Sep 10 1973
From The Space Library
President Nixon sent a message to Congress on national legislative goals. Of defense spending he said: "I continue to be adamantly opposed to attempts at balancing the overall budget by slashing the defense budget. . . . In constant dollars, our defense spending in this fiscal year will be $10 billion less than was spent in 1964, before the Vietnam war began. . . . Further cuts would be dangerously irresponsible and I will veto any bill that includes cuts which would imperil our national security. . . . The arms limitation agreement signed with the Soviet Union last year has at last halted the rapid growth in the numbers of strategic weapons. Despite this concrete achievement, much needs to be done to ensure continued stability and to support our negotiation of a permanent strategic arms agreement. A vigorous research and development program is essential to provide vital insurance that no adversary will ever gain a decisive advantage through technological breakthrough and that massive deployment expenditures will therefore not become necessary. Yet the Congress is in the process of slashing research and development funding below minimum prudent levels, including elimination of our cruise missile and air defense programs. The Trident and B-1 programs, which are critical to maintaining a reliable deterrent into the next decade, are also facing proposals to cut them to the bone." The President reiterated his request that Congress authorize creation of Dept. of Energy and Natural Resources and "a new, independent Energy Research and Development Administration so that we can make the very best use of our research and development funds in the future." R&D efforts could produce "the most helpful solutions to the energy problem." He called for a separate and independent Nuclear Energy Commission. (PD, 9/17/73, 1074-9)
Gen. Bruce K. Holloway (USAF, Ret.) became a Special Assistant to the NASA Administrator. He would also serve as Acting Assistant Administrator for DOD and Interagency Affairs. Gen. Holloway, former Commander of the Air Force Strategic Air Command, had joined NASA as a consultant to the Administrator Aug. 13. (NASA Ann)
The Senate confirmed Russell R. Train as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator. (CR, 9/10/73, D994)
A Baltimore Sun, editorial commented on NASA'S problems with the Office of Management and Budget: OMB had promised NASA about $3.4 billion annually, but OMB impoundment of funds had cut NASA'S FY 1974 budget to about $3 billion and "it appears OMB will hold the space agency to about $3.235 billion in fiscal 1975." Inflation had aggravated NASA'S problems and $85 million had been cut from the FY 1974 shuttle development budget. "But now NASA is suggesting what some aerospace contractors are stating explicitly: That if the OMB squeeze stays on, then NASA will have to cut back on new starts in scientific programs. This is an odd irony, indeed, since the very purpose of the shuttle is to serve these new programs." The Sun felt "that if NASA accountants are told to sharpen their pencils they can keep the shuttle alive as well as provide for initiation of the new scientific programs. The Nixon OMB consistently has given science short shrift, however, and it would be sad indeed if the space program were hobbled at the very time it is beginning to show immense scientific promise." (B Sun, 9/10/73, All)
An unidentified flying object was reported falling from the skies, burning a hole in the ground, and vanishing in a cloud of steam near Griffin, Ga. Dr. 0. E. Anderson, head of the Georgia State Experiment Station's Agronomy Dept., later said the object was probably "something in the nature of a small meteorite or a piece of space hardware" impacting at very high temperature. (UPI, W Post, 9/15/73, A3)
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