‘U.S. Doing All That It Can’

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 15

‘U.S. Doing All That It Can’

(Ai.it. Press Association—Copyright)

NEW YORK, August 13. In Washington yesterday, the chairman of the House of Representatives’ Space Committee said the United States was doing everything in the civilian space field that money could buy.

In spite of the latest Soviet achievement. Representative George Miller told the "Herald Tribune” he believed the United States had a well-planned orderly space programme, should stick to its plans, and not get “hysterical” or attempt new “crash programmes.” He doubted the validity of outcries for more funds for space Mr Miller’s statements were the most forthright available in Washington yesterday, after the news that the Russians had two cosmonauts in orbit, the newspaper said. Refusal to comment or unavailability, was the general rule among legislators and Government officials concerned with space matters.

The “New York Times" quoted the deputy director of the Apollo programme. Dr Eberhard Rees, as saying: The Russians have done what we do not intend to do for two years. But they are not necessarily ahead of us in the race to the moon. The Russians probably do not have the rocket power to get to the moon. They still have to develop it." The Apollo booster, which will have a thrust of 7.500,0001 b. is being developed at the Space Agency's manned space flight centre in Huntsville, Alabama. American Plans It would be some time in 1964 before the United States was ready to duplicate the Soviet Unions dual manned orbit, the director of Project Gemini, Mr James Chamberlin. said in Houston, Texas. Mr Chamberlin, whose project will attempt a space rendezvous between two capsules, said be had only meagre information on the Soviet venture. United Press International reported. “But from -what I understand, this flight is similar to one we plan,” he said. “However, we will have two men in one capsule and no-one in the other.” He declined to estimate how far ahead the Russians were of the Gemini project. But, “this fight of theirs is quite an accomplishment.” He said the first United States dual orbit was planned for some time in 1964. Twoman flights m a single Gemini capsule would precede the dual orbit attempt.

Mr Chamberlin would not put forward an opinion on how far away the Russians

are from an attempt to put a man on the moon. “All this is hard to speculate on without more information about the Russian shot. “I don’t know whether they are capable of joining up in space yet. I don't believe that they will attempt this now,” he said. “We hope to begin flying in the Gemini capsules by late next year, but our rendezvous will not come until 1964.” Disarmament Hopes In Washington, the director of the United States Disarmament Agency, Mr William C. Foster, said there was some hope the Soviet feat might make the Russians easier to negotiate with. "With more confidence, it would make them less intent on secrecy, and more willing to negotiate.” As the news of the Soviet achievement dropped like a bombshell Commander Walter Schirra pressed on with his training for his next month's scheduled six-orbit space shot. Asked if the fact the two Soviet cosmonauts seemed unaffected by their prolonged weightlessness might lead to the 39-year-o]d astronaut’s flight being skipped to save time and repetition of effort, an official said: “This might be considered. “But the only thing that would be saved would be dollars, not time. Our next step after six orbits is an 18orbit. one-day flight, and the capsule for that won’t be ready until next year.” “Miracle Needed” The United States would probably now need a miracle to beat the Russians to the moon, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration official commented privately. "They've got a great head start—and their great booster power may keep them there,” he said. “We can’t hope to match them for a number of years. “I wish the two Russian pilots the best of luck and congratulate the men who put them up. This is a tremendous accomplishment," he said. President Kennedy has made a lunar landing the oriority target of the United States space programme and has earmarked thousands of millions of dollars for the moon project.