pcmcgeer (06/09/82)
My bet is that whatever his message is, space fans will have reason to cheer. He is NOT going to Edwards to shoot down the program, that's for sure. I think JNC's probably right in that there'll be a major commitment. The real question is, will it be civil or military? I don't have any objection to putting the military in space per se, since in the face of Soviet military activities it seems incumbent on the West to respond. However, it seems clear that excessive militarization of space will choke civil development of this resource, principally because the Pentagon will, with some justification, view LEO as a giant top-security military installation. That wouldn't bode well for space industries; I haven't noticed any factories at White Sands or Edwards. On the other hand, maybe the President will say that the only way to pay for a military buidup in space (if that's what he's announcing) is through space industry. We can hope. Rick McGeer