Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

During July ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
double 1963’s $1.4 billion. Although R&D support increased from $813.2
million to $1,257.7 million, its percentage share of the total dropped
from 58 to 42. Federal agencies expected a drop in annual rate of
growth in MD support from 16% in 1%3-66 to 8% in 1966-68. Sup
port for nonscience activities, however, had increased ninefold, from
$85 million in 1963 to $847 million in 1966. (Text)
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy reported that internal Chinese Com-
munist strife had had little effect on nuclear weapon program, that
Chinese Communists could possibly launch a “low order” missile attack
on US. by early 19709, and that their progress in developing thermo-
nuclear weapons had been “excellent.” Joint Committee report, Zmpuct
of Chinese Communist Nuclear Weapons Progress on United Stutes
National Security, was based on testimony by officials from State Dept.,
DOD, AJEC, CIA, and nuclear weapon laboratories. (Text)
* Low-orbit space operations from a manned orbital base “has the potential
to reduce operating costs by a factor of two” for the mission traffic
anticipated for post-1970, G. A. Sears of the RAND Corp. had concluded.
His paper, Orbital Basing: Key to Low Cost Space Operations?, com-
pared present earth-based manned spaceflight program with concept of
basing spacecraft at manned space station. Spacecraft would be injected
into mission orbits as required and later rejuvenated for reuse by
rendezvous with station. Spacecraft would have to operate nearly co-
planar with base, a constraint acceptable to many but not all low-orbit
missions; however, as method of reducing cos&, orbital basing “deserves
attention on a par with recovery-to-earth and reuse and extended-life
concepts,” Sears stated. (Text)
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