Feb 29 1968
From The Space Library
NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, Dr. John E. Naugle, described OSSA programs before Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. Three-year budget history of Space Applications program was one of very few in OSSA "showing a steady rise" and increase for FY 1969 was primarily due to increase in Earth Resources Survey Program. "Together with user agencies-the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, and Navy-we are studying the feasibility of applying space technology and techniques to such Earth resources disciplines as agriculture and forestry resources; hydrology and water resources; geography, cartography, and cultural resources; and oceanography and marine resources. Data are now being obtained by flying with electronic and electro-optical sensors over geographical areas . . to permit correlation of remote sensor data with actual conditions. . . To complement the acquisition of sample data in preparing for future systems, we intend to initiate a definition and economic benefit study in Fiscal Year 1969 of an automated spacecraft system called Earth Resources Technology Satellite." (Testimony)
NASA Associate Administrator for Tracking and Data Acquisition Gerald Truszynski, testifying on FY 1969 budget before House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Advanced Research and Technology Subcommittee, cautioned: "The many actions we have taken to reduce operating costs have, however, lowered the level of support we provide to the flight projects. In our judgment, further reductions are not possible without reducing network reliability to the point of jeopardizing the success of flight missions." (Testimony)
NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, Dr. George E. Mueller, in statement before Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, pointed to "establishment of a Manned Space Flight Safety Office . . . to focus all our safety activity at the highest level of management." NASA, he said, was ensuring "that quality assurance and reliability officials have direct access to contractor management and NASA management." (Testimony)
Apollo and Apollo Applications, staff study released by House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on NASA Oversight, included statement by Rep. Olin E. Teague (D-Tex.), Subcommittee Chairman: ". . . the general posture of the programs is good [but] the Apollo program, with its inherent complexity, has had and can be expected to have a variety of problems. Yet this study identifies the fact that confidence in the governmental-industrial team accomplishing this work is well placed." Report found "that the NASA industry team is continuing to effectively employ its resources in the solution of those problems which currently face the program. NASA has indicated that, given the stretchout in the Apollo program caused by the Apollo 204 accident, NASA is not constrained by total funding for the Apollo program during [FY] 1968. The continued reduction in total effort in the Apollo program as the program passed its peak effort in fiscal year 1967 is beginning to cause dislocation in the contractor and NASA center effort to the extent that personnel that will be needed during the flight portion of the program may not be available in the event a major flight problem occurs. Timely support for the Apollo Applications Program and other post-Apollo effort could have a major effect on minimizing this problem." (Text)
President Johnson presented Presidential Medal of Freedom, highest civilian award, to Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara at White House ceremony. McNamara, who would head World Bank, was cited for administering DOD for seven years and "unifying our strength so that we might respond effectively wherever the security of our free world was challenged." (AP, NYT, 2/29/68, 3; PD, 3/4/68, 387-8)
Iowa State Univ. scientist Dr. James A. Van Allen said that although he was not outright opponent of manned space flight, so far man had done nothing in space but survive-although "that is not unimportant" He advocated Jupiter exploration using unmanned flyby, which he said could be accomplished in 1972. He felt there was little chance Jupiter could have life forms of any sort, but he wanted this large planet (10 times diameter of earth) "put on an equal footing with Mars and Venus in U.S. exploration." His opposition to man in space was based on dominance of manned flight in national funding to detriment of unmanned missions that could have returned major scientific benefits. (Miles, LA Times, 2/29/68)
LaRC Director Dr. Floyd L. Thompson was appointed Special Assistant to NASA Administrator James E. Webb and head of NASA 14 Interim Working Group to evaluate future manned spaceflight projects. LaRC Deputy Director Charles J. Donlan would serve as Acting Director in Dr. Thompson's absence. (NASA Release 68-41; W Post, 3/1/68, A7)
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