4. That Member States agree to provide every possible assistance to personnel of space vehicles who may be the subject of accident or experience conditions of distress or who may land by reason of accident, distress or mistake;

5. That Member States undertake to return to the State or international organization responsible for launching space vehicles these space vehicles and its personnel;

6. That one of the main objectives in international peaceful cooperation in outer space is to develop special programmes in which the developing countries can participate with a view to promoting world-wide interest in outer space;

7. That Member States agree to make full use of the facilities and experience of all international organizations, specialized agencies and nongovernmental organizations, which have activities in outer space; 8. That Member States will exert every possible effort to provide the United Nations Secretary-General, on a voluntary basis, with all information necessary for the promoting of international co-operation in the peaceful uses of outer space;

9. That Member States undertake to give all possible assistance to the United Nations and its affiliated organizations, to undertake joint programmes of training and research to promote science and technology in outer space;

II

Decides to establish a sub-committee to examine the best practical procedure in order to put into practice the aforementioned principles.

Message From the Soviet Premier (Khrushchev) to President Kennedy on the Space Flight of Astronaut Schirra, October 4, 1962 1

ESTEEMED MR. PRESIDENT: On behalf of the Soviet people and myself personally, I am happy to congratulate you and the American people on the occasion of the successful completion of the flight of the space ship with Cosmonaut W. Schirra. Please convey cordial greetings and very best wishes to Cosmonaut-Airman Walter Schirra.

Message From President Kennedy to the Soviet Premier (Khrushchev) on the Space Flight of Astronaut Schirra, October 5, 1962 2

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I thank you and the Soviet people on behalf of the American people for your congratulations on Commander Schirra's successful space flight. Your greetings and best wishes have been conveyed to Commander Schirra.

1 Office of White House Press Secretary, Detroit, Mich., Oct. 6, 1962. On Oct. 3 Comdr. Walter M. Schirra, Jr., U.S.N., completed nearly six orbits of the earth in the U.S. space capsule Sigma 7. This was the third U.S. manned orbital space flight. The craft attained an apogee of 176 miles and a perigee of 100 miles.

2 Office of White House Press Secretary, Detroit, Mich., Oct. 6, 1962.

Statement by the United States Representative (Stevenson) to the First Committee of the General Assembly, October 10, 1962 1

[Extracts]

MR. CHAIRMAN: I come before you to survey once again the nuclear testing issue, which by now is familiar ground to most of us. I wish very much that this issue had been behind us for many years, and that the peace of the world, the survival of civilization, and the health of mankind were not still endangered by nuclear weapons. But they are. Indeed, instead of receding, the danger has increased as the weapons have multiplied in number and in lethal sophistication.

So our discussion here this year is even more urgent, and we must ask you to examine the situation even more closely, and help us with patience and persistence to reach an agreement and reverse the tragic trend.

The

While we are debating here, the Geneva negotiations go on. purpose of our discussion is not to replace those negotiations but to encourage them. This Assembly can register emphatically the anxiety and intense feeling of mankind on the subject of nuclear testing. At Geneva we must translate those feelings into concrete form. And the sooner the better.

But, supposing that the Soviet Union refuses to accept a comprehensive and verified test ban treaty in the near future? Can nothing then be done to curb the nuclear arms race that is so dangerous in peace as well as war, and so dreadfully costly when so much of the would is in such need? Yes, Mr. Chairman, a great deal could be done-and it is so easy to do that I find it incomprehensible that we are still discussing it.

I refer, of course, to an agreement to ban all weapons testing in the water, in the atmosphere, and in outer space, that is, all testing above ground. We have been referring to this as a "limited ban". I repeat that the United States would much prefer a comprehensive treaty barring all testing everywhere. But if that is impossible, a half loaf is better than none. And it is more than a half loaf, because at least 90 per cent of the force of all nuclear tests from the beginning has been exploded above ground. In this sense, a ban on all but underground testing would deal with 90 per cent of the problem. And it would deal with the test environments of greatest concern. There is no radioactive fallout from an underground test, and from the viewpoint of radiation hazards a treaty banning tests in the oceans, the atmosphere and outer space would end at least that growing hazard to mankind everywhere.

I say such an agreement should be easy to make. Why? Because national detection systems are now so well developed that we can rely on them to identify nuclear explosions unless they take place underground. No on-site inspection is necessary for explosions above ground. The vexatious issue of inspection is eliminated. Indeed, there is no obstacle whatever to such an agreement.

1 United States Delegation to the General Assembly press release 4060, Oct. 10, 1962, pp. 1, 6-7.

There remains only one question: Will the Soviet Union agree with the other nuclear powers to cease and desist from the testing of nuclear weapons in the oceans, in the atmosphere, and in outer space? Again I regret to say that the response from the Soviet side is negative. They have rejected even such a limited test ban agreement because they say it would "legalize underground testing". But it would do no such thing. It would, instead, make testing in three environments illegal-the environments where most all of the testing takes place and the environments where all of the radiation takes place. Moreover it would break the deadlock at long last and bring us a long leap forward toward the ensuing steps to sanity and safety. Should we refuse to outlaw testing in three environments-which is in our grasp this very day-just because we can't agree on the fourth environment? Surely the question of disarmament is one field in which any part of a loaf is better than none and this is nine-tenths of a loaf.

The United States and the United Kingdom want to sign a treaty banning all nuclear tests above ground-without any inspection whatever. And we have put forward a draft text.

I do not know why the Soviet Union, having once approved the principle of international inspection which would make possible a comprehensive ban, has since opposed any inspection at all: And it is ever more difficult to understand why the Soviet Union declines to ban tests in the environment where we all agree that external or national detecting systems are adequate. But we will everlastingly hope that this opposition to any progress will thaw here in this room-and, if it does nothing else, this General Assembly of the United Nations will thereupon become an historic success.

Let me now, Mr. Chairman, recapitulate very briefly just where we stand on the nuclear testing issue.

First, we are deeply committed to the goal of general and complete disarmament, including the total elimination of all nuclear weapons and all means of their delivery-a process which we propose to start in the first stage of general disarmament. The United States Delegation will return to the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Conference with every intention of staying there for as long as may be necessary.

Second, we are prepared to sign at once a treaty banning all further tests in all environments provided only that the Soviet Union accepts the detection and verification procedures, under international control, which are scientifically necessary in order to detect and identify underground tests.

Third, if the Soviet Union cannot or will not tolerate this modicum of cooperation, we are prepared to sign immediately a treaty banning all tests above ground where we have the national capability of identifying Soviet tests-that is in the oceans, the atmosphere and outer space. And this is no unimportant step; it would eliminate all further poisoning of the atmosphere; it would sharply inhibit further nuclear weapons development; it would put a partial brake on the proliferation of nuclear weapons capability; and such an invigorating step forward would make a next step easier.

It would set us on the path toward disarmament.

If we could here today, or in Geneva tomorrow, agree to ban nuclear testing of every kind, with security for all, we would lift a heavy burden from the hearts and shoulders of all mankind. If we can't, then let us at least, and without further argument or acrimony, do what we can for our fellow man and clear the seas, the air, and the space beyond, of these ghastly weapons and their poisonous spawn. There is no reason under heaven why this step should not be taken now, and every reason why it should be taken. Let us close our fateful discussion by resolving unanimously to end such tests and emancipate our people, yes, and our conscience, from this bondage.

Letter From the President of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. (Keldysh) to the Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Webb) on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, October 12, 1962 1

1

DEAR MR. WEBB: Referring to the agreement on cooperation in the peaceful exploration and uses of outer space which was reached during the meetings between delegations of Soviet and American scientists, headed by Dr. Hugh Dryden and Academician A. A. Blagonravov, in June of 1962,2 the Academy of Sciences of the USSR notes that neither side has proposed within the specified period of time any changes or additions to the text of the recommendations as agreed in Geneva.

In view of this, we consider the above named agreement to have thus entered into force and are informing you herewith that Soviet scientists are prepared to commence its implementation.

The Academy of Sciences of the USSR expresses the hope that the agreement on cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space will provide a good beginning for the further development and expansion of cooperation between the Soviet and American scientists. in this noble task for the sake of scientific progress and the strengthening of peace on earth.

Letter From the Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Webb) to the President of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. (Keldysh) on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, October 30, 1962 3

DEAR PRESIDENT KELDYSH: This will acknowledge your letter of October 12, 1962, expressing the desire of the USSR Academy of Sciences to commence implementation of the agreement reached in Geneva last June by Dr. Dryden and Academician Blagonravov. Since our two governments have now confirmed this agreement, I believe such a step to be appropriate and desirable.

1 United States Mission to the United Nations press release 4114, Dec. 5, 1962.

2 For the text of the agreement of June 8, 1962, see ante, pp. 273–277.

United States Mission to the United Nations press release 4114, Dec. 5, 1962. 4 Supra.

I am asking Dr. Dryden to communicate with Academician Blagonravov in order to establish mutually agreeable dates for convening working groups to begin this agreed cooperative program.

I hope, with you, that this first step will be a fruitful one, and that it will lead to other such steps.

News Release by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on United States - Japanese Cooperation in Testing Communications Satellites, November 6, 1962 1

1

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications today signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which both agencies agreed to cooperate in the testing of experimental communications satellites launched by NASA.

Under the agreement, the Japanese Ministry will make available a ground station with capability for communication by means of artificial satellites. NASA will arrange, to the extent it is technically feasible, for use of experimental communications satellites locally by Japan as well as on a joint basis. An exchange of notes between the United States and Japan has confirmed the Memorandum of Understanding.

Transmissions over the satellite links in the cooperative program are to be used for test purposes only and are not for commercial exploitation. The two cooperating agencies, however, will use their best efforts to arrange for demonstrations of telephone, radio, television and wire photo through domestic tele-communications networks.

The Memorandum calls for an exchange of scientific information relating to the tests and provides that each agency will designate a central point for continuing technical liaison with each other. Since each of the agencies will defray all the cost of their respective activities, no exchange of funds between them is contemplated.

To facilitate cooperation, the Japanese Ministry will have a representative on NASA's International Ground Station Committee which advises in the coordination of schedules, technical requirements, and related arrangements for such testing as is planned under the Memorandum.

The new Japanese-American cooperative program will be accomplished with due regard for obligations to other cooperating experimenters and for the technical limitations of the satellites and ground facilities involved.

During the past summer, the United States and Japan cooperated in a series of sounding rocket probes from NASA's Wallops Island Station in Virginia. These were designed to investigate the ionosphere by the simultaneous use of different techniques which were developed independently in each of the countries. The Radio Research Laboratory of Tokyo supplied a Radio-Frequency Resonance Probe experiment which had been flight-tested on Kappa sounding rockets in Japan. Scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center at Greenbelt, Maryland, furnished a Langmuir probe, a device which

1 National Aeronautics and Space Administration news release 62-238, Nov. 6, 1962.