DECISION ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE 



297 



Attempting to avoid delays, the committee spent considerable 

 effort weighing the amounts of money needed each year to accomplish 

 the announced objectives. This meant insuring that sufficient man- 

 power, both in NASA installations and industrial contractors, was 

 consistently available to do the ]ob and carry out the program 

 effectively. 



The committee recognized that it was crucial to provide sufficient 

 funds for getting the Shuttle program designed, and to procure the 

 necessary long-lead items essential to carry out the schedule. Through 

 their questioning in the 1973 hearings, for example, Fuqua and Frey 

 ascertained that the tight cost ceilings imposed by the Office of Man- 

 agement and Budget were holding up the employment of manpower 

 on critical subcontracts. As a result, $25 million was added by the 

 committee to the $475 million which NASA originally was allowed in 

 the President's budget. Still, the program was underfunded. 



THE OPPOSITION IN 1973 



The indefatigable Representative Bella S. Abzug challenged the 

 Shuttle authorization in 1973, through an amendment to eliminate all 

 funds for that purpose. She noted during the debate: 



It has been argued the Space Shuttle would enable us to leave the Earth when it 

 becomes too crowded or too polluted for existence here. I can understand people 

 wanting to leave the planet, especially at this time — some people at the White 

 House. I think the Space Shuttle will be so stuffed with armaments that there may 

 be no room for people. 



Returning to the House for the first time since a hospital stay, 

 Teague led the fight against the Abzug amendment in 1973- In addi- 

 tion to the usual arguments favoring a low-cost transportation sys- 

 tem in space, Teague brought out the benefits which would accrue 

 from the numerous payloads which the Shuttle could carry — which 

 could result in "medical and health care, materials and manufactur- 

 ing processes, and earth resource exploration." The Abzug amend- 

 ment was defeated on May 23, 1973 by a division (standing) vote of 

 95-20. 



THE MAIN ENGINE PROBLEMS IN 1974 



From the start of the Shuttle program, it was clear that the de- 

 velopment and qualification of the main engine was the principal 

 pacing factor. In an attempt to avoid time slippages, NASA requested 

 $889 million from the Office of Management and Budget in 1974, and 

 was granted only $800 million. This cut critically affected the schedule 

 on the main engine. William A. Anders stated on September 19, 1979: 



I he Nixon administration did not live up to agreements of initial funding and 

 subsequent budget levels nor was the contingency recommended by NASA allowed. 



