klaes@advax.enet.dec.com (Larry Klaes) (01/11/91)
The following is from Andrew LePage, author of "The Great Moon
Race: The Soviet Story, Parts One and Two", in the December 1990 and
January 1991 issues of the Electronic Journal of the Astronomical
Society of the Atlantic (EJASA). I will be glad to forward any
follow-up postings to Drew.
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In article <1991Jan8.010048.25795@zoo.toronto.edu>, henry@zoo (Henry
Spencer) writes Re: my article:
>> As the L-1 circumlunar program was gearing up for its final push,
>> U.S. intelligence learned about the Soviet mission to send a manned
>> spacecraft around the Moon. As a result of this information, American
>> officials changed their plans...
>I'd be curious to know whether there is specific evidence supporting this.
I've heard arguments for both sides of this story for years, but
until recently I considered this story to be a false but interesting
coincidence. Then I read an excerpt from COUNTDOWN: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
by Frank Borman and R. J. Sterling. On page 189 of the book, Borman
relates a story that took place in early August of 1968. He was at
one of the APOLLO project contractors (North American) when Deke
Slayton called Borman back to Houston. When Borman arrived, Slayton
said, "We just got word from the CIA that the Russians are planning a
lunar fly-by before the end of the year. We want to change APOLLO 8
from an Earth orbital to a lunar orbital flight. I know that doesn't
give us much time, so I have to ask you: Do you want to do it or not?"
The rest is history.
This is about as close to the "horse's mouth" as one can get,
so I now consider the story to be true. I can only assume (having
been involved in classified work in the past) that the people in NASA
who have denied this story were either not privy to the CIA intelli-
gence to begin with, or considered the information classified and
therefore not subject to public discussion.
Drew LePage
Larry Klaes klaes@advax.enet.dec.com
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