Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 51
Appendixes
OCR for page 52
OCR for page 53
Appendix A
*
Dear Dr. Press:
*I
~ THE VICE PRESIDENT
* ~ * WASHI NGTON
December 4, 1989
As you know, President Bush charted a bold new course for the
U.S. space program when he proposed on July 20, 1989, a long-
range, continuing commitment to manned exploration -- first, to
complete Space Station Freedom, to return permanently to the
Moon, and then explore the planet Mars. At that time he also
asked me, as Chairman, to lead the National Space Council in
determining the necessary resources and timetables, and the
feasibility of international cooperation for meeting these goals.
I i l '=~= -I-;= -- =~.~.~.~= '-h-es~ ~°~?~Y ~c~'les cot.
assess alternative approaches, and build the consensus necessary
to proceed. The National Research Council represents a vital
national resource in this process and I would like to solicit
your help.
To respond to the President's tasking, the Council now has
several analyses underway. The key ones are, first, an
assessment of the approaches that might be taken to the program
design, and how the variables of technology development,
schedule, and cost can shape that design. The second is an
assessment of the approaches to international cooperation -- what
types of participation might be invited by the U.S. government,
and what the implications of each type might be. Lastly, the
Council will assess approaches to management -- what types of
structures and functions will be required to manage this complex,
long-term program.
A NASA team, led by Johnson Space Center Director Aaron Cohen,
has submitted a report to NASA Administrator Richard Truly which
was commissioned by Admiral Truly after the President's July 2O
speech. Its purpose is to provide a database for the Space
~v'-;~-i~ ~.v -eat TO RS it considers strategic pinning ssues.
prong other things, the NASA report describes rive notional
mission approaches to the MoonlMars Initiative. The five
approaches are not exhaustive, but rather a starting point for
future studies and analyses. They do not represent decision
options for the President, but rather reference cases. The Space
Council intends to examine the approaches described in the
report, as well as a range of robust technical alternatives and
approaches to mission planning.
At a recent Space Council meeting, it was agreed that a review of
the NASA report by the National Research Council would be most
valuable.
53
OCR for page 54
54
APPENDIX A
It would be most helpful if, in its review' the National Research
Council addressed the following questions. In considering these
questions, we encourage your consideration of alternative
approaches and other options, or range of options, for the human
exploration concept. NASA will continue to seek alternative
approaches to this initiative; we would appreciate National
Research Council assistance in examining them as they become
available.
Scope of the Report,
1. Does the report address the widest possible range of
technically credible approaches to meeting the President's
exploration goals? If not, what additional areas warrant
exploration?
2. Over the course of the next thirty yea-=, milch
technical progress will be made. What are the likely areas
for technical breakthroughs relevant to space exploration?
Has the report fully taken these into account?
3. Is the range of science goals and objectives
commensurate with the proposed technical capability? Does
the report distinguish between critical or enabling science
and complementary science?
4. Are there implications (infrastructure-
institutional/other national interest) that have not been
considered?
Content,
1. What are the report's technical assumptions? Are they
reasonable?
2. Are there innovative uses of existing technology which
the report has overlooked?
3. Are the cost estimates and schedule assumptions
reasonable? Are there alternate ways which the schedule
might be moved forward to provide visible, near-term
accomplishments? Similarly, are there alternate routes
which could dramatically increase performance, lower costs,
move th.= overall scl-!~du12 f^~.d, Gt- i^~=C-: .- is'-? If _^,,
what levels of programmatic and technical risk COG their rave'
4. Are the overall approaches/archiCectures described in
the report reasonable? For example, are the key elements of
NASA's plan consistent? i.e. availability of the Space
Station, heavy lift vehicles, etc.?
To meet our schedule of deliberations on the initiative, it would
be useful to have your responses by February 28, 1990
OCR for page 55
APPENDIX A
55
I expect that this review will be only the first of many
interactions with the National Research Council on the various
aspects of the initiative. I understand that both the Space
Studies Board and the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
have begun to examine the general question of manned space
exploration. In addition, the Committee on Space Policy looked
into management issues in their 1988 report. Further reviews in
this area may be warranted over the next year. Clearly these
will be continuing studies. Any comments you might have on the
NASA concept will of course be understood to not represent a
position of the National Research Council or its Boards on the
value of or Administration approach to space exploration.
sinfully ?
,'.
D' Quail ;
Dr. Frank Press, Chairman
National Research Council
2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20418
OCR for page 56
56
OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN'
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCI L
2101 CONST - T10~' A`?Nl'E ~'.~Hi~CTO~, D. C ~18
The Honorable Dan Quayle
Vice President of the United States
Office of the Vice President of the United States
Old Executive Office Building
Washington, DC 20501
Dear Mr. Vice President:
APPENDIX A
December 26, 1989
The National Research Council is pleased to accept your
request that it undertake a review of the NASA "Report of the 90-
Day Study on Human Exploration of the Moon and Mars." We are
working hard to fill your need to have our report by February
28th; and have already made considerable progress in constituting
the committee.
The Governing Board of the National Research Council, as
well as those to be directly involved in the task, understand its
importance and complexity, and the inherent limitations imposed
by a very demanding schedule. In that light, while we look
forward to performing this task, we concur wholeheartedly with
your letter, which notes that this study is necessary 1 V A
circumscribed examination of the general question of human space
exploration, that this study is only the first of what must be a
larger examination of the question, and that, therefore, this
initial work should not be interpreted as an endorsement by the
NRC of any particular approaches to human space exploration.
Our review will comment on the technological feasibility of
the options provided in the report, and will to the extent
possible consider alternative approaches. The latter will again
be limited by the time and information available to us, and
therefore our consideration of alternative approaches cannot be
inclusive.
Of course, in the final analysis, the nation'= program in
human exploration, including the applicable technology, will be
shaped by concern about the health of the crew on long space
missions and by its purposes, of which a fundamental one is
scientific exploration. This latter purpose accords with the
goal of the U.S. civil space program "to expand knowledge of the
Earth, its environment, the solar system, and the universe. The
logistics of the mission cannot be uncoupled from those
scientific purposes. Therefore, we are in complete agreement
with your injunction that examination of a program of human space
exploration must consider whether the range of scientific goals
OCR for page 57
APPENDIX A
The Honorable Dan Quayle
Vice President of the United States
December 26, 1989
Page 2
57
and objectives is commensurate with the proposed technical
capability. Indeed, the institution already has underway
explicit examinations of the scientific issues associated with
human space exploration. We will be pleased to keep you apprised
of this work as it proceeds.
Again, we are pleased to accept this task and are most
appreciative of your confidence in the work of this institution.
Yours sincere: ,
'.''c'4~~~/'i! ;/
Frank Press
Chairman
be: Robert M. White
Joann Clayton
David Bodde
Myron Uman
Richard Hart
Dean Kastel
Louis Lanzerotti
Representative terms from entire chapter:
human space
