284 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1958 
and that most nations have missiles other than those mentioned, either 
developed or being developed, including rocket-powered aircraft. 
CRITERIA TO GAGE A NATION’S MISSILE POTENTIAL 
A look at the missile arsenal in any nation is only one factor in the 
evaluation of its missile potential. In addition to missile hardware, a 
comprehensive evaluation should include the following equally perti- 
nent factors: 
1. A nation’s potential in the missile field should be measured by the 
current caliber of its leaders and numbers of scientists, engineers, and 
trained technicians, as well as by the capability of its educational 
institutions to train and maintain the balance of technical and 
nontechnical personnel required for the future. 
2. A nation’s potential in the missile field should also be measured 
by its natural resources, by the numbers of its supporting industries, 
and by the quality of its basic research and test facilities. 
3. And furthermore, a nation’s potential in the missile field should 
be measured by the availability of operational missiles in any one of 
the four basic military categories which fulfill that nation’s specific 
strategic requirements. 
EIGHT AXIOMS ON MISSILERY 
In addition to the above criteria for gaging a nation’s missile po- 
tential, we offer the following eight axioms on missilery as a means 
for a realistic assessment of rocketry today: 
1. The statement “behind in the missile race” without qualifications 
is meaningless. 
2. If leads in certain missile categories do exist, it is primarily 
because of a concentrated effort in that area. 
3. Rocketry is a matter of emphasis—not just on funding but 
also on direction. 
4. The know-how of building -missiles and rockets is not one 
nation’s secret, nor is this know-how limited to a select few or- 
ganizations or scientists. The physics of rocketry is well under- 
stood by many both here and abroad. 
5. At present it appears that no nation has made a major 
missile technological breakthrough. This is especially true from 
an aerodynamic and propulsion viewpoint. 
6. The probability of a successful missile launching applies 
“equally” to all nations. 
7. The citizens of the United States and the leaders they have 
elected over at least the last 15 years are responsible for the Nation’s 
current position in rocketry. 
8. An informed people will insure that American democracy will 
courageously and successfully meet the challenge of the coming 
Space Age. 
