pcmcgeer (06/06/82)
I've read various speculations in these newsgroups (on one occasion backed up by congressional testimony) that the DoD cargo on STS-IV isn't in fact very spectacular and that DoD is just testing NASA's security. I wonder, though, whether or not that's true. Is it just a coincidence that the President's first major address on space policy is to take place at the completion of this mission? You'd think he'd've been guaranteed a larger audience when STS-I landed. Of course, I suppose President Reagan would want a few missions to go smoothly before he committed the nation to a major space effort in the eighties.
REM@MIT-MC@sri-unix (06/08/82)
From: Robert Elton Maas <REM at MIT-MC> I think it's quite appropriate for Reagan to make a speech at tne completion of the four-flight test program. After all, we've known for 10 years that we were going to build the shuttle, but only next month will we know (at a confidence level of whatever four flights provides) that the contraption really is going to work like we all hoped. The first flight would have been a good time to speak, but the end of the fourth flight is an excellent time too. Speaking at the second or third flight would however have been non-canonical. I hope he announces a goal of permanent manned presence in space (i.e. a continuously-manned space station, like the USSR almost has already). I hope he also announces research to prove the availability of materials in space needed for largescale industry and habitat. ......... There, I've written a postcard to Reagan to that effect, and will go mail it right after sending this message. (Every little bit helps, one card equals 10k votes.)