Sep 27 1968

From The Space Library

In Christian Science Monitor, Robert C. Cowen asked, "Is U.S. space ability eroding?" and warned, "Even if it beats the Soviet Union to the moon, the American space capability relative to that of the Soviet Union may have atrophied." At Boeing Co. Space Div. some valuable space teams were splitting up. "It will take time as well as money to buy this kind of asset back, if and when it is wanted." At JPL, officials had said personnel cutbacks now were "reaching the bone." More than any other facility, JPL "embodies American compe­tence in this challenging field." Plight of Boeing, as an industrial con­tractor, and JPL, "as an outstanding government space laboratory, typify the peril the American space program faces. Loss of funds . . . means more than postponement of certain projects. . . . It threatens also at least partial loss of the competence to carry out such projects in the future." (CSM, 9/27/68)

Dedication ceremonies were held for ComSatCorp's new high-capacity earth station for satellite communications at Etam, W. Va. Station would serve as major U.S. East Coast facility for sending and receiving all forms of communications via satellite between U.S. mainland, Puerto Rico and Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, and other Atlantic points. It was designed to work with INTELSAT satellites stationed in synchronous orbits 22,300 mi over Atlantic. (ComSatCorp Release; AP, B Sun, 9/28/68, A3)

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations urged President Johnson to delay formal ratification of nuclear nonproliferation treaty until ma­jority of nations "nearest to a nuclear weapons capability" had prom­ised to join it, although it urged immediate Senate approval of treaty. (Unna, W Post, 9/28/68, 1; NYT, 9/28/68, 1)

NASA appointed Ronald J. Philips Director of Technology Utilization Div., succeeding George J. Howick, who had resigned to join Inter­national Research and Marketing Corp. Philips, who had joined NASA in 1964 as management intern at MSC, had been principal staff assistant to NASA Administrator and Executive Assistant to Associate Administra­tor for Organization and Management. (NASA Release 68-166)

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