Sep 18 1972
From The Space Library
New York Times published interview with Harris M. Schurmeier, Jet Propulsion Laboratory's manager of proposed 1977 Jupiter-Saturn mission. Two 680-kg (1500-lb) spacecraft launched by Titan IIIE-Centaur boosters would swing past Jupiter in 1979 and, gaining velocity from pull of Jupiter's gravity, speed past Saturn by 1981. Mission would cost between $250 million and $350 million-less than half cost of Grand Tour mission proposed earlier. Since mission would provide first close-up observation of Saturn, some 200 scientists had already submitted proposals for experiments. Proposals were being evaluated and spacecraft design would begin by end of 1972. (Wilford, NYT, 9/18/72, 15)
Twenty-fifth anniversary of U.S. Air Force. First Secretary of the Air Force W. Stuart Symington had been sworn in Sept. 18, 1947, effective date of transfer of Army air activities to Dept. of the Air Force established by Armed Forces Unification Act of July 26, 1947. Publications during September commemorated Silver Anniversary. Airman editorial noted it has been more than 50 yrs since advent of military aviation "and it is virtually impossible to divide the technological achievements and amazing advances over that span of years into categories like 'pre-autonomy' or `post- autonomy. It was spirit that counted-"that indomitable, driving, probing, questioning, seeking perseverance, and sheer genius that has taken man from Kittyhawk to the moon in what is really an incredibly short period of time." Air Force System Command's Newsreview traced historical high-lights of its bases and organizations, Arnold Engineering Development Center (AFDC) near Tullahoma, Tenn., had been established in 1953 at recommendation of aeronautical scientist Dr. Theodore von Karman. Center currently consisted of 40 test units that provided "simulated flight-test capability ranging in speed to more than 20 times the speed of sound and to altitudes around 1,000 miles [1600 kilometers]." Center's replacement value was $840 million. Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., had grown with space program. Launch of V-2 from Eastern Test Range at Patrick in 1950 "was the first step to the moon. That goal, now accomplished five times, leaves the future of space exploration n the threshold of a dream." Future of the Air Force was discussed by Gen. John D. Ryan (USAF) in Armed Forces Journal issue dedicated to Air Force Silver Anniversary. "It would be very easy to take off on rhetorical flights of overcoming the unlimited challenges of aerospace. The challenges do exist; and they could conceivably mean that the future of the Air Force will include the use of remotely piloted vehicles, hypersonic air-craft, and the laser. But if these, and anything else man can envision and produce, do exist in the future, they will only be the means for Air Force people to do their basic job of providing this country with the aerospace power required for defense and security. As in the past 25 years, success in the future depends heavily on the dedication and quality of Air Force people." (Airman, 9/72, 25; AFSC Newsreview, 9/72, 6, 9; AFJ, 9/72; Dept of AF, A Chronology of American Air Space Events, 1/3/61)
Envelopes carried to moon aboard Apollo 15 and later sold to stamp dealers had been ordered by Harold G. Collins, Chief of Kennedy Space Center Mission Support Office, Manager John H. Jacobs of Brevard Printing Co, told press. Collins had asked that bill be sent to Hughes Enterprises in Las Vegas, Nev. Associated Press said Collins and NASA officials and astronauts at Manned Spacecraft Center had declined to comment on Jacobs' statement because matter was under investigation by Dept. of Justice. (AP, W Post, 9/19/72, A3)
U.S.S.R. had begun staging electronic-intelligence-gathering reconnaissance flights off U.S. East Coast, with aircraft returning to air base near Havana, Cuba, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported. Some U.S. officials believed U.S.S.R. was establishing precedent for using Cuba as base from which to launch and recover reconnaissance satellites. In first reported incident two naval reconnaissance versions of Tu-95 Bear turboprop aircraft made 12-hr flight from Cuba up route 80 km (50 mi) off U.S. coast to point north of Norfolk, Va. Flights had been detected by radar on U.S.S. Forrestal and had been monitored by F-4 and A-7 aircraft. Although Tu-95s had flown off U.S. East Coast for past several years, they had not taken off from Cuba, flown mission, and then returned to Cuba before. (Av Wk, 9/18/72, 11)
September 18-21: Twentieth International Congress of Aviation and Space Medicine was held in Nice, France, More than 500 scientists from 54 countries participated. Dr. Charles A. Berry, NASA Director for Life Sciences, discussed human problems in long- duration space flights: Long-term bedrest data offered some clues to potential effects of weightlessness on physiological systems. There were indications that some zero-g effects were self-limiting. Collection of good inflight data for longer periods, coupled with ground-based experiments, was vital in planning for longer duration space flight. Vestibular problems had not been great enough for U.S. crews to require preadaptation program. "Such a program must, however, be considered as the number of potential crewmen is increased, particularly as scientists with no test pilot experience are added to crews. However, I do not at the present time see any physiological requirement for the addition of artificial gravity for long duration space flight." Soviet delegation was headed by Dr. Oleg G. Gazenko, Director of Institute of Space Biology of Soviet Academy of Sciences. (Text; FBIS-Sov, 10/3/72, A7)
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