NASA SP-4025 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1985 A Chronology THE NASA HISTORY SERIES Scientific and Technical Information Division 1988 Iw\sA National Aeronautics and Space Administration Washington, DC NASA maintains an internal history program for two principal reasons: (1) Sponsorship of research in NASA-related history is one way in which NASA responds to the provision of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 that requires NASA to “provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its a<:- tivities and the results thereof.” (2) Thoughtful stidy of NASA history can help agency managers accomplish the missions assigned to the agency. Understanding NASA’s past aids in understanding its present situation and illuminates possible future directions. The opinions and conclusions set forth in this book are those of the author; no official of the agency necessarily endorses those opinions or conclusions. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, US. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (paper cover) Library of Congress Catalog Number 65-60308. Astronautics and Aeronautics for 1985 continues the series of annual chro- nologies of events in aeronautics, aviation, and space science and explora- tion prepared by the History Office of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. A compendium chronology covering the events between 1979 (the date of the most recently published Astronautics and Aeronautics chronology) and 1984 is in preparation. The present volume introduces a new format designed to make the series more useful as an historical reference work. Events are arranged by major subject categories and subcategories, and chronologically thereunder. It was written by Bette R. Janson under the editorial supervision of the Director of the NASA History Office. Items for inclusion in this volume were collected by Eleanor H. Ritchie and Lee D. Saegesser of the NASA History Office. As with any work of this nature, its extensive scope has made the use of primary sources prohibitive. Thus entries are based largely on normally reli- able secondary sources. All entries are followed by their sources to provide serious researchers points of access for further investigation. A chronology of this size necessarily involves considerable seiection; read- ers are invited to notify the NASA History Office of any serious omissions, as well as errors, for possible correction in subsequent volumes. Sylvia D. Fries Director, NASA History Office Washington, D.C. PRECEDCNG PAGE BLANK NOT FILMED ... 111 CONTENTS ... Preface ............................................... 111 Aerospace Industry ...................................... 1 Aerospace Research and Development ....................... 3 Aeronautics ......................................... 4 Balloons ............................................ 16 Large Space Systems ................................... 17 LaunchVehicles ...................................... 18 Military Applications .................................. 22 Simulation Technology ................................. 26 Transatmospheric Vehicle ............................... 28 Astronauts ............................................. 31 Astronomy ............................................ 37 Planetary Exploration .................................. 61 Atmospheric Research ................................... 71 Upper Atmospheric Research ............................ 77 Aviation .............................................. 81 Civil Aviation ........................................ 82 Human Powered Aircraft ............................... 96 Su personi c Transport .................................. 96 Awards ............................................... 99 Colombia ............................................. 105 Comsat ............................................... 107 Conferences ........................................... 109 Department of Defense ................................... 111 Antisatellite System .................................... 111 Budget ............................................. 116 Missiles ............................................ 117 NASA and the Department of Defense ..................... 120 Procurement ......................................... 120 Satellites ............................................ 121 Strategic Defense Initiative .............................. 125 European Space Agency .................................. 135 Federal Aviation Administration ............................ 141 France ............................................... 145 Hermes Program ..................................... 145 Geophysics ............................................ 147 History ............................................... 151 India ................................................. 155 INTELSAT ............................................. 157 Satellites ............................................ 159 V PRECEDING PAGE BLANK NOT FILMED Japan ................................................ 163 Launch Vehicles ...................................... 163 Materials Processing ..................................... 165 National Aeronautics and Space Administration ................ 167 Budget ............................................. 168 Data Tracking and Relay Systems ......................... 171 Management and Personnel ............................. 173 NASA Installations .................................... 186 Ames Research Center ............................... 186 Goddard Space Flight Center .......................... 189 Johnson Space Center ............................... 190 Kennedy Space Center ............................... 191 Langley Research Center ............................. 194 Lewis Research Center ............................... 196 Marshall Space Flight Center .......................... 198 Wallops Flight Facility ............................... 199 Office of Inspector General ............................. 200 Procurement ......................................... 201 Public Affairs ......................................... 203 Review Boards ....................................... 204 Technology Transfers ................................... 206 Peoples Republic of China ................................ 213 Satellites .............................................. 217 Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) ................... 235 Smithsonian Institution ................................... 237 Space Science and Applications ............................ 243 Space Station Program ................................... 255 Space Transportation System (STS) ........................... 271 Civilian in Space Program .............................. 271 Crews .............................................. 277 External Tank ........................................ 285 Launch and Landing Facilities ............................ 286 Launch Schedules ..................................... 294 Main Engines ........................................ 306 Management ........................................ 310 Mi Iitary Applications .................................. 314 Missions ............................................ 322 Revenues ........................................... 343 Scientific Research .................................... 348 Shuttle Orbiter ....................................... 358 Solid-fuel Rocket Boosters .............................. 366 Student Involvement Program ............................ 369 Spacelab .............................................. 373 vi Union of Soviet Socialist Republics .......................... 385 Missiles ............................................ 385 Satel lites ............................................ 386 Space Program ....................................... 388 Spacecraft ........................................... 396 United Kingdom ........................................ 401 Satellites ............................................ 401 United States .......................................... 403 Congress ........................................... 403 U.S.AirForce ........................................ 404 Aircraft ........................................... 404 NASA and the U.S. Air Force ............................ 409 US. Science and Technology ............................ 411 Policy ............................................ 413 Resources ......................................... 414 U.S. Space Policy ..................................... 417 Civilian Programs ................................... 420 Commercialization .................................. 425 International ....................................... 432 Military Programs ................................... 436 National Space Commission .......................... 440 Miscellaneous .......................................... 443 Appendixes ........................................... 447 A . Satellites, Space Probes, and Manned Space Flights, 1985 .... 447 B . NASA Launches, 1985 ............................... 499 C . Manned Space Flights, 1985 .......................... 507 D. Abbreviations of References ........................... 513 Index ................................................ 519 vii AEROSPACE INDUSTRY March 78: In its aerospace forecast and inventory issue, Aviation Week re- ported that aerospace sales would continue to expand in 1985 as a result of business that was already on the books, with reviving commercial transport orders expanding on earlier rebounds in the military and space