September 22, 1960

Telephone Memo to File

Call_from George Hobby: Recent meeting of Biosciences Advisory Committee
at NASA had given first priority to the UV spectromicroscope for the Martian
landing. Partly on account of Hobby's interest, it was decided to keep the
general management of the program in the hands of JPL which is entirely satis-
factory to me. (This may mean, however, that Lockheed, for example, might have
a smaller role in the general systems control than might otherwise have been
anticipated.) There was also a recent sterilization committee conference at
NASA which should put out a technical report and is pressing for a policy
reaffirmation by Glennan. I mentioned the necessity of getting an early
breadboard model of a rapid scanning UV spectrophotometer which might be adapted
for microscopic use and Hobby will look into this at the earliest opportunity.
He is waiting for a chap called Stewart to return from his vacation next Monday.
He will then get buisy on it with Stewart.

He is sending me some data from Bateman on the use of an integrating sphere
for the elimination of some scattering interference.

The membership of the Biosciences Committee at NASA is Calvin, Sagan,
Horowitz, Abelson, Fox and Lubschez. I mentioned Exobiology 8 coming up and
suggested that Hobby check with Dick Davies as to which or perhaps both might
attend and | also promised to send him another copy of 8-5.

P.S. At lunch today with Carl Djerassi | brought up the question of technical
assistance here and he suggested that Rudolph who has done some important work
on the spectropolarimeter might be very well worth consulting. He might be
unwilling to come here for any very long period of time but Carl will check
into this informally.