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NASA future (3): the Space Task Group
here we go again
"It is necessary for me to have in the near future a definitive recommendation on the direction which the US space program should take in the post-Apollo period.
I, therefore, ask the Secretary of Defense, the Acting Administrator of NASA, and the Science Advisor each to develop proposed plans and to meet together as a Space Task Group, with the Vice President in the chair, to prepare for me a coordinated program and budget proposal.
In developing your proposed plans, you may wish to seek advice from the scientific, engineering, and industrial communities, from Congress and the public.
I would like to receive the coordinated proposal by September 1, 1969."
(President Nixon to his science advisor Lee DuBridge, February 8 1969)
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In its deliberations, the Space Task Group considered a number of challenging new mission goals which were judged both technically feasible and achievable within a reasonable time, including establishment of a lunar orbit or surface base, a large 50-100 man earth-orbiting space base, and manned exploration of the planets.
The Space Task Group believes that manned exploration of the planets is the most challenging and most comprehensive of the many long-range goals available to the Nation at this time, with manned exploration of Mars as the next step toward this goal.
Manned planetary exploration would be a goal, not an immediate program commitment; it would constitute on understanding that within the context of a balanced space program, we will plan and move forward as a Nation towards the objective of a manned Mars landing before the end of this century.
Mars is chosen because it is most earth-like, is in fairly close proximity to the Earth, and has the highest probability of supporting extraterrestrial life of all of the other planets in the solar system.
We recommend
1- that Apollo-type manned missions to continue exploration of the Moon should proceed.
2- A Space Transportation System that will provide a major improvement over the present way of doing business in terms of cost and operational capability.
Carry passengers, supplies, rocket fuel, other spacecraft, equipment, or additional rocket stages to and from orbit on a routine aircraft-like basis. We need the Space Shuttle.
3- A chemically fueled reusable Space Tug or vehicle for moving men and equipment to different earth orbits. This some tug could also be used as a transfer vehicle between the lunar-orbit base and the lunar surface.
4- A reusable nuclear space tug far transporting men, spacecraft and supplies between Earth orbit and lunar orbit and between low Earth orbit and geosynchronous orbit and for other space activities. The NERVA nuclear engine development program, presently underway and included in all of the options discussed later, provides the basis for this stage and represents a major advance in propulsion capability.
5- A space station module that would be the basic element of future manned activities in Earth orbit, of continued manned exploration of the Moon, and of manned expeditions to the planets.
The space station will be a permanent structure, operating continuously to support 6-12 occupants who could be replaced at regular intervals. Initially, the space station would be in a low altitude, inclined orbit; later stations would be established in polar and synchronous orbits.
The same space station module would also provide a permanent manned station in lunar orbit from which expeditions could be sent to the surface.
By joining together space station modules, a space base could be created. occupied by 50-100 men, this base would be a laboratory in space where a broad range of physical and biological experiments would be performed.
Source : REPORT FROM THE SPACE TASK GROUP TO PRESIDENT NIXON
September 15, 1969
So here we are - Nixon decision.
As you can see Townes transition team recommandation clashes head-on with the Space Task Group own vision.
Had Nixon listened to Townes (January 8, 1969) and not created the Space Task Group a month later, Apollo may very well have continued past 1972. The last three missions had not been canned, and Saturn V production line was stopped but not dismantled yet. In short: Apollo wasn't dead yet. This, by itself, would make for an interesting space TL. (I tried it once, but the current TL pumps all my energy since seven years. Brovane Journeys of the Saturn somewhat fills that void, although with a different, earlier POD)
The Space Task Group was a train wreck. They just asked for everything, and a $10 billion budget a year to do it - Mars in 1982 or 1986. Paine and Agnew were naive idiots.
Michel Van picture is worth a long talk
P.S Michel, who is the last guy on the right ? From right to left : Nixon, Agnew and Paine.
"It is necessary for me to have in the near future a definitive recommendation on the direction which the US space program should take in the post-Apollo period.
I, therefore, ask the Secretary of Defense, the Acting Administrator of NASA, and the Science Advisor each to develop proposed plans and to meet together as a Space Task Group, with the Vice President in the chair, to prepare for me a coordinated program and budget proposal.
In developing your proposed plans, you may wish to seek advice from the scientific, engineering, and industrial communities, from Congress and the public.
I would like to receive the coordinated proposal by September 1, 1969."
(President Nixon to his science advisor Lee DuBridge, February 8 1969)
------
In its deliberations, the Space Task Group considered a number of challenging new mission goals which were judged both technically feasible and achievable within a reasonable time, including establishment of a lunar orbit or surface base, a large 50-100 man earth-orbiting space base, and manned exploration of the planets.
The Space Task Group believes that manned exploration of the planets is the most challenging and most comprehensive of the many long-range goals available to the Nation at this time, with manned exploration of Mars as the next step toward this goal.
Manned planetary exploration would be a goal, not an immediate program commitment; it would constitute on understanding that within the context of a balanced space program, we will plan and move forward as a Nation towards the objective of a manned Mars landing before the end of this century.
Mars is chosen because it is most earth-like, is in fairly close proximity to the Earth, and has the highest probability of supporting extraterrestrial life of all of the other planets in the solar system.
We recommend
1- that Apollo-type manned missions to continue exploration of the Moon should proceed.
2- A Space Transportation System that will provide a major improvement over the present way of doing business in terms of cost and operational capability.
Carry passengers, supplies, rocket fuel, other spacecraft, equipment, or additional rocket stages to and from orbit on a routine aircraft-like basis. We need the Space Shuttle.
3- A chemically fueled reusable Space Tug or vehicle for moving men and equipment to different earth orbits. This some tug could also be used as a transfer vehicle between the lunar-orbit base and the lunar surface.
4- A reusable nuclear space tug far transporting men, spacecraft and supplies between Earth orbit and lunar orbit and between low Earth orbit and geosynchronous orbit and for other space activities. The NERVA nuclear engine development program, presently underway and included in all of the options discussed later, provides the basis for this stage and represents a major advance in propulsion capability.
5- A space station module that would be the basic element of future manned activities in Earth orbit, of continued manned exploration of the Moon, and of manned expeditions to the planets.
The space station will be a permanent structure, operating continuously to support 6-12 occupants who could be replaced at regular intervals. Initially, the space station would be in a low altitude, inclined orbit; later stations would be established in polar and synchronous orbits.
The same space station module would also provide a permanent manned station in lunar orbit from which expeditions could be sent to the surface.
By joining together space station modules, a space base could be created. occupied by 50-100 men, this base would be a laboratory in space where a broad range of physical and biological experiments would be performed.
Source : REPORT FROM THE SPACE TASK GROUP TO PRESIDENT NIXON
September 15, 1969
So here we are - Nixon decision.
As you can see Townes transition team recommandation clashes head-on with the Space Task Group own vision.
Had Nixon listened to Townes (January 8, 1969) and not created the Space Task Group a month later, Apollo may very well have continued past 1972. The last three missions had not been canned, and Saturn V production line was stopped but not dismantled yet. In short: Apollo wasn't dead yet. This, by itself, would make for an interesting space TL. (I tried it once, but the current TL pumps all my energy since seven years. Brovane Journeys of the Saturn somewhat fills that void, although with a different, earlier POD)
The Space Task Group was a train wreck. They just asked for everything, and a $10 billion budget a year to do it - Mars in 1982 or 1986. Paine and Agnew were naive idiots.
Michel Van picture is worth a long talk
P.S Michel, who is the last guy on the right ? From right to left : Nixon, Agnew and Paine.
- Archibald
- Word Count: 800