A Case Study in NASA-DoD - The Black Vault

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Another NASA policy problem that affected its relationship with
DoD centered around the realization that the Soviet challenge was the
most important factor shaping U.S. space policy. From NASA's point of
view, it was absolutely essential that the American public realize that
space superiority should not be confused with military superiority and
that the U.S. space program should not be construed as the leading edge
in the cold war. NASA felt that it must be free to move ahead on a
vigorous course of action without having to worry about its every move
being thought of in national security terms. (8) The DoD and much of
Congress, however, continued to view the U.S. space program in national
security terms, especially when the Soviets continued to accomplish
*
spectacular space feats while the United States was slowly progressing
with a variety of earth-orbiting satellite programs.
During this period, the machinery set up in the Space Act for coordination
between the DoD and NASA fell into disuse. After two years,
the Space Council showed little sign of life. No full-time staff or
Executive Secretary were appointed by the Eisenhower Administration,
despite provisions made for them in the Space Act. As mentioned above,
the comprehensive, integrated space program for the United States, also
called for by the Space Act, was not forthcoming. The operation of the
Civilian-Military Liaison Comittee was affected by delays it appointing
its membership, some of whom were not directly associated with the
management of space projects. In July 1959, President Eisenhower revised
the CHLC charter to allow it to take the initiative in dealing
with jurisdictional differences between NASA and DoD rather than waiting
*The spectacular Soviet achievements in space continued after the
original Sputnik launches. In the Lunik program, the Soviets first hit
the moon on September 13, 1959, and then photographed the lunar far side
on October 18, 1959. In August 1960, the Soviets succeeded in recovering
a 5 ton satellite containing two dogs, which was obviously developed
for eventual manned flight.(11)
** After Explorer and Vanguard, the United States program consisted
of the orbiting of the Tiros weather satellite on April 1, 1959; the
navigational satellite, Transit 1-B, on April 13; the Midas missile detection
satellite on May 24; the passive communication satellite, Echo
I, on August 12; and the communication satellite, Courier, on October 4.
Tiros and Echo were NASA projects; Transit, Midas, and Courier were DoD
projects. (11)