March 2h, 1959

Dr. Bruno B. Rossi

Department of Physics

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
Cambridge 39, Massachusetts

Dear Dr. Rossi:

1 forgot to ask you during our telephone conversation yesterday
whether you had succeeded in carrying our urgent request to Bronk and
if so whether you know of any action he may have taken on it or any
reply he may have received.

| am eaclosing a copy of a letter | Just received from Tamm. |
had discussed some of the general issues of planetary contamination
when | met him tn Stockholm.

! certainly agree with you that the conclusions of EASTEX and
WESTEX should be summarized and brought out in some kind of publication
SO as to Strengthen the measure of general biological interest in space
exploration. |! could undertake to do this myself but only at the expense
of other responsibiiities. However, | have another Suggestion: a young
fellow by the name of Carl Sagan who is finishing up his thesis in
astronomy at Yerkes Observatory. I'm trying to make some arrangement for
him to come to the west coast either for a short time this summer or an
@ somewhat more durable basis after this fall for the purpose of seetin
up somewhat more explicit experiments relating to planetary biology. ~
He is deeply interested in this question and has more than a little
depth of insight in the issues. 1 would be delighted if we could obtain
the funds that might be needed to employ him as a consultant both for the
preliminary studies of WESTEX and, ultimately, for the development of
experiments. Jf you think the National Academy would be a better sponsoring
agency for the first aspect, 1! would be delighted to proceed on this basis.
For about $1500 we could have his services through the summer together with
Some expenses for travel, material and so on and the result of this might
be a very useful resume. | Suspect that it might be better to go directly
to NASA for somewhat comprehensive Support of both the discussional and
experimental: phases :of.a-preliminary program but | would be grateful for
your.advice on this question.

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg

P., S. 1 think I've brought up this question of a possible handbook with
you before; now that the Russians have gotten the same idea, | suppose it
is inevitable that we will do the same thing. See the enclosure.