Opening session, June 10, 1963: Opening statement, Senator Clinton P. Anderson, chairman. Statement of Senator Margaret Chase Smith... Dr. Philip Abelson, director, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C____ Dr. Simon Ramo, vice chairman of the board of directors, Thomp- son Ramo Wooldridge, Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif.. Afternoon session, June 10, 1963: Dr. Harold C. Urey, professor of chemistry at large, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, Calif__ Dr. Polykarp Kusch, professor of physics and chairman of the Department of Physics, Columbia University- Dr. Frederick Seitz, president, National Academy of Sciences___ Dr. Lloyd V. Berkner, president, Graduate Research Center of Dr. H. H. Hess, chairman, Space Science Science Board, National Dr. Joshua Lederberg, Stanford University Medical School_-_- ALPHABETICAL LIST OF WITNESSES Abelson, Dr. Philip, director, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C.. Page 3 Berkner, Dr. Lloyd V., president, Graduate Research Center of the Southwest, Dallas, Tex.. 105 DuBridge, Dr. Lee A., president, California Institute of Technology, 137 Hess, Dr. H. H., Chairman, Space Science Board, National Academy of Kusch, Dr. Polykarp, professor of physics and chairman of the Department Lederberg, Dr. Joshua, Stanford University Medical School.. Ramo, Dr. Simon, vice chairman of the board of directors, Thompson Schwarzschild, Dr. Martin, Eugene Higgins professor of astronomy, Seitz, Dr. Frederick, President, National Academy of Sciences Urey, Dr. Harold C., professor of chemistry at large, University of Cali- Weaver, Dr. Warren, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Rockefeller Center, SCIENTISTS' TESTIMONY ON SPACE GOALS MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1963 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES, The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 235, Old Senate Office Building, Senator Clinton P. Anderson (chairman) presiding. Present: Senators Anderson, Symington, Young, Dodd, Edmondson, Case, Hickenlooper, and Keating. Also present: Senator Paul H. Douglas. Staff members present: Frank C. Di Luzio, staff director; Everard H. Smith, Jr., chief counsel; Col. Harry N. Tufts, facilities assistant; William J. Deachman and Dr. Glen P. Wilson, professional staff members; and Eilene Galloway, special consultant. OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please come to order. The committee is presently considering NASA's request for funds for fiscal year 1964 in the amount of $5,712 million. For the record, I should like to state the objective of these hearings, There have been a number of instances recently in which various phases of our Nation's space program have been questioned. The expansion of knowledge and collection of scientific data are among the many reasons why this Nation has embarked upon a program designed to insure preeminence in space. The committee considers that, in addition to witnesses from ÑASA, a useful purpose will be served by hearing testimony from other scientists at this time. This testimony will provide further information to assist the committee in evaluating (a) the overall goals of our space exploration effort in comparison with scientific aspects of other national goals, and (b) the relative emphasis on the various projects within the space program in connection with its consideration of NASA's authorization request for fiscal year 1964. The committee also believes that the information will be helpful in determining possible steps that might be taken (1) to increase the amount of scientific return and (2) to insure better utilization of our scientific and technological resources and also (3) to consider, in connection with the long-range goals of our national space program, whether or not the proper foundation is being laid for the implementation of these goals. We realize that these witnesses will speak in two capacities-as experts in their various scientific disciplines and as citizens who, like all other citizens, may express opinions on problems of public interest. 1 I should like to propose that each witness will be given, as soon as possible, a set of galley proofs of these hearings. He will then be allowed to present an additional short statement, if he so desires, commenting on the original remarks of the other witnesses. Also, each witness may be requested to answer, for the record, further questions that the members of the committee may have after they have had a chance to study the testimony.1 Today, we will, in order, hear from: Dr. Philip Abelson, director, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington; Dr. Simon Ramo, vice chairman of the board, Thompson Ramo Wooldridge, Inc.; Dr. Harold Urey, professor of chemistry at large, University of California at San Diego; Dr. Polycarp Kusch, Department of Physics, Columbia University; and Dr. C. S. Pittendrigh, Department of Biology, Princeton University. Dr. Abelson, we will be very happy to hear from you at this time. STATEMENT OF SENATOR SMITH I wanted to say before you begin, that Senator Margaret Chase Smith, one of our most faithful and conscientious Members, finds herself unable to be here today and has sent over a statement which I am going to take the privilege of reading into the record. She then has questions she wants asked and they will be asked of each witness on her behalf. Her statement reads as follows: I should like to join with the chairman in welcoming the distinguished witnesses who have come to contribute toward an understanding of some of the problems involved in authorizing funds to NASA for the coming fiscal year. NASA's budget request is based upon a program to implement our national policy. In recent months one part of that policy has been seriously questioned, namely, the commitment to send a man to the moon and return him safely to earth during this decade. Since the major portion of NASA's budget for fiscal year 1962 is programed to achieve this particular objective on the highest priority basis, this committee seeks the informed opinions of those who can assist us in making a prudent judgment on the future development of our space activities. I consider that we can achieve the maximum result from the hearings which are being held today and tomorrow by asking each witness to express his opinion on the main issues which have emerged on the manned lunar flight program. In addition, there are specific questions related to the respective fields of the individual experts who make up this group of outstanding witnesses. Beyond that, there are some questions concerning the relationship between Government and science which might be explored for the long-range benefit of the committee in obtaining advice from the scientific community. Thus I have some identical questions which I should like each witness to answer, while other questions are specifically directed to an individual because of his particular field of competence. I shall ask Mr. Di Luzio, our staff director, to ask those questions of each witness. As each of our witnesses appears, we will put into the record a biographical sheet explaining who they are and what they have been doing. So, when we read the reports we will have some background information. Dr. Abelson, we are glad to welcome you. (Dr. Abelson's biography referred to follows:) 1 See p. 241 for an additional statement subsequently submitted for the record by the chairman. Also no additional statements were submitted by the witnesses. |