SPACE SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS IN THE 1970'S 345 



service with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, they 

 were a proud group, and it was difficult to penetrate the veil of self- 

 protection which occasionally surrounded the group. To suggest in the 

 abstract that money could be saved through automation and computer- 

 ization was frequently met with the NASA argument that new equip- 

 ment was needed. In general, the efficiency of the network operations 

 was high, morale was excellent, and mission failures were never caused 

 by shortcomings in the tracking system. 



In 1970, the Hechler subcommittee recommended a reduction of 

 $4.2 million from the $298 million asked by NASA, on the grounds 

 that some of the requested new equipment could be deferred for 

 another year. In battling the issue out with the Senate in the conference 

 committee, it was finally decided to make the cut a compromise 

 $2.8 million. 



In 1971, with the NASA budget request at its lowest point since 

 1962, only $264 million was programed for the tracking network. The 

 Hechler subcommittee recommended the full amount, after ascertaining 

 that the NASA request "was carefully examined and found to be aus- 

 terely based." The members of the Subcommittee on Advanced Re- 

 search and Technology in 1971 were the following: 



Democrats Republicans 



Ken Hechler, West Virginia, Chairman Thomas M. Pelly, Washington 



John W. Davis, Georgia John W. Wydler, New York 



William R. Cotter, Connecticut Barry M. Goldwater, Jr., California 



Charles B. Rangel, New York Marvin L. Esch, Michigan 

 Mike McCormack, Washington 



In the Hechler subcommittee hearings in 1972, Congressman 

 Rangel drew the admission from NASA that the tracking stations in 

 the vicinity of Johannesburg, South Africa, employed blacks at a top 

 salary of $1,428, whereas the lowest salary paid to a white South 

 African at the station was $1,680, and housing and other facilities 

 were segregated. To a question by Chairman Hechler, as to whether 

 there had "ever been an attempt to try and (increase) the number of 

 blacks employed, or the salaries, or the facilities," the NASA witness 

 responded that discussions were going on. 



During the consideration of the NASA authorization bill on 

 April 20, 1972, Congressman Rangel offered an amendment to delete 

 funds for any tracking station located in South Africa because of the 

 effect of its apartheid policies on practices at the NASA tracking 

 stations around Johannesburg. Rangel argued: 



The question before us today is a moral one: Will the Congress permit our tax 

 dollars to continue to be used to pay for racism, or will we continue to allow the 

 world to believe that we still think about people as well as progress in our scientific 

 programs? 



