Jan 28 1966
From The Space Library
Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences unanimously approved nomination of Dr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr., as NASA Deputy Administrator. ‘‘(Transcript)’’
Glenn Reiff, Manager of Mariner/Pioneer program in NASA Hq. OSSA, summarized in an article in Science the “steps taken to combine the scientific instruments with the other vital elements of the [[[MARINER IV]]] spacecraft to create a spaceworthy craft capable of a reliable 10-month mission.” He said over “1600 type-approval and flight acceptance tests were performed on the assemblies, and some 113 failures were reported. As a result, more than 75 design changes were incorporated.” ‘‘(Reiff, Science, 1/28/66, 413-18)’’
Saturn V crawler completed first successful load-carrying run at KSC since track support roller bearings had been crushed during 7.9-million-lb.-load test July 25, 1965. Crawler lifted 447-ft., 10.6 million-lb. launcher umbilical tower No. 1 (LUT) and moved it ¾ mi. in about nine hrs. KSC Procurement Director Michael Haworth revealed costs for two crawlers ordered would total $14.2 million, $5.1 million more than original $9.l-million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract with Marion Power Shovel Co. ‘‘(M&R, 2/7/66, 34)’’
NASA Administrator James E. Webb said in a letter to MSFC Director Dr. Wernher von Braun that after “careful review” he had approved an agreement between MSFC and Lodge 1858, American Federation of Government Employees (AFL-CIO) . Mr. Webb noted that agreement, negotiated after MSFC employee vote May 19, 1965, for AFGE representation, was “a forward step in the NASA Employee-Management Cooperation Program.” ‘‘(Marshall Star, 2/2/66, 1-2)’’
USAF launched unidentified satellite from WTR with Scout booster. ‘‘(U.S. Aeron. & Space Act., 1966, 147)’’
Commenting on the Federal budget for FY 1967, Science said it was the first budget since the middle 1950’s which had not carried a request for an increase in total funds for research and development: ‘“this downturn in what for about a decade has been a steadily ascending curve reflects the major rationale of the new budget: to provide funds to support a military buildup in Southeast Asia without under financing new education and welfare programs enacted during the past two sessions of Congress. . . .” ‘‘(Science, 1/28/66, 425)’’
Possibilities of studying the ocean, its storms, currents, shoals, and marine life from orbiting spacecraft were being actively explored by the Naval Oceanographic Office in cooperation with the NASA Natural Resources Program Office, reported Harold M. Schmeck, Jr., in the New York Times. Early studies had included observations that might have direct practical usefulness and others that could give man a more comprehensive picture of the forces determining climate: photographs taken from manned spacecraft at altitudes over 100 mi. could be used to correct maps and give accurate indications of water depths over shoals and near shore; a global iceberg patrol might be possible from manned or unmanned spacecraft; monitoring of sea roughness by radar would be useful for shipping; measurements to detect major upwellings of deep ocean currents might be valuable to the ocean fishery industry; studies of river outflow could be valuable in water pollution control. ‘‘(Schmeck, NYT, 1/29/66,7)’’
Close tie between President Johnson and Dr. Donald F. Hornig, Director of the Office of Science and Technology (OST) and science adviser to the President, was discussed in Science. During the first six or so months of Hornig’s term “the President and the White House inner circle had an unclear notion of how they might employ OST” with the result that “some of the science staff members complained that they were bored,. and that OST was underemployed or involved with trivia.” But a transition had taken place, and as Hornig began his third year of service, “OST and its surrounding bodies-the President’s Science Advisory Committee and the Federal Council for Science and Technology-are heavily involved in policy formulation, coordination of the technical aspects of the Great Society programs, and troubleshooting in a variety of areas.” ‘‘(Science, 1/28/66, 431)’’
A “commercial missile” that could transport 170 passengers from Bombay to New York in 39 min. was described at the Pacific Area Travel Association Conference in New Delhi by B. F. Coggan, corporate vice president of Douglas Aircraft Co. He said the rocket -which would reach a speed of 17,000 mph -would be a bell-shaped vehicle 114 ft. high with a diameter of from 33 to 49 ft. It would weigh more than three million pounds at liftoff. Passenger compartment would have 45 individual passenger couches arranged on each of four decks; during the period of weightless flight, passengers would be held to the couches by belts. On a typical flight plan, Coggan said, the rocket would reach 125-mi. peak altitude. Then, it could hover and maneuver horizontally before landing on four extendable legs. ‘‘(NYT, 1/29/66, 54)’’
FAA and the Agency for International Development (AID) had signed a new agreement under which FAA would continue to provide aviation assistance to foreign countries through AID. Civil Aviation Assistance Groups (CAAG) manned by 84 FAA aviation specialists would work in 17 countries under AID sponsorship. They would advise and assist these countries in planning and organizing management and development of all phases of their national civil aviation. ‘‘(FAA Release 66-9)’’
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