21 1963 NASA AUTHORIZATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1962 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND ASTRONAUTICS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON ADVANCED RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 304, Old House Office Building, Hon. Victor L. Anfuso (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. ANFUSO. This meeting will come to order, please. Gentlemen, the purpose of these hearings being held by the Subcommittee on Advanced Research and Technology is to review and study the proposed NASA advanced research program to make sure that Congress authorizes an adequate well-balanced advanced research program which will insure that the United States will achieve its national goals and objectives in the fields of science and astronautics. During the course of the hearings we intend to explore very carefully the research programs covering the complete spectrum of science. Of great concern to the committee is the "space gap" existing between the United States and Soviet Russia, especially in the field of propulsion. It appears the best way to close this gap is through a concentrated advanced research program, not only by Government agencies but also by industry and nonprofit institutions. Due to the immediate need for greater thrust capabilities to carry out the free world space missions, we will study very carefully the advanced research program in the field of propulsion. The space gap apparently has been caused by a propulsion barrier. We must break through this barrier by conducting an advanced research program which could give us a real breakthrough and provide the United States with a "quantum jump" that would not only close the space gap but tip the balance of space power in favor of the United States. I should also like to add that in my opinion we are unquestionably ahead of the U.S.S.R. in all fields of space research except in the propulsion, which I have just talked about, which is necessary to get huge payloads, such as a two-man Gemini, or a three-man Apollo team in orbit or on the Moon. I believe we will fill this gap if we take the necessary steps and it is the purpose of this committee to assist in this regard. Now, this morning our first witness will be Mr. Thomas S. Dixon, Deputy Associate Administrator of NASA. Before Mr. Dixon testifies, I would like to point out for the record that any questions which are unanswered due to lack of time will be furnished to the witnesses to be answered subsequently and will be made a part of the official record of this particular hearing. I should also like to state that in the interest of time and in order to permit the committee members to get a full grasp of the subject involved, I am going to ask the backup witnesses, following Mr. DĎixon, to incorporate their statement in the record so that we can go on with direct questions to justify the figures on this proposed NASA program on advanced research and technology. However, I am going to allow Mr. Finger 10 minutes to summarize his statement which will be included in the record. If that is agreeable to everybody, we will proceed in this fashion and I will ask Mr. Dixon, whom I am very happy to welcome here, to proceed with his testimony. I have known of his great work in private industry. As a matter of fact I was flattered when he showed me the operation of the first F-1. I certainly enjoyed that and we are honored and pleased to have you with us this morning, Mr. Dixon. I also understand that you are a constituent of Mr. Corman. Perhaps he would like to say something. Mr. CORMAN. I certainly welcome Mr. Dixon. I was most pleased that the Government was able to court him away from private industry and I know the kind of adjustments he had to make. And off the record I would like to say (Discussion off the record.) Mr. ANFUSO. To make it bipartisan, then, Mr. Bell, you had better say something. Mr. BELL. Mr. Dixon, I want to again welcome you to the committee, and the pleasure I have to get you away from Mr. Corman. It will be truly a pleasure to represent you and my other constituents in the area. (The biographical sketch of Thomas F. Dixon follows:) BIOGRAPHY OF THOMAS F. DIXON, DEPUTY ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION Born March 15, 1916, in Nashville, Tenn., Dixon attended David Lipscomb College in Nashville and earned a B.S. degree in engineering from Vanderbilt University in 1938. In 1940, he received B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy as a rocket ordnance specialist and was discharged as a lieutenant commander. Part of his war service included study at California Institute of Technology where he received an M.S. degree in aeronautical engineering in 1945. Dixon joined North American Aviation, Inc., in 1946 as a research engineer. A year later he began propulsion engineering work in connection with the company's long-range guided missile program. He later directed the development of liquid propellant rocket engines for such rockets as the Atlas, Thor, Jupiter, and Redstone. He became director of NAA's Propulsion Center engineering department in 1954 prior to the establishment of the Rocketdyne Division. In 1959, he became Chief Engineer and in January, 1960, Director of Research and Engineering. He was appointed to his present position with NASA in March 1960. Dixon was the 1961 corecipient of the Louis W. Hill Space Transportation Award for his outstanding contributions to the liquid rocket. In 1957, similar recognition came through the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Award from the American Rocket Society. Dixon is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and American Rocket Society. He was named a fellow of ARS in 1960 and has served as president of the Society's Southern California Section. He is married and has four children. Mr. ANFUSO. Now, if you will, Mr. Dixon. STATEMENT OF THOMAS F. DIXON, DEPUTY ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR AND ACTING DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ADVANCED RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION Mr. DIXON. Mr. Chairman, I have a prepared statement relating to our advanced research and technology that I would like to read. Members of the subcommittee, it is obvious that the programs for space exploration described by the preceding speakers will require much research and great advances in technology. A program of advanced research and technology has been established by NASA to fulfill these needs. In defining the objectives of this program we will look to the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (fig. 186). The act stipulates that aeronautical and space activities means research into, and the solution of, problems of flight within and outside the Earth's atmosphere. This objective includes aeronautics, as well as space flight. The objective can be clarified for the purpose of our discussion by three additional statements shown in the slide. The first of the state NASA ADVANCED RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INTO, AND THE SOLUTION OF, TO DISCOVER NEW IDEAS, MATERIALS, METHODS AND TO DEVELOP AND DEFINE FEASIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS TO IMPROVE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF FIGURE 186 R 62-397A ments is to discover new ideas, materials, methods, and devices for space exploration and aeronautics utilization. But new ideas and inventions are not enough; we must develop and define the feasibility and limitations of promising ideas. In doing this, data suitable for use by designers is obtained so the designer can estimate the use and performance of systems for future space exploration. Finally, we must find ways to improve the quality and per formance of components and systems for space and aeronautical use. In other words, we would like to provide the technology on which to build aeronautical and space vehicles which are lighter, stronger, and more efficient than they are now. The next slide which was used previously by Dr. Seamans (fig. 187) shows the five NASA program areas, one of which is advanced research and technology. The NASA research and technology program, however, is divided into two parts, only one of which is identified in this slide. The part of research and technology program not identified is classified as mission-oriented research and technology and may be a part of any one of the other four programs, as shown in the slide. An example is some of the research and technology developments necessary to Apollo which is a part of the manned space flight program. The identified part of the research and technology program concerns aeronautics and future space missions beyond the presently approved ones. The information gained in this part of the program is needed particularly on a technical basis for defining and selecting future space missions. The rapid pace of space exploration in the past few years has drawn very heavily upon our backlog of science and technology, and the missions that we see in front of us will generate more stringent requirements. |