~36< SEVENTH SESSION (July 14, 1954) The Committee met in executive session at 8:20 Pat mu members were present except Dr. Wigner, The others present were the Secretary and Mr. Tome4s . : " The topic of discussion was the airoraft reactor program, in view Airs: aft Nuc_ear Propulsion of: | . — (1) The comments in the Chairman's Report of the 40th Meeting (letter I. I, Rabi to Lewis L. Strauss, June 3, 195h, item 2) to the effect Program that the Committee was favorably impressed by the plan to marry tho ORNL-Pratt and Whitney programs for the "fireball propulsion mechanism"» had heard of the GE and NDA proposals, and suggested _ a study of the program as a whole to avoid unnecessary auplication and to ‘sharpen the objectives. a . (2) The request in the pre-meeting letter (H. D,_Saythto I. i Rabi, July 9, 1954) for an elaboration of these coments. Dr, Rabi asked whether he had correctly expressed the Committee's - position in (1) and received assurances that he had, Mr. Murphree remarked on some considerations by the Atcmic Energy Panel of the DOD which had also felt a study would be in order, Dr. Rabi asked Dr. von Neumann to set forth his understanding cf Al,iituves of the Air Force current attitudes of the Air Force, in the light of his recent convers2sation with Mr. Zimmerman, head of the Operations Research Section of SAC. Dr. von Neumann responded with the following remarks. an pozapony? _- nn -- - - Yo