John F. Kennedy Space Center Ju Iy 24, 1975

SpaceNI\SJ\

Vol. 14, No. 15

ASTP Apollo Set For Splashdown Today

Managers, Visitors Pay Tribute To Launch Tearn

amongst the stars, the spacemen ofboth nations gave ample proof thatASTP was a serious scientific en­deavor as well. They conducted 27experiments in all - five jointly ­and practiced rendezvous anddocking techniques which are appli­cable to future international mis­sions and the rescue of strandedspace travelers.

Launch activities went smoothlyon both sides of the Atlantic, al­though public accessibility to thelaunch sites differed sharply. Theonly Americans invited to view theSoyuz launch from Baikonur wereU.S. Ambassador to the SovietUnion Walter Stoessel and Mrs.Stoessel; Willis Shapley, NASA As­sociate Deputy Administrator; and

(See SPLASHDOWN, Page 8)

The ASTP mission, which laid afoundation for future internationalspace ventures, met all major objec­tives, according to both U.S. andSoviet officials.

Internationally, the mission gen­erated considerable interest.Through the miracle of worldwidetelevision, hundreds of millions ofpeople around the globe watched asastronauts and cosmonauts gave vis­ibility to detente.

Between bear hugs, fruit-juicetoasts and dinner parties

See Photos, page 3

(See TEAM, Page 7)

KSC LAUNCH DIRECTOR Walter Kapryan (left) and KSC Di­rector Lee Scherer (second from left) talk with the Soviet Ambassa­dor to the United States Anatoliy Dobrynin (right) and Mrs. Dob­rynin in the Firing Room following the ASTP launch.

ship." It is just that. It's a feeling ofpurpose. It's a feeling of dedicationto other team members. It's like be­ing on a sports team - giving yourall, paying any price in order towin.

It takes a lot to be on the team.Those on the team know it and talkabout it.

The Apollo Soyuz Test Projectwill conclude this evening when as­tronauts Tom Stafford, VanceBrand and "Deke" Slayton guidetheir Apollo spaceship to a waterylanding some 345 miles west ofHonolulu, Hawaii.

Splashdown will occur at ap­proximately 5:18 p.m. EDT at 22degrees north latitude and 163 de­grees west longitude.

The Soyuz spacecraft, piloted bycosmonauts Aleksey Leonov andValeriy Kubasov, landed safely lastMonday northeast of the Soviettown of Arkalyk in Kazakhstan, sixmiles from the planned targetpoint.

The Apollo crew and spacecraftwill be recovered by the helicoptercarrier New Orleans. The astronautswill be flown to Ellington Air ForceBase near Houston, arriving Satur­day at 8 a.m. EDT.

time, getting the vehicle ready un­der the very real pressure of tryingto meet the window, and by golly,you made it. You're the greatest,and we thank you."

What made the "great" teamYoung describes?

Experience. The Saturn launchteam was formed at Complexes 34and 37 in the mid sixties. Its sizeand competence grew with the Cen­ter's development. The team ex­panded to include Complex 39 andthe launch of the first Saturn V, SA501, on November 9,1967.

During the next five years, itlaunched II more Saturn V's; all ofthem successful, all of them his­toric.

Even more demands were placedon the team in the Skylab program,with four launches required in sixmonths.

But they did it. And this monthall these years of experience haveculminated in the launch of the lastSaturn vehicle for the Apollo SoyuzTest Project.

In addition to this skill andtraining, however, there is anotherfactor, not often delineated, thatmakes the difference between"mediocrity" and "greatness."

Fortune Magazine has describedthat factor as a "mystical comrade-

~ ~

Cosmonauts Valeriy Kubasov and Aleksey Leonov talk with astro­naut Tom Stafford after their historic space meeting. Inset showsApollo (foreground) as it approached Soyuz prior to docking.

They helped create the spaceage. They re-wrote Jules Verne.They let men touch the stars.

Who are they? They're the mem­bers of the greatest launch team inthe world - Kenney Space Center'sown.

They're unique. Collectively,they have skills no other group canmatch - built up over years oflaunching men and machines intoouter space.

See related stories, pages 4-5

We know they're special. Andthe world does too.

Through the years of successes,they have collected praises fromrepresentatives of almost everycountry in the world, includingAmbassador Dobrynin from theSoviet Union who told them JulyIS, "My heart is with you doingthis very nice job. I should say thatwithout your magnificent perform­ance here ... the whole projectwould be impossible ... Well doneand thank you very much."

The astronauts who trusted theirlives to the team's competence havealso paid them tribute. Apollo 10crewman John Young "said, "Thedifference between mediocrity andgreatness is this launch testteam ... trouble shooting in real

Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS July 24, 1975

FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER. KSC Director Praises Launch Team(Editor's Note: Following the ASTP Apollo/Saturn launch KSC Di­

rector Lee Scherer made the [allowing statement to the personnel inFiring Room 3.)

"We've just seen another truly professional performance from a greatteam. All good things must come to an end and it seems like this is anappropriate time for the Saturn launch program to end. And it's beingdone with a particularly important mission. A few of you have receivedspecific individual recognition for your part in this program - most ofyou have not and that's the way it is with a large team. But all of youcan take with you the self esteem, perhaps the greatest reward of all,from the fact that you've been a member of a team that made a fan­tastic contribution to our country. And now as you go your separateways over these next few weeks I'd like to thank all of you and wishyou the best in your future ventures. God speed to you al1." 0

New Regulations For Health Claims

IS Director F. Miller To Retire

TODD GROO (left), NASA Associate Administrator for Center Op­erations, and David Scott, Director of the Flight Research Center,break ground for a new Space Shuttle hangar at FRe. The hangar isbeing built by the Sante Fe Engineers, Inc., Lancaster, CA., undercontract to KSC.

Frederic H. Miller, Director ofInstallation Support at the Ken­nedy Space Center since 1967, willretire on July 28, ending 43 yearsof federal service.

Miller, a retired Air Force majorgeneral, joined NASA in 1966, serv­ing as KSC's Deputy Director ofAdministration and Chief of theResources Management Office. Hewas appointed Director of Installa­tion Support in October 1967 byformer Center Director Dr. KurtDebus.

In his present capacity, Millerexercises day-to-day cognizance ofthe Center's principal support con­tractors, Boeing, Expedient Ser­vices, Inc., New World Services, At­Iantic Technical Services, andMcGregor & Werner, Inc.

Miller is a graduate of PurdueUniversity and holds a master's de­gree in business administrationfrom the University of Penn­sylvania. He began his militarycareer in 1932 as a pilot in theArmy Air Corps, which included abrief stint flying U.S. air mail whenthe Army had that task.

During World War II he com­manded a B-24 liberator combatgroup in the European theater andlater served as Director of CurrentOperations for the U.S. StrategicAir Force Headquarters in Europe.For three years he worked in thePentagon for the Assistant Secre­tary of Defense for InternationalSecurity Affairs, serving as Directorof the European Region.

Miller retired from the Air Forcewhile commanding the MiddletownAir Materiel Command inPennsylvania, completing a 34-yearmilitary aviation career that beganwith the liberty engined, fabric­winged aircraft of yesteryear.

"I consider Apollo to be one ofthe great engineering an~ scientificachievements of all time," said Mil­ler. "I have been extremelyfortunate to participate in the pro­gram."

Miller resides on Merritt Islandwith his wife, Alice. His plans forthe future 'are indefinite, but includeplenty of golf, fishing and travel,perhaps even a part-time job in aselected field of interest. 0

Final regulations for resolvingdisputes between Federal Em­ployees, annuitants, and survivorscovered under the Federal Em­ployees Health Benefits programand their health insurance carrierswere recently published by the CivilService Commission. Procedures forresolving such disputes are as fol­lows:

The claimant's written requestmust be made within one year ofthe denial to the health insurancecarrier which denied the claim. Thecarrier is required to respond within30 days after receipt of theclaimant's request unless the carrierneeds additional information tomake a determination. Countingthe time needed to receive the addi­tional information from the claim­ant, the carrier may have up to anadditional 60 days to respond.

If the carrier fails to respondwithin the required time limit, theclaimant may request a review of

the denial by the Civil Service Com­mission's Bureau of Retirement, In­surance, and Occupational Health.

Also, if the carrier again deniesthe claim, the carrier must explainthe denial in detail and inform theclaimant of his or her right to re­quest review by the Bureau within90 days.

When necessary, the Bureau mayrequest other information, in­cluding an advisory opinion froman independent physician. As in allmatters pertaining to medicalrecords, all medical informationwill be treated confidentially.

The Bureau will notify both thecarrier and the claimant of its finaldecision within 30 days of receiptof the information needed to re­solve the dispute, and the Bureau'sdecision will constitute a final ad­ministrative decision.

The new regulations will applyto all claims for health services ren­dered on or after January 1, 1975.

Published every other week by the John F. Kennedy Space Center,National Aeronautics and Space Administration,

, Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899Charles T. Hollinshead, Chief, Public Affairs

Karl Kristofferson, EditorEdward K_ Harrison, Photographic Coordinator

Klaus Wilckens, Staff Photographer

COSMIC RAY SATELLITE-B (COS-B) is scheduled for launchfrom KSC facilities at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, noearlier than August 6. The satellite is being launched by NASA forthe European Space Research Organization. It will investigategamma radiation from space.

July 24, 1975 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3

Test Conductor Dick Thornburg, Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin and NASA Administrator James Fletcher watch the launch.

Early on launch day.

ASTP launch Day

Tom Stafford reCeives "call" on the way to the pad.

Astronauts watched the Soyuz launch during breakfast. Liftoff!

Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS July 24,1975

ITeamwork Important To Kennedy Spac.

S. HOLLOWAY A. HOLDENJoe Eckhoff, Environmental

Control Systems Test Engineer,Boeing: "I get great satisfaction outof the fact that I did contribute tothe Saturn program. We feel there isno way they could launch withoutus."

Creath Dean, Sr., Quality In­spector, IBM: "I've been here since1962, and the entire time has beeninteresting and exciting."

Bob Claudio, Specialist Engi­neer, Boeing: "We established awhole new plane of exploration. Wehave a generation of people whohave lived from the horse-drawn

ASTP means additional cooperationbetween the US and the USSR."

Ray Bond, Test Conductor,Chrysler: "We all feel we'd like tofly a few more birds."

SHERRINGTON R. ENGLISHcarriage to man on the moon. Mycontribution has been trying to domy job to the best of my ability sotha t the areas I was involved inwere successfully completed."

Kelly Fiorentino, LV Instrumen-

been with the program since thefirst Saturn V and it has been a veryworthwhile program. ASTP is trulya step toward the fu ture, however,because the complete conquest ofspace will be done by all the peo­ples of the world and not by justone country."

Harold "Digger" O'Dell, S-lBSenior Test Conductor, Chrysler: "Ithink it's a shame this country isnot going to have any more mannedlaunches for the next four years. I'dlike to see us go back to the moon.By ending the moon program, wehave abandoned a part of the spaceprogram we shouldn't have aban­doned."

Kiyoshi Yamasaki, Firing PanelOperator, Chrysler: "It is a shame

C. DEAN

that the Saturn program is comingto an end now. I don't feel that in­dividually I have contributed thatmuch to the program, but I feel thatI am part of the team that has con­tributed to the program's successes.Hopefully, ASTP will be the begin­ning of some further internationalmissions with the USSR."

James Schofield, S-IVB TestConductor, McDonnell Douglas:"I'm just as enthusiastic about thislaunch as I was about the first one Iparticipated in. I hate to see theprogram halt mainly from a rela­tionship standpoint with all thepeople I've worked with. I hope

G. WAUGH P. THOMASJ. Tal Webb, Assistant Test Con­

ductor, McDonnell Douglas: "I amreally sorry to see the Saturnprogram end. Looking back, I've

J. FORD E. BRANSONfully meeting them. I once believedthat due to the relatively large num­ber of people involved in the spaceprogram that each one's con­tribution was almost negligible.When you consider, however, thatyour contribution was part of someof the world's most momentousevents of all time, then suddenlyyou start figuring that your partwas not so small. I feel very proudof my contribution."

Art Sawyer, LVO OperationsEngineer, NASA: "Ending the pro­gram this way is sure going to breakup a lot of friendships, which is thesaddest part about this launch."

Billy Melton, Senior Test Con­ductor, Boeing: "Being on thelaunch team has been a great joband I'm proud to have been a partof it. This has been a great crew towork with."

-Webster's ThirdInternational Dictionary

The KSC launch team's recordof successful launches is evidencethat the necessity to subordinateindividuality for the good of theteam has always governed its ac­tions. Therefore, we have askedsome of those on the team to stateindividually their feelings about theend of the Saturn program.

team • work, n: work done by anumber of associates with usuallyeach doing a clearly defined por­tion, but all subordinating personalprominence to the efficiency of thewhole.

J. ECKHOFF R. CLAUDIOBill Scott, IU Test Conductor,

IBM: "I have thoroughly enjoyedmy eight years here and I hate tosee it end. I enjoyed most of all get­ting the systems working together,starting with an individual task as­signment and progressing to a com­pletely integrated T-O launch time.My job has been satisfying pri­marily because I am working with awhole bunch of great people."

Carroll R. Rouse, LVO SystemsEngineering Staff, NASA: "I feel agreat sense of pride and satisfactionin having been part of a team thatcould consistently set fbng rangegoals of such a highly technical na­ture and·· logically overcome themany inherent obstacles in success-

July 24, 1975 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5

Center Launch Team

ASTP Launch Is End Of An Era

THE PHOTOS ABOVE show the evolution of the Saturn class ofvehicles. Starting from the left, the launch vehicles are: The firstSaturn space vehicle (SA-I) launched on October 27, 1961; the SA-6vehicle launched on May 28, 1964, carrying the first unmannedboilerplate model of the Apollo spacecraft; the first Saturn 1B,launched February 26, 1966; and the first Saturn V vehicle launchedNovember 9, 1967. The firing room scenes (from the left) showblockhouse 34 used for the SA-I launch; blockhouse 37 used for theSA-6 launch; and Firing Room 1 of the Complex 39 Launch ControlCenter.

(See VEHICLES, Page 7)

The first Saturn I B, an improvedtwo-stage vehicle, was launched onFebruary 26, 1966, from Complex34. The unmanned suborbital flightcarried further developmental hard­ware and was the first test in spaceof the Apollo spacecraft.

Three additional unmannedlaunches followed, verifying the op­era tion of the S-IVB second stagethe restart capability of its enginein orbit and providing further flighttesting of the command, service andlunar modules of the Apollo space­cra ft.

The fifth Saturn I B launch wasthe first manned Apollo mission.Apollo 7, launched from Complex34 on October II , 1968, carried as­tronauts Walter Schirra, DonnEisele and Walter Cunningham. Ex­tensive checkout of spacecraftsystems was performed during themission.

Meanwhile, Marshall SpaceFlight Center was developing thethird generation of Saturns. thepowerful Saturn V. The BoeingCompany built the first stage of theSa t urn V and Rockwell Inter­national provided the second STage.McDonnell Douglas built the thirdstage and IBM, the instrument unit.All stages used Rocketdyne engines.

The first Saturn V launch on

The 32nd and final Saturn classvehicle thundered away from Com­plex 39B at 3:50 p.m. on July 15,closing the era of NASA's largestexpendable launch vehicle.

It was a successful era. All 32launches of the Saturn 1, Saturn I Band Saturn V performed success­fully. The Saturn vehicle put meninto earth orbit and sen t men to themoon, ultimately to land on itsdusty surface.

The story of the Saturn class oflaunch vehicles is one of evolution- from the Saturn 1 to the Saturn1B to the Saturn V. And as the ve­hicle developed, so did the KSClaunch team.

The first Saturn launch was onOctober 27, 1961, from Complex34. The launch hurled two water­filled, dummy stages (carried as bal­last) to a peak altitude of 84.8miles and a distance of 214.7 milesdown range.

Te n Sa turn 1 vehicles werelaunched in developmental nights.The last three carried Pegasus satel­lites into earth orbit on meteoroiddetection missions which providedvaluable information for the designof successor spacecra ft.

The Chrysler Corporation wasthe contractor for the first stage ofthe Saturn 1; McDonnell Douglas,for the second stage; and IBM, forthe instrument unit.

privilege to be associated with thepeople who carryon the functionswe have to carryon to accomplish asuccessful launch."

Tom Sherrington, Sr., Test Con­ductor, Boeing: "It is a real pitythat a team like this is breaking up.We need the space program to ex­ploit the vast possibilities of space.Calling a halt now is like telling theWright Brothers, 'OK, we've flownnow, we don't have to do it again!'Anyone who is against space hastheir head in the sand because thefuture is space."

Sid Holloway, Electronic Tech­nician, Rockwell International:"The space program has put usahead in the world as far as leader­ship goes. The main thing is that wereally haven't failed. I always en­joyed the program. It was the great­est show on earth to me."

Paul Thomas, Electronic Tech­nician, Rockwell International:"The program should be continuedbecause we still have a lot to learn.There are many benefits, in weatherforecasting, medicine, etc. that westill haven't realized yet."

AI Holden, Scheduler, Bendix:''I'm proud of the fact that I had ahelping hand in the Saturn plO­gram. I would like to see it con­tinue because we can gather somuch important data from eachlaunch - not only for space andtechnology, but for people in gen­eral."

Bi! Waugh, Assistant Supervisor,Rockwell International: "I thinkspace programs should be con­tinued because I think that any pro­gram that provides work is betterthan a giveaway program. You al­ways get something from the work,but you don't get anything out of agiveaway." 0

tation Engineer, NASA: "My con­tribution to the program was not asgreat as the contribution the spaceprogram gave to me, which was thefact that I had the opportunity towork on this great undertaking. Ifeel that I would have worked onthe space program without pay."

James Ford, Field Technician,Chrysler: "We had a mission - andit takes a team like this to worktogether to solve all the problemsfor a launch."

Eugene Branson, Electrical Sys­tems Engineer, NASA: "The break­up of the team is a personal sorrow.It is unfortunate to see all these ex-

R. BOND E. HENNINGperienced people leaving and theteam disband."

Tom Lookabaugh, Firing RoomTechnician, Boeing: "It's very sadand discouraging for a person likeme who has worked with the pro­gram for 20 years to see us lose alot of good people. We have justtouched base with future space pro­jects, and there are a lot of areasthat could still be explored."

Royce English, Structural/Mechanical Supervisor, McDonnellDouglas: "Space is something thatwe as a coun try should be endea­voring to advance - it should be anational challenge. I hate to iSee theprogram dying off the way it is."

Ebbe Henning, Quality Assur­ance, Chrysler: "To me it's a great

Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS July 24, 1975

Teamwork Important To Kennedy Spac.

S. HOLLOWAY A. HOLDENJoe Eckhoff, Environmental

Control Systems Test Engineer,Boeing: "I get great satisfaction outof the fact that I did contribute tothe Saturn program. We feel there isno way they could launch withoutus."

Creath Dean, Sr., Quality In­spector, IBM: "I've been here since1962, and the entire time has beeninteresting and exciting."

Bob Claudio, Specialist Engi­neer, Boeing: "We established awhole new plane of exploration. Wehave a generation of people whohave lived from the horse-drawn

ASTP means additional cooperationbetween the US and the USSR."

Ray Bond, Test Conductor,Chrysler: "We all feel we'd like tofly a few more birds."

SHERRINGTON R. ENGLISHcarriage to man on the moon. Mycontribution has been trying to domy job to the best of my ability sotha t the areas I was involved inwere successfully completed."

Kelly Fiorentino, LV Instrumen-

LOOKABAUGHC. DEAN

been with the program since thefirst Saturn V and it has been a veryworthwhile program. ASTP is trulya step toward the fu ture, however,because the complete conquest ofspace will be done by all the peo­ples of the world and not by justone coun try."

Harold "Digger" O'Dell, S-IBSenior Test Conductor, Chrysler: "Ithink it's a shame tills country isnot going to have any more mannedlaunches for the next four years. I'dlike to see us go back to the moon.By ending the moon program, wehave abandoned a part of the spaceprogram we shouldn't have aban­doned."

Kiyoshi Yamasaki, Firing PanelOperator, Chrysler: "It is a shame

that the Saturn program is comingto an end now. I don't feel tha t in­dividually I have contributed thatmuch to the program, but I feel thatI am part of the team that has con­tributed to the program's successes.Hopefully, ASTP will be the begin­ning of some further internationalmissions with the USSR."

J ames Schofield, S-IVB TestConductor, McDonnell Douglas:"I'm just as enthusiastic about thislaunch as I was about the first one Iparticipated in. I hate to see theprogram halt mainly from a rela­tionship standpoint with all thepeople I've worked with. I hope

G. WAUGH P. THOMASJ. Tal Webb, Assistant Test Con­

ductor, McDonnell Douglas: "I amreally sorry to see the Saturnprogram end. Looking back, I've

J. FORD E. BRANSONfully meeting them. I once believedthat due to the relatively large num­ber of people involved in the spaceprogram that each one's con­tribution was almost negligible.When you consider, however, thatyour contribution was part of someof the world's most momentousevents of all time, then suddenlyyou start figuring that your partwas not so small. I feel very proudof my contribution."

Art Sawyer, LVO OperationsEngineer, NASA: "Ending the pro­gram tills way is sure going to breakup a lot of friendships, which is thesaddest part about tills launch."

Billy Melton, Senior Test Con­ductor, Boeing: "Being on thelaunch team has been a great joband I'm proud to have been a partof it. Tills has been a great crew towork with."

-Webster's ThirdInternational Dictionary

The KSC launch team's recordof successful launches is evidencethat the necessity to subordinateindividuality for the good of theteam has always governed its ac­tions. Therefore, we have askedsome of those on the team to stateindividually their feelings about theend of the Saturn program.

team • work, n: work done by anumber of associates with usuallyeach doing a clearly defined por­tion, but aU subordinating personalprominence to the efficiency of thewhole.

J. ECKHOFF R. CLAUDIOBill Scott, IU Test Conductor,

IBM: "I have thoroughly enjoyedmy eight years here and I hate tosee it end. I enjoyed most of all get­ting the systems working together,starting with an individual task as­signment and progressing to a com­pletely integrated T-O launch time.My job has been satisfying pri­marily because I am working with awhole bunch of great people."

Carroll R. Rouse, LVO SystemsEngineering Staff, NASA: "I feel agreat sense of pride and satisfactionin having been part bf a team thatcould consistently set long rangegoals of such a highly technical na­ture and, logically overcome themany inherent obstacles in success-

W. SCHICKG. POWERS

A small sun spot may be roughlythe size of the earth. Larger onesmay be big enough to hold hun­dreds or thousands of earths.

William Schick, Chief TestSupervisor: "I appreciate the ex­pediency of the test team reportingtheir problems, and the dedicationof each team individual in the pro­cessing of their work. I lookforward to having each and everymember of the Apollo/Skylab/ASTP test team that work­ed with me as a member of any fu­ture test team I might be a part of."

Ike Rigell, Director, Launch Ve­hicle Operations: "The flawless per­formance of the Saturn 1B launchvehicle attests to the thoroughnessand precision in which the pre-

Dr. James Fletcher.Congratulates 1"earn

(Editor's note: NASA Admin­istrator Dr. James Fletcher madethe [allowing remarks to KSClaunch personnel [allowing theASTP Apollo launch.)

"Needless to say that was an ab­solutely fabulous launch by an ab­solutely fabulous team. And let mecongratulate you all before I sayanything further. You probablyknow as well as I do that you'remaking history today and this is thefirst step on a long mission, but al­so, I think, on a long program withthe Soviet Union. Congratulationsall for a job extremely well done."

Page 7

launch preparations and the launchwere carried out by the govern­ment/industry team. The breakupof our launch team is unfortunate,for this team represents a tremen­dous national resource that has ac­cumulated an enviable successrecord."

Walter Kapryan, Director,Launch Operations: "The team thatchecked out and launched Apollo­Soyuz on July 15 was completelyprofessional through the last sec­ond. This is in keeping with thededication and motivation that hasexemptlrfied their service throughthe years. The fact that many ofthem may not have jobs after thismonth in no way affected their per­formance. I will always respectthem and value their friendship. Onbehalf of Launch Operations, I wishthem Godspeed and best wishes forsuccess in their future endeavors."N.CARLSONS. CHAUVIN

WALTER KAPRYAN

one of you success wherever yougo."

Skip Chauvin, Spacecraft TestConductor: "In my 12 years as atest conductor on the commandmodule, there has never beenenough praise given to the shoptechnicians and quality control per­sonnel. My sincere thanks and lotsof luck to all of you."

Gary Powers, Launch VehicleTest Conductor: "I will always beimpressed with how the' launchteam works together to achieve suc­cess of a common goal. Success hasbeen the result of pride, extra­ordinary dedication and a high de­gree of professionalism which hashelped propel our country far outfront in space technology. We havemade history by forever being thevery b est launch team in theworld."

I. RIGELLP.DONNELLY

Team ...

NASA HAS AWARDED Eugene R. Schumann (right), a senior en­gineer with Bendix Launch Support Division, a certificate of recogni­tion from the Chairman of the NASA Inventions and ContributionsBoard, a $50 check and a copy of the NASA Tech brief for whichthe award was granted. Schumann was recognized for his work onthe transfer of gaseous oxygen from high-pressure containers. Dr.Hans P. Bruckner (left), General Manager of the Bendix Division,presents the awards to Schumann.

Paul Donnelly, Launch Opera­tions Manager: "I feel now the wayI did when I addressed the astro­nauts and the launch team at Tminus four minutes in the count­down July 15 when I told them,, Tom, Deke, Vance, and the launchteam, I want you to know that wesaved the best until last' ."

Norm Carlson, Prime LaunchVehicle Test Conductor: (messagewritten on July 16) "Six years agotoday was one of the happiest daysof my life, the Apollo 11 launch.Today is one of the saddest daysbecause of the dispersion of thelaunch crew. I wish each and every

SPACEPORT NEWS

(continued from page 1)

- "You feel you are giving moreto the program than the averageguy."

- "Extra hours are routine."- "You must be constantly

available."- "You often must sacrifice loy­

alty to everything else - your com­pany, your family - in order to getthe job done when it has to bedone."

In the midst of all the hardwareand procedure problems, this mysti­cal comradeship remains undi­minished.

The ASTP launch brings us tothe end of an era,. and the breakingup of this launch team. We've askedseveral people for their thoughts atthis time.

Vehicles ...

Annuity IncreaseEffective August 1

A 5.1 percent cost-of-living in­crease in retirement annuities willbecome effective August 1, 1975.

The increase was triggered whenthe Consumer Price Index (CPI) ex­ceeded by 3 percent the base CPIestablished in October 1974(153.0) and held for three conse­cutive months: March (157.8),April (158.6), and May (159.3).

Annuities of employees alreadyretired will be adjusted automati­cally in the checks mailed Septem­ber 1, 1975.

Retiring employees who separateor whose pay ceases before August1, 1975, may get the benefit of twoincreases. They will receive thehigher of two computations: (1)The annuity computed as ofDecember 31, 1974, plus the 7.3percent increase effective January1, 1975, plus the 5.1 percent in­crease effective August 1, 1975; or(2) the annuity computed to thedate of separation or date payceases, plus the 5.1 percent increaseeffective August 1, 1975.

Employees who retire afterAugust 1, 1975, will receive thehigher of two computations: (1)The annuity computed as of July31, 1975, plus the 5.1 percent in­crease; or (2) the annunity com­puted to the date of separation 0

July 24, 1975

(continued from page 5)

November 9, 1967, marked the firstuse of the new facilities at Complex39. A little over a year later FrankBorman, James Lovell and WilliamAnders blasted off from KSC onDecember 21, 1968, and headed forlunar orbit, marking man's firstflight to the moon.

This was followed by Apollos 9and 10, which further proved theintegrity and reliability of alllaunch vehicle and spacecraftsystems, leading to the Apollo 11mission which landed Neil Arm­strong and Edwin Aldrin on theMoon, July 20,1969.

Other Apollo missions to themoon followed, culminating withthe spectacular night-time launch ofApollo 17.

The final Saturn V launch placedthe l00-ton Skylab space stationinto orbit in 1973. Three crews sub­sequently left KSC aboard Saturn1B rockets for extended stays inthe orbiting station, for a total of171 days in space.

And, finally, the Apollo SoyuzTest Project Apollo/Saturn launchsent three American astronauts toan earth orbit rendezvous with twoSoviet cosmonauts ... an end tothe Saturn program probably neverimagined by those involved 1h thelaunch of the first Saturn in Oc­tober 1961. 0

Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS July 24, 1975

BOEING COMPANY McDONNELL DOUGLAS

LVO Holds Appreciation Coffee For LVO ContractorsThe Launch Vehicle Operations of IBM, GE, McDonnell Douglas, the LVO organizations, and also by receiving mementos on behalf of all

Directorate employees held an "Ap- Chrysler Corp., Boeing Launch Dr. Hans Gruene, former LVO Di- of their employees were Georgepredation" coffee for the LVO Support and Rocketdyne by Ike rector; Paul Donnelly, Launch Smith, IBM; Cal Fowler, GE;Contractor personnel in Firing Rigell, Director of LVO; and group Operations Manager; and Walter George Faenza, McDonnell Doug­Room 1 on July 16, the day pictures were made of the em- Kapryan, Director of Launch las; Dino Salvador, Chrysler; Artfollowing the ASTP Launch. ployees with each company. Brief Operations. Rigell served as MC for Scholz, Boeing Launch Support;

Autographed pictures of launch- speeches thanking the contractors the program which had some 1000 and Roscoe Nicholson, Rocket­ings were presented to the managers were made by representatives from attendees. Contractor managers dyne. 0

\

CHRYSLER CORPORATION IBM

GENERAL ELECTRIC ROCKETDYNE

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Splashdown(continued from page 1)

Dr. Egon Loebner, Science Chief inthe U.S. Embassy in Moscow. WhileU.S. technical observers were sta­tioned in the Soviet mission controlcenter outside Moscow, newsmenwere restricted to the Soviet presscenter at Moscow's Inturist Hotel.

At KSC, more than 85,000guests, including Soviet Ambassa­dor to the U.S. Anatoliy Dobryninand his wife, viewed the liftoff ofthe last scheduled Apollo-Saturnrocket. Another 750,000 persons,according to Florida Highway Pa­trol estimates, witnessed the launch

from viewing areas outside the KSCperimeter. Over 2,000 news mediarepresentatives from the U.S. andother parts of the world jammedthe Complex 39 press site to coverthe historic launch.

The weather, which for days hadposed a threat to an on-timeApollo-Saturn launch, was near per­fect. And the Saturn launch vehiclefollowed suit. The first stage burntime was .4 seconds longer thanpredicted and the second stage ex­ceeded its planned burn time byonly 1.9 seconds. From liftoff sig­nal to orbital insertion, the actualtimes of the launch sequencesvaried from the planned times by atotal of 2.3 seconds. 0

* u.s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OE'FICE: 1975-641-244/2