter. It would be fitted with 600 laser 

retroreflectors designed to permit accurate laser ranging from ground 

stations. Marshall Space Flight Center, under the overall direction of 

NASA’s Office of Applications, had been assigned definition and development responsibility for the satellite. (NASA Release 73-261) 

0 Marshall Space Flight Center announced two contract awards. A $1 176 872 

extension was made in a $5 188 357 contract with Bendix Corp. to provide management, sustaining engineering, and logistics support for 

the ST-124M stabilized platform for the July 1975 mission of the 

US.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. The contract extension, bring. 

ing the total contract value to $6 365 229, was from May 1, 1974, 

through July 31, 1975. A $160000 contract was awarded Norman 

Engineering Co. for architect-engineering services to modify a test stand 

for space shuttle testing. (MSFC Releases 73-190, 73-191) 

Concorde 201-Air France’s first Concorde supersonic airliner, the first production Concorde and the fifth Concorde to fly-made 

its maiden flight, from Toulouse, France, including 45 min supersonic 

flight. The aircraft reached mach 1.57, more than 1600 km (100 mi) 

per hr, at 1280 m (42 000 ft) during its 2-hr 50-min flight. Command 

pilot was Aerospatiale’s And6 Turcat. (Concorde Bull 12, 1/1/74) 

Sen. Gaylord Nelson (D-Wis.) , on behalf of himself and Sen. Henry M. 

Jackson (D-Wash.) , introduced S. 2782 to establish a National Energy 

Information System, to authorize the Dept. of the Interior to undertake 

December 6: 

338 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 December 6 

an inventory of US. energy resources on public lands and elsewhere, and 

for other purposes. (CR, 12/6/73, S22002) 

A major reorganization plan that included two key directorates at Johnson Space Center had been announced by Dr. Christopher 

C. Kraft, Jr., JSC Director, the JSC Roundup reported. Effective immediately, the reorganization would not be implemented fully until 

February 1974. Flight Crew Operations and Flight Operations would 

be combined into a new Flight Operations Directorate devoted entirely 

to space flight and aircraft activities. A new Data Systems and Analysis 

Directorate would provide institutional and programmatic data systems 

and analysis and the onboard software for the space shuttle. Pilot astronauts in the former Flight Crew Operations Directorate would be assigned to the Astronaut Office in the new Flight Operations Directorate. 

Scientist-astronauts would be assigned to Astronaut Offices in the Science 

and Applications and Life Sciences Directorates. 

Skylab Program Manager Kenneth S. Kleinknecht and Flight Control Div. Chief Eugene K. Kranz would be Director and Deputy Director 

of the new Flight Operations Directorate. They also would continue in 

their present assignments through completion of the Skylab program. 

Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr., would be Chief of the Flight Control 

Astronaut Office. Howard W. Tindall, Jr., and Lynwood C. Dunseith 

had been named Director and Deputy Director of the Data Systems 

and Analysis Directorate. Astronaut Owen K. Garriott was Deputy to 

Director Anthony J. Calio of the Science and Applications Directorate; 

Astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt would be Chief of the Science and Applications Astronaut Office. Astronaut Joseph P. Kerwin would be Chief 

of the Life Sciences Astronaut Office, which also would include astronaut 

physicians F. Story Musgrave and William E. Thornton. 

In addition to their duties as space shuttle crew candidates, Astronauts Fred W. Haise, Jr., Charles M. Duke, Jr., and Eugene A. Cernan 

had been assigned duties in project management. Haise would be Technical Assistant to the Space Shuttle Orbiter Project Manager, Duke 

would be Technical Assistant to the Acting Manager for Space Shuttle 

Systems Integration, and Cernan would be Special Assistant to the 

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Manager. Of 37 astronauts on active flight 

status, 26 were pilots. Of these, 16 would participate in space shuttle 

activities; 10 had been assigned to the 1975 US.-U.S.S.R. ApolloSoyuz Test Project mission. Eight scientist-astronauts would work in 

the Science and Applications Office, and three in Life Sciences. 

(Roundup, 12/7/73, 1) 0 The Senate passed S. 1283 by unanimous vote of 82. The Energy Research 

and Development Policy Act would provide support for programs in 

R&D of fuels and energy. (CR, 12/7/73, S22190) 

Sir Robert Watson-Watt, Britain’s “father of radar,” had died in Scotland 

at age 81, the Wmhington Post reported. Watson-Watt was credited with 

directing and accelerating development of radar immediately preceding 

World War 11. He was best known for his work in the use of radio waves 

to detect aircraft, but also had developed an underwater detection system for use against German U-boats during the Battle of the North 

Atlantic. (Hailey, W Post, 12/7/73, C15) 

The risk to future development of man’s life outside the 

earth was “that the public will come to denigrate what Skylab has done 

and rate it below the achievements” of Pwneer 10, an Economist article 

December 7: 

December 8: 

339 
December 8 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

*A 

said. Pwneer lo’s pictures, “passable photographs” of Jupiter, were 

“better than no pictures at all, but if the evidence of the first space shots 

past Mars are anything to go by, useful results require the cameras to 

go in much closer than Pioneer was able to do, and to stay in orbit 

round the planet for long enough to take . . . a set of controlled 

mapping pictures, Pioneer 10 has shown that it is going to be technically possible to do this; the next stage is to build the space probe 

that will do it. When it comes to this sort of detailed work, the instruments on board tend to need the fine adjustments that only men can 

give them.” The U.S. should be planning “another Skylab with instruments calibrated to look further into space than the present ones. The 

results could be even better than Pioneer 10’s.” (Economist, 12/8/73, 

Detroit News editorial commented on Pwneer 10’s Dec. 3 rendezvous 

with Jupiter: “Jupiter is lucky. It appears to radiate three times as 

much energy as it receives from the sun. When all the knowledge 

Pioneer has transmitted has been absorbed and categorized by NASA 

scientists, it should provide clues to new energy sources for earth, particularly solar energy and the sun’s rays. All these possibilities are beyond the comprehension of an energy-conscious nation that in four 

years has grown blad about man walking on the moon. But they open 

the door for the scientists to apply on earth the potential resources of 

the solar system.” (D News, 12/5/73) 

20) 

December 9: -A partial lunar eclipse, one of three visible from North 

America during 1973, shaded 10% of the moon. Cape Canaveral residents could view the obscurity at its peak at 8:45 pm EST. (Today, 

12/10/73) 

Establishment of a NASA Task Force on Energy Conservation and designation of Gen. Bruce K. Holloway (USAF, Ret.), Special 

Assistant to the Administrator and Assistant Administrator for DOD 

and Interagency Affairs, as Director of Energy Conservation were announced by Dr. George M. Low, Deputy Administrator. In a memorandum to Center Directors and program and staff office heads Dr. 

Low said the Task Force would direct NASA activities to reduce energy 

use, determine where further energy reductions could be made in NASA 

and its programs, and apply technical and management ingenuity to 

finding new and imaginative ways in which NASA and other agencies 

could conserve energy. (Text) 

Kennedy Space Center requested bids from 50 construction firms on the 

4600-m (15 000-ft) runway to be built for the space shuttle northwest 

of the Vehicle Assembly Building. The runway would be the first facility built in reshaping Launch Complex 39 for its new role in the 

shuttle program. Bids were to be opened Feb. 22, 1974. (IZSC Release 

NASA launched a Black Brant VC sounding rocket from White Sands 

Missile Range carrying a Harvard College Observatory solar physics 

experiment to a 268.7-km (167-mi) altitude. The launch was also one 

of the series of calibration rockets (CALROC) launched in support of 

Skylab missions [see Jan. 221. The rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. ( GSFC proj off) 

Skylab backup hardware was being stored in plastic tents with controlled 

environments at Marshall Space Flight Center for later fisc or disposal. 

(MSFC Release 73-193) 

December 10: 

7-74) 

340 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 December 10 

Former astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., announced in Cleveland he would 

make a third bid for the Democratic nomination to the Senate from 

Ohio. He had lost the 1970 Democratic senatorial primary; a head injury had forced him to end his 1964 Senate campaign. Glenn, as pilot 

of Friendship 7 (launched Feb. 20, 1962), was the first American to 

make an orbital space flight. (CSM, 12/11/73; A&A 1962) 

* Dr. Wolf V. Vishniac, Univ. of Rochester microbiologist and biological 

scientist in NASA’s Viking Mars lander program, died at age 51 after 

falling down a steep slope during a scientific expedition to Antarctica 

for NASA. Dr. Vishniac was studying how microbes multiplied in the 

arid Antarctic soil. He had been a member of NASA’s Lunar and Planetary Missions Board 1967-1970. He had served on the Office of 

Manned Space Flight’s Joint Editorial Board on Space Biology and 

Medicine since 1965 and was coediting Volume One of “Space Biology 

and Medicine.” He had been a member of the Viking Biology Team 

since 1969, had served on the Lunar Sampling Analysis Team in 1968 

and 1969, and had been active on the Space Sciences Board of the National Academy of Sciences. (NASA Release 73-277; AP, NYT, 121 

13/73, 48) 

More than 120 papers by scientists worldwide were 

presented at the Third Earth Resources Technology Satellite Symposium 

sponsored by Goddard Space Flight Center. The Symposium highlighted 

data from Erts 1 Earth Resources Technology Satellite (launched by 

NASA July 23, 1972), which had provided more than 100 000 images of 

the earth’s surface. Also emphasized was the extension of scientific 

techniques and findings discussed in a March symposium, including applications directly benefiting the public in dealing with local and regional resource problems. (NASA Release 73-271 ; GSFC PIO) 

Mariner 10, NASA’s two-planet probe launched Nov. 3 toward Venus and Mercury, had discovered that the gas remnants of 

the exploding star Gamma Velorium in the Gum Nebula were twice as 

hot as scientists had expected, the Washington Post reported. Instruments aboard the spacecraft had detected ultraviolet radiation from the 

nebula so intense that it corresponded to temperatures as high as 

56 000 K (100 OOOOF) , suggesting that some stars were undergoing 

even more violent nuclear reactions than expected. Dr. Bruce Murray, 

California Institute of Technology scientist, was surprised that so old a 

nebula was still radiating any detectable heat. The discovery might be 

“the start of a whole new field of astronomy. . . . Never before have 

we been able to detect interstellar radiation associated with this temperature range.” (O’Toole, W Post, 12/11/73, A10) 

0 Radio signals from Comet Kohoutek, racing toward a Dec. 28 pass behind 

the sun were picked up by scientists using the Kitt Peak, Ariz., radio 

telescope, NASA reported. It was the first strong evidence of radio emissions-produced by electrically excited molecules of methyl cyanide, a 

gas previously observed in the region of the Milky Way where new 

stars were formed-from any comet and the first evidence that methyl 

cyanide molecules existed in comets. The press quoted a Goddard Space 

Flight Center spokesman as saying, “Comet Kohoutek appears to be 

bringing a sample of the distant interstellar matter into the solar system for the first time.” (UPI, W Post, 12/12/73, A23) 

* Appointment of Capt. Clyde T. Lusk, Jr. (USCG), as Acting Director of 

the newly created Office of Transportation Energy Policy in the Dept. of 

December 10-14: 

December 11: 

341 
December 11 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Transportation was announced by Secretary of Transportation Claude 

S. Brinegar. Myron Miller would be Acting Deputy Director. (DOT 

Release 82-73) 

A Wdl Street Journal editorial commented on Comet Kohoutek: “The 

mind can only boggle at how little we still really know about the universe where comets like Kohoutek may number in the billions. Reflecting on this may not lead to any change in our conduct here on earth 

anymore than the appearance of Halley’s Comet in 1910 seems to have 

significantly improved earthly conduct. But the implications of Kohoutek, and of the scientific void into which it will soon return, are 

reminders of the cosmic scope of man’s environment.” ( WSJ, 12/11/73) 

NASA test pilot John A. Manke made the seventh flight and 

second powered flight of the X-24B lifting body, launched from a B-52 

aircraft from Flight Research Center. Primary objectives of flightenvelope expansion to mach 0.95, stability and control at mach 0.9, and 

performance survey with aileron bias at 11’ and secondary objectives 

of fin- and rudder-pressure survey and an acoustic noise and vibration 

experiment were met. (NASA prog off) 

* Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, U.S. Secretary of State, said in a speech before 

The Pilgrims in London that the 1973 energy crisis should become “the 

economical equivalent of the Sputnik challenge of 1957. Only this 

time, the giant step for mankind will be one that America and its 

closest partners take together.” He proposed “that the nations of Europe, 

North America and Japan establish an energy action group of senior 

and prestigious individuals, with a mandate to develop within three 

months an initial action program for collaboration in all areas of the 

energy problem.” (Text) 

Czechoslovakian astronomer Dr. Lubos Kohoutek, disembarking from a 

three-day comet-watch cruise aboard the liner Queen Elizabeth 2, told 

the press in New York that his viewing of the comet he discovered, 

Kohoutek, had been hampered by clouds and seasickness. He said he 

believed he had seen the comet with his naked eye “just above the horizon before 5:30 a.m.” (Reuters, C Trib, 12/13/73) 

* Unidentified astronomers were quoted as saying Comet Kohoutek was not 

likely to become visible to the naked eye for at least another week. After 

it rounded the sun Dec. 28, it would appear in the evening sky after 

sunset. It might be fragmented by solar gravity and solar radiation 

with the comet and its tail becoming more brilliant. A Naval Observatory astronomer predicted the comet would be no brighter than Comet 

Ikeya-Seki in 1965 or Comet Bennett in 1970. Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory astronomers did not expect Kohoutek to be visible 

without binoculars during the current week. (AP, NYT, 12/13/73) 

* Office of Management and Budget Director Ray L. Ash said in a letter to 

Rep. Ralph S. Regula (D-Ohio) that immediately upon the establishment 

of the proposed Energy Research and Development Administration, 

OMB would urge the ERDA Administrator to undertake thorough review of all NASA personnel and facilities that might be closed because 

of NASA’s post-Apollo ‘scaling down.’ ” Ash said he had been “concerned 

for some time about the possible loss from government service of these 

valuable skills and resources.” (CR, 12/14/73, E8084) 

The Cost of Living Council, following a court order, directed five aerospace firms to pay a 17-cent hourly wage increase that had not been 

paid in 1971 and 1972. The increase, to some 108000 workers, had 

December 12: 

342 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 December 12 

been delayed by the Administration's Pay Board in 1971 because it exceeded the Government's anti-inflation guidelines. The Council said 

payments could total $75 million to $85 million and could ultimately affect 250 000 workers, since many other firms followed pay practices of 

the five large companies. The companies were Boeing Co., Lockheed 

Aircraft Corp., McDonnell Douglas Corp., Rockwell International Corp., 

and LTV Aerospace Corp. (W Post, 12/13/73 ; WSJ, 12/13/73) 

The Air Force announced contract awards: a $5 992 290 cost-plus-fixed-fee 

award to General Dynamics Corp. for automatic-flight-control technology 

to enhance the maneuvering performance of fighter aircraft and a 

$5 406 500 fixed-price-incentive contract for A-7D aircraft mission 

simulator, aerospace ground equipment, spare parts, and data. ( DOD 

Release 597-73) 

The Air Force launched Dscs F-3 and Dscs F-4 communications satellites from Eastern Test Range on one Titan IIIC booster, 

after two postponements to correct faulty instrumentation in the transtage of the launch vehicle. Dscs F-3 entered orbit with a 36 124.9-km 

(22 47-mi) apogee, 35 799.9-km (22 245-mi) perigee, 24-hr 5-min 

period, and 2.0" inclination. Dscs F-4 entered orbit with a 36 137.8-km 

(22 455-mi) apogee, 35 944.7-km (22 335-mi) perigee, 24-hr 9-min 

period, and 2.0" inclination. On Dec. 19 the press reported Air Force 

officials as saying that the satellites-part of the Defense Satellite Communications System Phase 2-were operating well in preliminary tests 

and would be positioned on operational stations at 13" W and 175" E 

in synchronous orbit approximately 80 days after launch. They would 

replace two DSCS 2 satellites launched Nov. 2, 1971, which had ceased 

operating. (Pres Rpt 74; SBD, 12/13/73, 226; 12/19/73, 250) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 615 into orbit with a 829-km (515.1-mi) 

apogee, 269-km (167.2-mi) perigee, 95.6-min period, and 71.0" inclination. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/73) 

* NASA announced the selection of Grumman Aerospace Corp. for negotiation 

of a contract to modify two Gulfstream I1 aircraft for crew trainers for 

the space shuttle orbiter, The contractor's proposed cost was $19.5 

million. (NASA Release 73-278) 

Air Force Secretary John L. McLucas outlined the Air Force role in space 

in a speech before the Military Order of the World Wars in Memphis, 

Tenn. Twenty-six military communications satellites orbited as a research effort had proved so successful they were converted to a basic 

operational system in 1967. Half of these were still operational. An experimental tactical communications program was essentially complete ; 

satellites and some receivers for aircraft, ships, trucks, jeeps, and a 

man-pack had been tested. The first operational Fleet Satellite Communications System would improve control for Navy ships and Air Force 

strategic aircraft. 

A second military use of space provided data for weather analysis 

and forecasting. McLucas had announced in March that information 

from an advanced meteorological satellite program was being made 

available to the public through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration. Satellites also provided early warning of missile attack, 

detection of nuclear explosions in the atmosphere, and navigation data. A 

single satellite system to meet all requirements was under study. (Av 

Wk, 2/18/74) 

December 13: 

343 
December 13 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska) introduced S. 2806, the Energy, Revenue 

and Development Act of 1973, to establish an energy trust fund funded 

by a tax on energy sources, to establish a Federal Energy Administration, to provide for the development of domestic sources of energy, and 

for more efficient use of energy. (CR, 12/13/73, S22725-52) 

Reference to the US. space program was made in the editorial “In Praise 

of America” by Canadian commentator Gordon Sinclair, reprinted by 

the Washington Post. Sinclair had said over Toronto radio: “You talk 

about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon-not once 

but several timesand safely home again.” The editorial defended the 

US. against foreign critics. (W Post, 12/13/73, A18) 

* A Philadelphia Inquirer editorial commented on the modesty of Dr. Lubos 

Kohoutek, Czechslovakian astronomer who had described his discovery 

as “just a comet”: The Kohoutek comet “will be far more eventful 

than ‘something normal in the night.’ ” Its closeness and brightness 

were incidental “to the more important fact that astronomers such as 

Lubos Kohoutek patiently search with telescopes night after night, year 

upon year-observing the known and looking for the unknown. Their 

work does not match spaceship launchings in attracting public attention 

but even in the space age, as for centuries past, it is the patience of 

astronomers, seeking they’re not sure what, that continues to unlock 

the secrets of the universe.” (P Znq, 12/13/73) 

* Wendell S. Smith, Head of the Experiment Management Office of Goddard 

Space Flight Center’s Laboratory for Meteorology and Earth Sciences, 

died in Baltimore, Md., of cancer at age 38. He had joined NASA in 1959 

and had worked on early investigations of the meteorology of the upper 

atmosphere. In early 1973 he had headed a NASA group in a cooperative 

experiment with Soviet scientists to verify corresponding satellite measurements. (W Star-News, 12/16/73, C7) 

A NASA CAS aircraft equipped as a remote-sensing platform 

flew from Redstone Arsenal Airstrip, Ala., on the first flight in a series 

to study geological phenomena and water quality. The aircraft, obtained free from the Army and equipped by Marshall Space Flight Center with multispectral cameras and other fittings, covered three sites 

in Alabama with high- and low-altitude multispectral photography. The 

aircraft later would be used to investigate water resources, agriculture, 

land resources, ecology, and archaeology. It would also support the 

Earth Resources Technology Satellite and the Skylab earth resources 

experiment package. A thermal scanner would be added to the aircraft’s equipment early in 1974. (MSFC Release 73-201) 

* First results of Skylab earth resources experiments were reported by Skylab Program Deputy Director John H. Disher at an American Institute 

of Astronautics and Aeronautics Capital Section luncheon meeting in 

Washington, D.C. : “Perhaps the most significant of these so far in terms 

of economic value is the identification of a potential mineral deposit 

some 12 miles [19 kilometers] north of Ely, Nevada, which was not 

previously discernible from ground or aircraft surveys. Other early results have been the identification of the path of citrus fruit fly infestations in Mexico, successful use of remote sensing for snow mapping, 

and demonstration of the use of imagery from orbit for inventory of 

vegetation patterns in California. The high spatial resolution provided 

by the Skylab film systems is particularly applicable to studies of regional planning and land use in urbanized areas, and photographs of 

December 14: 

344 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 December 14 

the Baltimore-Washington area and 12 other cities are being used by the 

Department of the Interior to test their use for updating the 1970 cen- sus. Other examples of high spatial resolution such as the identification 

of fields of an acre or smaller and the detection of impounded water 

have further indicated the need for a selective, high resolution capability for future earth survey systems.” (Text) 

Sen. Barry M. Goldwater (R-Ariz.) received the Wright Brothers Memorial 

Trophy [see During October] at a Washington, D.C., dinner commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first gircraft 

flight, made Dec. 17, 1903. Honored guests included Prof. Willy MesserSchmidt, German aircraft designer, and 85-year-old Grover Loening 

who had flown with Orville Wright in 1913 and 1914. (McCardle, W 

Post, 12/15/73, D1) 

The theory that comets might be growing from material dispersed through 

the solar system as quickly as they were being destroyed by the sun was 

advanced in Nature by astrophysicists Dr. Hannes 0. Alfvb and Dr. 

Asoka Mendis of the Univ. of California at San Diego. The predominant 

view, that comets like Kohoutek that approached the sun for the first 

time had probably remained in the outer fringes of the solar system 

since formation of the sun and the planets, was offered by Dr. L. Biermann of the Max Planck Institute for Physics and Astrophysics in 

Munich. Many astronomers hoped the Dec. 28 closest approach of Kohoutek to the sun would indicate which theory was correct, Walter 

Sullivan said later in the New York Times. (Nature, 12/14/73, 400- 

0 Lockheed Aircraft Corp. announced it was in danger of running out of 

cash in 1974 and might have to seek new short-term credits against already built trijet aircraft on which airline customers had obtained 

agreements to delay delivery. Lockheed said it had retained an investment-banking firm, Lazard Freres & Co., to help find a solution to its 

financial difficulties, including a possible merger with a healthier company. Lockheed disclosed that it had already drawn $20 million more 

than the $250 million in Government-guaranteed loans granted to it in 

1971 to save the firm from bankruptcy. (Witkin, NYT, 12/15/73, 1) 

December 15-20: NASA launched Explorer 51 (AE-C) Atmosphere Explorer on a two-stage, thrust-augmented Thor-Delta launch vehicle from 

Western Test Range at 10:18 pm PST (1 :18 am Dec. 16 EST). The satellite entered an almost perfect elliptical orbit with a 4304-km (2674.4-mi) 

apogee, 157-km (97.6-mi) perigee, 132.5-min period, and 68.1” inclination. Explorer 51, third of five AE missions and first of secondgeneration AE spacecraft designed to extend the knowledge of energy 

absorption and photochemical processes of the atmosphere, would obtain data relating solar ultraviolet activity to atmospheric composition 

in the lower atmosphere, extending measurements down to altitudes 

where most solar extreme uv radiation wrts absorbed by the upper atmosphere. Onboard propulsion would vary perigee and apogee altitudes 

on command, permitting excursions into the largely unexplored region 

of the lower thermosphere. 

By Dec. 19 command and telemetry systems were checked out, the 

memory of the onboard computer was loaded and read out, and the 

tape recorder, atmosphere density accelerometer, and cylindrical electrostatic probe were switched on. All spacecraft systems were checked out 

402, 410-11; NYT, 12/24/73) 

345 
December 15-20 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

by Dec. 20 and were functioning normally. Experiment instrumentation 

checkout would be completed by Dec. 31. 

The Explorer 51 mission would consist of two phases. During Phase 1, 

excursions would be made at two- to four-week intervals, each lasting 

several days. The spacecraft perigee would be lowered in steps through 

a range of 150 to 125 km (95 to 80 mi). At each perigee step, telemetry data would be acquired. Phase 2 would begin after eight months 

and last four months; the spacecraft would be placed in a series of 

circular orbits ranging between 250 and 800 km (155 and 500 mi) 

in altitude. 

Explorer 51 carried 14 scientific instruments provided by a research 

team of scientists from nine institutions. In addition to the investigation 

of solar uv activity, the instrumentation would examine particle fluxes, 

airglow intensities, plasma densities, and temperatures and magnetic 

fields at low altitudes. 

To use the full spacecraft and instrument capabilities, a new rapidresponse data system would provide data reduced to physical parameters, 

allowing the spacecraft to operate as a laboratory-in-space periodically 

reprogrammed to make optimum measurements in the light of interim 

results rather than gathering data in predetermined modes. 

Explorer 17 (launched April 2, 1963), the first AE satellite, had confirmed that the earth was surrounded by a belt of neutral helium. The 

second, Explorer 32 (launched May 25, 1966), was placed in a higher 

orbit than planned but the higher altitude enhanced the resolution of the 

measured atmospheric parameters. The spacecraft continued to return 

useful data for 10 mos. 

The AE program was managed by Goddard Space Flight Center under 

the direction of the NASA Office of Space Science. (NASA prog off; NASA 

Release 73-269) 

President Nixon issued Proclamation 4257 calling for nationwide observance of Wright Brothers Day Dec. 17: “It is both 

fitting and proper . . . , on this 70th anniversary of powered flight, 

that we should commemorate the achievements of two resourceful and 

farsighted men who have come to symbolize America’s inventive genius.” 

(PD, 12/17/73, 1462) 

0 More than 100 Congressmen had endorsed legislation to start a $50-million, 

five-year program to find practical ways of harnessing solar energy to 

heat and cool US. buildings, according to an Associated Press report 

quoted in NASA Activities. Several senators planned to introduce identical and similar versions of the bill. House hearings would start in two 

weeks, and sponsors hoped Congress would pass the bill by early 1974. 

(NASA Activities, 12/15/73, 237) 

0 President Nixon signed H.R. 11324 into law, placing the US. on daylight 

saving time for approximately two years beginning Jan. 6, 1974. The 

action was taken to alleviate the energy crisis. (PD, 12/17/73, 1462) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosms 616 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 326-km (202.6-mi) apogee, 206-km (128-mi) perigee, 89.8-min 

period, and 72.9” inclination. The satellite reentered Dec. 28. (GSFC 

SSR, 12/31/73; SBD, 1/2/74,2) 

0 The first scientific report on the findings of the Soviet remotely controlled 

lunar explorer Lunokhod 2 (launched Jan. 8 aboard Luna 21) during 

its 37-km (23-mi) traverse of the moon’s surface had been published in 

Pravda, the New York Times reported. Chemical analysis of the soil 

December 15: 

December 17: 

346 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 December 17 

had shown a decrease in iron content and an increase in aluminum as 

Lunokhod had traveled from the plains into the foothills of the Taurus , 

Mountains. Samplings taken near the landing site in the Lemonnier 

Crater at the eastern end of the Sea of Serenity had shown 6% iron 

and 9% aluminum. The ratio changed to 4% iron and 12% aluminum 

near the uplands. The change in content of aluminum was a distinctive 

feature of lunar geology; on the earth the amount of aluminum remained constant in continents and the ocean bottoms. Soviet scientists 

hoped to compare the lunar soil data with samples returned by the 

Apollo 17 astronauts (launched Dec. 7, 1972), who explored the TaurusLittrow Valley 225 km (140 mi) away. (Shabad, NYT, 12/17/73, 66) 

Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn.) introduced S. 2819 to establish an 

Office of Solar Energy Research within the Atomic Energy Commission 

to conduct research and development to ensure the use of solar energy 

for national energy needs. (CR, 12/17/73, S23017-24) 

Dr. Charles Greeley Abbot, scientist, inventor, and fifth Secretary of the 

Smithsonian Institution, died in Washington, D.C., at the age of 101. 

He had been honored on his 100th birthday in 1972 by having a site 

on the moon named after him by the International Geophysical Union. 

Dr. Abbot, an astrophysicist, had specialized in solar energy. In 1938 

he had patented a solar engine that focused sunlight, using mirrors and 

sapphire lenses, into a steel cylinder where superheated air performed 

the same function as expanding steam in a locomotive or turbine. He 

refined the engine in a later patent, but never found anyone to build a 

prototype. At his 100th birthday celebration he said, “The sun will be 

there long after we need it. I wish I had gotten to work on this sooner.” 

(Hailey, W Post, 12/18/73, B11; A&A 1972) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Soyuz 13 carrying cosmonauts 

Maj. Pyotr IUimuk (commander) and Valentin Lebedev (flight engineer) from Baykonur Cosmodrome at 4:55 pm local time (2:55 pm 

Moscow time; 6 :55 am EST) into earth orbit with a 246-km (152.9-mi) 

apogee, 188-km (116.8-mi) perigee, 88.9-min period, and 51.6” inclination. With Skylab 4 astronauts in earth orbit since Nov. 16, the 

launch of Soyuz 13 made it the first time in the history of space travel 

that the U.S. and U.S.S.R. had men orbiting the earth simultaneously. 

The Soviet news agency Tass announced the objectives of the mission 

were to observe stars in the ultraviolet range using a special system of 

telescopes, survey separate sections of the earth‘s surface and obtain 

data “for the accomplishment of economic tasks,” continue comprehensive verification of onboard systems, and test manual and automatic 

controls and methods of autonomous navigation in various flight conditions. Western observers also expected the cosmonauts to study Comet 

Kohoutek as it approached the sun. The Western press reported that 

Soyuz 13 was the same kind of modified Soyuz capsule as would be used 

for the U.S.-U.S.S.R. Apollo-Soyuz Test Project scheduled for 1975. 

It would test a new navigational system that would increase the cosmonauts’ ability to fly the spacecraft themselves rather than relying on 

ground control, ensuring that the quality of the spacecraft support system would match that of the Apollo. 

During the fifth orbit the spacecraft moved into a higher orbit with 

parameters reported by Tass as 272-km (169-mi) apogee, 225-km 

(139.8-mi) perigee, 89.2-min period, and 51.6” inclination. At 5:30 pm 

Moscow time (9:30 am EST) Soyuz 13 had made 18 orbits of earth. 

December 18-26: 

347 
December 18-26 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

The cosmonauts reported they had adjusted to weightlessness and were 

carrying out their scheduled scientific program. 

Tass reported Dec. 20 that the crew had harvested the first crop of 

nutritive protein mass in an onboard experimental biological system, 

Oasis 2. In a closed system of two kinds of microorganisms, the waste 

products from the synthesis of the first were used by the second to accumulate protein mass. During the eight-day mission, the cosmonauts 

also aimed the telescope at preset areas of the sky, photographing constellations; studied cerebral circulation under weightless conditions; 

studied natural resources on the earth; took x-ray photos of the sun; 

and photographed light effects before sunset and sunrise along the line 

of the terrestrial horizon to further development of autonomous navigation for future interplanetary journeys. 

Soyuz 13 landed successfully in a snowstorm and cyclonic winds at 

11:50 am Moscow time (3:50 am EST) Dec. 26, 200 km (125 mi) 

southwest of Karaganda in the Kazakhstan Steppe. A medical examination indicated the cosmonauts were in good health. 

Soyuz 13 was the second Soviet manned launch in 1973. Soyuz 12, 

during a successful two-day mission Sept. 27-29, had tested improved 

flight systems, tested manual and automatic control in various flight 

conditions, and obtained spectrographic data of separate sections of the 

earth. Soyuz 12 had been the first Soviet manned flight since the death 

of three cosmonauts on Soyuz 11 in June 1971. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/73; 

Tass, FBIS-SOV, 12/21/73, U1; 12/26/73, U1; 12/27/73, U1; Kaiser, 

W Post, 12/19/73, A26; Parks, B Sun, 12/19/73, Al; Wren, NYT, 

12/21/73, 56; SBD, 12/21/73, 267) 

Dr. Kurt H. Debus, Kennedy Space Center Director, announced that ICSC would go on a single daylight shift from 8 am to 

4:30 pm, effective Jan. 6, 1974, when the US. returned to daylight 

saving time by Presidential order. Other ICSC measures to conserve energy 

were establishing a computer system to promote car pooling, limiting 

automobile speeds to 50 mph, curtailing drive-through tours, reducing 

lighting, and rescheduling visitor tours. ( ICSC Release 284-73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched eight Cosmos satellites on a single 

booster from Plesetsk. Orbital parameters were : 

Cosmos 617-1485-km (922.7-mi) apogee, 1336-km (830.2-mi) periCosmos 618-1488-km (924.6-mi) apogee, 145-km (897.9-mi) periCosmos 619-1490-km (9%.8-mi) apogee, 1424-km (884.8-mi) periCosmos 620-1496-km (929.6-mi) apogee, 1460-km (907.2-mi) periCosmos 621-1487-km (924-mi) apogee, 1407-km (874.3-mi) perigee, 

Cosmos 622-1487-km (924-mi) apogee, 1371-km (851.9-mi) perigee, 

Cosmos 623-1487-km (924-mi) apogee, 1389-km (863.1-mi) perigee, 

Cosmos 624-1487-km (924mi) apogee, 1353-km (840.7-mi) perigee, 

The Western press reported that the satellite system would operate in 

support of Soviet naval forces, providing maximum communications beDecember 18: 

December 19: 

gee, 114.0-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

gee, 115.2-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

gee, 115.0-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

gee, 115.4-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

114.8-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

114.3-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

114.5-min period, and 74.0" inclination. 

114.2-min period, and 74.0' inclination. 

34 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 December 19 

tween ship and fleet commanders and naval operations within the 

U.S.S.R. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/73; Sou Aero, 12/24/73, 96) 

NASA announced Kennedy Space Center had awarded a $14670 525 extension to a contract with Rockwell International Corp. in support of 

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project operations. The extension brought total contract value to $62 885 682. It provided support in processing the command and service modules, spacecraft lunar module adapter, launch 

escape system, and docking module for the July 1975 U.S.-U.S.S.R. 

rendezvous and docking mission. (NASA Release 73-283) 

* United Aircraft Corp. Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Div. announced a $42- 

million cooperative program with nine electric utility companies to develop a 26 000-kw fuel cell as a new way to generate electricity. The 

utility companies had provisionally ordered 56 cells for possible delivery by 1978 and had options on 112 more. Orders totaled more than 

$250 million. The program did not include Government support, but 

Pratt & Whitney was discussing the program with Federal energy officials and “would welcome government participation,” Pratt & Whitney 

President Bruce N. Torell told a New York press conference. A fuel cell 

produced electrical power directly from fuel through a chemical reaction. It could be an efficient system for generating electrical power 

with little pollution. Pratt & Whitney had produced small cells for NASA’s 

Apollo and Skylab spacecraft and for the space shuttle. It had also tested 

larger units for home use. (WSJ, 12/20/73, 24; P&W PIO) 

The House Committee on Science and Astronautics unanimously approved 

H.R. 11864, Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act of 1973, 

introduced Dec. 10 as a clean bill incorporating amendments to H.R. 

10952 [see Oct. 161 and 17 similar bills. Language changes more explicitly delineated agency responsibilities and two distinct program 

phases. NASA would have major responsibility for developing solar heating and cooling equipment in the first phase. In the second, the Dept. 

of Housing and Urban Development would be responsible for installation, testing, and evaluation. A major amendment would require HUD 

to establish a Solar Heating and Cooling Information Data Bank. If a 

law created a permanent Federal energy agency, responsibility assigned 

to NASA and the National Science Foundation would be transferred to 

that agency. (House Rpt 93-769, reprint in Com Print, 2/74) 

The Senate, by a vote of 86 to 2, and the House, by 355 to 25, passed bills 

to establish the Federal Energy Administration. The Senate hill was 

S. 2776, and the House, H.R. 11510. (CR, 12/19/73, D1461, D1464) 

NASA launched an Aerobee 200A sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range carrying a Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. solar physics 

experiment to a 220.3-km (136.9-mi) altitude. The experiment was performed in collaboration with a Skylab 4 (launched Nov. 16) Apollo 

Telescope Mount experiment. The rocket performed satisfactorily. The 

experiment was 75% successful. (GSFC proj off) 

The Air Force announced it had awarded Catalytic, Inc., a 

$2 600 000 firm-fixed-price contract for technical studies and investigations and preliminary design of a high-mach-number wind tunnel. 

The contract contained an option for Phase 2 completion of the total 

design. (DOD Release 610-73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 625 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 340-km (211.3-mi) apogee, 187-km (116.2-mi) perigee, 89.6-min 

December 20: 

December 21 : 

349 
December 21 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

period, and 72.8” inclination. The satellite reentered Jan. 3, 1974. 

(GSFC S§R, 12/31/73; 1/31/74; SBD, 1/2/74,2) 

* Establishment of a Spacelab Program Office at Marshall Space Flight Center 

to manage NASA’s activities in the international project was announced 

by Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, MSFC Director. Thomas J. Lee had been appointed Spacelab Program Manager. ( MSFC Release 73-202) 

Dr. Charles A. Berry, NASA Director of Life Sciences, would retire from 

NASA to become President of the Univ. of Texas Health Science Center 

April 1, 1974, NASA announced. The new position had been created to 

bring all the health-oriented schools and services of the University 

under one administrator. Dr. Berry, an Air Force flight surgeon since 

1951, had been Chief of the Dept. of Aviation Medicine at the School 

of Aerospace Medicine and Chief of Flight Medicine in the Surgeon 

General’s Office before coming to NASA on loan in July 1962. He accepted 

appointment as Chief of the Manned Spacecraft Center’s Medical Operations Office in August 1963. Dr. Berry had participated in the early 

medical evaluations leading to selection of the original seven Mercury 

astronauts in 1958 and had continued to work with NASA throughout the 

project. He was appointed Director for Life Sciences at NASA Hq. in 

September 1971. His honors included the NASA Exceptional Service 

Medal and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. Dr. James C. Fletcher, 

NASA Administrator, said Dr. Berry’s “work in determining the ability 

of man to function and work in space for long periods . . . is an important contribution to the future of the space program. The University 

of Texas is to be congratulated in obtaining the services of an outstanding medical researcher and administrator.” (NASA Release 73-284; NASA 

The Federal Aviation Administration announced it had adopted fuel-saving 

regulations permitting airlines to use flight simulators more in pilot 

training and flight checking. The new rules could save 200000 cu m 

(50 million gal) of fuel annually and reduce flights by 9300. (FAA Release 73-215) 

Dr. Gerald P. Kuiper, astronomer and space pioneer, died 

of a heart attack at the age of 68, while visiting Mexico City. During 

his early career, Dutch-born Kuiper had discovered groups of dwarf 

stars, satellites of Uranus and Neptune, and an atmosphere surrounding 

Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. In the 1950s he became the first astronomer to measure Pluto’s diameter accurately and charted the equator 

and position of the poles of Venus. In the 1960s Dr. Kuiper became one 

of the foremost authorities on the moon, working in NASA’s Ranger and 

Surveyor projects and, as head of the Ranger scientific team, directed 

the photographic analysis to select landing sites for the Apollo astronauts. (McFadden, NYT, 12/25/73, 24) 

Fifth anniversary of the Christmas Eve reading of Genesis 

by the moon-orbiting crew of Apollo 8 (launched Dec. 21, 1968) to TV 

and radio audiences that included one of every four persons on earth. 

The crew of Skylab 4 (launched Nov. 16 to man the Orbital Workshop 

launched May 14), second crew to spend Christmas in space, devoted 

Christmas Eve to searching for and opening gifts hidden for them in the 

Apollo command module before launch by colleagues in Mission Control. 

The packages included a 91-cm (36-in) green cloth Christmas tree beneath the gear they would need for their scheduled Christmas Day 

space walk and a surprise package stored in the CM locker. Mission ConPAO) 

December 23: 

December 24: 

350 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 December 24 

trol also planned to transmit over a teleprint circuit a Christmas card 

depicting the sun, Skylab, gifts, and Santa's sled. (A&A 1968; UPI, 

W Star-News, 12/24/73, Al) 

Shylab 4 Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, and William 

R. Pogue-in the 39th day of their mission aboard the Orbital Workshop [see Nov. 16-Feb. 8, 19741-were participating in new tests 

developed by NASA scientists and heart specialists at the National Heart 

and Lung Institute to determine the effects of prolonged weightlessness 

on the heart, the New York Times reported. Space program doctors 

wanted data to help explain the smaller heart size, sudden drops in blood 

pressure when shifting quickly from a prone to upright position, and 

the smaller output of blood during exercise experienced by astronauts 

immediately after space flight. The new technique, called echo-cardiography, used sonarlike sound waves of extremely high frequency to 

produce internal pictures of the heart. The Skylab 4 crew had been 

tested using echo-cardiography for a week preceding launch. Repeat 

studies would be made aboard the recovery ship within hours after 

splashdown. The astronauts would be studied over the course of weeks 

and possible months to record the complete readaptation of the heart 

to gravity. (Schmeck, NYT, 12/24/73, 1) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Molniya 11-8 communications satellite into orbit with a 40 809-km (25 357.5-mi) apogee, 488-km (303.2- 

mi) perigee, 12-hr 17-min period, and 62.8' inclination. The satellite 

would help provide a system of long-range telephone and telegraph 

radio communications in the U.S.S.R. and would transmit Soviet central TV programs to the Orbita network. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/73; Tass, 

FBIS-SOV, 12/26/73, U1) 

U.S. Patent No. 3 781 647 was awarded to Peter E. Glaser, Vice President 

for Engineering Sciences of Arthur D. Little Co., for a system to produce electricity with satellite solar power stations. The proposal was to 

orbit satellites at 37 500-km (23 300-mi) altitude in geostationary position to convert radiation received by solar cells to direct current and 

then to microwaves for transmission to an earth station. There the microwave beam would be converted to electric power. The patent said a belt 

of solar cells 5 km [3 mi] wide around the earth could provide more 

than 200 times the projected world electrical energy requirements for 

1980. (Jones, NYT, 12/29/73; Pat Off PIO) 

December 26: The U.S.S.R. launched Oreol 2 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 1974-km (1226.6-mi) apogee, 399-krn (247.9-mi) perigee, 109.1- 

min period, and 73.9' inclination. The satellite, a Soviet-French cooperative mission, would continue the program begun by Oreol 1 

(launched Dec. 27, 1971) to study the upper atmosphere at high latitudes and the nature of the polar lights. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/73; Tass, 

FBIS-SOV, 12/27/73, U1; UN Registry) 

* The retirement, effective Dec. 31, of Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate 

Administrator, and Vincent L. Johnson, Deputy Associate Administrator 

for Space Science, was announced by Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA AdDecember 25: 

.. ministrator. 

Dr. Newell had transferred to NASA in October 1958 from the Naval 

Research Laboratory, where he had been Science Program Coordinator 

for Project Vanguard, the Nation's first satellite program, and Acting 

Superintendent of the Atmosphere and Astrophysics Div. He served 

four years as NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Ap351 
December 26 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

plications before becoming Associate Administrator in 1967. Dr. Newel1 

held the American Institute of Aeronautics’ Pendray Award, the American Astronautical Society’s Space Flight Award, the President’s Award 

for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, and the NASA Distinguished 

Service Medal, among other honors. 

“Dr. Newell’s efforts in the space program antedate the birth of NASA. He has served this agency with distinction and 

dedication and he will be sorely missed.” 

Johnson, who had joined NASA from the Navy in 1960, had served as 

Deputy Associate Administrator of the Office of Space Science and Applications from 1970. He had assumed his present post in 1971. “Mr. 

Johnson has been an able and conscientious leader in advancing our 

unmanned space programs and we are sorry to see him go,” Dr. Fletcher 

said. (NASA Ann; NASA Releases 7&4, 74-5) 

* Mobile launcher 3, used for five manned Apollo/Saturn V launches, was 

being deactivated at Kennedy Space Center. A task team of NASA and 

contractor employees, organized by the rcsc Support Operations Directorate, was removing and storing reusable equipment from the platform 

that was two stories high, 49 m (160 ft) long, 41 m (135 ft) wide. Nine 

swing arms had already been removed; other items to go included an 

acceptance checkout equipment room ; a computer station; racks of 

electronic, timing and communications gear ; and instrument cables. 

Cable salvage alone was expected to cover half the deactivation cost. 

With completion of deactivation in mid-1974, equipment worth millions 

would have been salvaged for future use in space shuttle and other programs. The basic launcher structure would be modified for use in space 

shuttle launches. ( IESC Release 288-73) 

* A Univ. of Alaska Geophysical Institute team headed by Dr. Gerd Windler 

was examining potential of high-resolution satellite images in providing 

information on Alaska’s environmental conditions and hazards in a oneyear pilot project of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA announced. The project was using radiometer images 

received twice daily at NOAA’S Gilmore Creek Command Data and Acquisition Center near Fairbanks from Nom 2 and 3 satellites launched for 

NOAA by NASA Oct. 15, 1972, and Nov. 6, 1973. (NOAA Release 73-243) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 626 from Baykonur COS. 

modrome into orbit with a 264-km (164-mi) apogee, 250-km (155.3. 

mi) perigee, 89.6-min period, and 65.0” inclination. (GSFC SSR, 12/ 

31/73; SBD, 1/3/74, 10) 

* Comet Kohoutek would not be as spectacular as expected, Dr. Stephan P. 

Maran, director of Goddard Space Flight Center’s Operation Kohoutek 

said at a Johnson Space Center news briefing. Dr. Sdeneka Sekanina, 

Smithsonian Observatory scientist, said that although the comet might 

be a disappointment to the general public, it would be the first comet 

to be studied during its first close pass of the sun and therefore, scientifically, “the most important comet we’ve had since Halley’s.” The comet 

would be difficult to see by naked eye from ground because it would be low 

on the horizon and because of light pollution from the earth and lack 

of light-reflecting dust. (Transcript) 

The approach of Comet Kohoutek had taken on special significance in conservative religious circles, the New York Times News Service reported. 

Its Christmas season timing had revived speculation about the nature 

of the star reported to have led the Wise Men to Bethlehem. One theory 

Dr. Fletcher said: 

December 27: 

352 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 December 27 

had been that it was a comet similar to Kohoutek. Some Protestant 

fundamentalists had ascribed religious significance to Kohoutek and 

saw it as a possible sign of the second coming of Christ. Others interpreted it as a warning of impending doom. (B Sun, 12/27/73) 

Comet Kohoutek passed perihelion, 21 million km (13 million mi) from the sun, at 5:24 am EST, completing the sunward swing of 

its ertimated 75 000-yr voyage, and began its journey back into distant 

space. (AP, B Sun, 12/28/73, A?) e NASA released details of Langley Research Center’s planned program to 

heat and cool a 5000-sq-m (53 000-sq-ft) Systems Engineering Building 

by solar energy. The program had been announced by Dr. James C. 

Fletcher, NASA Administrator, in Nov. 13 testimony before the House 

Committee on Science and Astronautics’ Subcommittee on Energy. The 

program was to obtain realistic engineering and operating experience 

with a source of clean power as an alternate to fossil fuels and other 

conventional energy sources. Planned for mid-1975 completion, the 

building-believed to be first of its size for which solar energy would 

provide a significant part of its heating and cooling system-would use a 

1400-sq-m (15 000-sq-ft) solar collector to provide most of the heating 

and some of the cooling requirements. It also would test energy-storage 

capacity. NASA believed the solar collector to be the pacing component 

in the system and had established heating and cooling cost goals of $1 

to $2 per 0.09 sq m (1 sq ft) over a 15-yr life span. (NASA Release 

e Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, NASA Director of Key Personnel and former Director of Manned Spacecraft Center, retired. With NASA since its beginning, 

Dr. Gilruth had been Director of MSC (now Johnson Space Center) from 

its establishment in November 1961-and through five moon landings 

of the Apollo program-until he came to Headquarters in January 1972. 

Earlier he had been at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, 

predecessor of Langley Research Center, and was appointed Assistant 

Director in 1952. In 1958 he was assigned to manage the Nation’s first 

manned space program, NASA~ Project Mercury, as Director of the 

Space Task Group at Langley. (NASA Personnel Off; NASA Biog; NASA 

Release 72-11) 

Kennedy Space Center announced a $10 517 967 contract extension, 

through July 31, 1975, to McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Corp. to 

process the Saturn IB 2nd stage for launching the Apollo spacecraft to 

rendezvous and dock with the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft during the July 

1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission. The award brought total contract value to $101 995 628. 

A six-month, $7 909 148 contract extension to Bendix Corp. Launch 

Support Div. brought to $NO 857 165 the total value of a contract for 

launch support services, including operation and maintenance of Launch 

Complex 39. An $11 831 263 extension to an International Business 

Machines Corp. contract would provide launch support services to Saturn IB booster instrument units, for possible Skylab rescue vehicles and 

the ASTP launch. The extension, through July 1975, brought total contract value to $58 772 009. (ICSC Releases 290-73, 291-73, 292-73) 

0 Dr. James R. Schlesinger, Secretary of Defense, had directed the Air Force 

to plan safe demonstration launches of four Minuteman I1 missiles 

without warheads from operational silos in Montana during the winter 

of 197&75, the Dept. of Defense announced. In Project Giant Patriot, 

December 28: 

73-282) 

353 
December 28 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

the missiles would enter space shortly after launch and their trajectory 

would carry them up to 560 km (350 mi) over portions of Montana, 

Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California en route to an ocean target 

in the Phoenix Islands, southwest of the Hawaiian Islands. No nuclear 

components would be carried; a safety destruction package would be 

carried in place of the normal warhead. The launches were to provide 

important test data and demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of 

the Minuteman strategic deterrent force. ( DOD Release 615-73) 

The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 627 from Plesetsk into orbit 

with a 1019-km (633.2-mi) apogee, 973-km (604.6-mi) perigee, 105.0- 

min period, and 83.0’ inclination. (GSFC SSR, 12/31/73; SBD, 1/3/74, 

December 30: U.S.S.R. Chief Marshal of Aviation Konstantin A. Vershinin died at the age of 74 after a long illness. Vershinin had directed 

Soviet military aviation during World War 11. After the war he had 

commanded the antiaircraft defense forces and had been Chief of the 

Air Force and U.S.S.R. Deputy Minister of Defense. (Tass, FBIS-SOV, 

1/4/74, V1; NYT, 1/3/74, 36) 

During December: NASA employee retirements totaled 215 during the 

month, including 37 at Headquarters, 58 at Marshall Space Flight Center, 50 at Langley Research Center, 22 each at Goddard Space Flight 

Center and Johnson Space Center, 18 at Kennedy Space Center, and 8 

at Lewis Research Center. 

Among retirees were Dr. Homer E. Newel1 [see Dec. 261, NASA Associate Administrator; Dr. Robert R. Gilruth [see Dec. 281, NASA 

Director of Key Personnel Development; Vincent L. Johnson [see Dec. 

261, Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Sciences; Dr. Charles 

A. Berry [see Dec. 211, NASA Director of Life Sciences; General Counsel 

Arthur D. Holzmann; William T. @Bryant, Director of Lunar Programs 

in the Office of Space Science; C. Dixon Ashworth, Manager of the 

Astronomy and Solar Observatory Programs; Director Adelbert 0. 

Tischler of the Low Cost Systems Office; and Dr. Hermann H. Kurzweg, 

Research Council Chief in the Office of Science and Technology. (NASA 

Off Personnel; NASA Off Comptroller) 

0 Space program objectives would be served by broadening NASA’s charter, 

Daniel J. Fink-Vice President of General Electric Go., General Manager of GE Space Div., and 1974 President of the American Institute of 

Aeronautics and Astronauticesaid in an Astronautics & Aeronautics 

article. By 1973 the US. “had attained or surpassed all the objectives 

set forth” in the Space Act of 1958; now NASA’s emphasis should shift 

from space techniques to “mission management and the science and 

applications technologies, allowing industry to assume fuller responsibility for subsystem design and development.” Congress also should 

charter NASA “to design and manage a broad-based, goal-oriented science 

program” to maximize the return from the achieved capability in lunar, 

planetary, and astronomical exploration. 

NASA would best fill its role if given “clearly defined responsibilities 

in nurturing space applications until they reach the most efficient handover point; if it is directed toward system integration and management 

rather than subsystem engineering and design; if it becomes the executive agency for an integrated space-science program; if it maintains its 

role as the advanced space-systems application-technology house for all 

users; and if it remains the active working partner of the aerospace 

December 29: 

10) 

354 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 During December 

industry in all programs, domestic or international, cooperative or cornpetitive.” (A&A, 12/73, 16-19) 0 The present total electric power demands of the U.S. could be supplied by 

solar energy plants with a 2000-km (1240-mi) total area, assuming 30% 

efficiency, Associate Director Walter E. Morrow, Jr., of the Massachusetts 

Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory said in a Technology 

Review article. “This is about 0.03 per cent of the U.S. land area devoted 

to farming and about 2 per cent of the land area devoted to roads; and 

it is about equal to the roof area of all the buildings in the U.S.” (Tech 

Rev, 12/73, 3143) 

355 

Summary 

During 1973: The US. put 26 payloads into orbit in 23 launches and the 

U.S.S.R. orbited 107 payloads in 86 launches. The U.S. total included 

13 spacecraft orbited by the Dept. of Defense in 10 launches (2 of them 

multiple launches) and 13 by NASA. NASA’s 13 successful launches out 

of 14 attempts nearly matched the agency’s 1972 record of 17 flawless 

launches out of 17 attempts. 

NASA’s Skylab program successfully launched the first US. experimental space station-the Orbital Workshopand three successive crews to 

man it. Skylab 4, the final mission and the longest-duration manned space 

flight to date (84 days 1 hr 16 min), also set records for man’s cumulative time in space (84 days), duration of extravehicular activity (7 

hrs 1 min), cumulative orbital EVA time for one mission (22 hrs 21 

min), and distance in orbit for a manned mission (55.5 million km; 

34.5 million mi). By the year’s end the Workshop had circled the earth 

more than 3350 times and housed nine astronauts. The Skylab 2 crew’s 

repair in space of the Skylab 1 Workshop, after aerodynamic forces 

damaged it during liftoff, salvaged the endangered program and proved 

man could do difficult construction work in space. The Skylab 2 crew 

spent 28 days in space and the Skylab 3 crew 59 days, each mission a 

record at the time. The missions proved man could live and work in 

space for extended periods; expanded solar astronomy beyond earthbased observations, collecting much valuable new data that might revise 

understanding of the sun and its effects on the earth; and improved 

techniques for surveying earth resources from space, returning more 

information than planned. 

In NASA’s unmanned program, Pioneer 10 (launched in 1972) swept 

past Jupiter in December 1973 at a distance of 130 000 km (81 000 mi). 

The first spacecraft to fly beyond the orbit of Mars and to penetrate 

the Asteroid Belt capped its two-year, 826-million-km (514-million-mi) 

journey by returning more than 300 closeup photos of Jupiter and its 

inner moons and providing new information on the planet’s atmosphere 

and magnetic field. By the year’s end Pioneer 10 was beginning its 

five-year extended mission to reach Saturn’s orbit in 1976 and the 

orbit of Uranus, the limit of spacecraft communications with the earth, 

in 1979. Thereafter it was to become the first man-made object to escape the solar system. Pioneer 11, launched in April, had passed safely 

through three fourths of the Asteroid Belt on its way to its December 

1974 encounter with Jupiter. Mariner 10, headed toward Mercury via 

Venus, was more than 14.5 million km (9 million mi) from the earth; 

it would pass by Venus in February 1974 and would provide the first 

closeup view of Mercury in March. 

NASA also selected landing sites for the Viking project’s landing of 

two spacecraft on Mars in 1976. Orbiter and lander critical design reviews, spacecraft thermal and structural tests, and other hardware tests 

were completed during the year. 

357 

PRECEDING PAGE BLANK NO!l! FXlXEDl 
During 1973 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

Scientific satellites launched in 1973 included Explorer 49 in lunar 

orbit to measure galactic and solar radio noise using occultation of the 

moon to reduce background interference, Explorer 50 to complete a 

study of the interplanetary environment over an 11-yr solar cycle, and 

Explorer 51 to study the earth‘s outer atmosphere. As December ended, 

scientists were studying Comet Kohoutek with optical telescopes, radiotelescopes, and radar from the ground; high-flying aircraft ; and instruments on unmanned satellites, sounding rockets, and Skylab 4. 

Nom 3, launched by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, would provide atmospheric soundings and very-highresolution, day-and-night cloud-cover imaging. Two communications 

satellites, Zntelsut-ZV F-7 for the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization and Anik 2 Canadian domestic comsat, were successfully launched, as well as Nnss 0-20 Transit navigational satellite for 

the Navy. 

Erts 1, launched in mid-1972 as the first Earth Resources Technology 

Satellite, completed its 7000th photo-taking orbit of the earth, demonstrating the great potential of remote-sensing of the earth’s resources by 

providing data for use throughout the world. 

All but one prime contractor for the space shuttle had been selected 

and design was proceeding on schedule. Most of the shuttle orbiter subcontractors were lined up, with fabrication to begin in FY 1975. Nine 

nations in the European Space Research Organization agreed to build 

the Spacelab for a wide variety of applications as a shuttle payload. 

NASA and DOD made joint system studies for the space tug and tentative 

agreement was reached for DOD to develop an initial tug stage for the 

shuttle. 

The first two powered flights of the X-XB lifting body were successfully made in the NASA and Air Force hypersonic aerospacecraft research 

program. NASA also vigorously pursued solutions to problems of aircraft 

noise, pollution, safety, and operational efficiency and technology for 

future-generation aircraft. Flight tests of NASA’s digital fly-by-wire advanced flight control system indicated the system improved handling 

qualities of aircraft in all flight conditions, with the reduced aircraft 

weight increasing payload potential and reducing fuel consumption, 

The JT8D engine refan program progressed to scheduling ground tests 

for February 1974. The engine modifications-in 727, 737, and DC-9 

aircraft, models that made up 60% of the domestic commercial fleetwere expected to reduce areas affected by aircraft noise by 75%. A 

67% reduction in 727 aircraft landing noise was anticipated from a 

two-segment landing procedure being tested in the NASA and Federal 

Aviation Administration noise abatement program. Automobile engines 

were used to demonstrate an internal combustion concept for reducing 

pollution emissions while increasing engine efficiency for general-aviation 

aircraft. New flight research programs included the remotely piloted research vehicle project in which the pilot flew scale models from a 

ground-based cockpit, eliminating risk to the test pilot and reducing 

test-flight costs more than 50%. 

In NASA’s sounding rocket program, more than 80 flights studied atmosphere, ionosphere, auroras and airglow, geomagnetic storms, meteor 

streams, and trapped radiation fluctuations; male astronomical observations in x-ray, ultraviolet, and radio regions of the electromagnetic 

spectrum ; and supported other programs. Rocket launches provided a 

358 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 During 1973 

reference for calibration of equipment on Skylab’s Apollo Telescope 

Mount. Forty-nine balloons were flown for scientific research and for 

development of new technology for long-duration orbital missions. 

DOD’S year included further development and implementation of satellite communications and navigation systems, development of new military aircraft, and construction of advanced medium STOL prototypes. 

The U.S.S.R.’s record 86 launches topped 83 in 1971 and 74 in 1972. 

The 107 Soviet payloads included 85 Cosmos satellites, 2 Intercosmos, 

1 Luna, 2 Meteor, 1 Prognoz, 1 cooperative Soviet-French Oreol, 2 

manned Soyuz, 1 Salyut, 4 Mars probes, and 4 Molniya I and 4 Molniya 

I1 comsats. The Luna 21 probe landed the Lunokhod 2 self-propelled 

vehicle on the moon for lunar studies. Soyuz 12 carried two cosmonauts 

into orbit on a two-day mission in September, the first Soviet manned 

flight since 1971, and Soyuz 13 carried two cosmonauts on an eight-day 

mission in December. Spacecraft system tests and experiments were 

reported successful on both flights. (Pres Rpt 1974; NASA Release 73- 

281; NASA Activities, 1/15/74; A&A 1973; GSFC SSR, 12/31/73; 

GSFC Sounding Rocket Div) 

NASA’S 15th anniversary year-memorable for advances in earth resources 

technology, aeronautics progress, expanded international cooperation in 

space, and increased promise for future manned and unmanned planetary exploration-boosted the US. space program from the spectacular 

orbit of Apollo lunar exploration to a steady program of extended service to science and mankind. Skylab’s triumph heralded the approach 

of the shuttle era that would weld with the earth the vast regions of 

near-earth space, extending man’s transportation system into regions 

beyond land, sea, and air. The newest Pioneer probes began penetration 

into the mysteries of outer planetary space. 

Budget restrictions in line with President Nixon’s January $250- 

billion target for total Government spending slowed space shuttle manpower buildup, suspended work on the High Energy Astronomy 

Observatory, and required phase-out of communications satellite work 

and curtailment of work on nuclear propulsion. But Skylab, the space 

shuttle, the scheduled US.-U.S.S.R. 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project 

mission, the Viking, the Mariner Jupiter-Saturn mission, and many 

applications and aeronautics projects were retained in a balanced and 

productive program. 

Dr. Homer E. Newell, NASA Associate Administrator for the past seven 

years and member of the NASA staff since October 1958, retired at the 

end of the year. Dr. Newell had been Science Program Coordinator in 

the Nation’s first satellite program, the Naval Research Laboratory’s 

Project Vanguard, before establishment of NASA. 

Tight funding and the near completion of the Skylab missions brought 

a net reduction in NASA Civil Service employees of 1646, including 

retirements, during the calendar year, with a total 25 598 on board Jan. 

5, 1974. Headquarters employees dropped by a net change of 80, Kennedy Space Center by 117, Johnson Space Center by 110, Marshall 

Space Flight Center by 374, Ames Research Center by 49, Flight 

Research Center by 13, Langley Research Center by 62, Lewis Research 

Center by 494 (with the phasing down of Plum Brook Station), Goddard Space Flight Center by 289, and Wallops Station by 14. AECNASA Space Nuclear Systems Office was closed with the end of the 

NERVA program. Further reductions of 628-including 405 at MSFC and 

359 
During 1973 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

200 at Lex-were scheduled in 1974, to bring the FY 1974 end-of-year 

total to the required 24 970 ceiling. 

Aerospace industry employment in the Nation increased to 946 000 in 

June but declined to 935 000 by the year’s end. 

Techniques developed for aerospace activities were applied to earthquake prediction, development of residential solar heating, and fuelsaving integrated systems for housing. NASA added 550 technical briefs 

to its more than 5000 technical innovations already available for U.S. 

industry use. More than 68 000 U.S. industrial and commercial firms 

requested additional data on these innovations. Some 3000 firms spent 

$625 000 for special assistance from NASA’s Regional Dissemination 

Ceaters; 1500 firms purchased 1891 computer programs and related 

documentation for $221 530. NASA liberalized its patent-licensing procedures to speed technology transfer and during 1973 five exclusive 

patent licenses, the largest number since the program’s inception, were 

granted. A NASA liaison office was opened in New York City to work 

directly with city agencies on public safety, drug detection, and fire 

prevention. 

A rechargeable heart pacemaker was developed under NASA auspices 

by the Johns Hopkins Univ. Applied Physics Laboratory. Electronic 

components designed for space use were incorporated in the device, 

which could be recharged at home by the patient, eliminating the need 

for surgery every two years to replace conventional devices. A new 

radio transmitter temperature pill allowed doctors to check localized 

internal body temperature changes. A portable visual testing device 

permitted early detection of eye disorders. A test hospital room for 

paralyzed patients used space-developed devices for remote operation of 

communications systems and appliances. 

The NASA FY 1974 appropriation of $3.002 billion was $13.9 million 

below the budget request, $62.4 million below the $3.0645-billion FY 

1973 authorization, and $406 million below the FY 1973 appropriation 

of $3.408 billion. (A&A 1972; A&A 1973; Aerospace, 2/74,6-11; NASA 

Off Comptroller; NASA Off of Admin; NASA SP-5119; NASA Release 73- 

281) * In its program of international cooperation, NASA launched Anik 2 domestic communications satellite for Telesat Canada and Intelsat-IV F-7 for 

Communications Satellite Corp. on behalf of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization. 

A significant milestone was the Intergovernmental Agreement on U.S. 

and European cooperation on Spacelab, signed by the U.S., Belgium, 

France, West Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. To be 

funded and developed by nine members of the European Space Research organization, the Spacelab would be carried into orbit by NASA’s 

space shuttle orbiter and would accommodate experiments and per. 

sonnel on missions of 7 to 30 days. 

Notable progress was made in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, with the 

joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. rendezvous and docking mission on schedule for 

July 1975 launch. Working groups met in both countries and a November Moscow meeting familiarized eight U.S. astronauts with the Soviet 

Soyuz spacecraft. Docking system designs were essentially completed 

and all hardware construction was on schedule. Joint dynamic testing 

of test units began at Johnson Space Center. Flight crews were selected 

in both countries. 

360 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 During 1973 

Eighty-three nations entered into Definitive Agreements for INTELSAT, 

permanently establishing the global communications satellite system 

envisioned in the US. Communications Satellite Act of 1962. 

Scientists from other nations cooperated in NASA studies ranging from 

investigations of the solar system to practical applications of space 

technology. Erts 1 and Skylab environment and resources data were 

used throughout the world. Scientists from 37 countries and the United 

Nations participated in Erts 1 experiments and Brazil and Canada 

established their own ERTS data-acquisition facilities. Four foreign experiments were carried on Skylab missions and foreign scientists participated in the Apollo solar telescope program and in correlated 

astronomy sounding rocket programs. Scientists in 19 countries and the 

U.N. participated in 40 Skylab data-analysis investigations. 

German and Australian scientists were coinvestigators for Pioneer 11 

experiments and French and U.K. scientists for Mariher 10. Investigators from 40 nations and ESRO were selected to participate in the ApoZh 

17 lunar sample program. A joint working group of the U.S.S.R. 

Academy of Sciences and NASA held the third and fourth meetings an 

space biology and medicine, exchanging information on manned space 

flight. 

Parallel communications channels using Intelsat and Molniya comsat 

systems were planned for 1974 to support the U.S.-U.S.S.R. Direct 

Communications Link, with construction of earth stations in both 

countries for access to each other’s satellites, 

Work went forward for future cooperative satellite projects. Agreement was reached with Italy to fly San Marco G2 in 1974. Negotiations 

were underway with West Germany for 1974 launch of the AEROS-B 

aeronomy satellite and work continued on the experimental CTS comsat 

to be launched with Canada, the HELIOS solar probe with Germany, the 

INTASAT ionospheric beacon with Spain, the UK-5 stellar x-ray satellite, 

Canada’s Anik Cy and U.K.’s X4 technology spacecraft. 

Negotiations were also underway on NASA launch services for the 

French-German Symphonie comsat in 1974 and two ESRO test comsats in 

1976 and 1977. The U.S. and ESRO were about to enter agreement for 

an air traffic control and navigation satellite system. 

During the year NASA launched 30 sounding rockets from ranges in 

other countries, including rockets carrying foreign payloads or cooperative experiments. New sounding rocket agreements were signed with 

Australia, Brazil, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. 

(Pres Rpt 1974; NASA Release 73-281; NASA Actiuities, 1/15/74,2-3) 

A burgeoning worldwide energy shortage led President Nixon to propose 

in June the establishment of a Cabinet-level Dept. of Natural Resources, 

an Energy Research and Development Administration, and a Nuclear 

Energy Commission. The shortage reached crisis proportion with the 

embargo by Arab nations on oil shipments to the US. in retaliation for 

U.S. support to Israel during the October Arab-Israeli war. 

In a November speech President Nixon noted the U.S. was on the 

verge of “the most acute shortage of energy since World War 11.” He 

called for reduced use of heat, electricity, and gasoline; announced 

Federal Government steps to lower energy consumption; asked the 

Atomic Energy Commission to accelerate licensing and constructing 

nuclear power plants; and asked for an emergency energy act. 

Nine energy bills, passed in rapid succession by the first session of 

361 
During 1973 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

the 93rd Congress, included authorizations for mandatory fuel allocation programs, construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline, a return to 

year-round daylight saving time, a speed limit on interstate highways, 

and the National Emergency Act. Soaring prices of all kinds of fuel, 

long lines of cars and banned Sunday sales at gas stations, and airline 

fare increases and schedule cutbacks marked closing months of the year. 

Economists forecast a possible depression as energy shortages aggravated an already recessed economy. Scientists sought additional 

sources of fossil fuels and, for the future, new sources of energy to 

make the US. energy-autonomous. The focus turned to NASA and its 

pioneering expertise in the technologies of solar energy and development of hydrogen as a substitute for gasoline in automobiles and aircraft. At the year’s end pending legislation endorsed NASA cooperation 

with other appropriate agencies in solving the worldwide energy shortage and in providing the US. with future sources of non-fossil-fuel 

energy. (A&A 1973; Library of Congress, Congr Research Service, 

Major Legislation of the 93rd Congress; Newsweek, 12/3/73) 

* Aerospace industry sales increased to an estimated $24.9 billion, more 

than 10% above 1972’s $23.5 billion. Commercial aerospace sales 

increased 43.l%, to $5.8 billion, reflecting deliveries of wide-bodied 

transports, helicopters, and general-aviation aircraft. Major aerospace 

sales included $13.8 billion to the Dept. of Defense, up from $13.2 

billion; missile sales at $5.6 billion, up from $5.2 billion; and aircraft 

sales at $13.4 billion, up from $11.6 billion. 

Sales in the space area alone declined to $2.9 billion, from $3.0 

billion in 1972. Executive and utility aircraft sales increased from 

$558 million in 1972 to $826 million-up 48%. Units delivered increased 39.1%. Civilian helicopter sales increased from $90 million in 

1972 to $121 million in 1973, a gain of 48%. 

Aerospace export dollar value rose 27.6% because of two US. dollar 

devaluations, to a total of $4.9 billion; aerospace imports increased 

37.5% to $777 million. Aerospace industry profits were expected to 

increase by 2.7% of sales after taxes. The 1973 profit rate for all 

manufacturing industries was expected to be 4.6%. (Aerospace, 2/74, 3) 

US. scheduled airlines flew 161 billion passenger-miles carrying more 

than 200 million passengers, nearly 4 million tons of freight and express, 

and some 16 billion letters for the US. Postal Service. The US. fleet 

of 2250 aircraft was composed primarily of jet aircraft, valued at over 

$12 billion. Air freight accounted for a record billion dollars of operating revenue. Total operating revenue was just under $12 billion, but 

earnings, hard hit by rising fuel costs, were less than $200 million. 

(Aerospace, 2/74, 6-7) 

362 
Appendix A 

SATELLITES, SPACE PROBES, AND MANNED 

SPACE FLIGHTS 

A CHRONICLE FOR 1973 

The following tabulation was compiled from open sources by Leonard 

C. Bruno of the Science and Technology Division of the Library of Cone 

gress. Sources included the United Nations Public Registry; the Satellite 

Situation Report compiled by the Operations Control Center at Goddard 

Space Flight Center; and public information releases of the Department 

of Defense, NASA, NOAA, and other agencies, as well as those of the Communications Satellite Corporation. Russian data are from the U.N. Public 

Registry, the Satellite Situation Report, translations from the Tass News 

Agency, statements in the Soviet press, and international news services 

reports. Data on satellites of other foreign nations are from the U.N. Public 

Registry, the Satellite Situation Report, governmental announcements, and 

international news services reports. 

This tabulation lists payloads that have (a) orbited; (b) as probes, 

ascended to at least the 6500-kilometer (4000-mile) altitude that traditionally has distinguished probes from sounding rockets, etc.; or (c) conveyed one or more human beings into space, whether orbit was attained 

or not. Furthermore, only flights that have succeeded-or at least can be 

shown by tracking data to have fulfilled our definition of satellite or probe 

or manned flight-are listed. Date of launch is referenced to local time at 

the launch site. An asterisk by the date marks dates that are one day earlier 

in this tabulation than in listings which are referenced to Greenwich Mean 

Time. A double asterisk by the date marks dates of Soviet launches which are 

a day later in this compilation than in listings which are referenced to 

Greenwich Mean Time. 

World space activity increased slightly over last year. Total successful 

launches increased-109 against 106 in 1972-as did total payloads orbited 

-133 against 126 in 1972. The difference between launches and payloads 

is of course accounted for by the multiple-payload launches (DOD, the principal user of this system in the past, made 2 multiple launches in 1973, 

orbiting 5 payloads; NASA made none, for the first time since 1966; the 

U.S.S.R. made 3 multiple launches, orbiting 8 satellites in each). 

Of the 1973 world total, the United States launched 23 boosters carrying 

26 payloads. In 1972 30 US. boosters launched 35 payloads. The U.S. 

booster total for 1973 also declined about 25 percent from the previous 

year, and both booster and payload totals were the lowest since 1960. Of 

these 1973 totals, DOD was responsible for 10 launches and 13 payloads. Of 

NASA’s 13 launches, 4 were non-NASA missions-Anik 2 for Canada, Intelsat363 
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1973 

IV F-7 for ComSatCorp, Now 3 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, and a navigation satellite, Nnss 0-20, for the Navy. The 

Soviet Union once again far exceeded United States space totals, launching 

107 payloads with 86 launches-both world records. It had launched 89 

payloads with 74 launches in 1972. 

The year was dominated by the marathon flights of the US. Skylab 

program. Each three-man crew exceeded the records and accomplishments 

of the former, and the three separate flights that began in May 1973 and 

ended in February 1974 proved that man could live and work in space for 

extended periods. The final Skylab flight lasted a record 84 days and, together, nine U.S. astronauts lived in space for nearly six months. 

Pioneer 10, launched in March 1972, became man’s first spacecraft to 

reach Jupiter, passing 130 000 km (81 000 mi) from the planet on Dec. 3, 

1973. A second Jupiter probe, Pioneer 11, was launched early in 1973 and 

emerged undamaged from the Asteroid Belt March 20, 1974. It was scheduled 

to pass Jupiter in December 1974 and to fly by Saturn in 1979. Mariner 10, 

launched late in 1973, photographed Venus during a February 1974 flyby 

and used that planet’s gravity for a first-ever encounter with Mercury during 

March 1974. NASA launched three different scientific satellites: Explorer 49 

was placed in lunar orbit to investigate galactic and solar radio noise; 

Explorer 50 monitored interplanetary radiation froin an orbit halfway between the earth and the moon; and Explorer 51’s highly elliptical orbit 

allowed it to dip into the earth‘s lower atmosphere for aeronomy investigations. The Department of Defense also placed two improved communications 

satellites in synchronous orbit. 

The Soviet Union, in its most prolific year to date, resumed its manned 

efforts and continued a program of scientific, interplanetary, and applications satellites-not all with success. Early in the year, its unmanned orbital 

laboratory SuZyut 2 broke up after 10 days in earth orbit. A similar orbital 

laboratory attempt a month later met with failure in orbit and was called 

Cosmos 557. The two-day Soyuz 12 mission, carrying two cosmonauts, was 

the first Soviet manned flight in more than two years and demonstrated 

Soviet confidence in the redesigned Soyuz capsule. The December two-man 

flight of Soyuz 13 lasted nearly eight days in an apparent test of the modified 

Soyuz craft to be used for the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz docking mission. The 

Soviets also sent four spacecraft toward Mars, two orbiters and two landers, 

but only one orbiter performed properly upon arrival in February 1974. 

Luna 21 landed successfully on the moon and deposited the unmanned 

Lunokhd 2, which traveled 37 km (23 mi) over its surface. During 1973 

the Soviets also launched eight communications satellites, two meteorological 

satellites, and OreoZ2, a cooperative Soviet-French scientific satellite. 

This year was the first since 1969 that no third natioh launched a satellite 

of its own. 

As we have cautioned in previous years, the “Remarks” column of these 

appendixes is never complete, because of printing time and the inescapable 

lag behind each flight of the analysis and interpretation of results. 

364