Oct 5 1973

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The Skylab 2 crew of Navy men-Capt. Charles Conrad, Jr., Capt. Joseph P. Kerwin, and Capt. Paul J. Weitz-was honored with Distinguished Service Medals by Secretary of the Navy John W. Warner in a Dept. of Defense ceremony. Citations were for "exceptionally meri-torious service to the Government of the United States in a duty of great responsibility (as crewmen) for the Skylab mission from May 25 to June 22, 1973." Through their professional competence and dedica-tions, they had "contributed immeasurably to the success of this historic mission, the results of which will furnish information of great signifi-cance to man's continuing quest for further knowledge and understand-ing of himself and the universe." (DOD Release 480-73)

Federal Aviation Administrator Alexander P. Butterfield presented hon-orary FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic's Certificates with an especially established "spacecraft rating" to Skylab 2 Astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, and Paul J. Weitz during Washing-ton, D.C., ceremonies. Butterfield said: "The in-flight repair job you performed on the Skylab orbital workshop was one of the most spec-tacular achievements of the entire space program. It transformed a potentially disastrous mission into an outstanding success and demon-strated once again man's ingenuity in the face of adversity. I'm sure every aviation mechanic in the country is proud to have you as honorary members of their select and highly skilled fraternity." The awards were sponsored by the Aviation Maintenance Foundation in cooperation with FAA and the aviation industry. (FAA Release 73-173)

Johnson Space Center had invited Boeing Co. to submit a proposal for wind-tunnel tests using a 747 transport aircraft to ferry the space shuttle orbiter, NASA announced. The orbiter would be mounted pickaback on the 747 in tests to determine feasibility of the plan. Lockheed Aircraft Corp. had been invited earlier to submit a proposal for use of a C-5A cargo aircraft as a ferry during wind-tunnel tests [see Sept. 25]. (NASA Release 73-204)

A Science editorial commented on the altered structure of Federal science advisory apparatus arising from the demise of the Office of Science and Technology and the July 10 appointment of the National Science Foun-dation Director, Dr. H. Guyford Stever, as Presidential Science Adviser and Chairman of the Federal Council for Science and Technology. Dr. Stever had met with presidents or principal officers of most of the major scientific and engineering organizations and had indicated "that he would welcome policy advice and recommendations concerning per-sonnel. As specific problems arise, the appropriate organizations will be tapped. Thus it seems that a major difference between the new and the old apparatus will be the replacement of a small, formal, elite group by more broadly based ad hoc groups. The concept is worth a try. Whether it will be viable will depend on how effectively it is implemented by both sides." (Abelson, Science, 10/5/73, 13)

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