Feb 19 1993
From The Space Library
NASA announced the selection of 111 research proposals for immediate negotiation of Phase II contracts in NASA's Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). These proposals and the 38 previously selected proposals came from 130 small, high technology firms located in 27 states. The SBIR program is intended to stimulate technological innovation by using small businesses, including minority and disadvantaged firms, to help meet Federal research and development requirements and to encourage the commercial application of federally-funded research innovations. (NASA Release 93-33; Washington Technology, Feb 25/93)
Russia's Mir Space Station celebrated its seventh anniversary in orbit on February 20. The Mir has given Russian cosmonauts much experience with extended periods in space. About a half dozen cosmonauts have made multiple flights and spent a total of more than a year in orbit. (AP, Feb 19/93)
NASA announced that three engine pumps-removed from Space Shuttle Columbia for fear that the seal retainers in the pumps were an old variety that required inspection after each flight-were a newer version that did not need automatic pre-flight inspection. The confusion stemmed from a paperwork mixup at the Rockwell International Corporation, maker of the engines. (NY Times, Feb 19/93)
The White House released estimates of the number of job cuts faced by each Federal agency. NASA was slated to lose 1,000 positions. ((W Post, Feb 19/93)
George A. Burch, 62, an engineer who since 1960 had worked on various NASA projects, died of lung cancer January 25 at Greater Laurel-Beltsville Hospital in Maryland. Mr. Burch was employed by Bendix Corporation. (W Post, Feb 19/93)
Writing in the Washington Post, Michael Schrage, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, suggested that a dramatic and effective way to boost the Nation's industrial competitiveness while sending a signal that the Cold War was over would be to cut in half the budget of the national laboratories. The move might shock the labs into more energetically redefining their mission, according to Schrage. The national labs include the University of California's Lawrence Livermore Lab, Los Alamos in New Mexico, and Brookhaven in New York. (W Post, Feb 19/93)
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