July 13, 1959

Dr. Lloyd Berkner

Assoclated Universities, Inc.
Suite 1750, Collseum Tower

10 Columbus Circle

New York 19, New York

Dear Or. Berkner:

1 am happy to acknowledge, as | already have to Dr. Bronk, the
acceptance of my appobntment to the Space Sclence Board. ! do not
lack for other responsibilities [in my own unlversity and laboratory
work but am pleased to be able to make some contribution to this
Important mission. One of Its challenges Is the need to assimilate
contributions from many different sclences and to communicate effec-
tively with the workers in them.

| must assume that ! was co-opted to represent the particular
problems of planetary biology and the need to set up both conserv-
ative standards and constructive operations In the biological Inves-
tigation of the Moon and the planets. One of our most urgent needs
is to establish a definite focus for sclentific Interest In this
field. During the past year and a half, this has grown In an encouraging
fashion. As a direct consequence, however, we may face a frustrating
duplication and confuslon of effort which there may still be time to
forfénd. The BioAstronautics Committee, | am sure, will have discussed -)
this problem with the Space Sclence Board and | would be most Interested rn
to learn of any conclusions. Given a certain amount of common sense, * ast
there need be no serlous waste In the concurrent Interests of these {yw
groups. | have to say, however, that the responsibilities of the
BloAstronautics Committee In relation to planetary biology have been
a polnt of great confusion to me and some of my colleagues. The
practical way that this can manifest Itself is in making It difficult
to sustain the interest and services of talented people who do not
have the time to sit on several committees.

Meanwhile, | have also heard from Burr Stelnbach of the NRC
Diviston of Blology In Medicine, that he has been charged to set
up another committee on extraterrestrial life. § think now that
it would be unfortunate to see such a group duplicate an effort
that should already be strongly represented on the Space Science
Board. Stelnbach feels, and ! certainly agree, that it Is Important
to have an "'advanced thinking group" which Is uncommitted to military
or other applications, but ! would feel that this is precisely the
function that should be the charge of the Space Sclence Board since,
of course, operational responsibilities are vested in NASA and In the
Department of Defense. 1 hope that you and Keffer Hart! Ine will have
& chance to discuss this problem with Or. Steinbach at your early
convenience. 1! would see no objection, and conceivably there may
be some justification, to giving the same group of people two des-
ignations: one, to report to the NRC-NAS; the other as an element

of the Space Science Board. OBA try bebben
-2-

The corollary to this Is that a committee be established in the
Space Science Board which Is quite specifically devoted to the problems
of extraterrestrial life. The kinds of problems we have to face have
been more sharply d@l Ineated now and a vague reference to "biological,
soclal, and behavioral sclences'' is no longer an adequate freme of
reference for such a committee. There has been much confusion [tn the
minds of both the lay and the sclentific public over the meaning of
the expression "'space blology."' In fact, this means two very different
things: the malntenance of man or other higher organisms In a space
craft, and the Investigation of Independent evolutionary systems as
may be represented on the planets. The technica! backgrounds Involved
In these two aspects are quite different. Of course, these two
discip!tines do meet at a number of points, for example, In the
construction of satellite experiments which seek on the one hand
to Investigate the effect of extraterrestrial environments on man
and other terrestrial organisms or, alteenatively on evolutionaty
processes on the planets. Unless the Space Sclence Board does give
official cognizance to this special area of Interest -- and It has,
of course, to a considerable extent by my own appointment to it --
there is bound to be pressure for the establishment of stil! additional
groups to consider these problems. I myself feel that the Space
Science Board and the BloAstronautics Committee can between them
more efficiently do this Job at the advisory level without a further
multiptication of Independent committees.

We had a good meeting here the other day on tactical proceduges
for the decontamination of space probes. Or. Derbyshire wil! doubtless
be forwarding a more detalled report during the next week or two.
Meanwhile, you might be Interested to hear our conclusion that this
problem can be licked without inordinate effort though a certain amount
of additional research and developmental! work Is needed. Fortunately,
the Physical Defense Section of the Blological Warfare Laboratories
at Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland Is superbly equiped both in
experience and in facllitles for this type of work. We are submitting
a strong recommendation that this laboratory, under the direction of
Or. Charles Phillips, be given a contract for technical direction
of decontamination prodedures. The most efficient method In the
circumstances semms to be fumigation with ethylene oxide, a now
widely used method of sterilization which was largely developed in
those laboratories. For certain spot situations, for example
hermetically sealed containers which might tolerate the Introduction
of the ethylene oxide It may be necessary to use other methods,
especially heat or radiation. It Is Important, however, that there
be a unified direction to the whole program and we could hardly find
another laboratory better capable of undertaking the job. Dr. Phillips
has already Indicatéd that his group would be willing to negotiate
such a contract. I would Just IIke to add, pending Dr. Derbyshire's
report, my strong personal endorsement to this program. ! might add
that this was also the considered recomendation of the Westex group
which has been reviewing this problem during the past six months.

Yours sincerely,

ahslt pawl Joshua Lederberg

/ Professor of Genetics
ay 10/ 9-72.