2101 CONSTITUTION AVENUE

CABLE ADDRESS: NARECO
WASHINGTON 25, D. c.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

SPACE SCIENCE BOARD oe We

September 16, 1959

be. L. ¥. BSevrkner, President
Associated Universities, Inc.
10 Colwebus Circle
Raw York 19, 4. Y¥.

Bear Liayd:

i am writing in response te your letter of 17 August
1959, regarding the statement of Loftus &. Becker to the United
Racions ed hee Committee on the Pesceful Veos of Cuter Space. If
you continee the readiag ef the extract which you queted iu your
Letter, he states that “This, then, is the inttial thinking of my
Government with respect to Paragraph | {d) ef tae Resolution of
13 _ December.“

This Resolution ie cited in part on the firet page of

his speech; paragraph 1 (4) refers to “The nature of legal problens
which may aries in the carrying eut of programmes to explore outer
spece.”

 
    

we have diecuseed with State the context intended by
Mx. Becker's remark about extraterrestrial life and sur contacts
there confire eur faitial opinion that he wae simply saying that
the U. 5. Government attaches at this time « lew prierity te the
question ef lagal relations with intellisgest forms of extraterece-
trial forms of life.

We ourselves were somevhat concerasd with another remerk
of Becker's heaving te do with public health, safety and contamination
(page 7 of the preas release of May 7). Mere he states thet “tome
consideration may be given to ... what agreements or regulations are
needed to safeguard space or celestial bedies from contamination.”
Again, State advises that Becker wan speaking in « legal context
and referring te the pesatble need for iucerustional agreements and
regulations. Becker's remarks should be looked st in the light of
the final report of the U. N. ad hoe Comittee on the Peaceful Uses
of Outer Space on this subject, which State advises reprasents the
be. L. ¥. Serkner ~2« September 16, 1959

position of the U.S. Ceverament. In this context, the Covernment
endexsas the need for further studies by scientific bodies such as
CETSA and COSPAR prisr to adopting any position which might lead te
iuternational regulations of a legal character.

in view of these reaseurences from the State Department,
A do notbslieve that we weed te pursue Becker's remarks further. I
om, nowever, sending copies of this letter te these who received
capies of your letter to me of 17 August, ae well as te Dr. Porter.

Sincerely yours,

Hugh Odishaw
Puegutive Olgecter

cet Ur. Kartiine
by. Lederberg
Dr. Ferter
Br. &oesi

Dr. Urey