Sep 19 1971

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NASA announced it had granted Univ. of Denver limited exclusive patent rights to frangible-tube energy absorber conceived and developed at LaRC in 1961 and patented by NASA in 1964. Seven-year rights permitted manufacture, use, and sale of device for trailer support wheel structures, passenger automobile bumpers, and elevators. DOT was considering its use on highway guard rails. Device, made of hard metal alloy, absorbed shock by shattering when pressed against suitably shaped die by downward force. (NASA Release 71-173)

September 19-22: NASA launched series of 13 Nike-Cajun sounding rockets from Kourou, French Guiana, carrying GSFC grenade payloads. Data would be correlated with data from five French Centaure vapor flights. Objective was to determine solar-driven first and second harmonic oscillations in temperature, pressure, density, and winds in upper atmosphere in equatorial zone between altitudes of 35 and 100 km (22 and 62 mi). Each Nike-Cajun carried 31 grenades to altitudes from 114 to 125 km (70-78 mi). All but four grenades were ejected and exploded as planned, and all 13 flights were rated successful. (NASA Rpts SRL)

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