Jun 12 1972
From The Space Library
Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, spoke on cooperation between NASA and small research and development businesses before Conference on Survival and Growth of Small R&D Firms, in Washington, D.C.: "New technology is the area of greatest potential growth in U.S. industry and the key to a favorable international balance of trade. Small business may be the key element which preserves American free enterprise." NASA's "broad and vigorous" R&D effort generated "literally hundreds of new processes, new products and new materials." Transfer of technology to areas unrelated to space meant "profits for private enterprise, jobs for labor, and benefits for the consumer." Transfers benefited small entrepreneur because "he is flexible-and can take advantage of the financing specifically made available for this kind of enterprise." NASA maintained contract category especially for small business-contracts between $2500 and $500 000 for construction work. "In 1971, this resulted in 73% of NASA's expenditures for construction." (Text)
NASA had asked private industry to help assess space shuttle booster- recovery system, Marshall Space Flight Center announced. Large parachutes would lower 90-metric-ton (1M-U.S.-ton) spent booster stages to ocean. Six proposals for study of parachute deceleration system had been received. (MSFC Release 72-70)
Marshall Space Flight Center announced award of $1323 565 contract to Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., to provide liquid hydrogen to East Coast space program users from June 1, 1972, through March 31, 1973. Liquid hydrogen would be distributed to Government agencies and contractors in Saturn V booster and space shuttle activities. Under interagency agreement, NASA contracted for all liquid hydrogen used by NASA and Dept. of Defense in eastern U.S. (MSFC Release 72-69)
TRANSPO '72, held May 27-June 4, had been "surprising success," Aviation & Space Technology editorial said. It had been "tremendous public report" on advanced technology, particularly aerospace, to the American public; surprising business stimulant; and "triumph of construction expertise, logistics and short-term management by the team brought in at the last possible minute . . . to salvage what was shaping into a major disaster." Exhibition- plagued in beginning by construction holdups due to inclement weather, lack of cooperation from exhibitors, and "fuzzy management"-had been "major success against formidable odds." But "to mold its successors into the type of operation that will effectively achieve the multiple goals established for it will require the organization of a competent, permanent management right now that can begin to work on Transpo 74 next week." (Hotz, Av Wk, 6/12/72, 7)
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