In resSonse to GD's wire, and further to ous telephone conversation/ March 5,1962

Memo

To: SSB Executive Committee
From: 0 Lederberg

Subject: Policy on International Cooperation in Space.

1. We ere continually being trespel by the USSR into a polarization of
cooperation in space by bilateral arreenent. Thaés merely focusses more
attention on the contest. There is no svccial virtue in our "cooperation"
with the USSR that tends to exclude the useful role of other nations.

2, COSPAR is oriented towards eliciting communication from the USSR. But

it tenis to undercut the political role of the UN in establishing global
asoirations for extraterrestrial exploration. COSPAR itself is inherently
iynata impotent fron a political staninoint, which is precisely why the USSR
insists on it as a sole channel.

3. XXKSXUMXGSN I recomend that we unilaterally take all possible measures

to strengthen the role of the UN as the vehicle of earthly ventures into space.
We should offer whatever facilities we can, regardless of what the USSR does
for its part. We can reasonably exnect either a co-partickpation on their
part, or if they hold back, at worst that US-NASA will be the chosen technical
vehicle for the effort. (This would be analogous to the UN's sponsorship of
the Korean war, in the face of USSR on 0sition; whatever the denerits$ or
merits or this, it was at least a politically far more tenable position than

a US national effort in Korea would have been.)

4, Our stated aspirations. should then be that the vehicles exploring celestial
bodies should aarry the UN flag, and whatever possible substance to international
participation would justify this. Tnis should also imply the participation

of non-US nationals in orbital, lunar flight, etc.

5. All this is baded on the vremise that we really are trying to denationalize
the exploration of space, which may be open to some question, especially

in Congress. If this is not a feasible goal, we should be care‘ul not to be
trapped by our own proposals.

6. On the other hand, it would be futile andenervating to propose cooveration
only at a technical level, without the rolitical implications inherent in UN
scoonsorshio. Exchange of policy ani delegation of responsibility is possible at
the too; except in a few areas -~ synontic experimentation; tracking....~---~
it would frustrate detailed experimental organization at operational tevels,
except insofar as other nationals could be welcomed as participants in our
snace laboratories.

7. Harry Brown should be in touch with you anent specific USSR proposals

male at the Stowe conference. But I am opposed to adopting broad policy (contra
technical implenentation) ak by bilateral agreement, unless we mean to

scrap the UN altogether.