.
t
op
BRET S
agedLASSH ie
Noted and discussed an oral briefing by the Director of
Central Intelligence on the subject, with specific reference to recent Soviet ballistic missiles activity; and the
situations in Indonesia and the Near East.
3.
U. 8. OBJECTIVES IN SPACE EXPLORATION AND SCIENCE
NSC Action No.
1559
General Cutler introduced Dr. Killian, who stated initially
that the reports to be given by himself, Dr. Purcell and Dr. York were
in the nature of informal reports and would not contain specific recommendations. Next, Dr. Killian undertook to explain the main motives
behind the development of space technology and space exploration.
These he listed as, first, naturel human curiosity about the nature
of the universe; secondly, military considerations; third, U. 8. pres-
tige vis-a-vis the Soviet Union and other countries; and fourth, sci-
entific observation and experiment. Space travel, thought Dr. Killian,
may or may not have material and practical values, but the space programs that would be discussed at this time mst, all of them, be based
on the above-mentioned four motivating factors.
Dr. Killian then indicated that various programs of differ-
ing size, shape and cost would be presented to the Council in order
to provide the basis for a subsequent choice of a U. S. national outer
space program. Dr. Killian, in this context, pointed out the need for
a balanced outer space program--one which would take into due account
the other great national security programs, inasmuch as any effective
outer space program was bound to prove very costly.
Thereafter Dr. Killian called on Dr. Purcell, who discussed
with the Council his views on space science and the objectives of
space science. At the end of his discussion, these objectives were
summarized on a chart which was divided into three time-periods:
Early (first years), Later(two to five years), and Still iater {five
_to fifteen years).
'
'
j
At the conclusion of Dr. Purcell's remarks, the President
ihquired’whethe? Dr. Purcell thought it would be a good idea if there
could be more public education with respect to the mtters in his report. Tle general view seemed to be in the affirmative.
The President then inquired of Dr. Purcell whether the distant planets of which he had spoken rotated on their own axis as did
our earth. Dr. Purcell replied that most of them did, tut thet there
were some we could hardly see and could not determine whether they
rotated or not.
«o., , +) TOR SECRET