Jul 15 1974
From The Space Library
Evidence of a possible second black hole, from observations by x-ray astronomy satellite Uhuru (Explorer 42, launched 12 Dec. 1970) between January 1971 and February 1973, was reported by Center for Astrophysics astronomers in the Astrophysical Journal. Black holes were believed to be superdense collapsed stars with gravity so great that even light could not escape. Uhuru had detected radiation from the x-ray source Circinus X-1 with characteristics similar to those detected in 1972 by Uhuru and in 1973 by OAO 3 for the suspected black hole Cygnus X-1. Varying periods of x-ray intensity had indicated that Circinus X-1 was possibly binary; the x-ray energy spectrum had showed changes from 2 to 20 kes. No optical counterpart for the x-ray source had been found.
Black holes might be an answer to two basic problems in cosmology, Walter S. Sullivan had written in the New York Times Magazine 14 July. All visible material accounted for only 2% of the matter necessary to prevent the universe from flying apart in a continuing expansion; some scientists thought black holes might well make up the deficit. Also, black holes might provide the "glue," the necessary gravity, to keep clusters of galaxies from flying apart. Not all scientists were convinced of the existence of black holes, but the holes' strange effects-such as the slowing of time, the tight curvature of space, and the influence of gravity on light-had been anticipated by Einstein's theory of relativity.
One major dilemma was what happened within a black hole. Some scientists had proposed that a star drawn into a black hole by its gravity might emerge in some other time and place as a quasar and that quasars-exceptionally bright objects of relatively small volume and high density-might be "white holes" into which energy was pouring from some-where else, perhaps even another universe. (Jones et al., Astro bourn, 15 July 74, L71-4; NYT Magazine, 14 July 74,11-35; A&A 1971, 1972, 1973)
The Air Force was developing a new series of global meteorological satellites for the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. The new Block 5D spacecraft would be twice the weight of its predecessors, have a payload capacity about four times greater, and carry a broader mix of meteorological sensors to provide uniformly high-resolution photos. Block 5D satellites would employ "selective redundancy"-redundancy in certain critical, rather than all, spacecraft systems. This redundancy would increase probable mission lifetime to two years, more than twice the 9- or 10-mo lifetime of most earlier USAF weather satellites. Rather than choosing a single contractor, the USAF had awarded a series of fixed-price contracts: to RCA Corp. for the spacecraft, Westinghouse Electric Corp. for the primary sensor, Barnes Engineering Co. for the supplementary sensors, and Radiation, Inc., for ground terminals. (Av Wk, 15 July 74, 41-47)
McDonnell Douglas Corp. had been awarded a $13-million contract by Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. to produce 100 000 heat pipes for the trans-Alaska pipeline, the Seattle Journal of Commerce and Northwest Construction Record reported. The heat pipes, called cryo-anchor soil stabilizers, were developed by McDonnell Douglas for thermal control of Skylab Orbital Workshop (launched 15 May 1973) and unmanned satellites. They would prevent thawing of permafrost around the pipe supports of elevated portions of the 1285-km pipeline by removing heat from the ground and transmitting it to an above-ground radiator, where it would be dispersed into the atmosphere. (Seattle Journ Commerce & NW Constr Record, 15 July 74)
Federal support to universities and colleges had declined 7%, to $3823 million, during FY 1973 in the first decline since 1970, the National Science Foundation reported. The drop had been largely the result of a $267-million decrease in funds from the Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare but other significant decreases were posted by NSF, down $40 million; Dept. of Defense, down $11 million; and NASA, down $8 million. Federal funds for academic science activities totaled $2463 million, 5% below 1972. Two science fields had shown an increase in Federal R&D support between 1972 and 1973. Life sciences' $934 million was a 4% increase; engineering's $204 million was up 6%. (NSF Highlights, 15 July 74)
15-16 July: Western Union Telegraph Co.'s Westar 1-first U.S. domestic communications satellite, launched by NASA 13 April-began operations during inaugural ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles. Russell W. McFall, Chairman of the Board and President of Western Union Corp. transmitted the first message, from New York to Los Angeles, using the original Morse key to tap "What hath God wrought!" It was the same message sent by inventor Samuel F. B. Morse 24 May 1844 over the first experimental telegraph, a 65-km line between the Capitol in Washing-ton, D.C., and Baltimore, Md.
Regular commercial operations began 16 July, providing services for Westar 1's first two commercial customers, American Can Co. and Bank of America. (Westar Inaugural Transmission press kit, 15 July 74) 16-29 July: NASA launched Aeros 2 (Aeros-B) aeronomy satellite for West Germany from Western Test Range at 4:51 am PDT on a four-stage Scout launch vehicle into polar orbit with an 879.0-km apogee, 221.3- km perigee, 95.65-min period, and 97.44° inclination. The NASA mission objective-to place the Aeros 2 satellite in an earth orbit permitting successful achievement of the scientific objectives-was met and the mission was adjudged successful 26 July. The scientific objective was to measure the main aeronomic parameters of the upper atmosphere and the solar ultraviolet radiation in the wavelength band of the main absorption. The long-range objective of the satellite, which carried one Goddard Space Flight Center and four West German experiments, was to provide a model of the ionosphere from which upper atmospheric conditions could be predicted. By 29 July the vehicle and experiments were per-forming satisfactorily and the West Germans were initiating spacecraft operations.
A July 1965 agreement between the U.S. and West Germany had pro-vided for a series of cooperative satellite projects. The Aeros program, the second in the series, was authorized by a 10 June 1969 agreement and Aeros 1 was launched 16 Dec. 1972. The 1974 contract between NASA and the West Germany Federal Ministry for Research and Technology (BMFT) for the Aeros 2 launch provided for reimbursement of NASA. for launch vehicle and services. NASA would also provide one experiment, tracking, and backup for data acquisition. BMFT was responsible for development of spacecraft and instrumentation operation and control of the satellite after launch, and data reduction and analysis except for the GSFC experiment. The spacecraft reentered 25 Sept. 1975. (NASA MORS, 30 Nov 72, 8 & 29 July 74; NASA Releases 69-91, 74-183; GSFC SSR, 31 Oct 75)
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