May 13 1980
From The Space Library
NASA declared the mission of HEAO 3 successful in its prelaunch objectives. Launched September 29, 1979, the satellite had in its first six months of operation made a full gamma-ray sky survey and detected a wide range of cosmic-ray elements. Dr. Thomas A. Mutch, associate administrator for space science, said HEAO 3 should "continue to provide excellent scientific data." (NASA MOR S-382-79-03 [postlaunch] May 13/80)
NASA announced plans to launch NOAA-B on or about May 21 from WTR on an Atlas F. A third-generation environmental-monitoring spacecraft operated by NOAA for the National Operational Environmental Satellite System (NOESS), NOAA-B would join NOAA-A (NOAA 6) in acquiring quantitative data as input for GARP (the Global Atmospheric Research Program). Known as the "TIROS twins," the NOAA satellites would be the only civilian operational spacecraft whose orbits cover the polar regions. (NASA MOR E-615-80-02 [prelaunch] May 13/80; DOC Release NOAA 80-67)
NASA reported that it would negotiate with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) to run the student involvement project, a nationwide yearly competition among secondary-school students for scientific and engineering experiments to fly on the Shuttle on a space-available basis. The NSTA would manage the competition to the point of selecting 10 finalists from 20 semifinalists in each of 10 regions; NASA would decide whether to fly a particular experiment.
Dr. Robert A. Frosch, NASA administrator, noting "The vitality of NASA depends heavily on an infusion of fresh ideas," said the student connection would be important to the agency program. NASA held a similar competition before the Skylab mission in 1973; it was also considering a program to involve college students. (NASA Release 80-65)
MSFC announced that the second round of acceptance tests declared necessary for Columbia's main engines because of modifications on them since acceptance [see May 1] would consist of a single 520-second static firing of each engine. No. 2007 was mounted in test stand A-2 for firing late in May; no. 2006 would be tested on stand A-1 in mid-June; and no. 2005, on stand A-2 in late June. (MSFC Release 80-67; JSC Release 80-036; NASA Release 80-68)
JSC said that it had selected Barrios and Associates for negotiations leading to award of a cost-plus-award-fee contract for flight-design support services to operational flights of the Shuttle. Cost of the first two years of a planned five-year program (June 80 through May 82) would be $1.9 million. (JSC Release 80-035)
The Washington Post said that Pratt & Whitney division, United Technologies, had signed a pact with Rolls-Royce of England to jointly develop and produce engines for AV 8B aircraft. The company said that the Pegasus engine could be worth up to $1.5 billion, $350 million of it for Pratt & Whitney. (W Post, May 13/80, D8)
ESA reported that representatives from Canada, France, India, Japan, and the United States, as well as ESA, met in Ottawa May 8-9 to discuss international cooperation in remote-sensing satellite systems. ESA would host a follow-up meeting in 1981. A series of regional meetings with nations planning to use remote-sensing data would bring the needs of user states to the attention of satellite operators and would help in preparing for a 1982 United Nations conference on exploration and peaceful uses of outer space. (ESA Info 11)
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