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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 283 722 SE 048 257 AUTHOR Roland, Alex TITLE A Spacefaring People: Perspectives on Early Spaceflight. INSTITUTION National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC. Scientific and Technical Information Branch. REPORT NO NASA-SP-4405 PUB DATE 85 NOTE 158p.; Part of the NASA History series_ AVAILABLE FROMSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. PUB TYPE Collected Works - Conference Proceedings (021) Viewpoints (120) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Aerospace Technology; Cross Cultural Studies; Foreign Countries; Humanities; Interdisciplinary Approach; International Educational Ezchange; Meteorology; *Satellites (Aerospace); Science and Society; Science Education; *Science History; *Scientific Enterprise; *Space Exploration; *Space Sciences; Technological Advancement IDENTIFIERS *National Aeronautics and Space Administration ABSTRACT A conference on the history of space activity was convened at Yale University in 1981 and perspectives from history, political science, journalism, politics, science,.and literaturewere exchanged. The essays in this publication serve as the proceedings for that conference. The papers are presented in four major theme areas. These include: (1) "Science, Technology, and Management: The First 10 Years In Space" (focusing on space science and exploration, satellites and politics, and large-scale technology management); (2) "Literature and Themes in Space History" (reviewing the state of literature on space and containing the keynote address); (3) "Domestic and International Ramifications of Space Activity" (covering the evaluation of the U.S. civilian space program, Europe's space-age, and space activities in the Soviet Union, Japan, and the People's Republic of China); and (4) "Rationale for Space Expleration" (examining the idea of space exploration anda humanist's view). Biographies of the conference participantsare also included. (MO ****************** ******************** *** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************* **** U DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Onice of Educational Research and unorchmment U UCATIONAL RESOURCZS INFORMATION CENTER (MCI This dmiment has been reproduced aa -eceived horn the person or organization originating it 0 Minor chimes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points ol view Or opinions slated In this docw merit dia not necessarily representotticlal OERI position or pall Cy NASA SP 4 a 8pacefatitpeop e PERSPECTIVES ON EARLY SPACEFLIGHT Alex Roland The NASA His ory Series Scientific and Technical Information Branch 1985 NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administraton Washington. DC NASA maintains an internal history program for oro principal reasons: (1) Sponsorship of research in NASA-related history is one way in which NASA responds to the provision of the National Aeronautics and Space ACE of 1958 that requires NASA E0p ray ide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof." (2) Thoughtful study of NASA history can help agency managers accomplish the missions assigned to the slew), Understanding NASA's past aids in understanding its pres- ent situation and illuminates possible future directions. The opinions and conclusions set forth in this book are those of the authors: no official of the agency necessarily endorses those opinionsor conclusions. library of Congress Cataloging in Publiattion Data Main enuy under title: A spacefaxing people. (NASA SP; 4405) "Essays ..delivered at 2 conference on the history of space activity held at Yale University on February 6 and 7, 1981--Inuod. 1. AstronauticsHistoryCongresses. I. Roland, Alex Tf_788.5.S64 198) 629.4 '09 84-979 for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Gtiver _ nt Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 iv CONThNTS Page INTRODUCTION vii SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT: THE FIRST 20 YEARS IN SPACE Space Science and Exploration: A Historical Perspective J. A. Simpson ... .. .. ...... Satellites and Politics: Weather, Communications and Earth Resources Pamela Mack ... 32 Management of Large-Scale Technology Arnold S. Levine.. ....... .... 39 Commentary I. B. Holley, Jr. 53 LITERATURE AND THEMES IN SPACE HISTORY e Next Assignment: The State of the Literature on Space Richard P. Hallion 61 A Spacefaring People: Keynote Address John Noble Wilford 68 Commentary Sylvia Doughty Fries.. .. .... .. 73 DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL RAMIFICATIONS OF SPACE ACTIVITY Opportunities for Policy Historians: The Evolution of the U. S. Civilian Space Program John Logsdon .. ... 81 5 CONTENTS Page Spacc--Age Europe, 1957-1980 WAter A. McDougall. ...... 108 space Activities in the Soviet Union, Japan, and the Peopk's Republic of China Edward C. Ezell ... ... .. 118 Commentary Richard S. Kirkendall THE RATIONALE FOR SPACE EXPLORATION The Idea of Space Exploration Bruce Mazlish .. 137 A Humanist's View James A. Michenef 144 Commentary Casroll W. Pursell, jr. 148 PARTICIPANTS' BIOGRAPHIES .. 153 vi MITRODUCTION The essays on the early years of spaceflight that follow were originally presented at a conference on the history of space activity, held at Yale University on February 6 and 7, 1981. The conference grew out of a course I offered at Yale University in the fall of 1980 en- titled "NASA and the Post-Sputnik Era." Jointly sponsored by Calhoun and Jonathan Edwards colleges in response to student in- terest, the course was quickiy oversubscribed. Therefore, the first pur- pose of this conference was to provide a larger forum in which Yale students could obsemeand participate ininformed discussions about United States space activity to date. The conference attracted a far wider and more diverse audience than expected. People from all over the country came to New Haven in a month when that city is not at its best, and participated actively in the conference and all activities related to it. These proceedings would no doubt be richer and more represen- tative of the conference had it been possible to capture and transcribe much of the discussions about the formal papeis. Papers included here are basically in the same form as originally presented. with only minor editorial revision. James J. Gehrig, iormerly of the staff of the House Committee on Science and Technology, made the last presentation of the final session on The Rationale for Space Exploration, but his remarks were from notes and are not reproduced here. Participants brought to the conference a healthy mixture of perspectives from history,politicalscience,journalism,politics, science, and literature. The commentators all were members of the NASA Historical Advisory Committee, which met at New Haven in conjunction with the conference. At the last moment, 131 Holley, Jr., graciously replaced another committee member who could not attend. Many hands contributed to the success of the conference and the publication of these proceedings. Special thanks must go to the staff and students of Calhoun and Jonathan Edwards colleges for conceiving the course on which this conference was based and for converting the original idea into a broader undertaking. Both colleges, along with other residential colleges at Yale, also served as hosts to the par- ticipants, providthg a watm and stimulating atmosphere amidst the vii 7 rigors of winter in New England. Paul Richenbach and Ann Linbeck were especially helpful and diligent. Monte D. Wright, then Director of the NASA History Office, steered the plan through the bureaucracy with equanimity and skill. Alex Roland Durham, North Carolina 1983 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT: THE FIRST 20 YEARS IN SPACE SPACE SCIENCE AINTI) EXPLORATION: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE* J.A. Simpson It is always hazardous to evaluate the historical significance of an era or a developmentwhether political or intellectualwhen the observer is still contemporary with that era. However, when placed against the background of the most significant advances by man throughout history, the space age has a secure position. It is the evalua- tion of the character and signLficance of the space age, as we shall call it, that we are here to discuss. Macau ley and Livingstone have noted that many ingredients are necessary for the making of great history . knowledge of the facts, truth to record them faithfully, imagination to restore life to dead men and issues....Thucydides had all three ingredients and their union makes him the greatest of historians. I cannot pretend to have these credentials but as a scientist whose main objectives have involved scien- tific experiments in space and who has shared in some of the space ex- ploration, I can at least present my personal views and perspective. My task is to examine science and exploration in space, not the applications of space science technology. Clearly today the main focus is the U.S. program. But from a historical viewpoint, it is also important to look at the totality of man's efforts in space, in order to recognize the significance of individual achievements within the space era. In this period, six nations (France, Italy, Japan, China, Australia, and the United Kingdom), in addition to the USSR, the European Space Agency, and the United States, have successfully launched their own satellites (app. A). Many other nations have contributed essential ex- periments or spacecraft for these launchings. My talk here is neither a definitive history or a chronology of developments