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The origins and international economics of space exploration
Planet. Space Sci. 1975. Vol. 23,
pp.387-388.
Perwmmn Press. Printed in Northern Ireland
BOOK REVIEWS
C. W. ALLEN: Astrophysicul Quantities (3rd Edn.). The Athlone Press, University of London, 1973. x + 310~~. E6.25. WHEN it tirst appeared almost twenty years ago Astrophysical Quantities admirably fulfilled Professor Allen’s intention of presenting “the essential quantitative information of astrophysics in a form that can readily be used”. It has remained unrivalled as a reference book to be kept handy to one’s desk. In spite of the great growth in knowledge its sire has, happily, increased only moderately: thus the 1955, 1963 and present edition8 have 263,291 and 310 pages respectively. This is partly because Professor Allen, besides having the skill to add, also has that rare quality, the will to delete: in going from the second to the third editions he introduced sections on, for example, the solar wind and solar XUV radiation and, as if in compensation, removed sections on atmospheric electricity and atmospheric ozone. It is a tribute to the excellence of his original planning that most of the table8 simply remain with the entries revised where necessary and blank spaces tilled where possible. Reader8 of Planetary and Space Science could scarcely spend $6.25 better than on the current Astrophysical Quantities. D. R. BATBS
SIR BERNARDLOVELL: The Origins and Internutional Economics of Space Exploration. sted Press, John Wiley, New York, 1974. viii + 104 pp. $4.50.
Hal-
THIS book should be read by everyone who is in the slightest way concerned with the financing of research or with any aspect of space science. It is compact but collects together much information not readily accessible elsewhere; and it is so engrossing that once I began it I could not stop until I had reached the last page. Few will lay the volume down without some feeling of depression due to having become acutely aware that space exploration has flourished less because of enlightened attitude8 than because of national fears and rivalries. Sir Bernard Love11 writes: “The Sputnik and the American Explorer satellites which followed it were made possible by a colossal investment in rockets for military purposes. Before the USAF achieved an Atlas ICBM in 1959, the Air Force alone had spent seventeen billion dollars on rocket development. Atlas was the rocket that was used in the tirst US attempts to send payloads to the Moon in the early 1960’s. Thus any discussion of the economics of space exploration makes no sense unless it is malised that the vast development cost of the technology was contained within the military budgets of the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A.” Again in connection with the Apollo programme he writes: “In case anyone should doubt the driving motives which then stimulated the U.S., the speech made by President Kennedy to Congress on 25 May 1961 is clear: ‘We have examined where we are strong and where we may succeed and where we for a great new American enterprise-time for may not.. . . Now is the time to take longer strides-time this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement which in many ways may hold the key to our future on Earth.“’ He notes that the returns were rewarding because in 1967 President Johnson was able to claim that “the dividends of military space operations to the U.S. were equal to ten times everything that had been spent on space.” As Sir Bernard remarks “The military dominance of space activity in the Soviet Union is well hidden behind the security screen.” He draws attention to their concept of a Fractional Orbital Bombardment Satellite which “would confuse the whole anti-missile arrangement because the satellite carrying the bomb would be made to arrive from the opposite direction to ihat expected in the conventional ICBM svstem.” Naturally it has led to interest in “manoeuvrable satellites caoable of insnecting and, if necessary,‘destroying other iatellites in orbit.” Other military aids he mentions’are survei&nce satellites and navigation satellite8 (invaluable for nuclear submarines). We must draw what comfort we can from George Washington’s affirmation: “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace..” Sir Bernard also describes constructive applications pure science, communications, meteorology, geodesy and mapping, Earth resources. He is very critical of “the almost complete failure*’ of countries other than the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. to engage in these activities. To let the British effort be seen in some perspective he calculate8 that “In 1970 the expenditure in the U.K. on alcohol exceeded that on space by 75 times, on tobacco by 55 times.. . .” D. R. BATES 387
pp.387-388.
Perwmmn Press. Printed in Northern Ireland
BOOK REVIEWS
C. W. ALLEN: Astrophysicul Quantities (3rd Edn.). The Athlone Press, University of London, 1973. x + 310~~. E6.25. WHEN it tirst appeared almost twenty years ago Astrophysical Quantities admirably fulfilled Professor Allen’s intention of presenting “the essential quantitative information of astrophysics in a form that can readily be used”. It has remained unrivalled as a reference book to be kept handy to one’s desk. In spite of the great growth in knowledge its sire has, happily, increased only moderately: thus the 1955, 1963 and present edition8 have 263,291 and 310 pages respectively. This is partly because Professor Allen, besides having the skill to add, also has that rare quality, the will to delete: in going from the second to the third editions he introduced sections on, for example, the solar wind and solar XUV radiation and, as if in compensation, removed sections on atmospheric electricity and atmospheric ozone. It is a tribute to the excellence of his original planning that most of the table8 simply remain with the entries revised where necessary and blank spaces tilled where possible. Reader8 of Planetary and Space Science could scarcely spend $6.25 better than on the current Astrophysical Quantities. D. R. BATBS
SIR BERNARDLOVELL: The Origins and Internutional Economics of Space Exploration. sted Press, John Wiley, New York, 1974. viii + 104 pp. $4.50.
Hal-
THIS book should be read by everyone who is in the slightest way concerned with the financing of research or with any aspect of space science. It is compact but collects together much information not readily accessible elsewhere; and it is so engrossing that once I began it I could not stop until I had reached the last page. Few will lay the volume down without some feeling of depression due to having become acutely aware that space exploration has flourished less because of enlightened attitude8 than because of national fears and rivalries. Sir Bernard Love11 writes: “The Sputnik and the American Explorer satellites which followed it were made possible by a colossal investment in rockets for military purposes. Before the USAF achieved an Atlas ICBM in 1959, the Air Force alone had spent seventeen billion dollars on rocket development. Atlas was the rocket that was used in the tirst US attempts to send payloads to the Moon in the early 1960’s. Thus any discussion of the economics of space exploration makes no sense unless it is malised that the vast development cost of the technology was contained within the military budgets of the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A.” Again in connection with the Apollo programme he writes: “In case anyone should doubt the driving motives which then stimulated the U.S., the speech made by President Kennedy to Congress on 25 May 1961 is clear: ‘We have examined where we are strong and where we may succeed and where we for a great new American enterprise-time for may not.. . . Now is the time to take longer strides-time this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement which in many ways may hold the key to our future on Earth.“’ He notes that the returns were rewarding because in 1967 President Johnson was able to claim that “the dividends of military space operations to the U.S. were equal to ten times everything that had been spent on space.” As Sir Bernard remarks “The military dominance of space activity in the Soviet Union is well hidden behind the security screen.” He draws attention to their concept of a Fractional Orbital Bombardment Satellite which “would confuse the whole anti-missile arrangement because the satellite carrying the bomb would be made to arrive from the opposite direction to ihat expected in the conventional ICBM svstem.” Naturally it has led to interest in “manoeuvrable satellites caoable of insnecting and, if necessary,‘destroying other iatellites in orbit.” Other military aids he mentions’are survei&nce satellites and navigation satellite8 (invaluable for nuclear submarines). We must draw what comfort we can from George Washington’s affirmation: “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace..” Sir Bernard also describes constructive applications pure science, communications, meteorology, geodesy and mapping, Earth resources. He is very critical of “the almost complete failure*’ of countries other than the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. to engage in these activities. To let the British effort be seen in some perspective he calculate8 that “In 1970 the expenditure in the U.K. on alcohol exceeded that on space by 75 times, on tobacco by 55 times.. . .” D. R. BATES 387