The Press MONDAY, JULY 8, 1963. U.S. Space Research Under Scrutiny

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30177, 8 July 1963, Page 10

The Press MONDAY, JULY 8, 1963. U.S. Space Research Under Scrutiny

Admiration of Russia’s latest feats in space has not prevented American observers from remarking that the orbiting of LieutenantColonel Bykovsky and Lieutenant Valentina Tereshkova appears merely to have duplicated the achievements of Major Nikolayev and Lieutenant - Colonel Popovich in August last year. Superficially the only advance seems to have been in knowledge of a woman’s psychological and physiological tolerance of space travel But however slight this gain may be, it has helped the United States Administration to rebut domestic criticism of its space research programme, which is imperilled by calls for economy. American estimates of the cost of a trip to the moon range between 20,000 and 40,000 million dollars. The money now being sought from Congress for the space programme is far more than Washington spends on all other research and development activities combined. For instance, the National Institutes of Health require less than 1000 million dollars for the next fiscal year; only 343 million dollars is sought for science education and basic research; and the Federal allocation for higher education is unlikely to exceed 370 million dollars. Opposition demands for a reduction in this year’s space research budget of 5700 million dollars probably influenced the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration to announce the conclusion of the Mercury space programme; but after Major Gordon Cooper’s successful 34-hour flight in May, Project Mercury had served its purpose of laying the major American steppingstone towards manned exploration of space. Other Mercury flights were planned this year; but they would have provided little more data, and the way is now clear for concentration on the two-man Project Gemini, the next major step in the determined American campaign to land a man on the moon by 1970.

The Gemini capsule is a development of the Mercury capsule and will be ready for manned flight after only one orbital test in about 12 months. Although twice as heavy as the Mercury capsule, it will be manoeuvrable. Indeed, the astronauts will be pilots. Their task in the first manned flight, expected in about 18 months, will be to develop the technique of “rendez- “ vousing ” with an orbiting satellite—the key to the success of a manned expedition to the moon.. The Americans plan to place the three-man Apollo spaceship, now being developed, into orbit 100 miles above the moon in 1970. From it a two-man vehicle will descend to the moon, inspect the lunar surface, regain the orbiting Apollo capsule for the return to the earth. Just as Mercury laid the basis for Gemini, so will Gemini provide the stepping - stone to the Apollo project.

In the 18 months before the first manned Gemini flight, some dramatic launchings from the Soviet Union can be expected. Not much is known of Soviet moon plans; but the greater power of Soviet rockets will not necessarily give it first place on the moon. Other diverse technological problems must first be solved. Lunar landings, in any case, are only another step towards manned exploration of our nearest planets. American space successes so far have effectively destroyed the myth sedulously fostered by Mr Khrushchev after Major Gagarin’s pioneer flight that Soviet success demonstrated the superiority of the Communist system. The difficultries that lie ahead pose vast problems for Russian and American alike. “For “ the immediate future ”, the “New York Times” commented, “co-operation “is held back by mutual “ fear and mutual suspicion, “ but it must eventually be“come evident that against “the vast inhuman void of “ space, the factors which “ unite all men are far more “important than those that “divide them”.