December 1, 1959

Or. Edward R. Dyer
Space Seclence Boerd Secretariat
1145 19th Street, MW., Room 716
Washington 6, D. ¢.

Dear Dr. Dyer:

Apropos your memo dated November 13. 1! belleve that every comal ttee
that has concerned [tself with planetary problems has reached much the
same concluston namely that a great deal of Important preparatory work
remains to be done In terrestrial laboratorles and from terrestrial
observatories If we are to make the most effective use of eventual
space probes. Or. Edson's remarks are particularly to the point;
| wonder If the most difficult problem may be to recrétt, Indeed
to find, the competent people to do the work that he suggests.
However, It Is possible that F more publicity Is given to this
problem this In Itself may motivate a number of people to go Into
planetary work.

There Is a serlous problem as to whether NASA or NSF should have
primary responsibility for furthering research In these directions.
| belleve that the measure of the problem is so wel! understood that
it Is possibly supererogatory for more committee work at an advisory
level. fnstead, | wonder if It would not suffice to merely reiterate
and add more welght to the specific recommendations from the Spece
Sclence Board that the adainistrations of NSF and NASA get together
to work out a detatied plan.

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Genetics