Nov 15 1968
From The Space Library
NASA Aerobee 150 MI sounding rocket launched from WSMR carried Princeton Univ. Observatory experiment to 108-mi (174-km) altitude to obtain UV radiation of bright star in constellation Cassiopeia, using gyro-stabilized spectrograph, ACS, and recovery system. Rocket and instruments performed satisfactorily. ACS stabilized rocket on target at star. Spectra were obtained on three exposures and payload was recovered in excellent condition. (NASA Rpt SRL)
NASA released plans for lunar landing experiments. First U.S. astronauts to land on moon in 1969 would place three scientific experiments on lunar surface instead of more complex Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) originally planned. Change was necessitated by uncertainties in workload required to deploy ALSEP by astronauts in pressurized suits on moon's surface. Mission's primary objective would be to prove Apollo system by achieving successful moon landing and safe return to earth. During first landing, two astronauts would leave spacecraft for up to three hours on moon's surface, making observations and photographing area in vicinity of landed spacecraft, collecting soil and rock samples, and deploying experiments. Scientific and medical data would be obtained on expenditure of astronauts' energy, monitoring ability to perform in vacuum, extreme temperature, and 1/6 gravity for planning of longer, more complex missions. Experiments were (1) passive seismometer (self-contained 100-lb seismic station with earth-moon communications link, designed to last up to one year), (2) 70-lb laser ranging retro-reflector, and (3) 1-lb solar-wind-composition experiment. They would provide data on internal activity of moon; would provide data to improve measurement of earth-moon distance, fluctuation of earth's rotation rate, and variations in gravitational constant G, as well as to test theory of intercontinental drift by direct measurements from different continents; and would entrap noble gases (helium, neon, krypton, xenon) from solar wind for analysis. In second lunar landing mission, astronauts would deploy full geophysical station or ALSEP and conduct detailed field geology investigation. (NASA Release 68-200)
U.S.S.R.'s Zond V automatic space station [see Sept. 15-21] had carried first living organisms-wine flies, turtles, meal worms, plants, bacteria, and seeds-around moon and returned them safely to earth, Pravda announced. Turtles had lost about 10% of their body weight but remained very active and showed no loss of appetite. Preliminary blood tests indicated no substantial deviation from laboratory control animals, but analysis of test turtles 21 days after flight revealed excess glycogen and iron in their livers. (AP, W Star, 11/15/68, A4; B Sun, 11/16/68, A4)
NASA Honor Awards ceremony was held at Washington, D.C., with Dr. Thomas 0. Paine, Acting Administrator, making presentations. Alexander H. Flax, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Research and Development) , was main speaker. Distinguished Service Medal, NASA's highest honor, was presented to Secretary Flax; Edmond C. Buckley, former NASA Associate Administrator for Tracking and Data Acquisition; Paul G. Dembling, NASA General Counsel; and Abe Silverstein, Director of Lewis Research Center. NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal went to LeRC's G. Mervin Ault, Edmond E. Bisson, and John C. Evvard; JPL's Richard M. Goldstein, Alan Rembaum, Lewis D. Kaplan, and Conway W. Snyder; MSFC'S Otto A. Hoberg and Hans H. Hosenthien; LaRC's Mark R. Nichols; and ARC'S William A. Page and John A. Parker. Exceptional Service Medal recipients were: Mac C Adams, Walter Boone, Richard L. Callaghan, Arnold W. Frutkin, Alfred S. Hodgson, Mildred V. Morris, and Boyd C. Myers, NASA Hq.; Robert M. Crane (posthumous), William R. Schindlar, and Michael J. Vaccaro, ARC; Robert J. Darcey, Herman E. LaGow, and Robert J. McCaffery, GSFC; Philip Donely, Paul F. Fuhrmeister, and Harry H. Hamilton, LaRC Robert C. Duncan, ERC; Fred H. Felberg and Alvin R. Luedecke, JPL; Arthur Rudolph, MSFC; and Hubert Ray Stanley, Wallops Station. Group Achievement Award went to Apollo 7 Flight Operations Team, Instrumentation Ships Team, Mariner Occultation Experiment Team, OGO Project Team, Sonic Boom Investigating Team, and Surveyor Team. (Program; MSFC Release 68-267; Marshall Star, 11/13/68, 1; Pasadena Independent, 11/15/68; ARC Astrogram, 11/21/68, 1)
Dr. R. G. McIver, head of aeromedical research at Holloman AFB, N. Mex., said tests on chimpanzees had shown astronaut experiencing sudden decompression outside spacecraft might live at least three minutes in total vacuum, giving his companions time to get him inside pressur- ized cabin. Survival of astronauts in ruptured space cabin would depend on presence of one man wearing space suit and thus able to place other crewmen in suits after they lost consciousness. Earlier, scientists had predicted sudden death for astronauts experiencing space vacuum decompression. Revised estimates of life expectancy were based on simulated space capsule experiments with 150 chimpanzees. (AP, B Sun., 11/16/68, A4)
Science editorial on NASA administration: "In terms of numbers of dollars or of men, NASA has not been our largest national undertaking, but in terms of complexity, rate of growth, and technological sophistication it has been unique. . . Keeping all of [its] parts-often working right at the edge of technological knowledge and capacity-finely tuned and in close harmony has been an organization achievement of high order. . . . Ever since the space program began to take shape there has been talk of technological spin-offs. It may turn out that the most valuable spin-off of all will be human rather than technological: better knowledge of how to plan, coordinate, and monitor the multitudinous and varied activities of the organizations required to accomplish great social undertakings." (Wolfle, Science, 11/15/68, 753)
In Washington Post George C. Wilson said Secretary of Defense Clark M. Clifford's office had recommended cutback in USAF'S order for F13-111, bomber version of TFx, from 253 to 90, a saving of $1.5 billion. While DOD was under pressure to reduce spending by $3 billion, said Wilson, argument "goes to the heart of the strategic question of unmanned missiles vs. manned bombers." (W Post, 11/15/68, 1)
Formal establishment of Science and Public Policy Studies Group temporarily housed at MIT became effective. Group was designed as focus of interest and information for scholars, universities, and government officials engaged in teaching and research in science and public policy. Any university with active teaching and research program in science and public policy could become affiliate. Some 50 had indicated interest. Funding for two-year period was from university contributions and matching Sloan Foundation grant. Prof. Eugene B. Skolnikoff of MIT would serve as chairman. (Group Ann)
Dr. Frank D. Drake, Director of Cornell Univ.'s Arecibo Ionospheric Observatory (Puerto Rico) , told meeting of Council for the Advancement of Science Writing at Evanston, Ill., that pulsar discovered Nov. 14 near Crab Nebula was almost certainly a neutron star. It was second discovery during week [see Nov. 6] and was located by Arecibo radio dish telescope. (Randal, W Post, 11/16/68, A5; Sullivan, NYT, 11/20/68, 31)
Edward Wenk, Jr., Executive Secretary of Marine Resources Council, told new American Oceanic Organization in Washington, D.C., "We are ready for the next step in Federal management of marine affairs-creation of an independent civilian operating agency." Chairman of new group, Rep. George E. Shipley (D-Ill.), member of House Appropriations Committee, said, "I think that we will see the time that this country will spend as much in oceanography as we are spending in the space program." (Corrigan, W Post, 11/17/68, K1 )
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