Feb 25 1974
From The Space Library
NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Applications Leonard Jaffe-U.S. Representative to the United States Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Working Group and Task Force on Remote Sensing-told a session of the Working Group and Task Force the U.S. believed its policy of openness and benefit-sharing in earth resources and environmental remote-sensing programs was consistent with the Outer Space Act of 1967, which called for use of outer space for the benefit of all countries. The U.S. could see no justification in the suggestion that sovereignty over natural resources included control over all information about these resources. The U.S. would regret any setback to the principle of open and unimpeded international exchange of information and would continue its open distribution policy. A restrictive policy would slow the development of remote-sensing systems and cut off developing countries from beneficial data. Limiting data to conform to national boundaries would require costly techniques and would destroy the most useful functions of remote sensing; most ecological systems had to be studied globally. (Text)
Hearings on S. 2658 and H.R. 11864, to enact the Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act of 1974, were held by the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. Rep. Mike McCormack (D-Wash.) said the legislation--which called for NASA, with other agencies, to develop and demonstrate solar technology-would set up a program that the National Science Foundation was not authorized to do and therefore would create no conflict with NSF's ongoing research and development program in solar energy.
Dr. H. Guyford Stever, NSF Director, said that the bill should be considered in the context of the "intensive and coordinated R&D effort" already under way in the Executive Branch. The NSF Act had authorized NSF as lead agency in basic and applied solar research and, with inter-agency cooperation, NSF could bring "practical solar energy systems into widespread use." Dr. Stever expressed the Nixon Administration view that the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) , proposed in other legislation, would be the preferred agency to accelerate applied solar technology when programs reached the stage of large demonstration and development. However, if that legislation were not approved, the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development would be preferable over NASA as lead agency, because of HUD's experience with the local groups that would carry out the projects.
Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, also expressed the Administration's support of ERDA and of continuing NSF as the lead agency Until ERDA was established. Dr. Fletcher suggested as an alternative plan, if ERDA were not established, that NASA serve as lead agency in phase one, the development of the technology and construction of solar units. Phase two, building the houses and installing the units, could be best handled by HUD. There would be "no big problem" in transferring the responsibility to ERDA should it be established. (Transcript)
John H. Disher, Skylab Program Deputy Director since August 1965, had been named Director of Advanced Programs in NASA'S Office of Manned Space Flight, NASA announced. Skylab had concluded operations with the 8 Feb. splashdown of its third manned mission to visit the Nation's first experimental space station. In the Advanced Program Office, Disher would head evaluations of concepts for manned space activities within changing national needs and priorities, to guide transition from present to future programs. From 1959 to 1961 Disher had headed advanced manned missions. He had also served as Apollo Test Director and Assistant Director for Apollo Spacecraft Development. (NASA Release 74-48)
Marshall Space Flight Center had requested quotations from industry on a contract to study a two-way data link using laser beams and operating between ground and payloads in low earth orbit, MSFC announced. The study, which could lead to a flight system on the space shuttle, would indicate the most effective lasers and frequencies and analyze effects of orbital dynamics on acquisition, tracking, and pointing systems. (MSFC Release 74-28)
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