Jun 20 1963
From The Space Library
Dr. Edward C. Welsh, Executive Secretary of National Aeronautics and Space Council, said in speech before Conference on Space Science and Space Law at the University of Oklahoma "The impact of the space budget . . . is greater than its size would indicate. For example, a major portion of it goes for research and development, with the attendant flow of new processes, new inventions, new products, and new ideas which stimulate many sectors of the economy. So far, during the past six years we have spent less than $10 billion on all aspects of space development and exploration. This has averaged less than 20 cents per capita per week. Contrary to the careless thinking of some critics, this money has been spent for materials, jobs, facilities, etc., right here on earth rather than on the moon or some distant planet. In other words, its stimulating effect has resulted in a greater demand for consumers' goods and greater savings and investments. "It is unrealistic to conclude that, if this money were not going into space work, it would necessarily flow into other essentials such as slum clearance, education, and cancer research. The facts are that we have been spending more for those essentials since there has been a space program; the space program contributes to such progress; and it is not likely that the Congress would vote more money for such other projects if there were no demand for space funds. This is not an either/or proposition . . . ." He attributed to the space program major credit for such benefits as: "comprehensive knowledge and understanding" of earth- sun relationships, interplanetary space environment, origins of solar system and life itself ; improved communications, weather forecasting, and navigation; improvements in metals, alloys, and ceramics, and "substantial progress in the whole field of electronics . . " In "peaceful application of space competence to national security he listed "1. Support of our terrestrial armed forces . . . in communications, meteorology, navigation, and mapping; "2. Increase in our alertness against pending dangers and our knowledge of potentially hostile territories through early warning and observation capabilities; and "3. Competence to examine and neutralize, if necessary, hostile and threatening spacecraft. ". . . Of even greater importance is the potential impact the space program can have on world peace through substituting com-petition in space exploration for competition in building nuclear striking power. If sanity prevails, the path to the stars can be the path to peace." (Text)
Dr. Robert L. Barre, Scientist for Social, Economic, and Political Studies, NASA, said at University of Okla. Conference on Space Science and Space Law "The demands of our space goals require a very great increase in functional and intellectual specialization, in both kind and degree. The effort to drive scientific knowledge and technological capability ever further into the unknown has the effect of differentiating skills and areas of knowledge and of enhancing their uniqueness on a scale not previously experienced. The ever increasing complexity of man-machine problems, particularly in regard to mans daring to venture into the uncharted realm of space, produce demands for reliability, durability, mechanical precision, exactness and speed of human interaction which, if uncontrolled, could be corrosive of the human and social characteristics this nation has for some time held in high esteem. These demands require integrative processes, operating through man, his institutions and his tools which allow much narrower tolerances of error of variation than those acceptable to a mass production society." (Text)
Titan II ICBM launched from Vandenberg AFB concrete silo site in successful USAF test flight. (AP, Wash. Post, 6/21/63)
Aerobee 150 sounding rocket with flight test instrumentation duplicating that intended for installation in the solar-pointed section of the 17 satellite spacecraft (OSO-B) launched to 119.2 mi. from White Sands Missile Range, N.M. Results undetermined until recovery of payload effected. (NASA Rpt. of S. Rkt. Launching, 6/24/63)
Sir Charles (C.P.) Snow, British scientist and author, said in New York interview that pace of U.S. lunar program was "probably a mistake," an "all-out" effort in race with U.S.S.R. Most dramatic scientific achievements of next decade, he said, would be in molecular biology. (Sullivan, NYT, 6/21/63, 11)
June 20-21: In hearings conducted by House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, FAA Administrator Najeeb E. Halaby out-lined details of proposed Government-industry project to develop supersonic transport. (NASA Leg. Act. Rpts. II/93 and II/94)
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