Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967 October 23
Similar to these Soviet studies were those conducted using NASA’s Os0 ZV
(launched Oct. 18) , which would monitor sun so scientists could better
determine how phenomena such as radio “blackout” and weather on
earth were affacted by solar activity. (Av Wk, 10/23/67, 27-8; NASA
Release 67-273)
* Engine noise survey designed to study noise prediction during ground
runups was postponed by NASA, reported Aviation Week. Tests, which
would have been combined wth USAF studies of propulsion system calibration
for AMSA, were given lower priority because these experiments
would have caused two-week stand-down between flights. (Av Wk,
10/23/67, 23)
Ocbober 23-27: AIAA’S Fourth Annual Meeting and Technical Display was
held in Anaheim, Calif.
Reviewing history of NACA and NASA, GISS Executive Officer Arthur
L. Levine noted that forces which accounted for creation of NACA in
1915 were both different from and far less intense that those behind
creation of NASA in 1958. NASA played a much more significant role in
the Nation and in Federal activity in science and technology than NACA,
he said, and NASA’s leadership was subjected to a wider variety and greater
intensity of pressures from within Government and from outside interests.
NASA Historian Eugene M. Emme reviewed historical evolution of
U.S. aeronautics and astronautics in context of major national poli-
cies and decisions. Citing effects of World Wars I and 14, the “cold
war” of the 1950’s, and launching of Sputnik, he described how they
helped determine the pace and utilization of technological advances
and reviewed major U.S. turning points and relevant factors contribut-
ing to’ the Apollo decision. (Program)
M/G J. D. Caldara (USAF, Ret.) , President of Flight Safety Foundation,
Inc., suggested commonality between safety problems and solutions for
underwater, aircraft, and space systems based on recognition, reason-
ing, and responsibility: “This process [of problem solving] spells out
the basic building blocks in the structure of the man/machine relation-
ships . . . involving safety. . . . If every scientist-engineer accepts his
rightful responsibility and applies his imagination and experience to
his task, the end result will be . . . [operations that are] 100%
efficient and . . . 100% safe.” (Text)
GSFC engineers F. 0. Vonbun and J. T. Mengel proposed development
of a worldwide tracking and communications system for manned plane-
tary missions similar to that used for Apollo. Planetary Manned Space
Flight Network (PMSFN) -consisting of three 30- to 504t-dia ground
stations, three 210-ft-dia dish antennas, and three synchronous orbit-
ing tracking stations ( SOTS) -would obviate need for other radar, ships,
and aircraft. SOTS, they said, while providing continuous communica-
tions, tracking, and telemetry functions, would be more cost-efficient
by removing requirement for numerous new tracking stations. (Text;
Program)
Addressing Honors Banquet, usc President Dr. Norman Topping
stressed need for expanded program to search and disseminate data
produced in space research. Although such data did reach social prob-
lems occasionally, “the arrival in the right place at the right time is
largely a coincidence,” he noted. To realize the total potential of modern
discovery, scientists had to communicate outside their separate, narrow
fields, find a common language with the layman, and work together
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