Feb 11 1967
From The Space Library
President Johnson's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) , in report on The Space Program in the Post-Apollo Period, rejected the idea of selecting a single major goal as focal point for Nation's post-Apollo program and urged instead a "balanced program based on the expectation of eventual manned planetary exploration." PSAC recommended program "integrating manned and unmanned effort" toward five major objectives: (1) a "limited but important" extension of Apollo manned spaceflight program; (2) a "strongly upgraded program" of unmanned planetary probes aimed at landing instruments on Mars and Venus by early 1970s; (3) a program of technology development and qualification of man for long-duration space flight in anticipation of manned planetary exploration; (4) "vigorous exploitation" of applied space technology for both military and socio-economic purposes; and (5) exploitation of our capability to carry out complex technical operations in near-Earth orbit (and on the Moon) for the advance of science, particularly astronomy." Report proposed one or two manned explorations of the moon annually after first manned lunar landing, together with unmanned flights to parts of moon inaccessible to Apollo spacecraft. NASA was cited for "absence of integrated . . . planning" of planetary exploration in the 1970s and urged to immediately study "the relative effectiveness of man in planetary flyby and orbiter missions to Mars and Venus." Committee endorsed NASA's proposal to use spent 2nd stage of Uprated Saturn I booster as orbital workshop for manned missions up to 56 days but recommended "careful study of the suitability, cost, and availability of Titan III/MOL system for biomedical studies of man for periods up to 60 days." Astronomy from earth satellite was "focus of . . . [committee's] recommendations for major pure science component of . . . [Nation's] program." It proposed a program leading to "establishment in earth orbit of a number of astronomical facilities, which by the end of . . . the 1970s will constitute an Orbiting Astronomical Observatory" capable of: (1) exploring full-range of spectrum not accessible from ground; (2 ) direct scientific control by ground-based astronomers; and (3) extended useful lifetime by servicing in orbit using trained personnel. Committee urged that "far more intensive effort" be conducted to examine applicability of satellite technology to missions of all Federal agencies. "Such studies should take into account not only technological possibilities but the benefits . . . which might. be derived from satellite technology as compared with other methods." (Text)
MSC Apollo Program Manager Dr. Joseph F. Shea and MSC Director of Flight Crew Operations Donald K. Slayton had each made a last minute decision against joining Apollo 1 astronauts in tragic Jan. 27 Right rehearsal. MSC Deputy Director Dr. George M. Low acknowledged that Shea, who had frequently taken part in astronaut flight rehearsals either as a stand-in for a crew member or as an observer, had decided not to participate when technicians were unable to find a communications headset for him to wear. In addition, both men had finally decided that entering the spacecraft would have been "contrary to good test procedural discipline . . . [and] highly irregular." (UPI, NYT, 2/13/67; W Post, 2/11/67; Hines, W Star, 2/11/67,1)
Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.) urged that Congress cut $9 billion from President Johnson's FY 1968 budget to avoid tax increase. Interviewed on "Youth Wants to Know" television program, Proxmire suggested that $5-7 billion be cut from public works, $1 billion from space, and $1 billion from US. forces in Europe. (AP, W Post, 2/12/67)
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