May 15 1972
From The Space Library
NASA Flight Research Center was testing new curved, steep, instrument landing approach for short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft to reduce noise discomfort and airport congestion. Approach could begin at various locations close to airport and would provide better aircraft separation, more landings per given time, less en route time, and lower airline operating costs by shortening terminal-to terminal times. Approaches began at altitudes between 1200 and 1500 m (4000 and 5000 ft) and were flown to approximately 15 m (50 ft) above ground. (FRC Release 7-72)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had indefinitely postponed launch of ZTOS-C meteorological satellite, originally scheduled for last February, because of NASA's delay in updating Thor-Delta launch vehicle with onboard computer for inertial guidance, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. Spacecraft would be retrofitted with improved instrumentation and launched after TTOS-D, scheduled for launch in fall with improved Thor-Delta. (Av Wk, 5/15/72, 11)
Two proposed flight plans, both with nighttime launch, for December Apollo 17 mission were being studied by Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston Post reported. Proposed launch times-selected for optimum sun angle during lunar landing and surface activities- were 8:39 pm EST Dec. 6, with lunar landing at 1:47 am EST Dec. 11, and 8:48 pm EST Dec 6, with lunar landing at 1:47 pm EST Dec. 11. Nighttime liftoff would be first in U.S. manned program. (Maloney, H Post, 5/15/72)
Termination notices effective June 29 were sent to 198 employees at Marshall Space Flight Center; 115 were downgraded or reassigned in manpower reduction that would bring MSFC employment level to 5317 by June 30. Further reduction of 103 was planned for June 1973. (Huntsville Times, 5/11/72)
"Rendock" was new word "trying to enter space lexicon," Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. Engineers studying proposed U.S.- U.S.S.R. joint rendezvous and docking mission had tired of repeating phrase in its entirety and had coined "what they hope will become the standard, short version." (Av Wk, 5/15/72, 13)
Physicists were studying possibility that magnetic substorm was created by experiment conducted by Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and Univ. of Alaska Geophysical Institute. Experiment attempted to trace line in earth's magnetic field from pole to pole by injecting barium ions into upper atmosphere by rocket. Launch of Sandhawk Tomahawk sounding rocket from Poker Flat near Fairbanks, Alaska, March 6 had caused unusual one-hour auroral display, accompanied by sudden appearance of very-low-frequency (vi.F) radio signals, 17 min after barium injection. (Av Wk, 5/15/72, 11; Los Alamos pio)
Sole reason for nonappearance of Soviet supersonic transport Tu-144 at Dept. of Transportation's TRANSPO '72 exhibition at Dulles Inter- national Airport May 27-June 4 was fact that pre-production prototype, only version cleared for flights outside U.S.S.R., had range of less than 6000 km (4000 mi) , Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. (Av Wk, 5/15/72, 13)
National Academy of Sciences was seeking Congressional approval of project to provide funds to Poland for construction of $1-million astronomical research center as gift to mark 500th anniversary of birth of Copernicus in 1973, New York Times reported. Additional funds for equipment would be sought in U.S. from Polish-American community. Facility would be in Warsaw. (Feron, NYT, 5/15/72, 81)
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