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Show SALT FLAT NEWS, OCTOBER, 1971 4 Site Selection Croup NASAs Space Shuttle Facilities Group, which is overshuttle-bas- e selection process, consists of representatives of the seeing each major NASA office, representatives from the agencys three main from the Air Force. space flight centers and representatives of the space agencys Office of Facilities, Robert H. Curtin, director is chairman of the group. have visited all of During the past six months, members of the group evaluations of the qualifications the leading candidate bases for e of each possible choice. on-sit- NASA: Space agency representatives on the group: Office of Facilities: Lawrence Jacobsen, Roy L. Bullock and Gerald P. Gaffney. Office of Manned Space Flight: H. Mack Rhodes and A. Daniel Schnyer. Office of Space Science and Applications: John W. Rosenberry. Office of Advanced Research and Technology: Frederick J. DeMeritte. Office of Tracking and Data Acquisition: William L. Folsom. John F. Kennedy Space Center: Orval Sparkman. Houston Manned Space Flight Center: Wayne Koons. George C. Marshall Space Flight Center: Robert A. Bush. Air Force: Representatives of the Air Force: Air Force Systems Command: Maj. Frank Koski. Space and Missiles Systems Organization: Lt. Col. R. S. Bearman and Lt. Col. Carlos Fox. Shuttle Development Contractors AFLC TtST RNGF An artist's concept depicting the vertical launch of a space shuttle. The orbiter portion rides piggyback atop the booster to an altitude of about 200,000 feet. Separation occurs at three minutes into the mission. The booster returns to earth while orbiter continues into space eventually to rendezvous with an orbiting space station or base. Total weight of the two vehicles at liftoff is apf proximately three and million pounds. Orbiter weighs about 600,000 pounds, with the booster accounting for approximately two million, 900 thousand pounds. Booster is equal to a U. S. Air Force Galaxy aircraft in size. The orbiter is approximately the size of a commercial jet passenger aircraft. one-hal- C-5- 3 BEAUTIFUL USED MARTIN GUITARS BEESLEYS NASA over the past two years has put a number of companies, including some of the giant aerospace firms, to work analyzing the design and feasibility of its proposed space shuttle. Phased approach: The companies have been working according to what NASA calls a phased project planning approach, with four distinct parts: In the preliminary analysis stage, NASA and outside Phase A contractors try to develop project objectives and to assess feasibility and general cost factors. Phase A Four companies conducted the Phase A launch and reentry vehicle studies, under $450,000 contracts running from Jan. 31 to Sept. 30, 1969. The contractors were: Convair Division, General Dynamics Corp.; Lockheed Corp.; North American Rockwell Corp.; McDonnell-Douglas Corp. Because of the complexity and magnitude of the shuttle project and because of uncertainties over the total amount of money NASA could commit to the project, the agency last year contracted for additional Phase A studies of alternate shuttle designs. The contracts went to Lockheed Corp. ($1 million, June 30, 1970-Ma31, 1971); Chrysler Corp. ($1 million, June 30, 1970-Ma31, 1971); Grumman Aerospace Corp. ($4 million, July 6, 1970-June1971). Phase B In the second phase, detailed studies of the project and preliminary system designs are produced, usually by outside contractors. Comprehensive cost assessments are made and scheduling goals established, and further research is performed on facilities, logistics and advanced technology requirements. Phase B ends with selection of a single project concept. Phase B NASA let Phase B contracts last year for the shuttles rocket engine and for preliminary design of a fully reusable y y two-stag- vehicle. The engine contracts were for $6 million each and run from June See Beesteys Ad HEDMAN S HEDDERS 12, 1970, to May 12, 1971. The contractors were: Aerojet-Genera- l Corp., a division of General Tire and Rubber Co.; Rocketdyne Division, North American Rockwell Corp.; Pratt and Whitney Aircraft, a division of United Aircraft Corp. NASA will select the manufacturer of the engine from these three companies. Two teams of companies, headed by North American Rockwell Corp. and McDonnell-Dougla- s Corp. , won the competition for Phase B vehicle design studies. The contracts were for $10.8 million each. The McDonnell-Douglas contract runs from June 19, 1970, to May 19, 1971; the North American Rockwell contract from June 30, 1970, to May 31,1971. Leading subcontracting companies in the North American Rockwell team are: General Dynamics Corp., American Airlines Inc., Honeywell Inc., International Business Machines Corp., British Aircraft Corp., Messerschmitt, Boelkow and Blohm (Germany). In the McDonnell-Dougla- s team, the leading subcontractors are: Martin Marietta Corp., TRW Inc., Sperry Rand Corp., Raytheon Co., Norden Division of United Aircraft Corp., Societe Nationale Indus-triell- e Aerospatiale (France), Ltd. (England), (Germany). At the conclusion of the Phase B studies, NASA plans to reopen competition for the vehicle construction to other corporate teams. n HEDMAN MANUFACTURING 4630 Leahy St. Culver City, Calif. 90230 Where thousands of listeners enjoy concert music and news every day! Phase C At this stage, contractors develop exact design specifications, with mockups, and test critical subsystems to assure that the required hardware is within the state of the art and that schedules are realistic. NASA management and procurement plans also are refined. Phase C Contractors: The space shuttle is now at Phase B, but there is money in the Presidents fiscal 1972 to find initial contracts for Phase C development of the shuttlebudget engine. Phase D In the final phase, the hardware is fabricated and tested, and the system is operated. Contractors: ' ' Phase D no contractor determined. |