272 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1961 



Among requirements for the Apollo system are the following : 



1. A life support system to provide a suitable environment for 

 periods of several weeks. 



2. Radiation shielding to give sufficient protection during passage 

 to and from the moon as well as on the lunar surface. 



3. A navigation system which will give position fixes, and which 

 will compute the amount and direction of thrust for course correction 

 when required. 



4. An attitude stabilization system to be used throughout the flight. 

 This system will permit orientation of the spacecraft for thrust con- 

 trol as well as for lunar landing and reentry through the atmosphere. 



5. Communications for all phases of the flight. 



Feasibility studies for Project Apollo were underway for many 

 months. Initial studies were carried out in NASA's research and de- 

 velopment centers and by industry. On July 18-20, 1961, more than 

 1,200 representatives of firms in the aerospace industry attended a 

 NASA-Industry Technical Conference in Washington, where they 

 were briefed on Apollo requirements. In mid-August, proposals 

 were solicited from a number of industry teams for design and fabri- 

 cation of the Apollo spacecraft systeni. 



THE CHALLENGE TO THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES 



Of the $1,671,750,000 NASA budget for fiscal year 1962, $206,750,000 

 was for salaries and personnel expenses of the NASA organization. 

 Contract effort provided for the construction of new facilities and the 

 support of the research and development activities. The fiscal year 

 1962 budget included $245 million for construction of new and sup- 

 porting facilities and $1,220 million for research and development. 

 This research and development encompassed propulsion systems, pro- 

 pellants, power supplies, structures and materials, guidance and con- 

 trol, instrumentation and telemetry, and aerodynamics, as well as 

 launch vehicles and the satellite program. 



The 1962 program was approximately twice the 1961 program. 

 Funding requirements will increase still further in 1963 if we are to 

 meet the goals recommended by President Kennedy. NASA, other 

 Government agencies, universities, and industry all have important 

 responsibilities in the conduct of this rapidly expanding effort. Wo 

 feel that the NASA staff should be kept at a level necessary to plan 

 the space exploration program and to organize, contract for, and 

 oversee it, while conducting enough in-house work to maintain the 

 caliber of our scientific and technical personnel. However, contract 

 participation by universities and industry currently amounts to more 

 than 85 percent of NASA budget dollars. This percentage will 

 increase. 



