1966 Summary

NOTE TO READERS: ALL PRINTED PAGES ARE INCLUDED, UNNUMBERED BLANK PAGES DURING SCANNING AND QUALITY CONTROL CHECK HAVE BEEN DELETED EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE COUNCIL WASHINGTON, D. C. 20jo 2 16 TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES America's space and aeronautics programs made brilliant progress in 1966. We developed our equipment and refined our knowledge to bring travel and exploration beyond earth's atmosphere measurably closer. And we played a major part in preparing for the peaceful use of outer space. In December the United Nations, following this country's lead, reached agreement on the Outer Space Treaty. At that time I said it had "historical significance for the new age of space exploration. 'I It bars weapons of mass destruction from space. It restricts military activities on celestial bodies. It guarantees access to all areas by all nations. GEMINI manned missions were completed with a final record of construc- tive and dramatic achievement. Our astronauts spent more than 1,900 pilot hours in orbit. They performed pioneering rendezvous and docking experiments. They "walked" in space outside their vehicles for about 12 hours. We orbited a total of 95 spacecraft around the earth and sent five others on escape flights, a record number of successful launches for the period. We launched weather satellites , communications satellites , and orbiting obs erv- atories. We performed solar experiments and took hundreds of pictures of the moon from LUNAR ORBITERS. SURVEYOR I landed gently on the moon and then returned over 11, 000 pictures of its surroundings for scientific examination. Major progress was made during the year on the APOLLO-SATURN moon program and the MANNED ORBITING LABORATORY. These accomplishments -- and the promise of more to come -- are the fruits of the greatest concerted effort ever undertaken by any nation to advance human knowledge and activity. Space, so recently a mystery, now affects and benefits the lives of all Americans. Our national investment in space has stimulated the invention and manufac- ture of a flood of new products. Our new knowledge has made us more secure as a Nation and more effective as leaders in the search for peace. This knowledge is hastening the ultimate solution of social and economic problems that combined to obstruct peace. It is with pride and pleasure that I transmit this record of achievement to you the members of Congress. Without your support, no achievement would be possible. THE WHITE HOUSE January 31, 1967 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I U . S. Aeronautics and Space Activities.. 1965 Summary ................ 1 Chapter I1 National Aeronautics and Space Council ..... 7 Chapter I11 National Aeronautics and Space Administration . 11 Chapter IV Department of Defense .............. 53 Chapter V Atomic Energy Commission ........... 75 Chapter VI Department of State ............... 81 Chapter VI1 National Science Foundation ........... 87 Chapter VI11 Department of Commerce ............ 91 Chapter IX National Academy of Sciences . Federal Research Council ........... 111 Chapter X Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory ..... 119 Chapter XI Federal Aviation Agency ............. 125 Chapter XI1 Federal Communications Commission ...... 133 Chapter XI11 United States Information Agency ........ 137 Chapter XIV Arms Control and Disarmament Agency ..... 143 Appendix A-1 U . S. Launching Record (Chart) ......... 145 Appendix A-2 U.S. Launching Record (Table) ......... 146 Appendix A-3 Successful U.S. Launches . 1966 ........ 147 Appendix B U . S. Space Launch Vehicles ........... 161 Appendix C Listing of Major Space "Firsts" Achieved by the U . S. and the U . S. S.R. ........ 162 Appendix D Historical Summary of Project GEMINI ..... 164 Appendix E SNAP Radioisotopic Electric Power Units for Space ............... 165 Appendix F-1 Historical Summary and FY 1967 Budget Recommendations (New Obligational Authority ) .................. 166 Appendix F-2 Historical Summary and FY 1967 Budget Recommendations (Expenditures) ...... 167 Appendix F-3 Space Activities Budget ............ 168 Index ........................... 169 .. CHAPTER I U. S. AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ACTIVITIES 1966 SUMMARY In 1966, the national space program of the United States reached new heights of accomplishment and excellence. The challenge of the previous year was met and its impressive record was surpassed by the competence generated in 1966. During this past year, we put into earth orbit or escape missions 100 spacecraft, the largest number ever successfully launched byany nation in an equal period of time; the GEMINI program was completed with a magnificent record; thousands of excellent pictures of the moon and the earth were taken from space; increasing space capabilities contributed to our national security; manifold benefits of our growing technology and managerial ability became increasingly evident; and international competition in space showed useful advances, particularly with the accomplishment of the United Nations Space Treaty. The national space program continued to produce benefits for all mankind, and the knowledge gained from the program has created great potential for the solution of serious economic and social problems on earth. The GEMINI program merits special mention. The crews of these spacecraft showed the advantages of native ability combined with superb training and reliable equipment. They added significantly to the knowledge essential to successful manned space flights and particularly to the scheduled manned flight to the moon. Through rendezvous and docking experiments and extravehicular activity, the GEMINI pilots made major contributions. Moreover, great credit for this successful program should also go to the producers of the GEMINI spacecraft, the TITAN booster, the AGENA target vehicle, and other essential equipment. 1 Even a summary report on the GEMINI program would be incomplete without special notice of the excellent teamwork between NASA and the Defense Department, as well as between agencies of Government and the private contractors. The APOLLO lunar craft made successful suborbital reentry tests leading to its first manned launch scheduled for 1967. And the goal toward which the APOLLO is destined to travel, and on which its LUNAR EXCURSION MODULE will land, was photographed thousands of times in impressive detail by the soft-landing SURVEYOR I and by LUNAR ORBITERS I and II. Such photographic acquisitions contributed much new knowledge about the lunar environment and gave considerable information regard- ing possible landing sites for astronauts. The moon was not all that was photographed from space, as numerous shots were taken of earth, furnishing added knowledge as well as dramatic pictures. Also sharing the spotlight of this nation's forward thrust of technology during 1966 was the field of aeronautics. Significant strides were made toward increasing the safety of civilian transports. Progress was also made in improvements in existing aircraft as well as in the development of new aircraft. Probably the most important of the latter was in the field of the Supersonic Transport concerning which major studies and decisions were made. The United States continued to implement its policies of peaceful space objectives and of international cooperation toward the attainment of such objectives. Of major importance was the successful leadership shown by the United States and the cooperation of the Soviet Union in the development of a United Nations Space Treaty banning nuclear weapons in space and specifying the moon and other celestial bodies as being available only for peaceful activities. Important progress was made during the year in the development of the MANNED ORBITING LABORATORY, a project designed to evaluate the extent to which man in space can contribute to our national security. It is not a weapons system, it is not a means by which aggressive actions can be perpetuated, and it is in no way in conflict with the established peaceful policies of this nation. Rather, it is expected to improve the prospects for world peace. The United States operational weather satellite system continued to warn the world of major weather disturbances, and four more weather satellites were successfully orbited and operated for this purpose. More parts of the world were linked together with live television and other forms of communications as the United States, through the Communications Satellite Corporation, continued to orbit synchronous communications satellites in conjunction with the INTELSAT international consortium. Though the Soviet Union maintained its practice of putting more weight into orbit during a given year, the United States made significant progress in its program to develop large boosters, and the 58,537 pounds carried into space by an Uprated- SATURN I during an APOLLO test may be a world's record for a single launch. Development flights of the TITAN IIIB and IIIC were continued with the use of new and improved upper stages. T.he Uprated- SATURN I was used with complete success, and the giant 7,500,000 pound thrust SATURN V is being readied for its first test early next year. 2 In spite of the impressive record developed by the United States, there is no basis for complacency as the $oviet Union was far from idle. Though they have made no manned launches into space for about 21 months, the vigorous nature of the Soviet program indicates that this hiatus could be attributed to the transition from one manned project to the

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