Space Shuttle Roll Out Press Kit

8/8/2019 Space Shuttle Roll Out Press Kit

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NAESA Nevvs"'-63Narwhal Aeronautics an dSrace Adm'n'sration

Washington DC 20546AC 202 75 5 8370

*. For Release IDMEDIATE

Press KitProject SPACE SHUTTLE ROLL-OUT

RELEASE 11O: 76-149

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RELEASE NO: 76-149

C014TENTS

GENERAL RELEASE..........................*....... 1-7

SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER - OV 101CHiRONOLOGICAL EVET V.... N....... S.. 8-10

SPACE TRAZISPORTlATION SYSTM T............ 11

APPROACH AND LANDING TESS............. 12-13

CARRIER A I R C R A F T ........................ 14-19

APPROACH AND LANDING TEST TIMLlN ......... 14

TENTATIVE FREE FLIGHT PLL A............ 20-21

SPACE SHUTTLE SILT CREWS ................ o........ 22

74 7 CARRIER AIRCRAFT CREW ..................... o ........ *3

GROUND VIBRATION TESTS ............. * ................ 4-25

PROGRM A N G M E N T ........... *..E... 26

SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM: O F F I C I A L S . . . . . . . . . 27-29

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National Aeronautics an dSpace Administration

Washington D C 20546AC 20 2 755-8370

For Release

IMMEDIATEDavid GarrettHeadquarters, Washington, D.C.

- (Phone: 202/755-3090)

Bob GordonJohnson Space Center, Houston, Tex.(Phone: 713/483-5111)

RELEASE NO: 76-149

SHUTTLE ROLL-OUT SET FOR SIa1T. 17

The Flagshipof th e new er a of space t ransportat ion

wil l be unveiled at Palvdale, Calif . , Sept. 17, 1976, when

Orbiter 101, the first reusable Space Shuttle vehicleis

pu t on public display by the National Aeronautics and

Space Administration. The Space Shuttle, a versatileand

reusable spacecraft , is scheduled to begin Earth orbi tal

flights in 1979.

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National, state and local officials have been

invited to attend the rollout and unveiling of the Orbiter,

at the NASA Rockwell International Space Division assembly

plant at Palmdale. Congressional leaders and NASA officia's

will take part in the program which is scheduled to begin at

9:30 a.m. PDT Sept. 17.

Although Orbiter 101 is the first vehicle of f the

assembly line, it will not fly into space until the early

1980s. Its first job in 1977 will be as a test vehicle.

It will be launched from the top of a modified 747 jetliner

in a series of manned flights (Approach and Landing Tests -

ALT) to verify its aerodynamic and flight control characteris-

tics at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC), Edwards

Ai r Force Base, Calif. Subsequent to ALT, extensive ground

vibration tests will be conducted in 1978 at NASAs Marshdll

Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, Ala. When these

tests ar e concluded, Orbiter 101 will be returned to Palmdale,

Calif., for modifications to prepare it for space flight.

Th e second Orbiter (OV-102) will be used in the initial Earth

orbital flights from NASA's Kennedy Spate Center, Fla., in

1979.

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The Orb i t e r, workhorse of th e Space Shu t t l e program,

is designed to be used as many as 100 times, It is as large

as a commercial je t airliner (DC-9); its empty weight is

67,500 kilograms (150,000 pounds); it is 45 meters (122 feet)

in length and it has a wingspan of 14.4 meters (78 Beet).

Th e Space Shuttle is composed of th e orbiter, two

solid rocket boosters and an external fuel tank which feeds

th e Orbiter's three main engines. The Orbiter is attached to

the back of the fuel tank and the solid boosters ar e attached

to each side of the external tank. The solid rocket boosters

will be recovered, refurbished and reused. Th e external tank

will he jettisoned bu t no t recovered.

Th e Orbiter is capable of carrying inside its 60-foot-

long and 15-foot-wide cargo bay, a 29,250 kg (65,000 lb.)

payload into low Earth orbit about 320 kilometers (200 miles)

altitude.

Th e Orbiter wil1 be launched as a rocket and, after

its Earth orbital mission is completed, will return to Earth

and land l ike an ai rcraf t a t designated runways in California

or Florida.

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Under construction since Ju:te 19, 1974, the Orbiter's

main parts come from numerous aerospace contractors throughout

th e country. Th e crew module and aft fuselage were fabricated

by the prime contractor, Rockwell International's Space

Division, Calif.; the mi d fuselage (cargo bay) by General

Dynamics, San Diego, Calif.; wings by the Grumman Aerospace

Corporation of Bethpage, N.Y.; and it s tail assembly by the

Fairchild Republic Company, Farmingdale, N.Y. Th e Orbiter's

three main engines, which provide 211,500 kg (470,000 lb.)

of thrust each at launch, are bef.oAg built by the Rocketdyne

Division, Rockwell International, Canoga Park, Calif.

Late in Jan. 1977, Orbiter 101will be moved from

Palmdale to nearby DFRC, a distance of 56 km (35 mi.),

where approach and landing tests will be conducted.

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE. BACKGROUND IIFORMATION FOLLOWS.)


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SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER - O' 101

CIiRONOLOG:CAXL EVENiTS

Aug. 9, 1972 NASA gives au thor i ty to proceed onSpace Shuttle Or.Liter contract.(Selection of Rockwell International'3

Space Division announced July 16, 1972.)

June 4, 1974 Orbiter Vehicle O' 101-Start structuralassembly of crew module (Downey)

Aug. 26, 1974 OV-10'-Start structural assembly of af tfuselage (Downey)

Mar. 27, 1975 OV-10i-Mid fuselage (General Dynamics,Sa n Diego) delivered to Palmdale facility

May 23, 1975 OV-101-Wings (Gruxr6nan, N.Y.) delivered toPalmdale .acility

May 25, 1975 OV-101-Vertical stabilizer (Fairchild,N.Y.) delivered to Palmdale facility.

Aug. 25, 1975 OV-101-Start final assembly and mating(Palmdale)

Sept. 9, 1975 OV-101-Aft fuselage ,Space Division)delivered to Palmdale

Oct. 31, 1975 OV-101-Lower forward fuzz-2ge (SpaceDivision) delivered to Palmdale

?Iov. 17, 1975 OV-102-Start fabrication c' crew module(First orbital flight vehicle)

Dec. 1, 1975 OV-101-Upper forward fuselage (Space

Division) delivered to Palmdaie

Jan. 16, 1976 OV-101-Crew module (Space Division)delivered to Palmdale

Mar. 3, 1976 OV-101-Cargo bay doors (Tulsa Division)delivered to Palmdale

Mar. 12. 1976 OV-lO1-Complete final assembly and close-out systems installation (Palmdale)

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Mar. 15, 1976 OV-101-Start functional checkout (Palmdale)

April 19, 1976 OV-102-Start assembly of forward fuselage(Downey)

June 1976 OV-102-Start assembly of crew module (Downey)OV-101-Complete functional checkout (Palmdale)OJ-101-Start ground vibration and proof loadtests (Palmdale)

Aug.-SeDt. 1976 OV-102-Start assembly of forwa-rd fuselage(Downey) NASA 747 (Bceing ferry aircraft)-

Structural modification (Seactle)

Sept. 17, 1976 Rollout first Space Shuttle Orbiter (OV-101)(Palmdale)

OV-102-Start assembly of a f t fuselage(Downey)

Oct.-Nov. 1976 OV-101-Start r e t e s t (Palmdale)NASA 747-Complete modificationOV-'01-Ccmplete integrated systemscheckout (Palmdale)

Jan.-Feb. 1977 OV-101-Configuration inspection (Palmdale)OV-102-Deliver mi d fuselage to Palmdale

OV-101-First captive flight with NASA 747(Dryden)

July-Aug. 1977 OV-101-First free flight approach andlanding t e s t (ALT) (Dryden)OV-102-Start f inal assembly and closeoutsystems instal lat ion (Palmdale)OV-102-Delivcr lower and upper forwardfuselage and af t fuselage to PalmdaleOV-102-Deliver wings to Palmdale

Sept.-Oct. 1977 OV-102-Deliver crew module, verticalstabilizer, and body flaps to Palmdale

Nov. 1977 OV-102-Complete final assembly and close-ou t systems installation (Palmdale)OV-102-Start functional checkout (Palmdale)

Jan. 1978 OV-101-Complete free flight tests

Mar. 1978 OV-101-Deliver orbiter to Marshall SpaceFlight Center, Ala. (MSFC) (ferried byNASA 747) for vertical ground vibrationtest

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Apr. 1978 Ov-101-Start vert ical ground vibration test(2ISFC)

May 1978 OV-101-Deliver external tank for ver t ica lground vibrat ion t e s t to MSFC Ala.

July 1978 OV-102-Complete configuration inspection(Palmdale)

OV-102-Final acceptance ro l lou t (Palmdale)

Aug. 1978 OV-102-Deliver first orbi ta l f l ight vehicleto Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla.

Dec. 1978 OV-li-Complete vert ical ground vibrat iont e s t (MSFC)OV-102-Ready fo r t ransfer to Pad 39A (KSC)

Feb. 1979 OV-1O1-Deliver to Rockwell, Palmdale, ands t a r t modification.

Mar, 1979 OV-102-First manned orbi ta l f l ight , SpaceTransportation System (KSC)

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SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

The Space Transportation System of the next decadewill consist of the Space Shuttle, Spacelab and upper

stages to propel payloads beyond the capability of the

Shuttle to synchronous orbit and to the planets.

With th e Space Shuttle, th e rather large stable of

launch vehicles that we use today--both civilian and

military--will be eliminated. The Shuttle will be used

to place almost all our satellites into orbit and, more

importantly, it will have the capability to retrieve mal-functioning satellites and repair them in orbit or return

them to Earth. This capability assumes particular impor-

tance with th e predicted growing future requirements for

additional weather, Earth resources, communication, and

navigational satellites. No longer will it be necessaryto write off a multi-million-dollar satellite due to a

malfunction following launch.

The Space Shuttle will be 'apable of carrying the

Spacelab into orbit. Spacelab, trried in the Shuttle

cargo bay, provides a shirtsleeve, pressurized environ-

ment fo r scientific and technical investigators to work

in space. Airlocks and a pallet external to thepressurized

area will be available for experiments that require directaccess to the space environment.

Fo r lunar and planetary missions, the Shuttle will

be capable of carrying upper stages into Earth orbit which

will propel probes and satellites into outer space. These

upper stages will also be used to place satellites into

high geosynchronous orbits.

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APPROACH AND LANDING TESTS

The Orbi ter Approach and Landing Tests programis to

verify subsonic airworthiness, pilot-guided andautomatic

approach landing capabilities of the Orbiter.These tests

which will be conducted at Dryden Center,Edwards Air Force

Base (EAFB), will begin in February 1977,with a series of

unmanned and manned flights mated on top ofa modified 747

jetliner. (se3 ALT schedule.)

The-first tests call for the, 101 vehicle tobe placed on

top of the 747 for a number of taxi runs on the runway ofEAFB. The taxi tests will be followed by six

unmanned captive

flights where the Orbiter will be carried toan altitude of

approximately 7,450 ma (25,000 ft.) by the747 bu t no t released.

These unmanned captive f l igh ts will be followedby a

s'eries of captive flights with th e ALT crewaboard the Orbiter.

Tsese tests are designed to verify most ofthe Orbiter's

systems and crew procedures as well as providesome veri-

fication of Orbiter dynamics an d controlability.

The first manned "free" flights will be conductedin July

1977. The Orbiter will be carried aloft, releasedfrom the

747 carrier an d flown to an unpowered landingthree to four

minutes later on the dry lake bed landing stripat EAFB. The

747, specifically modified for these test flights,will carry

the Orbiter to an altitude of about 8,400 m(28,lOO ft.) It

will take about 30 minutes for the 747 to reachthis altitude.

The flight path of the Orbiter and 747 followsa race

track pattern with separation occuring whenthe vehicles are

about 13 km (8 mi.) to the right, and flying para l le lto th e

landing runway. From the separation point, theOrbiter will

fly a a"U shaped ground track to the runway.

To perform the separation maneuver, the 747will pitch

down and accelerate to 250 knots equivalentairspeed (KEAS).

The 747 pilot will then reduce engine thrustto idle, deploy

the 747 inf l ight spoi lers , and stabil ize the vehiclesa t 26 0

KEAS, with a flight path of 9 degrees. At thispoint the

Obiter pilot will initiate separation by armingand firifng a

series of explosive bolts at an altitude of about6,600 m

(22,000 ft.) above runway level.

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At separation the Orbiter pi lo t will command a pi tch

up maneuver which will provide a vertical separationof more

than 66 m( 2 00 ft.) after 5 seconds. The 747 will thenturn

left while the Orbiter turns right to provide horizontalse -

paration. The Orbiter will pitch down, accelerate to 270

KEAS an d then perform a practice flare, allowing the airspeed

to decrease to 185 KEAS while evaluating the flying qualities

of the Orbiter.

The Orbiter pilot will then pitch down to accelerate

and at the same time initiate the firstof two 90 degree

turns to the left which will align hi m with the lakebed

runway.

At the completion of the second turn, the Orbiteris

aligned with the runway at an altitude of 2,150 m (6,500ft.)

and about 98 miles from the touchdown point, speed 270KEAS,

flight path -9 degrees.

First flare (Preflare) starts at an altitude of 270 m

(900 ft.), and transfers the Orbiter from the -9 degreeglide

slope to a -3 degree glide slope. The landing gear is de-

ployed shortlv afterwards at about 105 m (350. ft.) altitude,

and the landingflare (Final Flare) is initiated at slightly

less than 30 m (100 ft.) altitude. The final flare establishesa sink rate of approximately 3 feet pe r second which is held

to touchdown. Touchdown airspeed is about 180 KEAS and

elapsed time from separation to touchdown is about 5 minutes15 seconds.

The combined weight of the 747 and Orbiter is 28,500kg

(570,000 lbs.) Th e Orbiter will weigh about 67,5C9 kg

(150,000 lbs.) an d the 747 (with 34,650kg 977,000 lb.)of fuel

will weigh approximately 205,800 kg (420,000 lb.)

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CARRIER AIRCRAFT

The 747, purchased by NASA in the summer of 1974, iscurrently being modified at the Boeinq Aerospace Companyfacilities in Everett, Wash. The 231-foot-long aircrafthas had the majority of its seats and passenger accommoda-tions removed and replaced by equipment and instrumentsrequired to support the Orbiter test flights. Structuralmodifications include addition of reinforcement frames andpanels. Panels and stabilizer tip fins have been attachedto the horizontal stabilizer.

Support s t ru ts(two af t , one forward) have been added

to the aircraft to hold the Orbiter. Th e Orbiter will beaffixed to these points and, at the proper moment in flight,explosive bolts will release the Orbiter from the 747.

In addition to serving as the carrier aircraft for theapproach and landing tests, the 747 will ferry the Orbiterfrom its manufacturing facilities in California, to the

NASA KSC launch facilities in Florida. The 747 will alsn heused to ferry the Orbiter to launch facilities at VandenbergAi r Force Base, near Lompoc, Calif.

APPROACH ANi LANDING TEST TIMELINE

Orbiter Vehicle (OV-101) overland to DFRC January '77

Taxi-runs and unmanned captive flights (5) February '77

Manned captive f l ights (5) May '77

Manned "free" f l igh ts (8) July '77

Conclude "ferry" f l ight phase (3) March '78

Ferry flight to MSFC, Alabama March '78

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TENTATIVE FREE FLIGHT PLAN

FLIGHT CONFIGURATION DESCRIPTION MAJOR OBJECTIVES

Tailcone on Practice flare a t Manual landingal t i tude Handling qualities

180 degree turn Gentle brakingLake bed landing Nose wheel steering

2 Tailcone on Test inputs at Test inputsfor high

300 kts speed, low speed,1.8g turn an d with speedTest inputs at brake

200 kts Turn maneuverability45 degree speed Nose wheel steering

brake withinputsLake bed landing

3 Tailcone on Test inputs at Test inputs forhigh

300 kts speed, !.ow speed,1.8g turn an d with speedTest inputs at brake

200 kts Turn maneuverability35 degree speed Nose wheel steering

brake withinputs

Lake bed landing

4 Tailcone on FCS mode switching Verify FCS* modes andManual direct FCS switching180 degree turn Auto guidanceAuto FCS Steering with differ-Closed loop auto ent ia l braking

guidance to abovepreflare al t i tude

Lake bed landing

5 Tailcone on 180 degree side Concrete landingapprcach to Braking on pavedconcrete landing surface

45 degree speed Autoland informationbrake

6 Tailcone o ff Practice flare a t Manual landingaltitude Handling quali t ies

7 Tailcone of f Auto FCS Auto guidance45 degree speed Speed brake

brake modulationclosed loop auto

guidance to abovepreflare al t i tude

Speed brake re t rac t ionLake bed landing

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IrENTATIVE FREE FLIGHT PLMN (cont'd)

FLIGHT CO-NFIGJRATION DESC1IPTION MAJOR OBJECTIVES

8 Tailcone o ff Closed loop auto Auto guidanceguidance and Auto landingspeed brakemodulation totouchdown

Lake bed landing

* ECS - F l i g h t Contro l Subsystem

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SPACE SHUTTLE ALT CREWS

NASA has selected two, two-man crews fo r the SpaceShuttle Approach and Landing Test (ALT), the

initial f l ight

t e s t of th e Shuttle Program. The ALT free f l ight tes tsare

scheduled to begin in July 1977.

The two crews are: Fred W. Haise, Jr., commander and

Charles G. Fullerton, pilot; Joe H. Engle, commanderand

Richard H. Truly, pilot. Eoth crews are scheduledto fly

AL T missions with Haise and Fullerton making the firstflight.

The crews will participate in the various phases of

Orbiter test and checkout between no w an d the firstflight.

Both crewswill train for the flights using NASA T-38

aircraft with special speed-brake; the Shuttle TrainingAircraft, a modified, twin-jet Gulfstream II; Shuttle

Procedures Simulator; and the Orbiter Aeroflight Simulator.

Haise, 42 (civilian), commander of the first crewwas selected for the astronaut program in April 1966. He

was backup lunar module pilot for Apollos 8 and 11, lunar

module p i lo t on Apollo 13 and backup commander on Apollo16.

He is th e only crewman named that has flown in space.

Fullerton, 39 (Lieutenant Colonel, USAF), p i lo t of th efirst crew, was one of the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory

Program crewmen selected fo r the astronaut program in

September 1969. He was a member of the support crews forthe A~'ollo 14 and 17 missions.

Engle, 43 (Colonel, USAF), commander of the second

crew, was selected for the astronaut program in April1966.

He was a member of the astronaut support crew forApollo 10

an d the backup lunar moduleqpilot for the Apollo 14 mission.

Truly, 38 (Commander, USN), pilot for the second crew,

was one of the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory Program

crewmen selected fo r the astronaut program in September1969.

He was a member of the support crew fo r a l l three Skylab

missions.

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747 CAM.RInE AIRCRAFTCREW

Crew members for the 747 carrier aircraftare

Fitzhugh L. Fulton, Jr., and Thomas C. Mcuurty,pilots;

Victor W. Horton and Thomas E. Guidry, Jr.,flight test

engineers. Fulton, McMurty and Horton are fromthe NASA

Dryden Flight Research Center and Guidry isa flight

engineer from the NASA Johnsor. Space Center.

Fulton is a veteran multi-engine test pilotwith wide

experience as a launch pi lo t . He was launch pi lo tfo r the

X-15 and for manned l i f t ing bodies, as well ason other

experimental a i r c r a f tf l igh t test programs. He was an

XB-70 project pilot for NASA an d the USAF. CurrentlyFulton is co-project p i lo t on the t r iple-sonic YF-12

f l ight research program.

McMarty ha s been flying experimental ai rcraf t forNASA

since 1967. As project p i lo t on the SupercriticalWing, he

made the first f l igh t with th e new a i r f o l . shape.He has

flown as co-proje' : t p i lo t on the Digital Fly-Ehy-Wirea i rc ra f t

and the Supercr i t .cal Wing F-l1, and as Co-projectp i lo t on

NASA's 990 and C-141 multi-engine ai rcraf t .

Horton is flight test engineer on the YF-12 a tDFRC

and has flown as launch-panel operator of the B-52air- launch

ai rcraf t . Guidry of JEC has flown as t e s t engineer on th eC-135 Zero-G studies and the C-130 Earth Resources

ai rcraf t .

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GROUND VIBRATXON TESTS

Orbiter 101 will be ferried from DFRC to the MarshallSpace Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., for ground vibrationtests in March 1978.

It will be mated in the Dvnamic Test Facility at MSFCto the 46-meter (154-foot) tall external tank and solidboosters, as it would fo r actual launch. The tank inflight will carry the 675,000 kg (1.5 million lbs.) ofliquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants fo r theOrbiter's three main engines. The two solid boosters willbe attached to the external tank. This 55-m (184-ft.) tallvehilel Dill undergo vibration tests which are designed tosimulate expected vibration and stress loads during th elaunch phase, when all th e Shuttle engines -- the threemain engines of the Orbiter and the two solid boosters -- firesimultaneously furnishing 30 million newtons (6.8 million lbs.)of thrust.

Th e vibration tests are designed to gain informationneeded for analysis of flight control stability and dynamicloads during the launch and flight phases of the mission.Th e tests will be conducted in a modified test stand inwhich the entire 109-n (363-ft.) tall Apollo Saturn V

under.went similar vibration tests.in the mid 1960's.

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PROGRAM MANAGEMEUT

Overall direction of th e Space Shuttle Project is inthe Office of Space Flight a t NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

This office is responsible fo r th e detailed assignment ofresponsibi l i t ies , basic performance requirements, control ofmajor milestones and funding al locat ions to th e various NASAfield centers.

The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, Tex.,

is th e Space Shuttle lead center an d as such has responsi-bi l i ty fo r overall program management, overall systemsengineering an d systems integration. JSC also has overallresponsibi l i ty and authority fo r defini t ion of those elements

of th e to ta l systems tha t in te rac t with other elements,such

rjs to ta l configuration combined with aerodynamic loads. JSCis also responsible fo r development, production, and delivery of

the Shuttle Orbiter, and manages the contract with the

Rockwell International Space Division.

The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, is

responsible for the design of launch and recovery facilities

and will serve as the launch site. Edwards AF B is the

landing site fo r the first several Shuttle orbital test

flights.

The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC),

Huntsville, Ala., isresponsible for the development,

production an d delivery of the Orbiter main engines, the

solid rocket boosters and external tank fo r th e hydrogen/oxygen fuel.

The 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Tests an d the Orbiter

Approach and Landing Tests will be conducted at the Dryden

Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.

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SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM OFFICIALS

DR. MYRON S. MALXIN is the Space Shuttle ProgramDirector located at NASA Headquarters. Named to this

post

in April 1973, he heads overall design, developmentand

testing of the Space Shuttle. Dr. Malkin joined NASAafter

serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defensefor Technical

Intelligence Evaluation for almost on e year. He wa spresident

of NU S Corp., an engineering consulting firm, from 1969-71,

and earlier held positions as program manager for TitanII

and Minuteman III. He wa s general manager of the Manned

Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program a t General Electr icfrom

1961-69. Dr. Malkin was born in Youngstown, Ohio andreceived B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Yale Universitv.

ROBERT F. THOMPSON, the Space Shuttle Program Manager,is located a t th e NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). He is

responsible for the overall management and integrationof

al l elements of th e program. Thompson was appointed tothis position in 1970, af te r serving as manager of th e

Skylab program through the conceptual design and development

phases. He joined NASA's predecessor organization,NACA,

in 1947, and was selected as on e of the early membersof the

Space Task Group, the nucleus of JSC. He was chiefof the

Landing and Recovery Division for Mercury, Gemini, andearly

phases of the Apollo program, prior to managing the early

Skylab effort. He is a recipient of NASA's Outstanding

Leadership, Exceptional Service and Distinguished Service

medals. Born in Bluefield, Va., Thompsongraduated from

Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a B.S. in aeronautical

engineering.

AARON COHEN is manager of th e Space Shuttle Orbiter

Project located at NASA's JSC. He is responsible fordesign,

development, production and testing of Rhe Orb i t s r.He

joined NASA at JSC in 1962 as a member o! . the ApolloPrxngram

Office and subsequently held varied execut:ve postsin the

program. He was appointed Command and Sertvj'ic Module (CSM)

manager in 1970, directing CS M efforts or: both Apollo and

Skylab programs unt i l his appointment to the Space Shuttle

post in 1972. Cohen has earned two NASH Vxceptional Service

Awards, the NASA Certificate of Commendation andth e NASA

Distinguished Service Medal. Born in Corsicana, Tex.,he

has a B.S. in mechanical engineering fror Texans A6'1and

an M.S. in Applied Mathematics from Stevens Institute.of

Technology.

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DONALD K. SLAYLTON is manager fo r th e Approach and

Landing Tests Space Shuttle Program Office a t JSC. He has

overal l program responsibi l i ty fo r managing th e approachand landing t e s t effor t s and is responsible fo r integrat ionof these act iv i t ies a t JSC, KSC and DFRC and other NASA

Centers as required. Slayton was docking module pi lo t

during the Apollo Soyuz Test Project in July 1975. He

joined NASA as one of th e or ig ina l seven astronauts in1959 and unt i l h is assignment to the ASTP crew, served as

Director of Flight Crew Operations a t JSC. He is the

recipient of two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the

NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the Collier Trophy and

numerous other honors from universities and organizations.

A native of Sparta, Wis., Slayton is a graduate of the

University of Minnesota where he received a Bachelor of

Science degree in aeronautical engineering.

DR. ROBERT H. GRAY was named Space Shuttle Projects

Office manager fo r NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in

July 1973. He manages Space Shuttle operations planning

fac i l i t ies preparations leading to launch, randing act iv i t ies

and refurbishment of th e craf t . Earl ier, Dr. Graywus KSC

deputy director of Launch Operations and director ofUnmanned Launch Operations, direct ing more f l ights (178)

than any engineer in the free world. He joined NASA in1958 af te r three years as th e Vanguard Launch Director and

Deputy Manager of th e Vanguard Group a t Cape Canaveral

fo r th e Naval Research Laboratory. Gray was named chief

of Goddard Space Flight CenterField Projects Branch in

1959, a post' he held until going to KS C in 1965. Honors

accorded Gray include the Navy's Outstanding Performance

Award fo r the Vanguard program and from NASA the Distinguished

Service Award and th e Exceptional Service Medal. Graygraduated from Allegheny College, Pa., with a B.S. inphysics and received an honorary Doctora te o f Science f rom

Allegheny in 1968. Dr. Gray wa s born in Cambridge Springs,Pa.

ROBERT E. LINDSTROM has been manager of the Shuttle

Projects Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)

Huntsville, Ala., since March 1974, after serving as deputy

manager for the preceding two years. From 1970-72, he was

deputydirector of MSPC's Process Engineering Laboratory.

Prior to 1960, he wa s with the Army Ballistic Missile Agencyas a Saturn project engineer an d as project engineer for the

Jupiter C vehicle which launched Explorer I. He joined MSFC

in 1960 as manager of th e Saturn 1-lB program. Lindstrom -

left government employment in 1963, to serve in top posta in

industry bu t rejoined MSFC in 1970. He holds numerous awards,

including NASA's Exceptional Service Medal an d the Director's

Commendation Certificate. He wa s born in Sycamore, Ill., and

received a B.S. in ceramic engineering from the.vU rs4ty

of Illinois.

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GEORGE B. HARDY is manager of the Solid Rocket Boosterproject, Space Shuttle program, for MSFC. Earlier he servedas manager of the Program Engineering and Integrationproject, Skylab program; assistant manager of the S-1BLaunch Vehicle project; and deputy project manager forS-1-lB Stage Project in the Saturn program. Hardy beganhis professional career in 1952 with E. I. DuPont inGeorgia; he moved to the Redstone Arsenal in 1958 andtransferred to MSFC in 1962, as a project engineer. He isa native of Russellville, Ky., and graduated from GeorgiaInstitute of Technology in 1952 with a B.C.E. in civilengineering.

JAMES B. ODOM is manager of the External Tank project,Space Shuttle program, at NASA's MSFC. Odom began hisprofessional career in 1955, with Chemstrand Corporation,Decatur, Ala. He moved in 1956, to the Army BallisticMissile Agency and in 1959, joined the organization thatbecame MSFC in 1960. He has been associated with Earthsa te l l i te programs, lunar unmanned probes and th e Apolloprogram. A native of Georgiana, Ala,, Odom wa s graduatedfrom Auburn University with a B.S. in mechanical engineeringin 1955.

JAMES R. (BOB) THOMPSON, JR. is manager of the SpaceShuttle Main Engine Project a t NASA's MSFC. He servedearlier as chief of MSFC's Man/Systems Integration Branch,Astronautics Laboratory. Thompson joined th e propulsionresearch development team at MSFC in 1963, where he wasresponsible for component design and performance analysisof th e engine system on Saturn launch vehicles. He is fromGreenville, S.C.; and is a graduate of th e Georgia Ins t i tu teof Technology (1958) and the University of Florida (1963),with a B.S. in aeronautical engineering and an M.S. inmechanical engineering. He is seeking a Ph.D. in f lu idmechanics at the University of Alabama.

Documents

Space Shuttle Roll Out Press Kit