330 



The Russians have proposed an extension recently, but our delegation feels this 

 would be a mistake. It may be that certain special fields of global interest might 

 be continued in some cooperative way, but this would not be desirable, in our 

 opinion, for the complete IGY program. 97 



Acceptance of the IGC-1959 as the "some cooperative way," 

 leaving the extent of participation entirely up to each participant, 

 helped resolve the conflicting American and Soviet positions. 



The proposal for the IGC-59 was endorsed by the ICSU during its 

 meeting in Washington, October 2-6, 1958, at which time a successor 

 body was created, the Special Committee for Inter- Union Cooperation 

 in Geophysics (SCG) of the ICSU. The last meeting of the CSAGI 

 and the first meeting of the SCG were held concurrently in May 

 1959, both committees having essentially the same representation. 

 At this joint meeting it was proposed that a committee somewhat 

 different in composition from the SCG be formed, a Comita Inter- 

 nationale de Geophysique (CIG) which would be composed of a 

 larger membership, including the IGY reporters. This proposal was 

 approved by the ICSU Executive Board in October 1959 and the 

 first meeting of the CIG took place in November 1959. Thus, the 

 CIG assumed essentially the same responsibilities for the IGC-1959 

 as the CSAGI had assumed for the IGY, 98 including publication of 

 such IGY publications as the Annals and oversight and support of the 

 work of the World Data Centers." 



Other organizations set up to continue various IGY programs in- 

 cluded the Inter- Union Committee on Contamination by Extra- 

 Terrestial Exploration (CETX), the Committee on Space Research 

 (COSPAR), and the International World Days Service (IWDS). 100 

 Formation of these various organizations assured that work accom- 

 plished during the IGY was suitably reported and published, and pro- 

 vided for its continuation thereafter. The existence of these inter- 

 national organizations and programs must be considered one of the 

 most important legacies of the IGY. 101 



w Senate, Hearings on H.R. lStfO. p. 384. 



•» NSF-NAS Hearings: IOY Report, p. 21. Testimony of Hugh Odlshaw. 



•• NAS IOY Program Report, p. x. 



100 NSF-NAS Hearings: IGY Report, p. 21. 



101 For a comprehensive analysis of the organizational structure of the international scientific community 

 and the role of COSPAR in particular, see: International Cooperation and Organization for Ovter Space, 

 pp a^S— 42fi and Richard W. Porter, "International Scientific Community: International Council of Sci- 

 entific Unions and COSPAR" in: U.S., Congress, Senate, Committee on Aeronautica' and Space Sciences, 

 International Cooperation in Outer Space: A Symposium, 92d Cong., 1st sess., Dec. 9, 1971, pp. 527-567. 



