Jun 28 1968
From The Space Library
NASA test pilots L/C Emil Sturmthal and Col. Joseph F. Cotton flew XB-70A to 39,400-ft altitude and mach 1.23 in flight from Edwards AFB. Purpose was to check exciter vane function, aeroelasticity, stability, control, and gust and canard loads and determine ground effects during load approaches. (XB-70 Proj Off)
NASA announced probable spring 1969 launch of Nimbus B2 to replace Nimbus B experimental weather satellite intentionally destroyed after launch May 18. Primary meteorological objective would be to obtain data from advanced sensors to demonstrate infrared sounding techniques for determination of temperature profiles. Replacement mission would cost 1/3 of $61.9-million cost of Nimbus B and would eliminate critical 21-mo gap in U.S. meteorology satellite program. Nimbus I, launched Aug. 28, 1964, operated 26 days. Nimbus II, launched May 15, 1966, was still transmitting, but with inoperable tape recorders. (NASA Release 68-114)
Third anniversary of beginning of commercial service by ComSatCorp's Intelsat I (Early Bird), launched April 6, 1965. Service had been inaugurated by President Johnson in 25-min, six-nation conference call with European officials. (ComSatCorp Release 68-31; A&A 65)
Presidential memorandum advised agency and department heads to achieve provisions of P.L. 90-364, Revenue and Expenditure Control Act of 1968, calling for reduction in Federal spending and lending of at least $6 billion below original 1969 fiscal estimates and restriction of hiring until Federal civilian employment was reduced to June 1966 level. (PD, 7/8/68, 1041)
NASA awarded three-year, $20,126,224 cost-plus-award-fee contract to Bendix Field Engineering Corp. for maintenance and operation of Satellite Tracking and Data Acquisition Network (STADAN) facilities at GSFC; Fort Myers, Fla.; Lima, Peru; Tananarive, Malagasy Republic; Mojave, Calif.; Quito, Ecuador; and Santiago, Chile. NASA also awarded $27.6 million cost-plus-incentive-award-fee contract to TRW systems group for work on mission trajectory control program and Apollo spacecraft systems analysis program for MSC. (NASA Releases 68-113, 68-115)
Wall Street Journal reported interview with Prof. Edwin L. Resler, Jr., Director of Cornell Univ. Graduate School of Aerospace Engineering, on possibility of reducing sonic boom created by supersonic transports to tolerable level by changing design of engines for big aircraft to slow down expansion of exhaust stream. "We can . . . reduce the shock wave effect and its consequent boom to a tolerable level so that overland flights of supersonic transports would be feasible," Prof. Resler said. (WSJ, 6/28/68)
House Appropriations Committee released hearings on DCD appropriations for FY 1969 which helped explain why Vietnam war had produced strain on President Johnson's budget. USAF was now paying $2.4 million for single rescue helicopter; during World War II, each B-17 aircraft that had bombed Germany had cost $190,000 and each B-29 used over Japan had cost $635,000. Government had bought 200 World War II fighters for the $1.1 million it cost USAF for technical manuals for single type of aircraft in 1968. USN was spending $30,000 for single torpedo and $20.3 million for ammunition for battleship U.S.S. New Jersey to fire at Vietnam shore targets. It was requesting $51.8 million for one-year supply of aerial targets. Super Jolly helicopter which USAF was introducing in Vietnam was twice as expensive as predecessor, Jolly Green Giant, and could carry 60 passengers or 18,500-lb cargo at 195 knots. F-111 was being produced at $8 million each; C-5A, world's largest aircraft, had a unit cost of $25 million, with USAF requesting 120 aircraft. (Transcript; AP, B Sun, 6/30/68, 2)
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