Nov 18 1969

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President Nixon signed H.R. 11271 (Pi. 91-119), $3.715- billion NASA FY 1970 Authorization Act. It provided for R&D: Apollo, $1.691 billion; space flight operations, $225.6 million; advanced missions, $2.5 million; physics and astronomy, $117.6 million; lunar and planetary exploration, $138.8 million; and bioscience, $20.4 million. Space applications R&D authorization was $128.4 million. Also authorized were $112.6 million for launch vehicle procurement, $9 million for sustaining university program, $27.5 for space vehicle systems, $33.5 for electronic systems, and $22.1 million for human factor systems. Act allocated $20.2 million for basic research, $36.9 million for space power and electric propulsion systems, $50 million for nuclear rocket, $22.8 million for chemical propulsion systems, $278 million for tracking and data acquisition, and $5 million for technology utilization. For construction of facilities, law authorized $8 million for ERC, $670,000 for GSFC, $12.5 million for KSC, $4.7 million for LaRC, $1.7 million for MSC, and $500,000 for Wallops Station. Act authorized $637.4 million for research and program management. (PD, 11/24/69, 1643; PL 91-119)

Senate and House adopted conference report on H.R. 12307, Independent Offices and HUD appropriations bill including FY 1970 NASA funding of $3.697 billion and $440 million for NSF. Bill was forwarded to President Nixon for signature. (CR, 11/18/69, 514574-9, H10981-7)

House by vote of 362 to 25, passed and sent to Senate H.R. 14794, DOT FY appropriations bill containing $96 million for SST development program. (CR, 11/18/69, H10990-1034)

President Nixon approved S. 1857, $480-million National Science Foundation Authorization Act, 1970 (P.L. 91-121). (PD, 11/24/69, 1643)

Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.) introduced, for himself and cosponsors, S.J.R. 285, authorizing Senate Foreign Relations Committee to undertake comprehensive study of all possibilities for international cooperation in space exploration. (CR, 11/18/69, S14593-4)

President Nixon announced membership of Task Force on Air Pollution, with Arie Jan Haagen-Smit, Chairman of California Air Pollution Board, as chairman. It would evaluate effectiveness of efforts to curtail air pollution and recommend further actions. (PD, 11/24/69, 1624)

New York Times editorial asked: "Why should lunar research be limited to what this country can afford? Even if the Soviet Union is unwilling to cooperate, there are very substantial human and material resources in Western Europe, Japan and other areas that could be mobilized for the task of lunar exploration and settlement that lies ahead. President Nixon could demonstrate high statesmanship by offering to turn the National Aeronautics and Space Administration into the International Aeronautics and Space Administration if others will join to help carry the burdens of the effort and provide additional talents for the job. And if NASA became IASA, even Moscow-after its recent space disappointments-might see advantages in joining the common effort to make the moon a lever for uniting mankind." (NYT, 11/18/69)

AEC released report of investigation into May 11 fire at AEC plutonium-handling facility at Rocky Flats, Colo. Estimated damage to buildings and equipment was $45 million excluding cost of plutonium recovery. Fire had originated in plutonium storage cabinet; cause was unknown. (AEC Release M-257)

November 18-19: LeRC's work in development of longer lasting, high-temperature-enduring, corrosion-resistant materials was described at conference on Research in Aerospace Materials at Center. Conference was attended by 400 scientists and engineers from universities, industry, and Government. New alloying concept had yielded "WAZ-20," alloy of nickel, tungsten, aluminum, zirconium, and carbon with melting point 150° higher than conventional cast-nickel-base alloys and higher strength at 2,200°F, for possible use in 1st-stage turbine stator vanes. Also reported were use of prealloyed powders to improve properties of nickel-base alloys; dispersion-strengthened nickel-base alloys and solid-state welding of these materials; developments in chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten alloys and fiber composites; and experimental techniques developed to predict properties of materials after 10-20 yrs of use from tests lasting less than year. (Lac Release 69-70; LeRC PIO)

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