Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-08
Satellites Message

Now that a satellite marked
Made in USA" is spinning
through the cosmos, signs Of
relief and satisfaction are
audible from coast to coast.
And well they may be. be-
cause the 30-pound metal
cylinder is a dynamic refiec-
ton of American resolution
in action; a tribute to the
skill and ingenuity of the
Army-retained scientist, DR..
Wehrner Won Braun, and the
members of the National Sci
ence Foundation, with whom
he worked.
Now, as Explorer circles the
earth, we see its proud beep
already being interpreted in
many ways-some germane,
some not. We hear, for ex-
ample, that this success-for
which much credit is GER
tainly due the Army-distin-
cuisines that service as pos
sessing the secret formula for
space conquest. We hear
that the choice of Vanguard
over Jupiter as a means for
putting a new moon in the
sky was a negligent and unin-
telligent act. We hear that
we have visible proof that the
gap between us and the
Soviets-if ever there was a
gap-has been e fl e lively
closed.
But If we read Explorers
message Alright we will ac-
cept none of these as cor
rect, as indeed none of them
is. Our moons insistent lit
tie signal is telling every
American who will listen that
we were behind in the race
for space, and still are; and
that the condition is due
simply to our having put too
little emphasis on the prob
lem. We turned over to the
military a largely scientific
task-one whose solution was
only indirectly associated
with defense. Out of the
limited defense budget the
services put less into the
project than the minimum
necessary quickly to get a
satellite of the ground, and
it was only after Sputnik that
sufficient effort, and suff-
Gent funds-provided supple
mentally-were poured into
the satellite effort to make 1t
a prompt success.
Now Explorers insistent
note pleads for recognition
of two facts of transcendent
Importance. The first Is that
we still are behind-flve
years, according to DR.. Won
Braun, Explorers principal
designer. The second is that
we can catch up only by an
intensified scientific effort
an adequately endowed d.
fully co-ordinated effort de-
signed by and conducted by
scientists-and it cannot be
done by assigning the tech
nical problems associated with
outer space to the military.
for whom 1t has to be q sec
ondary task unless their pri-
mary tasks are to be sighted.
So all credit to the Army
for a fine Job, and speed to
the day when the efforts Of
DR.. Won Braun and all like
him shall be co-ordinated.
directed and vnderwritten by
the space agency which we
so badly need.
Veteran Observer.
NE&
The recent reverses Of the
Vanguard project seem to
emphasize the need for a CO.
ordinated United States effort
into space rather than costly
attempts for glory by the
various branches Of the
armed forces. Not only are
these heroics a drain on our
purses but they present a
needless and absurd waste Of
scientific manpower at a time
when all our talents are
needed to combat the UNI
earthly challenges Of the
forthcoming space age.
II a combined effort into
space cannot be undertaken
by the United Nations. at
least our country. with all its
vast resources In spiritual and
material wealth. can unite in
the face Of the unknown.
a