Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier (35 page)
Read Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier Online
Authors: Neil deGrasse Tyson,Avis Lang
The cosmic perspective enables us to see beyond our circumstances, allowing us to transcend the primal search for food, shelter, and sex.
The cosmic perspective reminds us that in space, where there is no air, a flag will not wave—an indication that perhaps flag waving and space exploration do not mix.
The cosmic perspective not only embraces our genetic kinship with all life on Earth but also values our chemical kinship with any yet-to-be discovered life in the universe, as well as our atomic kinship with the universe itself.
A
t least once a week, if not once a day, we might each ponder what cosmic truths lie undiscovered before us, perhaps awaiting the arrival of a clever thinker, an ingenious experiment, or an innovative space mission to reveal them. We might further ponder how those discoveries may one day transform life on Earth.
Absent such curiosity, we are no different from the provincial farmer who expresses no need to venture beyond the county line, because his forty acres meet all his needs. Yet if all our predecessors had felt that way, the farmer would instead be a cave dweller, chasing down his dinner with a stick and a rock.
During our brief stay on planet Earth, we owe ourselves and our descendants the opportunity to explore—in part because it’s fun to do. But there’s a far nobler reason. The day our knowledge of the cosmos ceases to expand, we risk regressing to the childish view that the universe figuratively and literally revolves around us. In that bleak world, arms-bearing, resource-hungry people and nations would be prone to act on their “low contracted prejudices.” And that would be the last gasp of human enlightenment—until the rise of a visionary new culture that could once again embrace the cosmic perspective.
APPENDIX A
*
National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, As Amended
Title I—Short Title, Declaration of Policy, and Definitions
Section 102. Declaration of Policy and Purpose
Title II—Coordination of Aeronautical and Space Activities
Section 201. National Aeronautics and Space Council (abolished)
Section 202. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Section 203. Functions of the Administration
Section 204. Civilian-Military Liaison Committee (abolished)
Section 205. International Cooperation
Section 206. Reports to Congress
Section 207. Disposal of Excess Land
Section 208. Donations for Space Shuttle Orbiter (authority expired)
Section 301. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
Section 302. Transfer of Related Functions
Section 303. Access to Information
Section 304. Security Requirements
Section 305. Property Rights in Inventions
Section 306. Contributions Awards
Section 307. Defense of Certain Malpractice and Negligence Suits
Section 308. Insurance and Indemnification
Section 309. Experimental Aerospace Vehicle
Section 311. Misuse of Agency Name and Initials
Section 312. Contracts Regarding Expendable Launch Vehicles
Section 313. Full Cost Appropriations Account Structure
Section 315. Lease of Non-Excess Property
Section 316. Retrocession of Jurisdiction
Section 317. Recovery and Disposition Authority
Title IV—Upper Atmospheric Research
Section 401. Purpose and Policy
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ACT OF 1958
Pub. L. No. 85-568
72 Stat. 426-438 (Jul. 29, 1958)
As Amended
AN ACT
To provide for research into problems of flight within and outside the earth’s
atmosphere, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I—SHORT TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY, AND DEFINITIONS
SHORT TITLE
Sec. 101. This Act may be cited as the “National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958”
DECLARATION OF POLICY AND PURPOSE
Sec. 102. (a) The Congress hereby declares that it is the policy of the United States that activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.
(b) The Congress declares that the general welfare and security of the United States require that adequate provision be made for aeronautical and space activities. The Congress further declares that such activities shall be the responsibility of, and shall be directed by, a civilian agency exercising control over aeronautical and space activities sponsored by the United States, except that activities peculiar to or primarily associated with the development of weapons systems, military operations, or the defense of the United States (including the research and development necessary to make effective provision for the defense of the United States) shall be the responsibility of, and shall be directed by, the Department of Defense; and that determination as to which such agency has responsibility for and direction of any such activity shall be made by the President in conformity with section 2471(e).
(c) The Congress declares that the general welfare of the United States requires that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (as established by title II of this Act) seek and encourage, to the maximum extent possible, the fullest commercial use of space.
(d) The aeronautical and space activities of the United States shall be conducted so as to contribute materially to one or more of the following objectives:
(1) The expansion of human knowledge of the Earth and of phenomena in the atmosphere and space;
(2) The improvement of the usefulness, performance, speed, safety, and efficiency of aeronautical and space vehicles;
(3) The development and operation of vehicles capable of carrying instruments, equipment, supplies, and living organisms through space;
(4) The establishment of long-range studies of the potential benefits to be gained from, the Opportunities for, and the problems involved in the utilization of aeronautical and space activities for peaceful and scientific purposes;
(5) The preservation of the role of the United States as a leader in aeronautical and space science and technology and in the application thereof to the conduct of peaceful activities within and outside the atmosphere;
(6) The making available to agencies directly concerned with national defense of discoveries that have military value or significance, and the furnishing by such agencies, to the civilian agency established to direct and control nonmilitary aeronautical and space activities, of information as to discoveries which have value or significance to that agency;
(7) Cooperation by the United States with other nations and groups of nations in work done pursuant to this Act and in the peaceful application of the results thereof;
(8) The most effective utilization of the scientific and engineering resources of the United States, with close cooperation among all interested agencies of the United States in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, facilities, and equipment; and
(9) The preservation of the United States preeminent position in aeronautics and space through research and technology development related to associated manufacturing processes.
(e) The Congress declares that the general welfare of the United States requires that the unique competence in scientific and engineering systems of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration also be directed toward ground propulsion systems research and development. Such development shall be conducted so as to contribute to the objectives of developing energy- and petroleum-conserving ground propulsion systems, and of minimizing the environmental degradation caused by such systems.
(f) The Congress declares that the general welfare of the United States requires that the unique competence of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in science and engineering systems be directed to assisting in bioengineering research, development, and demonstration programs designed to alleviate and minimize the effects of disability.
(g) The Congress declares that the general welfare and security of the United States require that the unique competence of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration be directed to detecting, tracking, cataloguing, and characterizing near-Earth asteroids and comets in order to provide warning and mitigation of the potential hazard of such near-Earth objects to the Earth.
(h) It is the purpose of this Act to carry out and effectuate the policies declared in subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g).
DEFINITIONS
Sec. 103. As used in this Act-
(1) the term “aeronautical and space activities” means (A) research into, and the solution of, problems of flight within and outside the Earth’s atmosphere, (B) the development, construction, testing, and operation for research purposes of aeronautical and space vehicles, (C) the operation of a space transportation system including the Space Shuttle, upper stages, space platforms, and related equipment, and (D) such other activities as may be required for the exploration of space; and
(2) the term “aeronautical and space vehicles” means aircraft, missiles, satellites, and other space vehicles, manned and unmanned, together with related equipment, devices, components, and parts.
TITLE II—COORDINATION OF AERONAUTICAL AND
SPACE ACTIVITIES
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE COUNCIL
Sec. 201. (a) [There is hereby established the National Aeronautics and Space Council. . . .] abolished.
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Sec. 202. (a) There is hereby established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (hereinafter called the “Administration”). The Administration shall be headed by an Administrator, who shall be appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Under the supervision and direction of the President, the Administrator shall be responsible for the exercise of all powers and the discharge of all duties of the Administration, and shall have authority and control over all personnel and activities thereof.
(b) There shall be in the Administration a Deputy Administrator, who shall be appointed from civilian life by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the Administrator may prescribe. The Deputy Administrator shall act for, and exercise the powers of, the Administrator during his absence or disability.
(c) The Administrator and the Deputy Administrator shall not engage in any other business, vocation, or employment while serving as such.
FUNCTIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATION
Sec. 203. (a) The Administration, in order to carry out the purpose of this Act, shall–
(1) plan, direct, and conduct aeronautical and space activities;
(2) arrange for participation by the scientific community in planning scientific measurements and observations to be made through use of aeronautical and space vehicles, and conduct or arrange for the conduct of such measurements and observations;
(3) provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof;
(4) seek and encourage, to the maximum extent possible, the fullest commercial use of space; and
(5) encourage and provide for Federal Government use of commercially provided space services and hardware, consistent with the requirements of the Federal Government.
(b) (1) The Administration shall, to the extent of appropriated funds, initiate, support, and carry out such research, development, demonstration, and other related activities in ground propulsion technologies as are provided for in sections 4 through 10 of the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976.
(2) The Administration shall initiate, support, and carry out such research, development, demonstrations, and other related activities in solar heating and cooling technologies (to the extent that funds are appropriated therefor) as are provided for in sections 5, 6, and 9 of the Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act of 1974.
(c) In the performance of its functions the Administration is authorized
