karn@allegra.UUCP (Phil Karn) (01/25/84)
I just sent the following letter to my Congressman. I would urge others to include the points I made in my letter (assuming of course that you agree with them). Please don't, however, copy my letter verbatim; compose one in your own words. Phil ---------------------------------------------- Representative Jim Courter US House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congressman Courter: I would like to express my strong support of the President's manned space station initiative. I am willing to pay my share to make this happen. I would like to point out two items that should be kept in mind when considering this proposal: 1. Perhaps the most lasting benefit our country received from the Apollo program was the technological "shot in the arm." This can only happen when there is a free, open exchange of scientific and technical information at all levels between government agencies and universities, private industry and individuals. However, with the recent increase in Defense Department space activity, its use of the Space Shuttle, and the general concern in the Reagan administration regarding the export of technology, the free flow of information to, and effective use by, those who sponsored it (the taxpayers) is greatly threatened. It cannot be more strongly emphasized that if the nation is to realize the greatest return from the Space Station, it must be an "open" project. International cooperation, particularly with the European Space Agency, must be encouraged to the extent possible. Classification for national security reasons must be extremely rare. Nothing would destroy the benefits of the Space Station more than a zealous paranoia to prevent others from from realizing even the slightest benefit from our advances. 2. The Space Station proposal has generated much support among Congress and the general public for increased manned space funding. It should also be remembered that unmanned programs, while perhaps not as glamorous, are equally important and deserve much more funding. In particular, the planetary science programs have languished for a long time for lack of any new project starts. I feel that it is extremely important for the Congress to authorize several major new planetary exploration projects of the Voyager class, such as a Galileo-type Saturn orbiter and Titan probe. Again, you have my strongest support for the space station initiative, and I feel a positive action on this by Congress will go a long way towards reaffirming America's world leadership in technology and innovation. The benefits will be felt for a long time to come. Sincerely yours, Philip R. Karn, Jr.