Sep 17 1979
From The Space Library
In a move "necessary and proper to achieve the objective of national technical superiority through joint action with U.S. domestic concerns," NASA administrator Dr. Robert A. Frosch announced that the agency would offer industry "equity partnership ventures" in use of the Space Shuttle, NASA technical advice, data, equipment, and facilities for commercial purposes.
NASA had set up guidelines to ease U.S. industry entry into an area that, because of high technology and high economic risk, had traditionally been left to the federal government. Such a government-industry relationship would combine industry's risk capital and experience with NASAs resources to ensure U.S. leadership in space processing of materials. Areas of potential commercial interest included semiconductors, infrared and nuclear detectors, metallurgy, microwave devices, and medicine. (NASA Release 79-119)
ESA announced that the first stage of its Ariane. launcher had undergone its last ground qualification test September 13; CNES had scheduled the launch phase to begin October 1, with first launch between December 8 and 18. Aerospatiale had shipped the flight-qualification model from Le Havre September 15, bound for the launch site at Kourou, French Guiana. (ESA Release Sept 17/79)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
