Word: nasa
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...leak. That mishap-coupled with the earlier loss of oxidizer from a unit in one of the other four-nozzle clusters when a valve jammed during rendezvous with Skylab-left the ferry craft with part of its attitude control system not working. For several nerve-racking hours last week, NASA officials contemplated bringing the second crew of Skylab astronauts home immediately, lest any further deterioration in the Apollo rocket control system jeopardize their chances of a safe splashdown. By week's end the space agency had settled on a different course. For the time being at least, the Skylab...
...NASA, which is strapped for funds, has decided not to take advantage of this year's launch window for Mars. But space-agency scientists are moving ahead with a variety of other explorations. Two Pioneer spacecraft are now speeding toward a rendezvous with Jupiter. Later this year NASA plans to launch a flyby of Venus and Mercury. In 1974 and 1976, with the help of European scientists, it will send Helios probes toward the sun. In 1977, as a substitute for its highly touted "grand tour" of the outer planets, it hopes to launch two flybys of Jupiter...
...second Skylab mission was originally scheduled for 56 days, but at week's end NASA officials decided to extend the flight by three days...
...quarantine was hardly airtight. During their meeting with President Nixon and Soviet Communist Party Leader Leonid Brezhnev at the Western White House, the astronauts balked at the orders of NASA doctors and did not wear face masks. "If we catch a cold," joked Conrad, "it would be an honor to catch a cold from you two gentlemen." Brezhnev joined in the banter by asking Conrad to take the two leaders up to Skylab. Nixon cheerfully nodded his assent...
...week's end, NASA doctors said that they were quite pleased with the health of the astronauts and expressed doubt that any of them would suffer any permanent damage (though the medical tests will continue for some time). In fact, the doctors discovered at least one positive effect of long space flight...