Administrator, Public Policy American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics for the Committee on Science & Technology January 24, 1978 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics 1290 Avenue of the Americas New York, N. Y. 10019 212-581-4300 ABSTRACT The AIAA is a technical society composed of 25,000 engineers, scientists, and students representing all disciplines of the aerospace profession. We have often testified before subcommittees of this committee, and welcome this opportunity to present our views. The current Administration's emphasis on applications of space (including space exploration), while certainly commendable and, indeed, essential, has resulted in some deemphasis of the technology development efforts needed to support future space activities. The tendency is to take for granted the impressivé technological capabilities we have developed during the past several decades, but unless technology development is continued and actively nurtured, our future space programs will suffer. Among the numerous areas in which research and technology program weaknesses exist, we have cited three specific examples: propulsion, on-board power, and large space structures. Virtually all our future activities depend on. vigorous technology programs in these three areas, and efforts in all three are currently inadequate. A fourth concern implied by the above is the overall need for NASA to devote the bulk of its space efforts to its principal function: research and the development of new space technologies, systems, and capabilities, rather than to the operational aspects of such programs as Landsat or even routine shuttle flights in the 1980's. Several alternatives are identified; examples of proper mechanisms are those which were used for communications and meteorological satellites, in which "user" agencies or sectors now operate the systems, leaving NASA free to improve capabilities and develop new technology in these areas. A basic premise in all our views is the need for routine, reliable, reusable transportation to orbit: the shuttle. It represents the first and most essential element in beginning our second cycle of space activities, and is the keystone to all future space programs. KEY CONSIDERATIONS IN FUTURE SPACE PROGRAMS The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics is the technical society whose membership of 25,000 engineers, scientists, and students represent all the disciplines of the aerospace profession. Clearly, space is our business. We have frequently presented testimony on future space programs before subcommittees of this Committee and elsewhere, and we appreciate this further opportunity to express our views to the full Committee on this 20th anniversary of our nation's first successful space flight. In the past two decades, the U. S. space program has come nearly full circle. Our initial efforts were of necessity exploratory, seeking to develop the technology and capability needed for more ambitious future endeavors. The manned lunar missions demonstrated how successfully we accomplished that phase. In the decade of the 1970's, we have turned more and more to the utilization of our space capabilities to improve the quality of life here on Earth. Applications to communications, meteorology, resource detection and education, and the development of new scientific knowledge about the Earth, Sun, solar system, and the stars have become the principal focus of space activities. Now, we are preparing to begin again the process of maturing a whole new gamut of capabilities. The advent of the space shuttle both enlarges our ability to perform applications-oriented missions and opens news vistas of what we can accomplish in space. Other witnesses at these hearings will describe some of these prospective new missions, many of which are described in previous AIAA publications which have been placed in the records of this Committee's activities. Many AIAA members believe that whereas we are devoting adequate attention to the applications (including scientific exploration) - certainly both excellent and necessary we are not preparing properly for the potential expansion of space activities which is made possible by the introduction of reusable space transportation systems. These concerns were expressed by members of our Technical Committee on Space Systems, and endorsed by our Board of Directors, in our critique of NASA's "Outlook for Space" study several years ago. Unfortunately, they are still applicable today. Our concerns fall into two categories: technical and managerial. We can dispose of the managerial concern quickly: it is simply that one of NASA's basic purposes research and development of new space - technologies, systems, and capabilities - should not be allowed to become secondary to the operation of applications programs, with the consequent deemphasis on advanced programs designed to support future needs. We recognize, of course, the need for someone to operate our space systems Earth resources, space transportation, astronomical and scientific satellites, and so on -- but we should not foreclose on our preparation for the future in order to do so. - We believe this Committee should initiate the exploration of the various approaches to implementing the operational aspects of space activities. Possible options are to expand NASA's charter, as was suggested by former AIAA President Daniel Fink in Astronautics & Aeronautics back in 1973; to set up new federal agencies; to transfer operational activities to an existing cognizant federal agency (as was done with weather satellite operations); to encourage private industry to take over operations, as was the case with communications satellites; or, when operations have a multinational application, to organize an international consortium such as Intelsat. Even the transportation system, and NASA's job should be improving it and developing follow-on capability, not selling tickets or performing engine and airframe maintenance. The forthcoming competition of the ESA Ariane launch vehicle for shuttle payloads emphasizes the need for careful thought on this question. I would like to turn now to our most serious concern: the lack of technology programs directed at the fulfillment of the promise of space. Note that in concentrating on technologies, I do not mean to ignore the important task of defining new space missions for the future. However, there are a number of AIAA publications already in the record of this Committee and its Subcommittees which suggest new missions; many more are suggested by other witnesses at these hearings. But without the basic technological capabilities, none of these new missions will be viable. Although the general attitude of emphasing applications to the detriment of future capability development prevails almost across the board at NASA, I will limit myself in this paper to only three examples of technologies which we believe are essential to our future in space, and which are not now receiving adequate attention. These three areas are propulsion, power, and large space structures. The lack of a sound NASA rocket propulsion technology program, identified over three years ago by NASA's own Research and Technology Advisory Council, is already beginning to affect plans for proper shuttle utilization. Many of the shuttle's prospective customers re |