Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

August 17 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
objects” had ever been identified by air forces over U.S. or Canada:
“There have been thousands of reports about official air force stands
on UFOS from the widest variety of sources over the years-but so far
as the command is aware, it never has been shown anything but natural
atmospheric or astronomical phenomena or airborne objectebirds,
insects, hardwareseen under unusual circumstances, or misinter-
preted.’, (Thomis, C Trib, 8/18/67,1)
August 18: House Committee on Appropriations reported $4.6-billion NASA
N 1968 appropriation bill-$516.6 million less than NASA had requested
and $282 million less than NASA N 1968 authorization bill (S. 12%).
Committee said the bill was “less than would be recommended under
less stringent fiscal circumstances,” but it would support “a viable space
program, and one that is consistent with available resources.
“The reductions . . . should in no respect be interpreted as an ex-
pression of a lack of confidence in our space endeavors. . . .” Cuts
included: (1) $50.5 million from Apollo program; (2) $154.7 million
from AA program; (3) $27.5 million from Nuclear Rocket Program;
(4) $37.7 million from Tracking and Data Acquisition; and (5) $71.5
million from Voyager (funding eliminated). (NASA LAR VI/91; WSJ,
8/21/67,4; O’Toole, W Post, 8/19/67, A4)
0 First two Apollo spacesuits incorporating changes recommended by NASA’s
Apollo 204 Review Board were scheduled to arrive at MSC in early Sep
tember for thermo-vacuum and compatibility testing. New suit, desig-
nated A-7L, was an im roved version of the original A-6L suit. Changes,
primarily replacing B ammable materials with nonflammable or low-
flammability materials, included substitution of: (1) Beta fabric, a
nonflammable fiberglass cloth, for Nomex, a high-temperature nylon,
in outside layer; (2) Nomex for a more flammable nylon inner layer;
and (3) fire-resistant Kapton/Beta fiberglass insulation for aluminized
Mylar-Dacron insulation. In addition to its greater fire-resistant prop-
erties, spacesuit, which was white rather than blue, was more com-
fortable and mobile than A-6L. It would be used in all manned Apollo
missions during prelaunch and launch phases, and reentry. First pro-
duction model of spacesuit, manufactured by International Latex Corp.’s
Government and Industrial Div. under MSC contract, was scheduled for
mid-October delivery. (NASA Release 67-222)
* Rocket engine for Apollo service module’s propulsion system had been
undergoing tests at Arnold Engineering Development Center during past
31/2 years. Initially, engine performance was unknown; it would use an
ablatively cooled thrust chamber and a high expansion ratio nozzle of
thin metal and would operate at relatively low combustion chamber pres-
sures. Initial tests were on configuration of engine’s fragile nozzles.
Follow-on tests, for prequalification of engine combined with heavy
duty replica of propellant tankage, had checked ballistic performance.
Simulated high-altitude testing would lead to eventual man-rating of
propulsion system. ( AEDC Release 67-212)
0 NASA had awarded NAA’S Rocketdyne Div. a $l.g-million contract for con-
tinued technological investigation of the advanced aerospike rocket en-
gine. Studied by OAET for 1% yrs, the engine utilizes a doughnut-
shaped combustion chamber which discharges exhaust gases against the
surface of a short center cone. In conventional rocket engines, gases are
expanded inside long bell-shaped nozzles. Current concept specified an
engine 8 ft in diameter and 4Yz ft high-about 50% shorter than con-
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