FEDERAL EXPENDITURES DEFENSE, ATOMIC ENERGY AND SPACE PERCENT 13 12 11 10 9 8 0 TOTAL NATIONAL DEFENSE DEFENSE AND NACA 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 FISCAL YEARS MC65-5711 FIGURE 4 Twelve years ago, when the gross national product was $362 billion, the expenditures for national defense, atomic energy, and NASA's predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, totaled $47.1 billion. This was 13 percent of the gross national product. In the current fiscal year, the projected total is $62.26 billion, down to 8.9 percent of the gross national product of $700 billion. In fiscal year 1967, if the gross national product grows as anticipated the total expenditures of $66.12 billion for defense, atomic energy, and NASA will represent only 8.8 percent. Thus it is clear that the share of our national wealth represented by the costs of these related activities has been declining over the last decade and will continue to decline in the coming fiscal year despite substantial expenditures for Vietnam. In this perspective, it seems clear that the Nation can afford to carry on the space program. What comes next? With the accomplishment of the Apollo program in this decade, we expect to begin the exploration of the Moon. But, the Apollo system is not limited to manned lunar landings. We can carry out a wide variety of flights in Earth orbit, in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface. Typical flights include placing an Apollo spacecraft over a point on the Equator at an altitude such that it maintains its position above a fixed point on the ground; or learning to transfer crew and materials between two spacecraft; or placing the spacecraft in orbit about the Moon for 2 weeks to survey the Moon's surface; or launching spacecraft to the same place on the Moon's surface where a landing has already been made, thus using equipment left behind on the previous flight. Now why is it desirable to fly such missions? What are the potential applications of benefit to man on Earth? With the weight-lifting capabilities available, it would be possible to place both large antennas and powerful transmitters in stationary orbits. Manned with technicians, these stations can bring live television to all countries of the world to be viewed on ordinary home receivers. An exciting related application is in the early establishment of control towers in space, for communications and navigation of aircraft and ocean-going ships. An entire group of potential applications is based on the use of observations in space to make fuller use of the resources of the Earth, considered on a planetwide basis. Observation of land areas can provide current information on minerals, crops, forest stands, and the status of rivers and lakes. The oceans can be observed for oceanographic features, marine life, and other resources. Another application is to the weather. A group established by the National Academy of Sciences issued a report indicating that the time may well have come to do something about the weather. The Apollo Saturn flight hardware is capable of assisting in this effort. Finally, there are the applications to science. Scientists associated with the National Academy of Sciences and other leaders recommended the exploration of the Moon, and the placing of large telescopes and other astronomical instruments in space. The reports from these studies expressed the belief that the presence of man in space, close to these instruments, can greatly improve the ability of science to increase knowledge about the origin of life and the history of the Earth, of the Sun, of the planets and of the universe around us. But it is important to realize and to emphasize that the first task to be performed, before benefits can be provided to potential users, is to learn to operate in space. Before we can deliver people and equipment to the place where this work is to be done, we must investigate the conditions and the problems associated with operations in the weightless, vacuum environment. And we can learn to operate effectively in space only by doing-by spending time in space. The Apollo-Saturn flight equipment will enable us to multiply our present man-days of flight experience to man-years of flight experience. In the period immediately following the accomplishment of the Apollo program, a most important task will be to gain this experience and to develop the advanced operational techniques so necessary for use in future programs. Beyond Apollo Applications several major options for future programs exist. Emphasis can be placed on further lunar exploration, advanced Earth-orbital operations and planetary exploration. Still, the necessary precursor of any of these future missions is the knowledge and experience gained from exploiting the investment and capability we have developed under the Apollo program. There is a problem which is characteristic of Government programs. The budget for the coming fiscal year permits NASA to hold open the option for a program to procure additional flight vehicles beyond those now programed for Apollo so as to employ the Apollo hardware and capabilities at least through 1971. If we do not exercise this option in the decisions for the fiscal year 1968 budget, we will have to begin a phase down of the Manned Space Flight activities and the "mothballing" of some of our facilities. The time for decision to exercise this option will be made on the budget to be submitted to Congress for fiscal year 1968. In this regard, I would like to call attention to a few facts. The Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk dramatized the possibility of flight, but it was not until airplanes were numerous and barnstorming had given way to commercial flight that profit began to come from aeronautics. The history of the airplane is interesting for another reason. Although the United States was first in its invention, it remained for the Europeans to adopt it for practical use, so that this Nation was forced to borrow British and French designs for use in World War I and, in fact, no American-designed plane flew in that combat. The submarine was invented by an American named Holland but was first exploited by Germany. Robert Goddard of this country proved that a rocket would work in a vacuum, but the Germans used the principle to build ballistic missiles, and the Soviets first achieved space flight. In view of these facts, I would personally hope that we as a nation are perceptive enough to profit from history and that we do fully use and exploit these machines we have developed at such a heavy investment of resources, and that we do allow ourselves the time and freedom to realize their-and our-full capabilities in space. To maintain the Manned Space Flight activity we are requesting for fiscal year 1967 a total of $3,405.4 million for research and development, administrative operations, and construction of facilities (fig. 5). (The complete prepared statement of Dr. George E. Mueller follows:) PREPARED STATEMENT OF DR. GEORGE E. MUELLER, ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR MANNED SPACE FLIGHT, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION The purpose of the statement is to present an annual report of accomplishments in the past year and plans for the fiscal year beginning in July 1966. The statement will review manned space flight management, report on the status and planned activities of the Gemini and Apollo programs and advanced manned mission studies, and will outline the schedule for accomplishing specific objectives. MANAGEMENT Manned space flight organizational and personnel changes are reviewed, including the activities of mission operations and Saturn/Apollo applications. Procurement management and emphasis upon incentive contracting are discussed. Relationships with industry, science, and other Government entities are noted. GEMINI Gemini's contribution to all objectives of manned space flight with the program's one unmanned and five manned flights of 1965 is summarized. Accomplishments reviewed include the completion of flight qualification, extravehicular activity, three long duration flights of 4, 8, and 14 days, and history's first successful space rendezvous, involving close formation flight of two Gemini spacecraft and four astronauts. Production and delivery of flight hardware to support increased operational activity during 1965 is noted, and the production status of all remaining flight hardware reported. Four Gemini missions are planned for 1966. Major objectives will be further development of various phases of rendezvous and docking, extravehicular activity, and extensive experiments continuing the successful experiments program of 1965. APOLLO The substantial progress of Apollo during the past year is cited. The first phase of the Saturn I program was eminently successful in providing the base on which the large launch vehicle technology is built. The foundation for Apollo flights has been laid and the first Apollo-Saturn flight is approaching. Movement of flight hardware for manufacturing, test, and flight operations is being accomplished. An operational capability has been built for basic mission control and recovery. Conversion of Saturn I launch facilities nears completion, while construction of the Saturn launch complex progresses toward the start of checkout operations on that facility. The timetable for upcoming unmanned and manned Apollo-Saturn flights is reviewed. The resources capability that exists or is being developed in support of the present lunar landing program is summarized in terms of management, personnel, and facilities. The capability of NASA and contractor facilities for development, manufacturing, test, and the capability of NASA launch and space flight operations facilities are described. Apollo Applications is given as an example of a follow-on effort that capitalizes on the resources available through the Apollo program. The background, operational capabilities, objectives, and specific applications operations are reviewed. MISSION OPERATIONS Mission operations for Gemini and Apollo are summarized. The Manned Space Flight Network for unmanned and manned missions is described. Launch crew, flight controller, and flight crew training is discussed. ADVANCED MANNED MISSIONS STUDIES The background of Advanced Manned Mission studies is reviewed. The evolu- FUNDING REQUIREMENTS Funding requirements to continue the Manned Space Flight program for the Research and Development requirements are identified in the three Manned Space Flight Programs-Gemini, Apollo and Advanced Manned Missions—for a total of $3,022.8 million. Gemini program requests for the next fiscal year are $40.6 million. Total Apollo program requirements for fiscal year 1967 are $2,974.2 million. The fiscal year 1967 request for Advanced Manned Missions, to examine The total Manned Space Flight administrative operations requirements for "Construction of facilities” funding requested for fiscal year 1967 totals $54.4 million. This amount covers continuation of the outfitting of Launch Complex 39 at Cape Kennedy; a Lunar Sample Receiving Laboratory and astronaut training simulator facilities at Manned Spacecraft Center; a Hazardous Opera- This presentation reports on the excellent progress and the major problems during the past year in meeting Manned Space Flight program objectives. Plans Gemini symposium and reports.. President's Scientific Advisory committee. Manned Space Flight medicine program coordination. Manned Space Flight/Government relationships.. |