Apr 24 1972
From The Space Library
Second set of reports by NASA and Soviet Academy of Sciences Working Groups which met in Moscow Nov. 29 to Dec. 6, 1971, had been approved by NASA and Soviet Academy, NASA announced. Meetings, to define technical requirements for rendezvous and docking of U.S. and U.S.S.R. spacecraft, had not resulted in definite decision to commit either U.S. or U.S.S.R to joint manned space mission. Reports indicated Working Group 1 had completed general documentation on life support systems, coordinate systems, and constraints on spacecraft configuration and had agreed on objectives and preliminary documentation for possible test mission, exchanges on test windows, program elements, and required communications channels. Working Group 2 had listed guidance and control systems and onboard spacecraft equipment to be compatible and had nearly completed documentation on lights, docking targets and contact conditions, control systems, and radio tracking. Working Group 3 had agreed on basic values for compatible docking system, including diameter of tunnel, and to create scale model of docking system that would verify parameters and ensure compatibility in early development stage. (NASA Release 72-88)
Possible discovery of historical point of origin of life from study of rocks believed to be 3.4 billion yrs old was announced by Ames Research Center scientist Dr. Keith A. Kvenvolden. Dr. Kvenvolden had conducted research with Dr. J. William Schopf and Dorothy Oehler of Univ. of California at Los Angeles on rocks Dr. Kvenvolden brought back in 1968 from Onverwacht Strata in Barberton Mountain Land near South Africa's border with Swaziland. Rocks showed fossil evidence of beginnings of photosynthesis-life process of plants. Ancient carbon found in rocks which could predate photosynthesis was similar to organic carbon in meteorites believed to have come from asteroid belt. Immediately above was layer of identical pre-Cambrian rock with evidence of carbon produced by early photosynthetic organisms. Lack of photosynthesis in lowest layers of rock fitted theory of chemical evolution of, origin of life. (uri, W News, 4/25/72, 10; Time, 6/19/72)
NASA launched Aerobee 170 sounding rocket from White Sands Missile Range, N. Mex., carrying Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. solar physics experiment. Docket and instrumentation performed satisfactorily. (SR list)
New York Times editorial commented on Apollo 16 mission now in progress; "It will take many months and even years before the full harvest of Apollo 16's scientific contribution is in. But even now there is much material for scientists to analyze. It is information made available by the superb television pictures received here on earth, by the verbal descriptions of the astronauts and by the data radioed back to this planet from the various automatic sensors on the lunar surface." Preliminary conclusion was "that in some important ways the moon is now even more mysterious, even harder to under-stand, than it was before Apollo 16 took off. The additional knowledge of lunar conditions available from last weekend's exploration indicates that the reality of the moon's origin and history is even more complex than previous theories had assumed." (NYT, 4/24/72, 34)
Edward P. Andrews, Manager of Skylab Spacecraft and Skylab Launch Vehicles at NASA Hq., became Director of Systems Operation in Space Shuttle Program. (NASA Activities, 5/15/72, 105)
West German government was preparing blueprint for aerospace development for remainder of decade, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. Basic document for government financing and support would establish priorities in military and civil aerospace development and provide government and industry with "idea of how much room remains for maneuver in regard to implementing new projects." Theme would be "multi-national cooperation." (Av Wk, 4/24/72, 32-41)
April 24-25: American Physical Society held annual spring meeting in New York. Team of Columbia Univ. scientists reported observations made with 1971 rocket experiment to study x-rays from Crab Nebula had supported view that pulsars were hurling high-energy particles, or cosmic rays, into space constantly at close to speed of sound. Experiment had shown that rays were polarized. X-rays from space could not penetrate atmosphere. (Sullivan, NYT, 4/26/72, 11)
April 24-26: At annual meeting of National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington, D.C., members voted to reorganize National Research Council (NRC) to deal more effectively with major problems of U.S. society. Members also adopted resolution that NAS projects and studies should be unclassified. If leadership approved contract for classified project, membership would receive unclassified resume explaining proposed study. If 10 or more members from at least 2 scientific institutions considered project inappropriate, they could present case to NAS's governing body. Resolution on foreign policy asked President Nixon and Congress to develop and apply science and technology in industry, agriculture, and health for furtherance of human welfare and called for de-emphasis on reliance on military force, direct or indirect. NAS James Craig Watson Medal of Science was presented to Dr. Andre Deprit, NRC postdoctoral resident research associate at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Citation was for "adaptation of modern computing machinery to algebraic rather than arithmetical operations." Award consisted of gold medal and $2000 honorarium. (Program; Schmeck, NYT, 4/27/72, 27; W Star, 4/23/72, D3)
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