Dec 27 1978
From The Space Library
NASA reported a delegation from the People's Republic of China had been discussing with U.S. officials since Nov. 28 the possibility of U.S.-PRC cooperation in peaceful uses of space technology. The delegation also had visited several NASA centers and U.S. aerospace industrial establishments. NASA Administrator Dr. Robert Frosch headed the U.S. delegation; Dr. Jen Hsin-min, director of the PRC Academy of Space Technology, the Chinese delegation.
Following up a visit to PRC in July by presidential science adviser Dr. Frank Press, the discussions had produced an informal agreement on developing a civilian communications system for PRC. China would purchase a U.S. satellite communications system, including ground receiving and distribution equipment; the U.S. would put the space portion of the system into geostationary orbit, and China would take over its operation. A similar informal agreement covered PRC purchase of a ground station capable of receiving earth-resources information from U.S. Landsat remote-sensing satellites including the Landsat D currently under development. The PRC delegation would remain in the U.S. until mid-Jan. for further technical discussions. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the discussions, and agreed on further talks to work out details of the informal agreements and to consider other forms of civilian space cooperation. (NASA Release 78-197)
NASA announced appointment of Robert Aller as director of Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) program office at the NASA Hq Office of Space Tracking and Data Systems. Effective Jan. 2, 1979, Aller would be responsible for planning, direction, and evaluation of the TDRSS program. Working with NASA program and project managers, he would determine requirements and develop and implement plans for TDRSS support of NASA earth-orbital spaceflight missions. Western Union Space Communications, Inc., would provide NASA with TDRSS tracking, command, and data-relay services under a 10yr telecommunications agreement. Aller had been deputy director of the expendable launch vehicles program in the NASA Office of Space Transportation Systems, and had served in the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and the Skylab, Apollo, and Gemini programs. He had received the NASA medal for outstanding leadership and two NASA exceptional service medals. (NASA Release 78-193)
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