FILE COPY

AUG 1% 1960

The Honorable Lyndon 8. Johnson
Senate Offlce Bullding
Washington 25, D.C.

Year Senater Jonnsoan:

The report of your Committees on Aeransutical and Spoce Sciences,
Spece Research in the Life Sclences" was kindly sent me, and | have
been deeply Interested In its content and In the conclusions.

The press has been quick to note your criticism of NASA for having
organized @ division of life sciences. In my own view, the administration
may be liable to many criticisms, but this is one of the most constructive
Steps thet NASA has undertaken. {| say this both as a researca scientist
dealing with MASA on spece science projects end from my experience as
& member of the Space Sclence Bourd. This view also is shared by el] of
my scientific colleeques whom i have consulted. As | heve creatiy admired
your support for science and for the spece program in the United States
Senate, | om especially anxious that you hear such 6 comment.

The organization of the Office of Life Sclences In NASA was perticulerly
urgent to mobilize our scientific talent for the problem of exoblolagy,
the nature of tife on other planets. This is surely one of the most
exciting chellenges In our space problem end much more scientific support
must be given this area to ensure the success of, our intended missions.
dithout the sdvica of the new office, MASA could not have the expert
knowledge to cope with these tremendous problems.

In fact, before now, some extruordinary nonsense has been promulgated
in the name of space biology -- for a specific exemple, the breeding of
“‘spece monkeys.’ Such Inenities heve been widely publicized end have
sntegonlzed many Informed people, especially biologists, to the point
where the serious objectives of our national space program heve become
obscured in taueir minds, The Office of Life Sciences now gives NASA tne
mGansk CO screen new projects ond ensure that only credituble ones are
given the dignity of perticipation fn the American program, for the same
sober merit thet ettaches to our splendid accomplishments in space physics.
Whether this office or any responsible authority will be able to moderate
the publicity attracted by other silly projects in many scattered Instal~-
letions, perticularly the military ones, Is 2 problem thet does deserve your
serfous consideration.

Another example of the need for axpert knowledge in the NASA
orgénizetion on problems of blology Is in the unlikely fleld, for a
rocket engincer, of disinfection. {tt has finally been recognized that we
Senator Johnson, cont. 2

need to ensure the complete decontamination of any vehicles that we may
send to planetary targets to avoid the hazards of spreading earth-1i fe
forms elsewhere by inadvertence. implementing this caution requires a
well Informed administrative authority.

it is not easy to see why the Depertment of Defense should wish to
be involved in exoblology and indeed, | would strenuously oppose such
lavolvement both in principle and for tactical reasons -- for example,
hindrance to International cooperation for projects that nave a close
alliteary connection.

Many inconsistencies and Illogicalities must arise from the
executive directive that there Is no military mission In space. Since
the Department of Defense will have to continue advanced programs in
Space technology and space science for psetent defense neads as well as
to svold ugly surprises, such a directive can only provoke well-intentioned
efforts at evasion. | hope that the next sdministration wiil give serious
consideretion to reinstating end clurifying the military interest in
Space programs -- and, for example, to returning the development of manned
space flight to military supervision. tt is difficult to find serious
justification for « crash program in manned spece flight for sclentific
purposes, but we should not overlook ultimate military applications.

Many of my colleagues would deplore the frantic effort which the House
Committee has urged NASA to make to send man to the moon. Thus, a
continuing expert review of the capabilities and intended uses of man in
spece flight would be another Indispensable purpose of an independent
Office of Life Sciences In the Spuce Agency.

No one could quarrel with the insistence that government agencies
must coordinate with one @nother to prevent waste. But for NASA to
function effectively, it must nave its own technical competence in biology,
and biologics! problems must be represented in the formation of policy.

a

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederbery
Professor of Genetics
executive Head, Depsertment of Genetics

Jh/jh
ec: Or, & Pellsra, Democratic Advisary
Comittee on Sclence and Technology

Mr. A. Cox, Harvard Law School,
Cambridge, Massechusetts

bee: Dr. Ciurk Rendt
Dr. G. A. Derbyshire