Feb 16 1972
From The Space Library
NASA announced selection of moon's Taurus-Littrow region as site for Apollo 17 manned lunar landing in December. Region, named for Taurus Mountains and Littrow Crater and located just beyond southeast edge of Mare Serenitatis (one of largest mascons), had been selected to help fill in major gaps in development model of moon based on data from previous Apollo missions. Lunar Module landing point 20° north' and 30° east of moon's center as viewed from earth would be one prime sampling objective. It contained very dark non-mare material believed to have eroded off mountains and volcanic-looking cinder cones which suggested material was explosively produced volcanic ash. One sampling site would be rock slide containing debris that had fallen into valley from high up on 2000-m (7000-ft) mountain. Astronauts would travel over surface on foot and on Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) Rover. They would deploy advanced Apollo lunar surface experiments package (ALSEP), containing heat flow experiment similar to that on Apollo 14 and four new experiments, and two new surface traverse experiments not powered by ALSEP central station. Experiments were traverse gravimeter to measure vibrations in and provide data on subsurface, seismic profiling and surface electrical properties investigations to measure physical properties of lunar interior down to depth of one kilometer (six tenths mile) and indicate subsurface electrical and mechanical properties, tidal gravimeter to study response of moon to earth's tidal pull and its response to gravity waves, mass spectrometer to measure constituents of lunar atmosphere, and lunar ejecta and meteorite experiment to determine frequency and energy of small meteorites impacting moon. Orbital science payload would include three new experiments: laser lunar sounder would identify electrical properties and layering of lunar crust overflown by spacecraft, infrared scanning radiometer would provide high-resolution thermal map of portions of moon for first time, and far-ultraviolet spectrometer would measure compositional and density variation of lunar atmosphere. (NASA Release 72-33)
U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 474 into orbit with 365-km (226.8-mi) apogee, 179-km (111.2-mi) perigee, 90-min period, and 65° inclination. Satellite reentered Feb. 29. (GSFC SSR, 2/29/72)
President Nixon signed H.R. 11487, Chapel of the Astronauts bill, which authorized sale of land near Kennedy Space Center Visitor Bureau to private corporation for construction of chapel. Bill became P.L. 92-227. (PD, 2/21/72, 448)
Manned Spacecraft Center announced issuance of requests for proposals to 13 aerospace firms to study, design, and test polymer seal materials for storing space shuttle propellants. Firm selected would receive $100 000, firm-fixed-price contract. (MSC Release 72-43)
Former scientist-astronaut Brian T. O'Leary, associate professor of astronomy at San Francisco State College, questioned compatibility of space shuttle with national goals and priorities in New York Times article: ". . balanced presentation to decision- makers of technical information bearing on the costs and benefits of the shuttle cannot be accomplished without some degree of effort outside the perimeter of NASA and its contractors. Such effort is now almost entirely missing and is badly needed before a national decision can be made." NASA needed to answer questions: "What is the shuttle and what will it do? at precisely are NASA's goals for shuttle use? Will the shuttle be primarily a workhorse for the Department of Defense?" Dr. O'Leary asked, "Wouldn't this be an auspicious time for the Administration to set a goal more in tune with human values, which would make good use of ... aerospace workers?" (NYT, 2/16/72, 37)
World's record for accelerating atomic particles was claimed by officials at world's largest atom smasher-200-bev facility at Batavio, Ill. U.S. atom smasher had accelerated beam of protons to 100 bey, topping 76-bev record established by Soviet accelerator at Serpukhov. (AP, NYT, 2/20/72, 2)
Adm. Thomas H. Moorer (USN), Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned of possible U.S.S.R. nuclear superiority in testimony before closed session of Senate Committee on Armed Services considering FY 1973 military authorization bill: "The mere appearance of Soviet strategic superiority could have a debilitating effect on our foreign policy and our negotiating posture. It could erode the confidence of our friends and allies in the deterrent power of our strategic forces, upon which the entire structure of free world defense essentially rests." (Corddry, B Sun, 2/17/72, A4)
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