Dec 3 1974
From The Space Library
NASA's Pioneer 11, traveling toward Jupiter since 5 April 19.73 launch, flew within 42 000 km of the planet's cloud tops and sent back the first polar images-as well as magnetospheric, temperature, and other measurements-before swinging on toward Saturn [see 2 Nov.-3 Jan. 1975]. (NASA Pioneer Mgr, interview, 12 Nov 75; Hall, Opp, et al., Science, 2 May 75, 445-8)
The European Space Research Organization announced the award of three contracts totaling nearly $66 million for design and development of two spacecraft and one satellite communications payload: $25.2 million to GEC-Marconi (United Kingdom) as the prime contractor for the MAROTS maritime communications satellite payload to be launched in 1977; $20.76 million plus launch and postlaunch support to Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Ltd. (U.K.) as prime contractor for the MESH consortium, for the MAROTS spacecraft platform and satellite integration and support; and $19.56 million to Dornier-System GMBh (Germany) as prime con-tractor for the STAR consortium, for the ISEE-B International Sun-Earth Explorer, to be launched with ISEE-A in 1977 in a cooperative NASA-ESRO program.
Norway, the first nonmember country to participate in an ESRO project, had agreed to contribute 1.5% to the MAROTS development budget of about $97 million and to share in fixed common costs. (ESRO Release, 3 Dec 74; Av Wk, 2 Dec 74, 38)
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