Mar 31 1969
From The Space Library
Library of Congress Legislative Reference Service published United States and Soviet Rivalry in Space: Who Is Ahead, and How Do the Contenders Compare? by Dr. Charles S. Sheldon II, Senior Specialist in Space Transportation and Technology, Science Policy Research Div. By June 30, 1969, U.S. expected to have spent $50,6 billion on space. Because of greater weight of Soviet hardware, "one could assume that their program is at least of the same magnitude .. . and may be larger." While "there is no reason to believe their total aerospace industry is as fully equipped as our own," missiles in Moscow parades indicated existence of multiple design and development team for space work. Each country seemed adequately equipped with launch pads and ground support. While U.S. had worldwide tracking system supplemented by ships and electronics-carrying aircraft, U.S.S.R. accepted "certain constraints," relying on ships to fill gaps in tracking system. U.S. launch vehicles ranged from those lifting 20 lbs to Saturn V capable of 285,000-lb lift to low earth orbit. U.S.S.R. still used basic ICBM vehicle introduced in 1957, with upper stages added to improve performance. While NASA program was run on open basis, there was less "openness" in DCD. U.S.S.R. "holds to a minimum advance notice of flights, limits information . . . but at least makes a prompt announcement, assigns a name, and gives orbital parameters" of successful launches. There seemed little difference between space programs "as to general purpose and direction." Both placed emphasis on military, though little was known of Soviet organization pattern. All "reasonable analyses are fairly convincing that up to this time the Soviet Union has not placed nuclear bombs in orbit." In space applications U.S. "has held a clear lead from the earlier days." U.S.S.R. "has made a greater relative effort in . . . flights committed to lunar and planetary work than the United States" but "has not gained as good results." In future programs, both nations "undoubtedly have to face hard budget choices before actual hardware can begin." Soviet goal was "comprehensive exploitation of space technology including the exploration and settlement (where practical) of the planets, along the way exploring the Moon in great detail, and using Earth orbital stations for a host of practical purposes." While large orbital station would be within NASA'S technical capabilities in late 1970s, beginning of such capability probably already existed in U.S.S.R." but "it would be risky to predict whether such a station will appear soon or only after some years." Cooperation of U.S. and U.S.S.R. in space already existed in exchange of information, treaties, plans for trading space-collected weather pictures, plans for joint textbook on space biology, and joint efforts in geomagnetism, but no assessment could be made of future prospects. (Text)
At American Cancer Society Seminar in New Orleans, La." Clarence D. Cone, Jr." head of LaRC's Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, discussed his discovery of intercellular linkages and its application to understanding behavior of certain cancer types. His basic research into effects of space radiation on body cells had enabled him to observe phenomenon in which dividing cancer cell appeared able to induce connected cells to divide by transmitting chain-reaction stimulation through thin linkage of cytoplasm. Networks of these stimulus-transmission bridges permitted continued division of cells and, in human body, might constitute basic mechanism for cancer spread. (NASA Release 69-45)
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