Dec 8 1970
From The Space Library
House, by vote of 213 to 174, tabled motion to instruct House conferees to agree to Senate amendment that would strike SST funds from H.R. 17755, FY 1971 DOT appropriations bill [see Dec. 3]. (CR, 12/8/70, H11306-24)
Astronauts Alan B. Shepard, Jr., and Edgar D. Mitchell took four hour walk-through of planned EVA activity in KSC training area in preparation for Apollo 14 lunar landing mission Jan. 31, 1971. (Marshall Star, 12/9/70, 1)
New York Times editorial commented on discovery by ARC scientist Dr. Cyril A. Ponnamperuna of amino acids of extraterrestrial origin in meteorite [see Dec. 5]: Despite progress in discovery, "it should not be assumed that the mystery of the origin of life is near solution." Though it was becoming increasingly clear how cell's components could come into spontaneous being, "we still do not know how they were put together to form the first functioning cell, the first living organism, the first organized spark of self-reproducing life." (NYT, 12/8/70)
Wall Street Journal editorial said Congressmen were "squabbling" over location of future NASA Space Shuttle base: "There's a lot to be learned from the Space Shuttle, we have no doubt. The scientific results will be greatest, though, if NASA manages to locate the project where it can be managed most efficiently-and not merely where local Congressmen are most adept at gathering spoils." (WSJ, 12/8/70)
U.S. Court of Appeals was studying suit to force disclosure of SST report prepared by panel headed by physicist Richard L. Garwin at President Nixon's request, Washington Evening Star said. Suit, filed by conservationist Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth, had been dismissed Aug. 21 by U.S. District Court Judge John H. Pratt on grounds report was covered by doctrine of executive privilege. (W Star, 12/8/70, A3)
Washington Post editorial urged House to follow Senate in denying SST funding [see Dec. 3]: "For that was no idle expression of narrow interests or shallow sentiment on the Senate's part; it was... almost an explosion of public concern, as surprising to the backers of the move as it was apparently shocking to the supporters of the SST." What Senate vote said "was that somewhere out there, away from the corporate boardrooms and the offices of the Federal Aviation Administration and the corridors of Congress, a lot of people care more about the quality of life and the nation's urgent economic and social needs than they do about breakfasting in London and New York at roughly the same time on the same day." (W Post, 12/8/70, A20)
U.S.S.R. announced at opening of Supreme Soviet in Moscow that Soviet government planned to spend equivalent of $19.9 billion on defense in 1971. Amount was similar to that announced for 1970, which was highest level in Soviet history. (Gwertzman, NYT, 12/9/ 70,1)
New York City Mayor John V. Lindsay addressed more than 300 mayors at National League of Cities Conference in Atlanta, Ga.: "The human potential of technology is boundless. We have only scratched the surface. For the sake of our cities and for the sake of the men and women in our aerospace. industry, we must learn more." Mayor Lindsay said AIAA and city of New York would sponsor first annual Urban Technology Conference in May 1971. Conference would focus on application of space techniques and talent to urban crisis. "From it we hope to learn how to convert the creativity that put a man on the Moon into an ally in the struggle to help men live in our cities." (A&A, 1/71, 9)
December 8-9: U.S.S.R.'s Lunokhod I, resting on lunar surface, resumed exploration of Sea of Rains after two weeks of inactivity during lunar night. On Dec. 9, one-hour communications session was held, solar panels were opened and positioned toward sun, and photos of rising sun and lunar surface were taken. (SBD, 12/11/70, 170; Tass, Sov Rpt, 12/30/70, 1)
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