Apr 18 1967
From The Space Library
NASA Administrator James E. Webb submitted summary of M/G Samuel Phillips' (USAF) report on North American Aviation, Inc.'s workmanship (the "Phillips Report") to the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences: "Our main criticism was that the Space and Information Division was overmanned and that the S-II and CSM programs could be done, and done better by fewer people, better organized with particular emphasis on achieving greater competence in key management and technical positions. . . . Work tasks were inadequately defined and scheduled . . . and, largely as a result of these conditions, budget and control were deficient. . . in each of . . . [the] problem areas we identified in December 1965, we found . . . improvement in the situation in April 1966. I do not intend, however, to leave the impression that we were completely satisfied with North American's performance. We did determine . . . that the corrective actions already taken and those in the process of being implemented in April 1966 were appropriate ones that reflected a responsive reaction by NAA to the criticism we had expressed during our review and provided some measure of confidence for improved future performance. . . ." Testifying in support of NASA's FY 1968 budget, Webb warned against permitting the Jan. 27 Apollo accident to deter US. space efforts. It should not, he said, "lead us to lose sight of the continued progress and vigorous efforts the Soviets are making. . . . With the world situation what it is, and with clear indications that the Soviets are going ahead with a large-scale, long-term program in space, it is especially important this year for the United States to let the world know that we cannot and will not surrender our hard-won position, even though we will not mount the larger effort required to catch up with them." Describing the proposed budget as "forward looking," Webb conceded that it would not "enable us [NASA] to move toward important goals with as much assurance as we would like." He outlined NASA's planned program and urged support for all future projects: "If we fail to make these decisions in our consideration of the 1968 budget, they will go by default. . . . Later when we find we do not have the capabilities we could have had and that others are accomplishing what we might have achieved, it will be too late." (Wood, W Post, 4/19/67, A9; Sehlstedt, B Sun, 4/19/67, 1)
NASA Nike-Cajun sounding rocket launched from Point Barrow, Alaska, carried GSFC-instrumented grenade payload to obtain data on temperature, pressure, density, and wind between 22-59 mi (35-95 km) at transition from winter-time westerly to summer-time easterly circulation. Rocket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (NASA Rpt SRL)
Informed sources reported that U.S.S.R.'s Tu-144 supersonic transport would not be ready for the Paris International Air Show in May as UPI reported March 7 but would still fly before the Anglo-French Concorde and US. SST, according to AP. First test flight of Tu-144 would be in late 1967. (AP, NYT, 4/19/67,73)
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