Statement by the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Merchant) Before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, January 20, 19601 [Extract] In contrast with the Soviet Union, the United States has taken an active lead in seeking international cooperation and consultation regarding the new opportunities and problems which are arising. Our approach has recognized two aspects of these matters. The first is that of consulting and cooperating in an effort to find means of assuring the use of outer space for peaceful purposes only. The second is that of consulting and cooperating in the conduct of outer space activities and in the establishment internationally of an orderly basis for their accomplishment. Joint Statement by the United States and the United Kingdom on Cooperation in Space Research, January 25, 1960 2 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the British Information Service announced on January 25 that scientists of the United States and Great Britain had reached informal agreement on six experiments which the first joint U.S.-British earth satellite will carry. The decision was based on an agreement in principle made last July between the two nations to unite in a cooperative scientific program of space research. This had followed a U.S. offer made through COSPAR (the Committee on Space Research of the International Council of Scientific Unions) to cooperate with other nations in space experiments. The first jointly sponsored satellite will contain these experiments: ion and electron studies by probes to measure electron temperature and concentration and ion mass spectrum; electron density measurements; solar radiation studies; and primary cosmic ray measurements. These experiments were reviewed by COSPAR and then transmitted to NASA. The launching vehicle for the satellite will probably be the fourstage Scout rocket, which is expected to be operational this year. Although no firm date has been set for the first joint experiment, it is planned for late 1961.3 1 Department of State Bulletin, Feb. 8, 1960, p. 214. 2 Ibid., Feb. 22, 1960, p. 284. 3 The experiment took place on Apr. 26, 1962. See post, p. 259. Q. News-Conference Remarks by President Eisenhower, [Extracts] Mr. President, the burden of some recent statements on Capitol Hill, primarily by generals, has been that we are well behind the Russians in missile development, with little or no prospect of catching up with them in the near future. I'd like to ask you, sir, as far as man's effort to enter space, as well as the development of military missiles, do you feel any sense of urgency in catching up with the Russians? THE PRESIDENT. I am always a little bit amazed about this business of catching up. What you want is enough, a thing that is adequate. A deterrent has no added power, once it has become completely adequate, for compelling the respect of any potential opponent for your deterrent and, therefore, to make him act prudently. 2 I saw Monday morning in the Congressional Record just after I got back from California-that day's Congressional Record had a statement of America's history in missile development. It's a very comprehensive one. I commend it to your attention to show what has been done with a very slow start and with a complete neglect for a period-in the period, particularly in ICBM and IRBM development. And the record, I insist, is one to be at least quite gratified about. As I recall, for 1960, there is, for missiles of all kinds, appropriated $6,690 million. This, it seems to me, is getting close to the point where money itself will [not] bring you any speed, any quicker development. ... 3 Q. Mr. President, you mentioned the word "deterrent" in your answer to that last question. Yesterday, General Power said that our deterrent of heavy bombers cannot be properly safeguarded unless it is put on a full air alert. You discussed this with us before, but in view of General Power's testimony yesterday, would you give your view on that question? THE PRESIDENT. No; too many of these generals have all sorts of ideas. But I do point this out: I have got the Secretary of Defense, whom I trust, and who I know is honest in his study, analysis, and conclusions. That is Secretary Gates. And beneath him, assisting him, is the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff, whom I similarly trust; and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with those two, are my military advisers. I have been long enough in the military service that I assure you that I cannot be particularly disturbed because everybody with a parochial viewpoint all over the place comes along and says that the bosses know nothing about it. 1 Public Papers of the Presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1960-61, pp. 144-147. 2 Congressional Record, vol. 106, 86th Cong., 2d sess., pp. 1636-1639, Feb. 7, 1960. 3 Gen. Thomas S. Power, U.S.A.F., commander in chief, Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Thomas S. Gates, Jr., Secretary of Defense, 1959-1961. Now, I don't think anyone's trying to impugn the patriotism and the earnestness and the integrity of the group I have just mentioned. I think, myself, they are the ablest people we could get. That's the reason they were selected. Q. Mr. President, quite aside from the military implications of the space race, I believe your head of the USIA, George Allen," said recently before Congress that he feels we are in a race to space with the Russians, whether we want to be or not, and that also the United States prestige seems to be low because of our lag behind the Russians. Now, I think that last week you told us that you don't believe that the international prestige of the United States is at stake in this race. I wonder if you could straighten out that confusion. THE PRESIDENT. I made a long trip; and certainly if there wasn't an evidence that the prestige of America was rather high, then I was very badly mistaken in my own conclusions. And I think that most of the people of this group that went along with me, that they would have been mistaken. It is idle to say that just exactly as we like to see this country ahead in every single activity that seems to us worthwhile, we want to see them ahead in space. This is a spectacular area in which we are now working. But let us remember this one thing: the reason for going into space, except for those activities that are carried on by the Defense Department as having some value to the security of the country, is purely scientific. Therefore, you are not talking about racing them in finding the particular items or in naming the particular course that you are going to run in this race; you work out a proper and an appropriate plan of scientific exploration, and you follow it positively, rather than trying to follow along behind somebody else. Now, I have said time and again that because the Soviets are far ahead in this very large booster and engine, that, so far as distant space exploration is concerned, they are going to be ahead in that regard for some time, because it takes time to get that engine built. Just taking over, this Saturn project from the Army: I have, after long study by the space agency, determined that the amount of money that we took over with that particular thing was not sufficient; and there's another hundred million being devoted, or at least recommended for devotion, to it. I believe it will be appropriated; and I believe that implies not only the determination of the United States to go ahead rapidly with this thing, I believe that we can look forward at the proper time to success. 5 George V. Allen, Director, U.S. Information Agency, 1957-1961. News Release by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on the United States - Canadian Satellite To Study the Ionosphere, February 15, 19601 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has announced that the first arrangements have been concluded for a joint satellite project in NASA's program of international cooperation in space sciences. The project will be conducted by the Defence Research Telecommunications Establishment of Canada and the NASA to study the ionosphere by means of a sweep frequency topside sounder satellite. The cooperative Canadian-U.S. experiment is scheduled for 1961.2 The Defence Research Board (DRB) is the scientific element of the Canadian Department of National Defence, and the Defence Research Telecommunications Establishment (DRTE) is one of its research agencies. According to the arrangements, the DRTE will provide the satellite and its instrumentation and will operate a network of receiving stations within Canada for recovering telemetered data. NASA is to provide high altitude sounding rockets and launching services to test the Canadian satellite prototype instrumentation, the satellite launching vehicle, and launching facilities. NASA will be responsible for ground-based telemetry and recording apparatus outside Canada to recover telemetered data for at least one year, and will furnish copies of satellite data recorded outside Canada for exchange with Canada. The sweep frequency topside sounder experiment is expected to enhance greatly our knowledge of the characteristics of the upper levels of the ionosphere (electrically charged regions of the upper atmosphere). Existing ground stations are able to obtain information by reflecting radio waves from the bottom side of the ionosphere, i.e., up to about 200 miles, at approximately 140 locations throughout the world. Soundings obtained with the Canadian-U.S. experiment will extend the ground station data to altitudes of about 700 miles and in addition, will furnish information for geographical areas which are not covered by the present ground station network. In operation, the Canadian sweep frequency sounder will send out radio signals whose frequency will sweep through a range of 2 to 15 mc to obtain information on the characteristics of the upper ionosphere at different frequencies. The satellite will be launched into a polar orbit, and principal studies to be made will concern the ionosphere over Canada, the United States and South America. Soundings in the auroral zones will be of particular interest to Canada in respect to special communications problems in high latitudes and arctic regions. 1 National Aeronautics and Space Administration news release 60-122, Feb. 15, 1960. 2 The satellite was lanched on Sept. 29, 1962. See post, p. 334. Address by the Director of the Office of International Programs, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Frutkin), on International Cooperation in the Exploration of Space, February 16, 19601 [Extract] THE PHILOSOPHY OF COOPERATION One may well ask why it is that NASA, while heavily committed to a difficult and ambitious program of space research, nevertheless seeks to engage in cooperative efforts with other nations. My first remarks suggest at least two reasons: -First, man's first ventures into space were taken in the context of international cooperation in science as part of the program of the International Geophysical Year. The IGY operation captivated men's minds. It has achieved a dynamism which almost demands that we continue to work within the same sort of framework. -Second, the technology of operations in space research virtually requires global efforts. No country can be satisfied with tracking and telemetry efforts which are restricted to its own borders. Even the Soviet Union has requested the services of tracking stations located in your countries, in South Africa, and in Australia, in order to cover the movements of its satellites over the Southern Hemisphere. Soviet scientists have also made important use of the great radio telescope at Jodrell Bank in England. But there are other considerations. -We recognize that scientists in all countries can make important contributions to the theory and practice of space research. -Ultimately, more ambitious efforts to push our knowledge ever further into space will become so costly and complex that the burdens will be too great for any one nation to carry. It will be desirable to pool energies and contributions as well as costs. -Above all, perhaps, we know that space is inherently international in character. It is already a widely accepted principle that no one nation should appropriate to itself regions or natural bodies on space. There is strong feeling everywhere that we must not extend cold wars and armaments competitions into the vastness of space. We, for our part, hope to demonstrate by the openness of our program and our readiness to participate in cooperative projects, that we subscribe in fact as well as in word to these principles. Each of the considerations which I have just mentioned was reviewed by the Congress of the United States when, in the Spring of 1958, it debated the establishment of a civilian space agency in the United States. The records of these Hearings show very clearly how conscious our legislators were of every one of these points. So, it is not surprising that the Congress wrote into the Act establishing NASA that one of its purposes should be "Cooperation by the United States with other nations and groups of nations in work done pursuant to this Act and in the peaceful application of the results thereof..." 2 1 National Aeronautics and Space Administration news release 60-124, Feb. 16, 1961. The address was made before members of the Inter-American Defense Board at Washington, D.C. 2 Ante, p. 66. |