THE BATTALION Page 7
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1981
Officials confident shock wave problem solved
Space shuttle ready for second flight
andi]
United Press International
HOUSTON — The men who
6 Wfly the space shuttle Columbia
j| orbit a second time say their
ive-day journey next month will
Weii/ juild on the ship’s initial success
nekancnd lay the foundation for more
i serifi|utine flights into orbit.
Ksideiits*w e have the advantage of us-
deaaE:|gequipment that has been used
' nt ™ jefore and we know it works, ” said
ws at jo-piiot Richard Truly. “We know
: start ((■design does not have a fatal
He and Flight Cmdr. Joe En
gle, a veteran of 16 flights in the
pioneering X-15 rocket plane, will
concentrate on a series of detailed
engineering tests after they take
off Oct. 9 from Cape Canaveral,
Fla.
It will be the first time a space
ship has returned to orbit. The
Columbia is designed to make 100
such trips.
“The important thing is to refly
it, get some more experience so
that as quickly as possible we can
get these flight test objectives out
of the way and just use it,” Truly
said in an interview Tuesday at the
Johnson Space Center.
Two more test flights are plan
ned after the upcoming mission.
The National Aeronautics and
Space Administration hopes to be
gin using the Columbia as a true
space freighter next September
when it is to launch two commer
cial communication satellites.
Engle said he is confident one
nagging problem has been re
solved. That concern centered
around an ignition shock wave that
jarred the ship four times more
severley than anticipated during
the initial launch April 15.
The pressure pulse, lasting a
split second when the shuttle’s
twin booster rockets were ignited,
was severe enough to bend two
metal brackets holding a control
rocket fuel tank in the Columbia’s
nose. That caused no problems
during the 54-hour flight, but en
gineers did not want to risk a re
peat occurrence.
Two systems were quickly de
signed to reduce or eliminate the
shock wave. A 70,000 gallon per
minute water spray beneath the
booster nozzles is expected to
serve as a barrier for the air press
ure wave that bounces from the
base of the launchpad up along the
Columbia’s sides. Water-filled
fabric bags strung around the
booster nozzles are expected to do
the same thing.
The water spray system was to
be tested Tuesday at the Kennedy
Space Center.
“Either method we know would
work, but in being extra cautious,
we’re using both approaches to
attenuate the over pressure,” En
gle said at a news conference. “We
feel totally confident that we’ve
got a vehicle that’s ready to go.”
The only remaining concerns
involve the new satellite unload
ing arm installed in the Columbia
for the first time, and an $11.6
million package of scientific in
struments mounted in the ship’s
cargo bay. Engineers are evaluat
ing computations to make sure the
shock wave would not damage
their instruments.
The equipment could be re
moved before launch, but Engle,
Truly and officials in charge of the
mechanical arm and the scientific
gear said they do not think that
will be necessary.
est may help retarded students avoid institutions
eerandM
K* United Press International
iiLUBBOCK — Researchers at
pis Tech University have de-
iped a survival skills test that
give retarded students a bet-
er i lianee to live in structured
e group ■muni ty facilities and avoid in-
ats e't titutional care.
!roj3 The non-verbal test, developed
x ,j eh | iyDr. Lawrence T. McCarron, is
to evaluate mentally hand
ed young people in nine dif-
t areas of independent living
McCarron and research associ
ate Christine Clement are using
the test as an assessment tool to
develop a teaching curriculum for
mentally handicapped students in
secondary schools.
“We have made retarded peo
ple too special,” Clement said.
“We need to get them back into
the community. The test repre
sents a breakthrough in assess
ment tools needed to prepare the
mentally retarded for living in
structured community facilities.”
The test, which does not re
quire that students be able to read
or write, measures basic concepts
such as color identification, spatial
relationships, the ability to iden
tify signs with symbols or words,
tool identification and use, food
and clothing management, health
and safety knowledge, under
standing of public services, time
units, money transactions and me
asurements of temperature,
volume and length.
Clement says that in the past,
\ Judge denies gag request
in state fair sky ride suit
I United Press International
^■ALLAS — A judge rejected a
t Buest from a defendant in a
11.6 million suit against the State
; f air of Texas and Stock and Stapf
1 ' A iltradions, Inc. that case lawyers
^prohibited from talking with
eporters.
Dolad® Stock and Stapf operators of the
Skyride, filed a motion
U.S. District Judge Bare-
; K)t|Sanders to impose a gag order
. s gainst lawyers in the suit brought
V,"' y Cindi Holden and her
‘ 1 Binged husband, Dennis.
Banders rejected the request
uesday.
is at 7:1 t]
Mrs. Holden was paralyzed be
low the shoulders because of the
October 1979 crash at the state fair
that killed one person and injured
17 others.
Sanders also denied a motion
by the firm’s attorneys to move the
trial to Amarillo, because of pre
trial publicity in Dallas.
In testimony Tuesday, a con
sulting engineer hired by the fair
said his comment to fair officials
stating that the ride “was all right”
was a personal opinion and not a
professional judgement.
“I rode the ride, made sure it
was operating and that the gondo
la was gripping the cable,” said
William Cobb, a structural en
gineer.
“We looked at the roller bat
tery, the deropement switch and
made sure there was no excess
vibration,’’Cobb said.
Mrs. Holden’s lawyer contends
that when the accident occurred,
the cable carrying the gondolas
dropped off one of the towers on
which it was suspended. Two of
the four dangling cars then
crashed to the ground.
LTURl
dates«;
Today s Almanac
8:15p.it
Newcouj
m
S! United Press International
Today is Thursday, Sept. 17,
IjpOth day of 1981 with 105 to
Bw.
moon is moving toward its
stlquarter.
[he morning star is Mars,
ie evening stars are Mercury,
Jupiter and Saturn,
hose born on this date are
r the sign of Virgo,
merican actress Anne Ban
croft was born on this date in 1931.
On this date in history:
In 1787, the United States Con
stitution, completed in Philadel
phia, was signed.
In 1796, President George
Washington delivered his farewell
address, warning the American
people to avoid foreign alliances.
In 1939, Russia invaded Poland
in World War II — 16 days after
Nazi Germany had moved into the
tests were given only to find out
what mentally handicapped peo
ple could not do. However, the
street survival skills tests will be
followed up with training.
McCarron is currently develop
ing a curriculum for such training.
“It (the curriculum) is about
two-thirds developed. A group is
sitting down now pounding it out.
There are thousands of curricu-
lums on the market but the main
difference is that ours is based on
specific designated strategies (de
termined from the skills test),”
Clement said.
In addition to living skills, the
curriculum will provide skills in
reading, writing and arithmetic,
since state law now requires
schools to teach prevocational
skills for the handicapped and pro
vides that retarded students must
remain in school until they are 21
years old.
The researchers hope to finish
the curriculum in time to present
it to a conference in December.
The skills test, together with
some training, has already been
adapted by the Lubbock State
School and Texas Rehabilitation
Commission counselors are being
trained to use the program.
The method has also been
tested successfully in schools in
New York, Ohio and Indiana and
several students from a school in
Brownfield, Texas, have learned
enough to take on jobs.
McCarron says that about two-
thirds of all mentally retarded
people should be able to live in
community facilities that allow in
dependent living — relieving tax
payers of the heavy burden of in
stitutional care.
“No where near that many are
living in community settings
now,” Clements said. “The main
point is this: these folks need jobs
and something to do with their
lives.”
Relax, Have Fun,
Enjoy
o
country.
In 1978, the Camp David sum
mit ended with Egypt and Israel
signing agreements setting the
framework for a Mideast settle
ment and pledging to sign a peace
treaty in three months.
A thought for the day: President
George Washington advised,
“Labor to keep alive in your breast
that little spark of celestial fire —
conscience. ”
BILL'S BARBER
ee ROFFLER STYLE SHOP
Kelly, Mary, Lisa and Bill welcome you back to town
and invite you to our friendly atmosphere at
215 University Dr.
(next to Campus Theatre)
flair Styling For Men a? Women
846-2228
APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE
Open Mon.-Sat.
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Enter a new wonderful
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The atmosphere is different
— the perfect setting for your favorite
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offers a variety that all the family
will enjoy. Popular prices, too.
Discover Julie’s Place soon
it’s the kind of restaurant that makes you
want to come back again and again.
607 Texas Ave. College Station
Phone: 696-1427
Open every day — Lunch, Dinner, Cocktails
l\
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t our designers help you create the look you desire
ith exotic plants, dried arrangements, wicker, and
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* Visit Us Soon *
Bob's TJi-
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&10 Texas Ave.
n u rsery
822-6613
C0
TEXAS
w
MSC Town Hall/Broadway
presents the smash musical
in three exciting performances
October 12,13 and 14 at 8 p.m.
Rudder Auditorium
★
Tickets available at MSC Box Office or Telephone Q/iCZ
VISA/MasterCard orders and pick up at the door. OM'O" I^OHr
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