Nov 6 1973
From The Space Library
Fourteen hairline cracks were found in the eight stabilizing fins of Skylab 4's Saturn IB launch vehicle during a routine inspection at Kennedy Space Center. The cracks were discovered just after the Saturn rocket had been loaded with 157 cu m (41 500 gal) of fuel. Six of the fins had two cracks each, the two others one crack each, all at the juncture of the 5-m (16-ft) aluminum fins and the body of the launch vehicle. During rocket inspection, Skylab 4 Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Dr. Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue practiced launch abort procedures in a simulator at Johnson Space Center. (O'Toole, W Post, 11/8/73, A3; AP, W Star-News, 11/7/73, B8)
Skylab's contribution to better understanding of solar processes, leading to possible generation and control of solar energy for earth use, was described by NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight Dale D. Myers in a speech before the Poor Richard Club in Philadelphia: The sun was the "original model of nuclear energy," understanding of which could lead to fusion control and its efficient use for power generation. "The Skylab investigators are concerned with this and also with explaining how solar events affect the Earth, particularly solar flares that trigger auroras and disrupt radio transmission. Because sunspot activity correlates with temperature and density variations in the Earth's upper atmosphere, it is conceivable that the injection of energy into the atmosphere by solar particles may trigger world-wide weather phenomena. Our astronauts saw flares shooting up 100 000 miles [160 000 kilometers] above the surface and they watched giant snake-like clouds erupting in the corona that disturbed radio transmissions here on Earth. Two massive flares exploded on the Sun, producing auroral lights on Earth; . . . each one could supply the world's energy needs for the next 500 years," (Text)
The James H. Wyld Propulsion Award for 1973 was presented by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics to Gerard W. Elverum, Jr., Manager of TRW Inc. Energy Systems Operations Div., and Norman C. Reuel, Vice President for Liquid Rocket Programs and Production Operations of Rockwell International Corp. Rocketdyne Div., during Las Vegas, Nev, ceremonies. Elverum was cited for "outstanding leadership and technical contribution to the deep throttling rocket engine for the Apollo lunar mission." Reuel was cited for "outstanding leadership and technical contribution to the liquid hydrogen rocket engine for the Apollo lunar mission." (Av Wk, 11/12/73, 9; AIAA PIO)
November 6, 9, 13: U.S.-U.S.S.R. Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) were held in Geneva. (FBIS-Sov, 11/19/73, AA1)
November 6-29: NASA launched Noaa 3 (ITOS-F) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorological satellite from Western Test Range at 6:02 am PST on a two-stage, long-tank, thrust-augmented Thor-Delta 0300 launch vehicle. The satellite entered near-nominal orbit with a 1509.2-km (937.8-mi) apogee, 1500-km (932.1-mi) perigee, 116.09-min period, and 102.08° inclination. The primary objectives were to place the spacecraft in sun-synchronous orbit with a local equator crossing time of 8:30 am to permit the spacecraft to accomplish its operational mission requirements, make an in-orbit evaluation, and check out the spacecraft before turning operational control over to NOAA's National Environmental Satellite Service (NESS) . Operational responsibility for the spacecraft was transferred to NOAA Nov. 29. Excellent data were being returned. The orbit would permit regular, dependable daytime and nighttime meteorological observations in both direct-readout and stored modes of operation in support of the National Operational Meteorological Satellite System (NOMSS). Noaa 3 was the second operational spacecraft to provide temperature soundings of the earth's atmosphere as well as direct-readout and globally recorded cloud-cover data. The three-axis-stabilized satellite carried redundant very-high-resolution radiometers, vertical-temperature-profile radiometers, and scanning radiometers. Noaa 3 was the fourth in the Improved TIROS Operational Satellite series of second-generation meteorological satellites. The prototype had been Itos 1 (launched Jan. 23, 1970), and the first NOAA-funded space-craft, Noaa 1, had been launched Dec. 11, 1970. NOAA 2 (launched Oct. 15, 1972) continued to provide meteorological data. The first series of spacecraft had included nine satellites-Essa 1 through Essa 9 (launched 1966-1969). The TOS program was a joint NASA and Dept. of Commerce effort under a Jan. 30, 1964, agreement. Goddard Space Flight Center was responsible for the design and development of the spacecraft and ground systems, launch checkout and evaluation, tracking and data acquisition, and the Thor-Delta launch vehicle. NESS was responsible for operating the spacecraft and processing the data. (NASA prog off; GSFC proj off)
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