Exploring the Unknown - NASA's History Office

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in 1961 and 1962, as it became clear that such a system would be established within a few years. The
Kennedy administration’s policy statement on communications satellites (Document I-13 in this volume)
was released on July 24, 1961 (approved on July 14), and provoked this response from thirtyfive
members of Congress who feared AT&T’s dominance of an operational system. They urged
President Kennedy to wait until any system was fully operational before he made a final decision on
the form of ownership. Kennedy did not follow this suggestion; several of the signers of this letter were
among those leading the push for public ownership of a communications satellite system during the
1962 congressional debate on the issue.
[1] CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
Emanuel Celler
11th District New York
Chairman
Committee on the Judiciary
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C.
My dear Mr. President:
THE HISTORY OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
August 24, 1961
Early development of a space satellite communications system is of fundamental
national importance. Such a system gives promise of revolutionizing international communications
and communications within the United States. It has potentiality for an
unprecedented increase in worldwide telephone and telegraph communications and for
providing transoceanic television and radio transmission.
We undersigned members of Congress therefore believe that it is crucial that the
United States be the first to develop the system. We further believe that the Federal
Government should by contract carry out extensive research, experimentation, and development
of a satellite communications system. Not a minute should be wasted. After such
a system has become fully operational, but not until then, we believe, can decisions be
intelligently made as to whether such a system should be publicly or privately owned and
under what circumstances.
As you have pointed out, “the present status of the communications satellite programs,
both civil and military, is that of research and development. To date, no arrangements
between the government and private industry contain any commitments as to an
operational system.” We believe this is as it should be. Present commitments of any kind
as to the control of this system may hinder its rapid development and prejudge vital questions
of public interest and international relations.
The course of research and development for this new system have [sic] demonstrated
one overwhelming fact: We do not at present know which system can be put into use first,
nor which system will be most efficient once in orbit. Given this technological uncertainty,
the complicated question of ownership and control of this system must necessarily be
covered with an even greater haze of uncertainty. In order to [e]nsure that the rapid devel-