Jan 4 1975

From The Space Library

Funding in the FY 1976 budget for a third Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS) was in doubt, Walter Sullivan said in a New York Times article. Despite worldwide enthusiasm for continuing the program, which was developing remote-sensing techniques for monitoring and managing earth's resources, doubts about funding approval were appearing within the Office of Management and Budget. Factors that would influence OMB’S decision included the reported existence of far more detailed information from secretly launched intelligence satellites. Although scientists would probably prefer a system free from intelligence links, some argued that the information needed by agencies such as the Bureau of Census and Dept. of Agriculture could be extracted from imagery from these satellites. Another reason to delay immediate funding was that a more effective system would eventually become feasible. Scientists argued against this reasoning, saying that the lack of fine detail in ERTS images was not a serious impediment but that lack of continuity would be. (Sullivan, NYT, 4 Jan 75, 17)