Apr 27 1970
From The Space Library
Senate passed S.J.R. 193 appointing former NASA Administrator James E. Webb as Citizen Regent of Board of Regents of Smithsonian Institution. (CR, 4/27/70, S6234-5)
Aerospace Medical Assn. held 41st annual scientific meeting in Houston, Tex. Dr. Charles A. Berry, MSC Director of Medical Research and Operations, presided. NASC Executive Secretary William A. Anders, former astronaut, delivered Louis H. Bauer Lecture: Space program had contributed "in innumerable ways to new advances in biotechnology and human factors research." Developments included miniature radiation probes size of clinical thermometer, EKG transmitting systems, computer enhancement of x-ray films using techniques developed to bring' out details from Mars photographs, and "supersensitive devices to detect the tiny tremors of early Parkinson's disease, which were developed to register micrometeoroid hits on spacecraft." (MSC Release 70-42; Text)
Assistant Under Secretary of State for Public Affairs and former astronaut Michael Collins addressed meeting of Foreign Service Wives Assn. in Washington, D.C.: "By the year 2000 or 2100, people will look back on the 1970s and find it incredible that cancellation of the space program was proposed.... It is inevitable there will be colonization of other planets, despite the risks." Collins told group he hadn't been sure of success of first manned lunar landing until he and colleagues were safely enroute home; "that was the first time I felt any certainty about it." (W Star, 4/28/70, B7)
Dr. John S. Foster, Jr., DOD Director of Defense Research and Engineering, testified before House Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on DOD Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation concerning Communist Chinese satellite: April 24 launch of Chicom I by Communist China indicated "Chinese commitment to a large space program" rather than "attempt to make a show by launching a single object into space." Chinese had "benefited from two findings by the Soviets and ourselves... enormous political impact that such a launch has around the world... [and] military applications. I believe the Chinese statement made it rather clear that they associate this space effort with their future needs from a military point of view." (Transcript)
F-5D "Skylancer" aircraft used by Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong in training was being retired by FRC and eventually would be turned over by NASA to Ohio Historical Society for display in future Armstrong Museum at Wapakoneta, FRC announced. Until completion of museum in Armstrong's hometown, aircraft, which he flew in 1960s to practice spacecraft emergency maneuvers, would be displayed at USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. (FRC Release 7/70)
MSFC announced award of $4 435 275 contract modification to North American Rockwell Corp. for changes in seven Saturn V 2nd stages, S-II-9 through S-II-15. Work, which included testing and replacing components that caused corrosion, would be completed by March 31, 1973. (MSFC Release 70-79)
Appointment of John P. Olsen, Assistant to Senior Vice President of U:S. Smelting, Refining and Mining Co., as Deputy Under Secretary of Transportation was announced by Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe. He would succeed Charles D. Baker, who had been appointed Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Policy and International Affairs, effective April 28. (DOT Release 8970)
At NAS annual meeting in Washington, D.C., Dr. Philip H. Abelson, Director of Carnegie Institute geophysical laboratory and editor of Science, said cutbacks in Government research funds during last five years had dealt devastating blow to U.S. colleges and reduced Nation's total scientific research effort by at least 30%. If cutbacks continued, U.S. would become "second-class nation in science." Harvard Univ. scientist Dr. Harvey Brooks said surge of science funding in Japan, Western Europe, and U.S.S.R. had cost U.S. its research lead in astronomy, radioastronomy, biology, and physical and organic chemistry. It was doubtful U.S. would ever regain supremacy it once enjoyed in virtually every scientific field. (Kirkman, W News, 4/28/70, 20)
Stewart Alsop said in Newsweek: "The story of the failure of the Russian moon-exploration project ... is interesting and rather puzzling. The first test of the Soviet space vehicle comparable to Apollo was operationally successful in March 1967. The most recent SL-12 mission-an unmanned, nonrecoverable lunar probe-aborted in February, the eleventh to do so, "The Soviet Government and the Soviet press had not a word to say about this string of failures.... But in the American intelligence community there is no doubt at all about the failures, and no doubt either that the Soviet space-exploration program has been a thoroughly miserable performance." (Newsweek, 4/27/70)
Communist China's first satellite was believed to have been planned by said. scientist Tsien Hsueh-shen, Wall Street Journal said. Former MIT and Cal Tech scientist had been high-ranking Pentagon adviser during World War II and had left U.S. in 1955 after having been named in deportation order charging him with being Communist Party member. (WSJ, 4/27/70)
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin editorial on Communist Chinese satellite launch: "To identify Peking's satellite as proof of a perfected weapon is to orient debate on the ABM to expansion of that system and the proliferation of weapons. This at a time when the world's two prime producers of nuclear weapons are trying to agree on curtailing them. For these talks [SALT] to fail is to deliver the world to witless expansion of arsenals, with the always accompanying threat to use them. The ultimate promise is catastrophe far beyond anything the Chinese could execute." (P Bull, 4/27/70)
April 27-30: American Nuclear Society held annual meeting in Huntsville, Ala. Dr. Thomas O. Paine, NASA Administrator, told members U.S. technological edge over rest of world depended on joint nuclear-space developments. Presence of highly skilled personnel at MSFC made it logical that program be centered there. (Huntsville News, 4/29/70)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
