Dec 4 1967
From The Space Library
NASA's total procurement in FY 1967 fell to $4.651 billion-8% below FY 1966---and procurement actions dropped to 283,000-11% less than FX 1966-because of budget reductions, Aerospace Technology reported. NASA's "Annual Procurement Report, Fiscal Year 1967" disclosed that 83% of net dollar value went directly to business firms; 4% to education and other nonprofit institutions; 5% to Cal Tech for operating JPL; and 8% to other Government agencies. NASA continued its policy of making greater use of incentive contracts, awarding 81 new incentive contracts and converting 11 cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts to incentive awards during FY 1967. North American Rockwell Corp. led in dollar amount of NASA awards, receiving 25.46% of total. (Aero Tech, 12/4/67,46)
Thomas O'Toole, writing in the Washington Post, reviewed NASA's "growing role in the Vietnam war." Both NASA and DOD were reluctant to disclose the size of NASA's defense effort, he charged, "but it's known that [[[Office of Advanced Research and Technology|OART]]] is spending between $4 million and $5 million a year directing the efforts of 100 scientists and engineers to tasks vital to the Vietnam war." Results of NASA research, he said, included a new acoustic detector able to locate mortars by measuring ground vibrations, a more-steerable parachute, aircraft engines too quiet to be beard during approach, a scissors-like sling for helicopter rescues, and a helicopter which did not make a chopper noise. Although NASA willingly participated in defense research, its authorization to do so was "fuzzy ," he said, "based only on a section of the 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Act which directed NASA to make available to defense organizations discoveries that have military value or significance." NASA was "nervous" about its military role, he asserted, because of its unclear authorization, fear of congressional inquiry, and fear of international reaction. Sen. Strom Thurmond (R. S.C.) later attacked O'Toole's article on the Senate floor: "One might expect that if . . . a story of this sort were to be dug up, the article would express gratification that the taxpayer's money was being used on behalf of the American people . . . [and not purport to be] shocked that NASA projects help our national objective. . . . I am firmly of the conviction that anything that can be developed technically to save a single American life in Vietnam, especially by any individual or organization that is being paid by American taxpayers, belongs freely to our soldiers. . . . "The article is obviously a patently calculated leak. The informed details it provides on NASA's research and technical work proves this. . . . This is a shocking thing, that is not a matter of press freedom, or even of press license, but plain aid and comfort to the enemy. . . . Publishers and editors should accept their responsibility to prevent such . . . news coverage and to prevent, too, the violation of security classifications on subjects that involve adversely the preservation of the lives of American fighting men." (O'Toole, W Post, 12/4/67, Al; NASA LAR VI/128)
French experimental aerotrain Le Zinc reached 215 mph in test on 4.2-mi track at Gometz-la-Vie, France, claiming new world record for track vehicles. Previous 195 mph record had been set by a French Aerotrain Co. locomotive. Le Zinc, a half-size experimental model of an aerotrain designed by Jean Berlain, rode on a 1/10-in:thick air cushion over a concrete track. Full-scale model, driven by turbo-propeller, would carry 80 passengers up to 250 mph. (Hess, NYT, 12/5/67,1)
Izvestia announced completion of one of the world's largest atomic research reactors, designed to produce and test materials that could provide heat and power for long-duration space flights. Material Investigations Reactor (MIR) , located in Melekess reactor development center in Volga River Valley, reportedly could generate 100,000 kw of heat at full power from fuel elements containing 90% uranium 235. Designed to produce an intense flux of neutrons to irradiate test materials rapidly, MIR could attain maximum neutron flow of 500,000 billion neutrons per sq cm per sec. Highest flux attained to date was 600,000 billion, achieved by AEC's Savannah River reactor in 1965-1966 demonstration. (Shabad, NYT, 12/10/67,72)
Michael Getler, in Aerospace Technology editorial, cited U.K.'s lack of "willingness to invest at home in the pursuit of new technology needed to compete and to grow," as a major reason for devaluation of the British pound [see Nov. 18]. Comparing French and U.K. economies Getler noted that France had invested heavily in her own industry to support a large-scale military buildup and an expensive national space program. "In contrast to French willingness to pay for the cost of [R&D], the British have tended to treat their big companies solely as manufacturers. . . . "While the British have purchased [US.] Polaris missiles . . . the French have built their own. The British . . . now are buying U.S.-built F-4s and F-111s, while the French continue to design and build newer versions of their own Mirage family, and are now exporting them. . . . "The British national space program is virtually non-existent despite a growing realization. . . [by] Parliament that investment in a properly scaled effort can be of great importance in developing [British] technology. . . . There is no suggestion that the British take on a multi-billion dollar effort, but there certainly are grounds to support investment in a $100 million program . . . that would be directed at developing satellites with some obvious commercial applications." Although U.K.'s purchases of U.S. goods were "good business for American industry," Getler noted, "the long range risk to this country is that an old and comparably faithful ally will be weakened in the process. Eventually, the British will tire of buying US. weapons . . . [but will have] no R&D base . . . to fall back. . . ." (Getler, Aero Tech, 12/4/67,58)
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