The Practical Values of Space Exploration

The Practical Values of Space Exploration, by

Committee on Science and Astronautics This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: The Practical Values of Space Exploration Report of the Committee on Science and Astronautics, U.S. House of Representatives, Eighty-Sixth Congress, Second Session
Author: Committee on Science and Astronautics
Release Date: November 24, 2006 [EBook #19911]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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Union Calendar No. 928
86th Congress, 2d Session House Report No. 2091

THE PRACTICAL VALUES OF SPACE EXPLORATION
REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND ASTRONAUTICS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-SIXTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION
PURSUANT TO
H. Res. 133
[Serial I]
July 5, 1960.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
58231�� WASHINGTON: 1960

COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND ASTRONAUTICS
OVERTON BROOKS, Louisiana, Chairman
John W. McCormack, Massachusetts George P. Miller, California Olin E. Teague, Texas Victor L. Anfuso, New York B. F. Sisk, California Erwin Mitchell, Georgia James M. Quigley, Pennsylvania Leonard G. Wolf, Iowa Joseph E. Karth, Minnesota Ken Hechler, West Virginia Emilio Q. Daddario, Connecticut Walter H. Moeller, Ohio David S. King, Utah J. Edward Roush, Indiana Thomas G. Morris, New Mexico Joseph W. Martin, JR. Massachusetts James G. Fulton, Pennsylvania Gordon L. McDonough, California J. Edgar Chenoweth, Colorado Frank C. Osmers, JR. New Jersey William K. Van Pelt, Wisconsin A. D. Baumhart, JR. Ohio Perkins Bass, New Hampshire R. Walter Riehlman, New York
CHARLES F. DUCANDER, Executive Director and Chief Counsel DR. CHARLES S. SHELDON II, Technical Director SPENCER M. BERESFORD, Special Counsel PHILIP B. YEAGER, Special Consultant JOHN A. CARSTARPHEN, Jr., Chief Clerk FRANK R. HAMMILL, Jr., Counsel RAYMOND WILCOVE, Staff Consultant RICHARD P. HINES, Staff Consultant Lt. Col. FRANCIS J. DILLON, Jr., Staff Consultant Comdr. HOWARD J. SILBERSTEIN, Staff Consultant

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND ASTRONAUTICS, Washington, D.C., July 1, 1960.
Hon. OVERTON BROOKS, Chairman, Committee on Science and Astronautics.
DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I am forwarding herewith for your consideration a staff study, "The Practical Values of Space Exploration."
This study was undertaken pursuant to your request for information covering the various utilities of the national space effort. The study has been prepared by Philip B. Yeager and reviewed by other members of the professional staff.
CHARLES F. DUCANDER, Executive Director and Chief Counsel.

LETTER OF SUBMITTAL
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND ASTRONAUTICS, Washington, D.C., July 5, 1960.
Hon. SAM RAYBURN, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. SPEAKER: By direction of the Committee on Science and Astronautics, I submit the following report on "The Practical Values of Space Exploration" for the consideration of the 86th Congress.
OVERTON BROOKS, Chairman.

CONTENTS
Introduction 1
I. The unseen values 3 Some examples of the unexpected 3 The ultimate values 5 Steering a middle road 6 The time for space 7
II. National security values 9 The military uses 9 Our position in the international community 12 Space as a substitute for war 15
III. The economic values 17 U.S. expenditures on space 17 The spread of economic benefits 18 Creation of new industries 19 Research 19 New power sources 20 New water sources and uses 21 Noise and human engineering 22 High speed-light weight computers 22 Solid state physics 23 Economic alliances 24 Private enterprise in space 24 Jobs 27 Automation and disarmament 28
IV. Values for everyday living 31 Technological benefits 31 Food and agriculture 35 Communications 36 Weather prediction and modification 37 Health benefits 39 Education benefits 42 The demand 42
V. Long-range values 45 Trouble spots 45 Population 45 Water shortage 46 Soil erosion 46 Added leisure 47 Intensified nationalism 48 Limitations on space research 48 Fundamental knowledge about life 51 Psychological and spiritual values 52 Maturing of the race 53

+---------------------------------------------------------------+ | 86TH CONGRESS | | 2d Session | | | | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | | | | REPORT | | NO. 2091 | | | | | | | | | |THE PRACTICAL VALUES OF SPACE EXPLORATION | | | | * * * * * | | | |JULY 5, 1960.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on| |the State of the Union and ordered to be printed | | | | * * * * * | | | |Mr. BROOKS of Louisiana, from the Committee on Science and | |Astronautics, submitted the following | | | | REPORT | | | | [Pursuant to H. Res. 133] | | | +---------------------------------------------------------------+

THE PRACTICAL VALUES OF SPACE EXPLORATION

INTRODUCTION
This report has been undertaken for a special reason. It is to explain to the taxpayer just why so many of his dollars are going into the American