X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson
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The American Geophysical Union recognizes that passage of this
amendment would do serious damage to future space science programs and
urge all to phone their congressional representatives and urge that
this amendment be defeated. Instead, they support the originally
passed budget of the Appropriations Committee.
****THIS MUST BE DONE TODAY FOR POSSIBLE EFFECT*******
In their testimony May 1, 1991, the President of the AGU pointed out
several aspects of the deliberations concerning Space Station Freedom(SSF):
-Scientific research is critical to the solution of major
environmental problems affecting our nation and planet. The potential
contributions of SSF is ..minimal and not commensurate with the
enormous costs..
-there is little that cannot be done with unmanned satellites for
Earth Observation
-the total cost of SSF is not now made public but is likely to be of
the order of $180 over its 30 year life. The operating costs alone
will be about $5 billion per year.
-all possible benefits are hopelessly overpriced. e.g.
space manufacturing results have been minimal.
-the high costs will delay other NASA programs that are far more
likely to produce much greater benefits and contribute more to U. S.
leadership in Space, such as the Mission to and from Planet Earth as
recommended by the Augustine committee. We note that this committee
did not include SSF in its Mission to Planet Earth Program.
The AGU is not opposed to manned space per se, but in the face of the
present budget reduction needs to agree with the vote of the full
Appropriations Committee. It seems to be a case where the major
support is from the builders of the SSF, not the potential users.
Joseph Cain cain@geomag.gly.fsu.edu
cain@fsu.bitnet scri::cain
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Date: 5 Jun 91 04:58:22 GMT
From: cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!spool.mu.edu!news.cs.indiana.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!midway!msuinfo!eecae.ee.msu.edu!grimm@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Jerry Michael Grimm)
