Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-23

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tagon's research director, said
he thought the transfer should
have been done a year ago."
Richard E. Horner, NASA's
associate administrator, said he
looked forward to considerable
augmentation Of the national
space effort" but pointed out
that the law would have to run
Its course before the transfer of
the Won Braun group would be
completed. Provisions Of the
law will not be fulfilled until
March S, 1860 at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the scientific
team based at Huntsville, Ala.
will remain formally in the
Defense Department which. ac-
cording to DR.. York, will be
listening very carefully to
lNASA."
To the question, "Who will be
beating the drum for the Saturn
Iproject-NASA or the Penta-
gonP" Mr.. d Horner replied,
Both Of u.s."
Won Braun's Niche
Mr.. Horner said he could
not say precisely where DR..
IWernher Won Braun, now head
of the Development Operations
Division of the Army BalliStic
Missile Agency, would fit into
the NASA chain of command.
He indicated, however, that he
Expected no significant number
of designations from the Won
Braun team as a result of the
transfer.
Mr.. Horner said he based
this prediction on visit to
Huntsville yesterday.
II had a very good feeling
that there is not going to be
any damage as a result of the
transfer" Mr.. Horner said. II
look forward to a considerable
augmentation of the national
space effort"
Much Of the mystery sur
rounding the sudden transfer
of the Won Braun group to the
space administration remained
in the wake of the news con-
ference. Some was dispelled,
however, when Mr.. Horner was
asked who instituted the re-
quest for the transfer.
1T must have been someone
in the Defense Department, ~
Mr.. Horner said. NASA did
not ask for the transfer, he
said.
Budget Problems
The circumstances of the
Won Braun groups transfer
created an apparently anoma-
lous situation in which the
space administration may find
itself defending, in the fiscal
1861 budget hearings, appro-
priations requests for an &C
tivity which is still organiza-
tionally under another agency,
namely the Defense Depart
ment. DR.. Yorok was asked
who would defend Saturn in
the 1861 budget and replied,
PRESUMABLY NASA."
The Saturn project, far
thest advanced of the Nations
tagging behind original sched-
ules. The basic Saturn, a clus-
ter of eight liquid-fueled en-
gines aggregating is million
pounds thrust, was to have
been ready for static firing at
Huntsville this year. Present
plans now call for the static
big space booster projects, is
firing some time in the spring.
The Saturn is the only boost
er in sight which has the po-
tentiality of overtaking the best
the Russians have done in
space to date.
Mr.. Horner was asked
whether the space administra-
ton would seek a supplemental
appropriation for the current
fiscal year above the $40 mil
lion currently allocated to Sat-
urn. DR.. Won Braun had ex-
pressed the wish for $50 mil
lion more.
1--WE will not seek it with the
urgency that would require a
special session of Congress-"
Mr.. Horner said. But almost
obviously we are considering a
supplementary appropriation in
that we have a larger authori-
cation than appropriation at
the present time"
The transfer of the Won
Braun group to NASA was an
nounced Wednesday by Presi-
dent Eisenhower. At the start
of the news conference, re-
porter observed that a request
for the transfer from ARMU
to NASA had been made a year
ago and had been rejected.