President Nixon's financial pinching had apparently squeezed the life out of the Cambridge Electronics Research Center, but a little political arm twisting yesterday by Massachusetts Governor Francis W. Sargent may have revived the facility.

Last week the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced it would close the uncompleted research center in Kendall Square July 1 because of a shift of priorities in the space program. Nearly 850 NASA researchers and employees will be affected by any move to shut down the $30 million center.

With this in mind, Sargent spoke to Nixon and presidential advisors John D. Ehrlichman and Bryce Harlow in Washington yesterday about the possibilities of keeping the center in operation for some sort of government activity. After the 30 minute meeting, Sargent said he was "very much encouraged" by Nixon's commitment to "explore all avenues" to find some new federal research for the center.

Sargent told Nixon he had set up a committee of scientists. technologists and businessmen to find what kinds of new work might be done in the center's facilities, and Nixon asked Dr. Lee Dubridge, his science advisor, to study the problem and act as a liaison between the state and federal governments.