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Tot Derbyshire, SSB January 10, 1960 - Nice
Dear George!

I'm on my way just now over to Nice, Since the USSR announcement
on lamik, and their subsequent non-cooperation in discussing experimental
details, If have a feeling this trip is a waste of SSB money and of ay
own time, but we have to see,

There are several defects and gape in my own presentation--some
of these I will try to remedy myself, in peint of clarity and logical
rigor; some you might help me on and this would be much appreciated.

(1) Gould high altitude photegraphy give same evidence of planetary
life? We sheuld talk to some AF experts on this point~-the Atles pictures
. o£ Earth are not very encouraging, but they may not be the last word,

In connection with this,

(2) Have you gotten anywhere trying te get AF information on the
infra-red appearance of the earth, especially in the 3-4 u and 7 u bands?
I know this may be sensitively close to SAMOS, but it cannot really be any
secret and if necessary we should try to get the data as classified, though
of course, release would be handier.

Tt might be worth trying to set up a conference with AF, Davies (JPL),
and Westex (or SSB Comm, 11) to go over this problem of high altitude detection.
I hope you could steer this to Ames Research Center of MASA at Moffett Field,
where I would be happy to attend myself, Now that we have gotten somewhere on
decontamination, this may be the next problem to. tackle, We would need someone
frem AF who really knew his business in high resolution serial phot ography
end its interpretation, (1 don't think we showld Leave fundamental questions
like this to Bio-Astronautica Committee alone either.)

(3) I have a feeling we muat be missing out on relevant work in pop
relating to detection of exebiota, 1 know (and just that) someone in
Strugheld's lab has been "simulating the Martian environment for culture of
bacteria, Can you find out what happens here? (I have a small grant now
from Rockefeller Foundation (waiting for NASA to settle itself) to start work
on a planstary-TV-microscope, It would be silly to waste time and effort
duplicating other work elsewhere.)

In this connection, JPL Astronautics Info, Abstracts may be quite
helpful (cf, S8B-131). Can you help me gat some of the originals, either
directly, or giving me instructions where te go? I have in mind especially
Nos. 1060, 1135, 1136, 1140 and 1143, 1 suppose I should write to the author
for 1115 (of interest in another connection)-<«tf you know better, let me know,.
i wish I could have let you write wy Mice papar--I was terribly
rushed, what with a trip to Mexice last week among other things! Now that
I have written it, do you think we might use this, more or less as is,
for the Science in Space? We both did essentially the same thing, going over
Westex and it would be easier (fer me) to hand over my manuscript verbatin
than suggest a fair number ef points whoes emphasis I would think of
changing. I am sorry we did rehash this though--it could have saved
several hours (days?) work for at least one of us to have gotten together
more closely,

Mut I haven't had time to read your draft with real care, 1 will do
this, prebebly on this trip, and let you know further, 1 will alse be
sending yeu a copy of my revised (improved?) manuscript te be submitted for
in the Mice preceedings. By the way, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists
wante the article and Saturday Evening Post something iike, I think the time is
quite ripe for such actions,

Whether such a conference as I mentioned should be SSB or cut of a
WASA working group, I don't know, I will be seeing Jastrow at Nice, and
Claxrk Randt at Pale Alte directly I gst back--they may have some reactions.

By the way, I have a new private phone in my office which will be
answered only if I am available (er my wife when I am out of town). Se it will
probably save time and billing costa to use {t as a point for calls.
The number is DAvenport 1-2764 (but don't give this te anyone for publication).

Tf you succeed in transcribing this letter may I have a carbon copy
of the typescript for sy files?

Yours cordially,

Joshua Lederberg