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reason it was not used in Tektite, sir, was not classification but the 

 fact that they are developmental models and the developmental testing 

 has not yet been completed to a level which would let us use the equip- 

 ment with the required degree of safety. 



Mr. Pelly. Isn't there equipment similar to the General Electric 

 which is available and has not been classified ? 



Mr. O'Neal. I am not capable of answering that. I simply don't 

 know. 



Mr. Waller. I would like to try to answer that, Congressman. 



Yes, there were other equipments available. We did not know that 

 we were not going to be able to use this one particular unit that the 

 General Electric Co. had developed and, when we did realize this, of 

 course, we were fighting another very serious constraint and that is 

 that we are funded quite low on this project. It was a shoestring-type 

 funded operation, and I think that this area of equipment will get a 

 strong look on the next project that is conducted and, with the demon- 

 strations made in Tektite, on the scientific program and a scientist's 

 need to get down into the environment, I hope that there will be many 

 other Tektite-like projects from now on. 



Mr. Pelly. On the next project which I understand is now going to 

 be on Puget Sound, I trust you will not be denied the type of breath- 

 ing apparatus that will allow you to get the maximum out of this par- 

 ticular type of research. 



I thank you very much. 



Mr, Lennon. The gentleman from Florida. 



Mr. Rogers. I thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



All of us are very much impressed with what you have done, those 

 associated with Tektite. 



I would hope that the Nation can have brought to its attention the 

 importance of what you have done in my own mind for the benefit 

 of this Nation as important as the space flights. 



I don't think we have quite yet equated what is being done in the 

 seas as a beginning with what has been done in space. I think we need 

 to do this. I am sure this committee has as its purpose trying to im- 

 press the American people with the great benefits that will come from 

 activities such as yours to this Nation and in my own mind even 

 greater than we have been obtaining from space. 



Also, I am impressed with the fact that my colleague, Mr. Pelly, 

 is as concerned as I am with what has been done here in our dis- 

 cussions on shoestring support, and that is about what we have had in 

 the development of the seas from our development of the seas from our 

 national efforts in many areas. This committee hopes to change that 

 too. 



What procedures did you have or did you have any particular pro- 

 cedures where each man checks his own equipment before you went 

 out of your habitat ? 



Dr. CLiFTOisr. Yes, very definitely we did. I think we almost decided 

 among ourselves at the outset of the experiment, and really did not 

 discuss it much but just undertook it, that each person was respon- 

 sible for all of the equipment that he took into the water. 



In addition, however, we also checked each other's equipment as we 

 went in. This was just a standard safety check to make sure that the 

 other person's air was turned on, that he had his safety balloon. This 

 was done as routine. 



