Jul 24 1985
From The Space Library
Presidential Science Advisor Dr. George Keyworth said to the U.S. House aviation subcommittee today that the U.S. was in the forefront of an unprecedented revolution in aeronautical technology, Defense Daily reported, and he called for an immediate start by the country on a streamlined, focused, and coordinated program by both government and industry to develop the necessary technology to field-before the end of the century-hypersonic transatmospheric passenger transport and space launch vehicles/military space planes. The latter could provide a two orders of magnitude reduction in the cost of transporting a pound of payload into orbit. Keyworth said he believed it was possible to develop the technology for the follow-ons to current commercial jetliners and the Space Shuttle under one R&D program. Although he was not certain if one vehicle could fill both roles, he predicted that the vehicles would be "very similar." Keyworth did not give specifics about funding requirements or a timetable but said that the government should in the course of the coming fall's discussions of the FY 87 budget focus on the opportunities available in the hypersonic area. Alluding to the British view that they could build the HOTOL (Horizontal Take-Off and Landing) transatmospheric vehicle by 1997, Key-worth said it was possible for the U.S. to exceed that goal. He noted that the Reagan Administration over the next few months would work with the aerospace industry to develop a program focusing on well-defined goals and added that he hoped NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency would appropriately budget funds to make the program stand out. Keyworth said he was not talking about tomorrow's technology in the hypersonic area but technology that "is here" waiting to be assembled.
At the same hearing, Rep. Tom Lewis (R-Fla.) said the British claimed that the HOTOL would be able to put payloads in orbit at one-half to one-fifth the cost of the Space Shuttle, and that they would capture 75% of the commercial launch market by the year 2000. Deputy Assistant Commerce Secretary Crawford Brubaker added that Britain had closed to the outside world all information about the engines being developed for HOTOL, so "they think they have made a breakthrough" on those engines. It was reported that a combination of Rolls-Royce conceived, airbreathing engines using atmospheric oxygen and liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen rocket engines would power HOTOL. (D/D, July 25/85, 129)
In testimony today before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Smithsonian Institution Secretary Robert McCormick Adams said the Smithsonian opposed a bill introduced by Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.) that would authorize funds to construct a museum administered by the National Air and Space Museum for historic airplanes and spacecraft at Dulles International Airport, the Washington Post reported. He said the Institution had more immediate legislative priorities, although it would support planning appropriations. In 1976 Goldwater was instrumental in pushing funds through Congress for the National Air and Space Museum.
The bill Goldwater introduced in June called for $42.6 million in government appropriations in FY 89 and beyond, contingent on an equal amount in matching donations from the private sector. Adams questioned whether the Institution should, or could, raise that much money, particularly because the Institution had more pressing fund-raising commitments.
Although Goldwater was on the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, he was pushing the issue now, Terry Emerson, his legislative assistant said, because "its just an interest in priorities." Emerson noted that politicians had a greater sense than did Smithsonian officials of the interest in technology-related museums. "Later they'll come in once they see the overwhelming interest in it," he added.
"Once enabling legislation is enacted," Goldwater said, "I believe numerous private individuals and firms will begin a major fund-raising campaign that will produce enough matching monies to get the first construction going by fiscal year 1989." The Smithsonian's Board of Regents initially approved in September 1983 the concept for the air museum, citing insufficient space at the National Air and Space Museum and the difficulty of transporting large aircraft and spacecraft to the Mall building. Under the plan, the Federal Aviation Administration would lease 100 acres of its land at Dulles without compensation. Proximity to a runway was essential, because many of the aircraft and spacecraft, such as the Concorde and Space Shuttle, were too large to be transported on roads.
The committee would rule on the proposed legislation in September. (W Post, July 25/85, 139)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
