Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1967 - NASA's History Office

December 12 ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS, 1967
December 12: “We will never evacuate the frontiers of space to any other nation: Presi-
dent Johnson pledges during tour of Michoud Assembly Facility. On the platform in front
row from left are Astronaut Walter Cunningham, Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr., the
President, NASA Administrator James E. Webb, Mrs. Webb, Gov. John J. McKeithen, and
NASA Associate Administrator for Administration Harold B. Finger. In the back row,
behind and to the right of Webb, are Gen. Edmund F. O’Connor, Director of Industrial
Operations, MSFC; Dr. George N. Constan, manager of Michoud; H. D. Lowrey, president
of Chrysler Gorp. Space Division; and J. K. Swearingen, project manager for Ling-Temco-
Vought Range Systems Division.
“In the 9 years since I first introduced in the . . . Senate the Aeronau-
tics and Space Act of 1958, we have seen the power of our rocket engines
increase 50 times-from 150,000 to 7,500,000 pounds of thrust in the
engines that you build here.
“Not long ago,we had to stand by and watch other countries accom-
plish what we could not accomplish. I will never forget the days of
Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2, and the real concern. . . .
“We were the most scientifically advanced nation on the face of the
earth but we did not launch man’s first earth satellite.
“We were backward because we did not choose to adventure. We did
not choose to have vision. We did not choose to look forward. Now
let us remember that our future achievements-or our future failure-
will depend on how far ahead we choose to look and how far ahead we
choose to think.
“If we think second, and if we look third, then we are going to wind
up not being first.
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