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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 24, 1990)
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Examination and other professional service fix’s are not included In this free trial pair offer "‘Where the 9{eaCth of four Eyes Comes first" ★ FREE CONTACT LENS TRIAL AND CONSULTATION ★ QUICK CONTACT LENS REPLACEMENTS ★ EVENING AND SATURDAY APPOINTMENTS ★ LOW MONTHLY PAYMENT OPTIONS 467-4100 FfB* \m Meridian Park Hill I ■hi WMT 70th & 0 Streets M I_ - - - — Apollo Continued from Page 1 scum’s point of view, the (restoration of the) craft is a long ways down our priority list. “It would not be the first thing I’d put my money into.’’ Max Ary, executive director of the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Cen ter in Hutchinson, Kan., said that if the craft remains outside much longer it could “literally turn to dust’’ as the deterioration of the special metals used to build the spacecraft continues. The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is internationally known for being the primary expert in space ar tifact restoration and finding valuable artifacts, Ary said. The center special izes in spacecrafts and space suits. Ary said the craft has suffered from lack of respect as well as lack of protection. “It is not given the dignity it de serves,’ ’ he said. “It’s like owning the Mona Lisa and hanging it in the bath room.” The university currently owns the spacecraft, Ary said, but also has the responsibility of maintaining a na tional treasure. Gcnoways said the capsule was donated after two men on the museum staff 18 years ago wrote to NASA and asked if the university could obtain a space artifact. Apollo 009 was an unmanned space craft launched on Feb. 26, 1966, in a sub-orbital test to determine the relia bility of the capsule and the heat shield to further manned flights. Ary said UNL obtained the craft at i ... an unusual period when NASA had no room to keep il and the Smithsonian wasn’t responsible for all space arti facts as it is today. “NASA wasn’t in the artifact busi ness, but in the space business,” Ubnoways said. Now NASA is con cerned abput Apollo 009 and other such artifacts and has expressed its concern to the the Kansas Cosmosphcre &nd Space Center and to the Smith sonian, he said. Derek Elliot, curator of manned space flight at the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian, said the museum turned NASA down when il offered the Apollo 009 cap sule to them 18 years ago. He said that since the Kansas Cos mosphere and Space Center is taking an interest in the capsule, the Smith sonian will not try to obtain it. The center learned about the con dition of Apollo 009 about three years ago when Ary was in the area doing research and saw the craft. Officials from the center researched the cap sule while estimating the cost of res toration. Ary said the capsule has not been maintained in its original condition. Historical evidence may have been lost when bum marks from the cap sule’s re-entry into the earth’s atmos phere were painted over, he said. Genoway^ said the painting was done in the early 1970s, probably as a protective measure. Craig Cleaver, president of Ne braskans for the Advancement of Space Development, said history also has been distorted by the nose cone that was placed on the top of the space craft. The nose cone is4 ‘not part of it, ----—I never was and is nothing like what should be on there,” he said. Genoways said the nose cone was added before he was director but proba bly was to protect the top of the craft where special docking mechanisms are located. Herb Howe, associate to the UNL chancellor, said the unprotected space craft should be able to withstand the elements since it was designed for space travel. But Mandy Young, loan coordina tor for the department of space history at the Smithsonian Institute in Wash ington, said the craft was designed for an atmosphere of weightlessness, and was not intended to be outside and unprotected. The spacecraft definitely should not be outside, she said. Ary agreed, saying ‘‘in space there’s no moisture, which is one of the key problems of deterioration.” Cleaver started a campaign two months ago to enforce the purpose of the space capsule - to ‘‘educate the public while preserving history.” The NASD presented a petition to Martin Massengale, UNL chancellor and NU interim president, stating that the citizens of Nebraska were con cerned with the condition of Apollo 009. The petition encouraged UNL to take care of the capsule or find an other option. ‘‘It’s high time they did some thing,” Cleaver said. The petition had more than 100 signatures and included a letter from Cleaver. But, Cleaver said, university offi cials say they have no funds for resto ration. Howe said nc understood the rea soning of NASD but “the bottom line is where’s the money going to come from.” Ary said the Kansas Cosmospherc and Space Center was approached by the university two or three years ago to give a cost estimate on restoration. The minimal cost to fully restore the Apollo 009 to its original condition would be $200,000, he said. The center submitted a proposal to the university this summer stating that it would take the spacecraft from UNI . permanently and would restore it through backing from a museum or foreign country that would display the craft in an exchange program. In return, the university would be given valuable space artifacts for indoor display, Ary said. The center was told that the un i ver sity would not give the Apollo cratt up, Ary said. But, he said, negotia tions with UNL officials were never completely finished. The trade is “still a workable op tion a year or two down the line,” he said. Genoways said he told Masscngalc of the proposal. “The administrators decided that the craft was too valuable to ex change,” he said. carpenter saia a proposal was pui together several years ago that would have protected the spacecraft from deterioration. In 1987, the base of the capsule was replaced and a plan to enclose the space capsule in Plexiglas was announced. He said he had several ideas for building a structure that would pro vide access and protection once Apollo was restored, such as a Plexiglas shel ter. Genoways said drawingsofa.struc ture to protect Apollo exist, but the plans were not completed because financing didn’t come through. Howe said he wasn’t sure how the structure would be protected, although he said some kind of enclosure proba bly would be built around the space craft. Ary sard he wasn’t sure UNL offi cials realized what it would take to restore the spacecraft. Because of the damaging effects ol changes in temperature and humidity , officials would need to install air conditioning, heating and dehumidi fying systems as well as cover the craft. But even that could never seal out moisture totally. Louis Parker, spokesman for NASA at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, said the space capsule should be a permanent fixture in a museum. If Apollo was a program piece in a museum, Parker said, the center would be willing to provide support material to go with the exhibit. That way, the Kansas center could restore the cap sule to a state of educational value, Cleaver said. Are You Losing Money On Your Checking Account? You're not getting the most for your money if you're not earning interest on your checking account or if you're still paying to write and order checks. At First Commerce Savings, you'll receive: •INTEREST PAID on Student Accounts. •NO Minimum Balance Requirement (However, $1(X) initial balance required to open the account.) •FREE introductory standard order. • 24 Hour Access with your First Commerce Card. • FDIC insured up to $1(X),(XX). •Student I.D. required. Stop in today or call one of our three convenient locations. 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