Exploring the Unknown - NASA's History Office

Subject: Earth Resources Survey Program
For some time, this office has been attempting to understand the full ramifications of
the policy and procedural aspects of the ERS matter. Our purpose is to identify and articulate
issues, to assist in establishing procedures to ensure that the important issues are recognized,
evaluated, and viewed in perspective by NASA’s decision makers and by the
specialist and generalist staff members whose function it is to advise decision makers. To
grasp the significance of earth resource sensing, of its complexities, and attendant problems,
requires the best talent that NASA can muster. We solicit your personal assistance
and the cooperation of your office in the development of policy on this matter.
Attached is a first draft appreciation of the issue as seen by this office. We request that
you review and constructively criticize, either verbally or in writing, this draft and continue
to share with us a sense of responsibility for the development of policy guidance with
respect to NASA’s internal and external activities.
**********
[hand-signed: “Jacob E. Smart”]
Assistant Administrator
for Policy
[1] NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20546
OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR
DRAFT
MEMORANDUM for Mr. Webb - A
Dr. Seamans - AD
Dr. Newell - AA
Subject: Issues Re: The Earth Resources Survey Program
EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN 251
The question of NASA’s involvement in the Earth Resources Survey Program has
reached a critical juncture at which fundamental decisions and overall guidance now
seem imperative. On the one hand, ERS constitutes an important technical, political and
economic challenge in which NASA could play a formidable role. On the other hand,
diverse and complex inter-agency issues which bear directly on security and other key
national policies, as well as the requirement to arrive at internal managerial decisions,
need to be weighed very carefully before any broad NASA go-ahead is given.
The positive aspects of the program break down into three: compelling political realities,
potential economic and social contributions, and fairly widespread scientific, technical
and industrial interest. ERS offers NASA a unique and timely opportunity to furnish
the President and the Congress with demonstrable evidence that the space program can
be effectively applied to critical national and international problems such as poverty, overpopulation,
urban stabilization and the enhancement of natural [2] resources. If it is to
survive in today’s budgetary environment, NASA must be responsive to these very real
problems, as well as continue with its vital efforts to reach out and explore the solar system.
With respect to the future, these problems will also haunt the next Administration—
and the next. The U.S.S.R. also stands in the wings, readying itself to exploit aerospace