December 18, 1959

Dr. Edward Ginséén
Hansen Laborabvries
Sceanford University

Dear Ed:
I really enjoyed our conversation today.

As to your advice on somehow ‘registering’ my suggestion of exploring
the use of ion pairs, may I take advantage of your offer to look at the
enclosed statement of it, and return one copy with a notation that you
had seen it on the indicated date? I am enclosing a second copy which
you may keep in your files if you wish,

I had aleo sent this to Dr. Rygbert Jastrow, with whom I have had a
number of other dealings, in NASA -- but propulsion is not one of his
special interests and I can account for the lack of any reaction from
him by many other distractions. But he should have had this in hia files
as of March and Jyly 1959. I have not discussed it elsewhere, that is
outside Szanford.

In view oP REST AN 6x 8B ence with jen acceleration, I should think
there would be some werit in your at least taking a general look at the
problem of ionic propulsion, whether or not the suggestion of using both
positive and negative ions of equal e/m ratio has any merit. The subject
has been reviewed by George Sutherland (Boeing Co,) in the ARS journal
for Octeber 1959, and Stuhlinger also has reviews in press and in print
in Vgstas in Astronautics, Vol. 1 (Pergamon Press) and Aqwances in Space
Science, Vol II. (A,ademic Press).

 
 
 
 

al cerely,

Arn
Lederberg