Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
August 29
August 29: Sen. Margaret Chase Smith (R-Me.) expressed concern on Senate
floor that the Nation’s space program suffered from a “serious lack of
centralized leadership within the administration. Leadership is needed
to weigh and decide on the merits of proposed space projects; to coordi-
nate program requirements and development efforts of civil and defense
agencies; and to establish long-range national space goals and to seek
the resources necessary to achieve them.
“I believe that this failure to assert administrative responsibility has
resulted in the costly and needless development of two families of launch
vehicles-one for NASA and one for the Department of Defense. Cur-
rently, NASA and the Department of Defense are each separately under-
taking manned space programs having similar, if not identical, basic
objectives-to determine whether man can effectively operate in
space. . . .”
Criticizing President Johnson’s support of NASA N 1968 budget cuts
recommended by House Appropriations Committee [see Aug. 211, Sen.
Smith said: ‘‘I am mindful that some significant budgetary decisions
must be made because of our commitments in Vietnam and social strife
at home. But is the Congress to supply the initial decisionmaking power
for the executive branch? Is so little consideration and concern given to
determining the required resource level for space technology programs
that across-the-board reduction recommended by a legislative committee
can be accepted so lightly?
‘6
There are many of us who feel that science and technology may well
be the key to our future existence-to the very survival of freedom in
the world of tomorrow. In the past, I believe that the administration
also held this to be true. However, the present lack of responsible action
in regard to our space program leads me to wonder whether the admin-
istration plans and manages the future course for our country with any
foresight or merely reacts to events with fear and trepidation.” (CR,
8/29/67, S12399)
a NASA Deputy Administrator Robert C. Seamans, Jr., reporting on gravity
of budget situation in the light of pending congressional action, said that
study of program alternatives would continue while hiring of additional
personnel would be suspended. He gave elements of NASA Hq. guidance
on restricting activities, to provide maximum flexibility for future deci-
sions when budget and expenditure limits were clarified. (Text)
A 180-man crew working a 10-hr day six days a week had completed 14-
week construction job of 15-building installation in the Australian desert,
which would be used to intercept information transmitted by Soviet
reconnaissance satellites [see Aug. 121. (AP, NYT, 8/29/67,2.4)
August 30: NASA engineers maneuvered Lunar Orbiter III, launched Feb. 4,
by firing spacecraft’s velocity control engine 125.5 sec, with intent to
simulate planned orbit for manned Apollo. Planned 100-mi circular
orbit for Apollo was approximated in 196-mi apolune and 89-mi perilune
achieved by maneuver from Lrcnar Orbiter Ill’s prior 1,133-mi apolune
and 87-mi perilune. Data on lunar gravity fields would be obtained for
Apollo program. Lunar Orbiter series of four spacecraft orbiting around
moon was providing valuable tracking target activity for NASA’s Manned
Space Flight Network ( MSFN) . (NASA Release 67-233)
NATO intelligence had learned that French President Charles de Gaulle
would begin extensive cooperation with U.S.S.R. in the field of space
exploration, including the orbiting of nuclear weapons, Henry J. Taylor
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