posted November 11, 2005 12:12 PM               

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Originally posted by KC Stoever:
Thanks so much, Glint. I looked at the photo again (it hangs in the powder room) and I was wrong about the launch escape tower. One is shown on the model--but it's not to scale (very small), and it's white.

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You're welcome. The launch tower in the "1962" photo linked above is also obviously out of scale -- way too small -- and has no rocket nozzles. In the photo Cooper appears to be performing a simulated launch abort using the model's absurd escape tower which seems to be giving them all a good chuckle!

posted November 11, 2005 02:40 PM               

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Has the suggested election-driven cancellation of Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 been reported before?

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Haven't found anything involving politics, but did Google up a discussion about the Apollo 17 delay that touched on the role played by Edward David:

The task of defending NASA's budget fell to George Low, the acting administrator. In October [1970] Edward David, the president's science adviser, asked Low to evaluate the relative priorities of Apollo and Skylab in the light of further possible cutbacks. Low defended both programs, saying that "to reduce or constrain the scientific returns from Apollo by dropping one or more missions would involve very great losses." But canceling Skylab was even less palatable: "On balance, the weight of evidence seems to favor Skylab over Apollo if a choice must be made." The scientific returns from the single Skylab mission would probably exceed those from an additional lunar landing. America had already benefited from its Apollo investment, whereas canceling Skylab would provide no return. Finally, Skylab could lead to more new options with less risk than Apollo.

David was asking Low to consider reductions in an already austere budget. In a period of 6% inflation, NASA had sought a modest increase to $3.7 billion. The Office of Management and Budget had countered with a $3.3-billion offer, which forced large reductions in the Space Shuttle and nuclear engine programs. Neither Apollo nor Skylab suffered serious cuts; their combined loss of $50 million amounted to less than 5% of the requested amount. Nevertheless, the loss could be absorbed only by slowing the pace of operations. The Office of Manned Space Flight set new launch dates of December 1972 and March 1973 for Apollo 17 and Skylab respectively. When Kennedy Space Center indicated that such closely spaced launches would require overtime, Skylab was moved back another month. The budget decision in late 1970 marked the last major change in Skylab's schedule.

Source.

So, from this account, the December launch date of Apollo 17 was set in late 1970, two years prior to the election. According to the transcript of David's talk he was hired as science advisor in September, one month before the events involving him and detailed above took place.

Nothing in the text above appears to contradict comments made in David's talk. On the other hand, it doesn't confirm the political motivations mentioned in his recent claims either.

posted November 12, 2005 08:57 AM               

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Originally posted by KC Stoever:
Carmelo has to be right. The guys look so young and the clothes don't seem 1962. 1959?

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posted November 22, 2005 10:47 AM               

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Originally posted by KC Stoever:
Re: my Nixon and the Seven photo, I don't have a copy of Schirra's Space, so I don't know if it's the same.

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Kris, one of the images like the one in Schirra's book was sold on E-bay last week. Take a look at item 6576799541. Is this like the one hanging in the john?

posted November 22, 2005 11:41 AM               

That's the photo! With three good signatures, too.

posted November 22, 2005 05:15 PM               

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Originally posted by KC Stoever:
That's the photo! With three good signatures, too.

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Kris, having items like these scattered around the house adorning the rooms has to be so awe inspiring (at least to those of us who didn't grow up with an astronaut in the house).

It's got me wondering though. Is there any particular reason why a photograph signed by then Vice President Nixon is hanging next to the water closet?

posted November 24, 2005 10:25 AM               

No particular reason. The framed art and family and Project Mercury photos are going up very slowly after our big remodel. The RMN pic with the guys was handy (and the walls of the powder room quite bare). So I put it over the WC.

Partly, I suppose, it was a bit of Democratic snark. But also, if I am honest, partly psy ops--in the powder room.