Moon base. All studies included the use of nuclear weapons.
20
A Pentagon report,
declassified in 1963, revealed the existence of many other projects, such as SR17527 for a space station, SR-17532 Permanent Satellite Base and Logistic Study,
SR-79503 Strategic Orbital System, SR-79814 Space Logistics, Maintenance and
Rescue System, SR-79821 Earth Satellite Weapon System and finally SR-79822
Advanced Earth Satellite Weapon System.
21
From the beginning, it was clear that the Air Force was behind the precise strategy for the American space program. For example, the Mercury project aimed to
launch the first American into space using the design of a military capsule laid out
by the SR’s studies at the Pentagon. Also, the first seven chosen astronauts were all
military pilots.
More than once during his presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy compared
space exploration as the new frontier, as he wrote in an article for the magazine
Missiles & Rockets, published on October 10, 1960:
22
We have started a space race with the Russians, it’s a strategic terrain and we
are losing it. If a man will orbit above the Earth later this year, his name will
be Ivan. If the Russians control space, they will be able to do the same on
Earth, just like in the past centuries those nations which controlled the seas
ruled unchallenged over the continents. We cannot afford to lose this race.
We must be first to ensure peace and freedom. Space is our new frontier.
Once elected, Kennedy set up a commission of experts on space exploration led
by Jerome Wiesner, a professor at MIT. After only a few months, Wiesner pointed
out how the Mercury project was lagging behind the Russians.
23
This led NASA
executives to push for an astronaut flight as soon as they could, fearing that if the
White House lost faith in the project, all federal funding would be jeopardized.
Werner von Braun stopped the initiative, proving – as he had done years earlier
with the Vanguard missile – that the chances of success were very limited. He had
his sights set on the Moon, and the loss of an astronaut could have had a devastating impact on public opinion.
Additionally, von Braun was aware that the interest for a Moon base was fading
within the military establishment. Indeed, in 1960, the Navy had just successfully
launched the first Polaris nuclear missile from a submarine, proving that any point
on the planet was reachable by underwater fleets. The Pentagon planned to spend
20
Houchin, Roy F. 2006. US Hypersonic Research and Development: The Rise and Fall of
‘Dyna-Soar’ 1944–1963. London: Routledge, 94.
21
idem
22
Missiles and rockets. 12–13, http://www.jfklink.com/speeches/joint/app17_missilesandrockets.html. Accessed 10 Oct 1960.
23
Wiesner Committee. 1961. Report to the President-Elect of the Ad Hoc Committee on Space.
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/report61.html. Accessed 10 Jan 1961.
The Space Race: Moondust 19
20
A Pentagon report,
declassified in 1963, revealed the existence of many other projects, such as SR17527 for a space station, SR-17532 Permanent Satellite Base and Logistic Study,
SR-79503 Strategic Orbital System, SR-79814 Space Logistics, Maintenance and
Rescue System, SR-79821 Earth Satellite Weapon System and finally SR-79822
Advanced Earth Satellite Weapon System.
21
From the beginning, it was clear that the Air Force was behind the precise strategy for the American space program. For example, the Mercury project aimed to
launch the first American into space using the design of a military capsule laid out
by the SR’s studies at the Pentagon. Also, the first seven chosen astronauts were all
military pilots.
More than once during his presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy compared
space exploration as the new frontier, as he wrote in an article for the magazine
Missiles & Rockets, published on October 10, 1960:
22
We have started a space race with the Russians, it’s a strategic terrain and we
are losing it. If a man will orbit above the Earth later this year, his name will
be Ivan. If the Russians control space, they will be able to do the same on
Earth, just like in the past centuries those nations which controlled the seas
ruled unchallenged over the continents. We cannot afford to lose this race.
We must be first to ensure peace and freedom. Space is our new frontier.
Once elected, Kennedy set up a commission of experts on space exploration led
by Jerome Wiesner, a professor at MIT. After only a few months, Wiesner pointed
out how the Mercury project was lagging behind the Russians.
23
This led NASA
executives to push for an astronaut flight as soon as they could, fearing that if the
White House lost faith in the project, all federal funding would be jeopardized.
Werner von Braun stopped the initiative, proving – as he had done years earlier
with the Vanguard missile – that the chances of success were very limited. He had
his sights set on the Moon, and the loss of an astronaut could have had a devastating impact on public opinion.
Additionally, von Braun was aware that the interest for a Moon base was fading
within the military establishment. Indeed, in 1960, the Navy had just successfully
launched the first Polaris nuclear missile from a submarine, proving that any point
on the planet was reachable by underwater fleets. The Pentagon planned to spend
20
Houchin, Roy F. 2006. US Hypersonic Research and Development: The Rise and Fall of
‘Dyna-Soar’ 1944–1963. London: Routledge, 94.
21
idem
22
Missiles and rockets. 12–13, http://www.jfklink.com/speeches/joint/app17_missilesandrockets.html. Accessed 10 Oct 1960.
23
Wiesner Committee. 1961. Report to the President-Elect of the Ad Hoc Committee on Space.
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/report61.html. Accessed 10 Jan 1961.
The Space Race: Moondust 19