206 



of Advanced Research and Technology, $150,000, $200,000 direct 

 transfer to the Navy and the rest inhouse work such as modification 

 of equipment, the running of the emergency decompression schedules 

 at Houston, and things of this nature. 



With this brief summary, I would like to say that NASA feels from 

 its jDarticipation in this project Tektite that we have gotten our 

 money's worth and would like to express our feeling of cooperation 

 with the other agencies and it has been a pleasure working with them. 



With this summary, I would like to introduce Mr. Edward E-ay, who 

 is the Manager of the Ocean Systems Division of the General Electric 

 Co. 



Mr. Lennon. Thank you, sir. 



STATEMENT OF EDWARD RAY, MANAGER, OCEAN SYSTEMS 

 DIVISION, GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. 



Mr. Rat. Mr. Chairman and members, it is a privilege to be here 

 today and represent the General Electric Co. view of Project Tektite, 

 its genesis and its significance. 



As the previous speakers have mentioned, the Tektite Project had 

 its beginning in a study our Missiles and Space Division performed 

 2 years ago for a joint NASA-Navy council. 



One of the conclusions of that study was that much could be learned 

 in the area of space crew performance and behavior through an under- 

 water research program since a significant number of parallels can be 

 drawn between manned operations in the ocean and in space. 



The parallels are due to the similarity of the isolation and the occu- 

 pational stresses which occur in man when he performs a complex 

 mission in a hostile and alien environment. 



Because of these factors and because of the expressed national in- 

 terest in the development of ocean resources, the General Electric Co. 

 decided to furnish the Tektite undersea habitat as its investment in 

 this field. 



The habitat was patterned after a space cabinet design used for 

 earlier manned studies. After NASA and the Navy reviewed our study 

 conclusions, they initiated a pilot program of underwater operations 

 known as Tektite I. 



Since the validity of the behavioral program was dependent on the 

 performance of a real mission, the Department of the Interior was 

 invited to perform a meaningful marine scientific program and pro- 

 vide the aquanauts who would perform it. 



General Electric, besides developing the habitat, served as the prime 

 industrial contractor responsible for the inter-division of all the tech- 

 nical aspects of the program as well as providing onsite support. 



Now that the original program goals have been successfully accom- 

 plished, on a very compressed schedule I might add, and the value of 

 the technique demonstrated, it is worthwhile to examine the overall 

 significance of the Tektite Program, even though the detailed scien- 

 tific results are still being evaluated. 



We believe that Tektite was of major significance in a number of 

 important respects. 



First, the technical mission itself, that is the continued development 

 of saturation diving techniques and the additional medical, behavioral 



