HI ( ISION ON THE SPACE MH I I I I 



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The Teague subcommittee report, adding $80 million for the Space 

 Shuttle and Space Station, called for "more extensive and inclusive 

 trade-oft analyses and additional engineering studies" as well as 

 "advanced prototype effort for testing and verification of preliminary 

 designs." The report expressed the opinion that the additional funds 

 would assist NASA and the Congress in future years to reach sounder 

 decisions on the progress and timing of Shuttle and Space Station 

 development. Despite the increase, plus other increases totalling close 

 to $300 million over the budget, the report noted that this was the 

 lowest construction request for manned space flight since the inception 

 of the program. 



The sparks began to fly in the full committee the minute the 

 Teague subcommittee report had been completed. Referring to Fulton's 

 long-time, repeated effort to get NASA to use boron as a launching fuel, 

 Mosher's first crack was: 



When I look at these proposed increases on page 3 and page 5, I get the 

 impression that you guvs have been drinking some of Jim Fulton's boron juice. 



Teague countered by reminding the committee that the President's 

 Space Task Group had urged a billion dollars more than the Bureau of 

 the Budget recommended, and all the subcommittee was doing was 

 restoring less than half that amount. When Karth got the floor, he said 

 he was willing to vote for increases in the latter stages of the Apollo 

 program, but as for the Shuttle, "for goodness sake, wait until that 

 Phase B study is completed, so that we have at least some grasp of the 

 magnitude of that program, so that we have some grasp of its potential, 

 and so that we have some grasp of precisely what we are going to do 

 with it, and the cost effectiveness of the program. * * * Now, I say, 

 Mr. Chairman, if I didn't have so much respect for you I would 

 probably be shouting and waving my arms and emphasizing my points 

 with some profanity." 



Fuqua jumped into the fray to demonstrate that the increases for 

 the Shuttle and Space Station had been well thought out: 



I don'r think that we are proceeding on a crash-type basis, or in any manner 

 other than a prudent manner, in trying to get the best for our space dollar. 



Hechler appalled Karth with the suggestion that a rift was 

 developing in the committee, and the following colloquy ensued: 



Mr. Hlchli:r. All I can say is that when the fire bell of rebellion sounds, this old 

 fire horse has great difficulty in not joining with Mr. Karth now that there is some 

 indication that there is a spirit of rebellion. 



Mr. Karth. Mr. Chairman, I object to being held to the word "rebellion". 



Mr. Downing. Mr. Chairman, I certainly don't think that this is a rebellion * * *. 

 But I do think we are making a big mistake here to increase this budget by $300 

 million. Here we are going on the floor of Congress and advocating an additional 



